Hi there

I was banded in August 2008 and lost 120lbs before getting pregnant in 2010. Since having my son in 2011 I have had any issues with acid reflux and not being able to get food down. I have had my bad filled/unfilled so many times and when it is empty no reflux issue but still food issues. Well finally a few weeks ago the surgeon has agreed to do the revision to sleeve if I want. The only thing that has be worried is he said my risk goes from less then 1% (never having WLS) to a 20% chance if leaking with a revision.

Soy question for those that have gone through this have you had any issues with leakage? If so would you still do the surgery if you had to all over again?

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply and best if luck to all of you.

I had the band done in 2006. I was sleeved on 9/11/2013. My surgeon did it all in one shot. He took out the band and sleeved me at the same time. He said it was difficult to remove the port but of course he got it. The surgery took 30 minutes longer because of this. Now as for the pain, OMG. I had an adverse reaction to the morphine (caused me to vomit). I stayed four days in the hospital due to the fact I was not using the bathroom on my own, throwing up,nausea and a low grade fever. I begged to go home once I was able to use the bathroom myself and I was walking ten mins a day two times a day. With that being said they sent me home with a firm dos and don'ts list and I promised my first born. They gave me pain killers for five days. After that OMG. I used children's liquid pain killer. Bottom line I was in pain for about three weeks. After the fourth week, I was able to get out of bed without much pain. All of the pain is and was by the port sight. Hope I helped. I'm feeling a lot better and I have no regrets just was sad of about two weeks because of the pain

Gin Babe-

sorry you had to suffer so much. I had my band out a year ago with no problems and am completely healed. If not for the pain around the port, how do you think you would have done?

Thanks,

If your surgeon says he has complication rates anywhere near 20% RUN to a different surgeon.... Im a band to sleeve revision myself and my surgeon preferred to weight about a month between procedures so tissue could heal and would be healther when cutting/ stapling the sleeve

No worries - MY BAND TO SLEEVE was the best thing that ever happened to me. I loss the remainder weight so fast. The only thing to consider is - DO YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR EATING HABITS. Do you realize these are just tools and that you have to modify your your eating habits and commit to the change for the remainder of your life. If all this is ago, the risk should be just as minimal as the lap band. I hated my band. The feeling if food being stuck, the panics of thinking I was having a heart attack with no matter what I ate and the constant dumping.......GO FOR IT, I promise you it will take you into a realm you may never have thought possible.

I weighed 240 pre band and 215 pre sleeve. I have maintained 135 to 140 for 4 years focusing on making sure I didn't get too small.

WHAT AN ISSUE TO HAVE, right??????

Let me know how it goes!!!!!

Make sure your surgeon has experience with revisions. Request a day or two longer hospital stay. Being in the hospital those early days really gave me peace of mind. I liked having a drain too. It gave me extra comfort to see the fluid in it was the right color. I think if you are really worried about it you could ask your surgeon to do the removal in two different surgeries. Mine was done all at once with band unfilled months before and meds to heal my stomach and esophagus and treat reflux. Everything was fine and I LOVE my sleeve!

I agree, make sure your surgeon has experience with revisions. When they are in there and start to remove the band they have to cut through the scar tissue to remove it and then they need to free up the part of your stomach to perform the sleeve. If they nick the stomach at all and expose gastric contents they will postpone the sleeve part at least for a couple of weeks to prevent an infection. It is a risk and it does depend on your scar tissue. Usually people do fine. It is a little tougher for the surgeon technique wise and well worth it! Good luck to you!

Edited October 14, 201312 yr by Newme48