saw a new surgeon. having an upper GI then endoscopy done first week of april. band has been very tight this week. part of my issues. doc wants me to consider bypass and not the sleeve. thinks i will have better results....very fustrated..

~Kristen

Having 2 surgeries means 2 co-payments and 2 of everything, the up side is that you don't need all the bariatric pre-op requirements for band removal, just schedule it and have it done and over with. A great deal of surgeons feel that 2 different procedures are the best.

Hello KMB, I have the same issues that you do, and my surgeon wants to do the bypass too, she explained that the condition of my esphogus and stomach would determine IF the sleeve could be done, she said it's a HIGH PRESSURE area and the connection between the esphogus and stomach may not "hold". I have approval for the sleeve, but I have my fingers crossed that she will be able to do it. It's not always what we WANT, it's what is possible under the circumstances. That BAND did horrible things to me, I wish I would NEVER have done it, but then again, it was a time when I demanded it and even fought with the insurance company about it. I have decided to go with what the surgeon tells me and PRAY, pray alot for wisdom and protection. k

I am in the same place as you right now. I have my insurance approval for the sleeve but I am waiting on the doctor to decide from the manometry test if I am a candidate or not....ughhh. This is stressing me out more than the whole getting approved process did.

doc thinks i have bad scar tissue from band issues (constant vomiting). i dont have reflux but my esophagus is already severly dialted. i would prefer the sleeve. and will cont to ask for it.

I was previously banded but had the sleeve on 3/20/13. My doctor also kept talking about by-pass by I have mild kidney disease and did not want to risk kidney stones or worse. After surgery, which was planned for 2hours but took over 3 hours, my dr told me there was a great deal of scarring from the band and a hiatal hernia that he had to repair before he could even do the sleeve. Do your research and go with what you feel will be most helpful and healthy for you. Good luck!

I have insurance approval for the sleeve too, now I am more concerned about what she will find upon surgery, I know I will wake up and say "so, what did you do?" I am uncomfortable with that, I have a hitial hernia too since the band, there are parts of this that I don't want to think about.

I have insurance approval for the sleeve too' date=' now I am more concerned about what she will find upon surgery, I know I will wake up and say "so, what did you do?" I am uncomfortable with that, I have a hitial hernia too since the band, there are parts of this that I don't want to think about.[/quote']

Pre revision i had an endoscopy done and everything looked fine, but during my surgery when the band was removed, the dr had to repair a hernia. He was still safely able to continue with the sleeve. The only complication was i had to stay two days in the hospital instead of one because the extra swelling where the hernia repair prevented me from being able to drink anything and I had to stay on the IV for fluids.

I'm interested in how this works out. I'm almost 3 yrs out with band, lost 90 lb. I developed esophageal dilation, achalasia and a general GI Motility disorder over the last year. My UGI showed the LES did not open in response to swallowing, so the barium distended the esophagus. The esophagus spasmed trying to push the barium through and it could be seen sloshing around in there. When I eat, I have to eat very slowly, eat half a band portion. I sometimes regurgitate food eaten days before.

I only had 3.5 cc in my 11 cc band and had it all removed last June, because nothing would pass through the band. After removing the Fluid and allowing the stomach/esophagus to heal a bit, the UGI showed normal function, other than a bit slow in emptying. No dilation, slip, spasms. 9 months later its another story.

I've had a gastric emptying study, showing mild gastroparesis, endoscopy with negative biopsies, and I'm scheduled for manometry testing next week. I want to revise to sleeve, but have been told it could exacerbate my motility problems.

I'm working with my GI, Lapband and PCP doctors with this.

The other significant issue is that I often have palpitations when eating due to the close proximity of the heart to the esophagus and the violent spasms I experience. I've had a full cardiac work up that was negative for any cardiovascular disease.

I'm not a candidate for RNY for other medical reasons.

I'm interested in how this works out. I'm almost 3 yrs out with band' date=' lost 90 lb. I developed esophageal dilation, achalasia and a general GI Motility disorder over the last year. My UGI showed the LES did not open in response to swallowing, so the barium distended the esophagus. The esophagus spasmed trying to push the barium through and it could be seen sloshing around in there. When I eat, I have to eat very slowly, eat half a band portion. I sometimes regurgitate food eaten days before.

I only had 3.5 cc in my 11 cc band and had it all removed last June, because nothing would pass through the band. After removing the Fluid and allowing the stomach/esophagus to heal a bit, the UGI showed normal function, other than a bit slow in emptying. No dilation, slip, spasms. 9 months later its another story.

I've had a gastric emptying study, showing mild gastroparesis, endoscopy with negative biopsies, and I'm scheduled for manometry testing next week. I want to revise to sleeve, but have been told it could exacerbate my motility problems.

I'm working with my GI, Lapband and PCP doctors with this.

The other significant issue is that I often have palpitations when eating due to the close proximity of the heart to the esophagus and the violent spasms I experience. I've had a full cardiac work up that was negative for any cardiovascular disease.

I'm not a candidate for RNY for other medical reasons.

[/quote']

I suffered with achalasia for years. Had many dilatations. Finally surgery to open the L owner esophageal sphincter muscle. Also had part of my funds sewed to the esophagus to help keep it open. My surgeon who did that gave me a full work up including upper endoscopy and motility testing. Said he saw no reason , with slight modification, to have the sleeve. I am 6 months out , lost 60 lbs. and have no problems. Continue to take Protonix. I have a larger sleeve( a number 56 bougie. I can eat more than most but I feel restriction at about 6 ounces. I'm 65 years old and didn't want the problems with bypass.

That's great to hear! Will continue to pursue VSG revision.

had upper gi tdy. i could tell my esphogus is dialated..doc said "oh my".....cant be a good sign....more testing tomorrow

So its ok to have it all done on the same day? Band removal and sleeve procedure? I have to get them both done on the 23rd. Im excited, yet scared. But I am so ready to be able to run around with my babies in the park this summer. I just pray I may be able to calm my nerves.

First doc I saw poo-poo'd the sleeve and I was headed down the RNY path. His reason was that I had already failed at a "restriction" procedure. I was an emotional wreck over it and just couldn't do the gastric bypass. I decided to try nonsurgical program and the program director told me that I wasn't likely to be successful at that either, given my long sordid history of failed diets... and she directed me to a different surgeon.

The good docs at Puget Sound surgical removed my band and sleeved me - I chose in separate surgeries. And the rest is history...

I think that if 3 surgeons told me i wasn't a good candidate for the sleeve, I might start taking that input seriously though...

Pre revision i had an endoscopy done and everything looked fine, but during my surgery when the band was removed, the dr had to repair a hernia. He was still safely able to continue with the sleeve. The only complication was i had to stay two days in the hospital instead of one because the extra swelling where the hernia repair prevented me from being able to drink anything and I had to stay on the IV for fluids.

My surgeon said that he repairs hiatal hernias in about 90 percent of his patients. I was surprised that it was that high, but they are pretty common in people who are overweight, and the repair really helps us do better post-sleeve since it decreases acid, etc.