Complications ?

[Mel1975 7]

FYI: a revision is having your band removed and sleeve surgery done at the same time. I had my revision September 10, 2012 and it has been the absolute best thing that I could have done no complications whatsoever. It is so nice now to be able to eat yogurt, beef, pork, fruits, things I couldn't with the band. Stop worrying and think about the success you will have and be complication free with your surgery. Good Luck!!

Actualy a revision is a operation to repair/fix the same surgery like fixing a stoma on rny or replacing a band or tubing. When you go from one surgery type to another, rather in one or two step surgery is a conversion but, most use the term revison for all of the above.

Revision and Conversion Surgery

It is possible to have a revision of a previous weight loss operation that has failed if there is a technical or mechanical issue with the surgery. It is also possible to undergo a conversion to a different operation that may provide better success in some cases.

• 
  Examples of operations that may benefit from a revision include:
• Gastric bypass with a dilated and stretched pouch or stomach
  
• Lap-band with slippage or poor position.
  

• 
  Examples of operations that may benefit from a conversion to another operation include:
• Converting a failed VBG or Lap-band to a gastric bypass
  
• Converting previous failed reflux operations like a Nissen fundoplication to a gastric bypass for persistent reflux or reflux associated with severe obesity.
  

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had no complications.

According to surgeon revisions have "about" double the risk of leaks and excessive bleeding. So, if leak risk is around 1-2%; for revisions it is still single digit but much higher.

For me, the risk was worth it because I was dying slowly being so obese.

[sherrypep 91]

My revison was May 6th and went absolutely perfect. I feel a million times better having the band out of me and I have no pain and vomiting when I eat. My only problem this far is very strong bouts of neausia for the past few weeks. Just comes and goes. Been taking acid reducer and nausea med and feeling a bit better. I am hoping this will just pass. Maybe I am not drinking enough fluids.

[Mel1975 7]

My revison was May 6th and went absolutely perfect. I feel a million times better having the band out of me and I have no pain and vomiting when I eat. My only problem this far is very strong bouts of neausia for the past few weeks. Just comes and goes. Been taking acid reducer and nausea med and feeling a bit better. I am hoping this will just pass. Maybe I am not drinking enough fluids.

You are right that dehydration can cause these problems.

[starryskye 2]

I am considering revision to sleeve or bypass due to failure to lose weight despite absolute adherence. My band at one point was so tight I threw up liquids. Still no weight loss. Saw a metabolic dr who says I have adaptive thermogenesis and nothing will help me to lose weight and keep it off. My band is empty for past two years, have not gained either. Anyone out there NOT lose with band despite good diet, but did lose with sleeve or bypass? Anyone out there who did not?

[Mel1975 7]

I am considering revision to sleeve or bypass due to failure to lose weight despite absolute adherence. My band at one point was so tight I threw up liquids. Still no weight loss. Saw a metabolic dr who says I have adaptive thermogenesis and nothing will help me to lose weight and keep it off. My band is empty for past two years, have not gained either. Anyone out there NOT lose with band despite good diet, but did lose with sleeve or bypass? Anyone out there who did not?

I did Not lose well with the band, about 40 pounds than regained. I am down well over 100 pounds with the sleeve. With good food choices it has worked well. If I make bad choices, well.....

[starryskye 2]

Thank you so much for responding!!!!

Were you compliant (good food choices) with the band and it still failed? Is there anything about the sleeve you do not like?

[hopeful2 be slim 121]

hi. I am also band to sleeve..no problems so far...only a little swelling on stomach...I travelled for my followup..on the 12th day...other wise i am ok..thank God.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Thank you so much for responding!!!!

Were you compliant (good food choices) with the band and it still failed? Is there anything about the sleeve you do not like?

I was banded for 10 years and by the end I was NOT compliant for sure. The band drove me to eat sliders because dense Proteins hurt. I had bad acid but didn't realize it so I tended to eat soothing foods like yogurt and ice cream - self medicating I guess.

