I was banded in 2008. I lost about 100 pounds but then started having severe reflux. I did the fill/unfill process more times than I even know. I live 4 hours away and felt like I was constantly going back and forth to the office in Durham. In 2011, I had to have my gall bladder out. I had Dr Portenier take it out and he also did a gastric plication at the same time. He said my band looked great. Since then, I have gained 30 pounds and have had constant reflux. Now I can't even lay down without having acid shooting up my throat (and sometimes out of my nose). I really want the band removed, and to get a revision to RNY. Does anyone know if Dr Portenier does this type of revision? I am pretty sure Dr Sudan does, but how do you switch surgeons if you are already a patient of someone else? I really like Dr Portenier and would love if he would do the revision. I have searched google and can't find any posts of anyone having band to RNY revision at Duke. I can find tons on the DS, but my BMI isn't high enough for that. I also lost a lot of hair with the band and am worried about this happening again with a revision. Any ideas?? Thanks so much!

I was banded in 2008. I lost about 100 pounds but then started having severe reflux. I did the fill/unfill process more times than I even know. I live 4 hours away and felt like I was constantly going back and forth to the office in Durham. In 2011, I had to have my gall bladder out. I had Dr Portenier take it out and he also did a gastric plication at the same time. He said my band looked great. Since then, I have gained 30 pounds and have had constant reflux. Now I can't even lay down without having acid shooting up my throat (and sometimes out of my nose). I really want the band removed, and to get a revision to RNY. Does anyone know if Dr Portenier does this type of revision? I am pretty sure Dr Sudan does, but how do you switch surgeons if you are already a patient of someone else? I really like Dr Portenier and would love if he would do the revision. I have searched google and can't find any posts of anyone having band to RNY revision at Duke. I can find tons on the DS, but my BMI isn't high enough for that. I also lost a lot of hair with the band and am worried about this happening again with a revision. Any ideas?? Thanks so much!

First of all..... im sorry that you are having such difficulty now. It sounds like you maybe worse of than before?/.... i wonder why that is ?.....how much fill do you have in your band right now? have you been having to make as many trips back and foward for fills and unfills as before??...

i cant help you regarding the gastric bypass but im sure others here will be able to advise you.....

Im just picking up on the similarities you have had in comparison to me. ive had numerous fills and unfills. ive been banded just over two years now. i lost about 37 pounds.

i just had a bad episode with inflammation in the pouch and had to have a drip because i was dehydrated.... then i had some fill removed. Now im eating like theres no tomorrow. i get more fill on about the 8th May. Meantime i have been told after having an ultrasound that i have gall stones. Now im wondering if some of the issues Ive suffered from were in fact due to gall stones? sometimes when having trouble with the band its hard to tell where the pain is coming from...... i do hope that you get some input that will help you out.... good luck with it all.. and keep us up to date on it.