However, even when I was compliant - say the first 2 years, I just suffered alot with the band. Anytime i had any fill at all I experienced pain and vomiting and yet was often hungry. it wasn't good.

[wwled 38]

I was just sleeved wednesday,so I may not be of any help but I will try! I went from band to sleeve. The things I first noticed were a) I could lay on either side without pain, I was nauseous and throwing up. With the band, it's very clear that throwing up is a no no, but the nurses reassured me that throwing up with the sleeve is perfectly normal. As far as complications, that is all I have so far, minus the crippling gas pain from surgery. My surgeon removed my band and performed the VSG all in one procedure.

[hopeful2 be slim 121]

My band Didnt work for me. Maybe I was eating too much and not walking...not enough Water also.

I am glad it is out.

[tmde63 53]

I was revise in April. I love the sleeve. Though I didn't have a lot of physical issues with the band besides erosion because of having ms. Also I gained 30 of 50 lbs I lost when I had a flare up. Not the case with the sleeve still losing despite current flare up. But of course very slow. But I'm happy.

[meena 1]

Hi, I'm new here. I was banded in 11/08. I was never successful with it at all. Partly due to non compliance. I'm looking to have revision in March of this year. CowgirlJane, you mentioned having your band for 10 years when you had revision. Did your surgeon have a hard time removing it due to scar tissue? Arenyou having success so far, and how was recovery. I'm concerned about complications upon removal of the band. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[kkrose 15]

I've had my band since 2009 and like most, it helped for a short while. My lowest weight was 142 with the band. It seemed like if I had a bad period, my band would tighten. If I had any stress, my band would get tight. It came to be that I couldn't even swallow my saliva, let alone Water. I had the Fluid removed in 2010, and it's been a battle since. I regained all my weight and then some.

I was scheduled for a revision to the sleeve in December, then chickened out. I wandered into the "complications" forum on here, and got pretty freaked out. So I tried working my band again.

I did go from 230 to 205 with this new fill, mostly thanks to constant vomiting from food getting stuck. I recently took a trip and my band got extremely tight from change in elevation. I've decided I'm done with this struggle. I'm done only being able to eat Soup.

I'm scheduled for my revision (again) on 3-11. I'm ready. I am afraid of having a leak. I'm afraid that my surgeon has only done 10 revisions. But he has a 0% leak rate....so far. But my biggest fear is dealing with my weight issues for the rest of my life.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Hi, I'm new here. I was banded in 11/08. I was never successful with it at all. Partly due to non compliance. I'm looking to have revision in March of this year. CowgirlJane, you mentioned having your band for 10 years when you had revision. Did your surgeon have a hard time removing it due to scar tissue? Arenyou having success so far, and how was recovery. I'm concerned about complications upon removal of the band. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I opted (was given a choice) to have mine done in two stages to theoretically reduce risk of leaks. They knew I would have massive scar tissue so surgery one was band removal and scrape away scar tissue. Surgery #2 was the sleeve about 2.5 months later. I do not believe there is hard evidence that this is a better approach but it is what I did. Part of the reason is I wasn't ready to committ to the sleeve but that evil band HAD to come out. The 2.5 months of dying of hunger while gaining weight made me realize that I really really really did need to revise to the sleeve. That alone was a good reason for me to do it in 2 steps - I was SO ready by the time I was sleeved since I felt I was eating myself to death.

I guess people using mobile devices can't see my siggie - but I have lost 160# since being sleeved. I weigh 148 right now. I got to my goal of 158 in 14 months... lost the last 10 pounds after I was stable at goal for awhile. i have been enormously successful in my book. i had no complications and love being fit and active. I think part of the reason for my success (again, no data to back this up) is because the stomach damage scar tissue was removed so when they did the sleeve they could get a pretty good / typical sleeve. sometimes they can't because of the scar tissue and other damages they can't make the sleeve as good as a virgin sleever.