Here's my saga. I posted this elsewhere in the forums and was kind of surprised at the negative response, so let me say, this is just my story. I'm not bashing the band, I'm very thankful for the success I had with it. I'm not bitter or angry, it just didn't work for me long term.
I had a Realize band placed in February of 2009. My starting weight was 268. The band was fantastic and I lost weight steadily, with the exception of a few months when I realized how easy Cookies were to eat. In December of 2010, I hit the 100 pounds lost mark, I also found out I was pregnant that same week.
At about 4 weeks pregnant I had a really nasty 3 day stomach flu. A few days after recovering from that, I started throwing up again. I could keep food down for a few hours, but it was all coming back up. I lost another 15 pounds in 2 weeks. I thought it was just severe morning sickness, even though in 5 previous pregnancies I'd never had morning sickness. I saw my Ob who told me to immediately get my band unfilled and if I was still throwing up the next day he'd have to admit me into the hospital.
I got a complete unfill and immediately felt better, but with no restriction and absolutely no mental/physical/spiritual preparedness for no restriction, my love affair with all things bread and pastry renewed like we were never apart. I gained 40 pounds in the first 4 months of my pregnancy. I managed to gain back a little control, but ended up gaining about 60 pounds before I had my daughter in August of 2011. The weight gain took a great emotional toll on me, but I just knew that 6 weeks postpartum I'd get a fill and be right back on track... You know where this is going, right?
In October of 2011 I got my band refilled. Pre-pregnancy, my fill level was at 7.2cc in an 11 cc band. We filled it to 3.5 cc and 3 weeks later filled it to 5 cc. I had very little restriction and it just didn't seem right. I'd also started getting heartburn. I went back a few weeks later and we filled it to 5.5. That lasted 24 hours, I had to go back in for an unfill and we went down to 5.2 so I could get Water down. I still didn't have much restriction, but I did have terrible heartburn and vomiting in the middle of the night. I lived with this for a few months until I couldn't stand it and went back in and had .5 cc removed. This made the heartburn manageable with daily meds and tums always at hand, but there was no restriction. I could eat all the bread, Pasta, rice that I wanted.
I knew I had a slip, but didn't have insurance to cover bariatrics, so I lived with it. I tried eating less, exercise, weight watchers, even a juice fast but I've gained 20 more pounds on top of the baby weight.
Fast forward to now and I finally have insurance to cover bariatrics. I went in a few weeks ago and had my upper GI. It showed a slip above the band, virtually my entire stomach is above the band, which is why there is no restriction felt, but the band was so tight that flow into the rest of my digestive tract was severely restricted. Food just sat there for a really long time, and the results of that we're just kind of gross. We unfilled the band completely to see if the slip would fix itself, although, we all knew what that result would be. The pregnancy hadn't caused the slip, the stomach flu had and 9 months of an empty band hadn't helped it unslip.
I got that confirmation this week. My band is still slipped and the restriction is still severe even empty. I'm frustrated, but quite relieved that there has been a real issue this whole time and it wasn't just me. We're now going through the process of getting insurance approval to revise to a sleeve and I couldn't be happier.

Severe nightime reflux was also my only symptom of my slip. I sufferred with it for 4 mths before finally seeing my dr. I was afraid he'd unfill me and I'd gain back all 104 lbs I had lost. He did. When my reflux subsided, he started filling me slowly. By the time of my 3rd refill, my reflux came back. They took the previous 1cc out and told me it was now up to me, my band had done the job. Mentioned nothing of a revision or removal.

4 mths later, I had severe stomach pain and had to go to the ER. After a CT scan, it showed my band had finally had enuf and herniated (after continuing to vomit almost daily). I had an emergency total unfill and scheduled a sleeve revision. After a yr and a gain of 30 lbs, I finally had a light at the end of the tunnel.

It's been a year since my revision (all at once) and I'm now 10 lbs from goal of 140. The first 100 lbs were easy peasy compared with the last 15.

Good luck on ur new journey...

Same thing happened to me. I had my band unfilled at 10 weeks preggo and kept it unfilled for 4 years and two children, where I gained back 80% of my weight during that time. Had major problems with reflux, even with the band unfilled. Kaiser performed an upper GI and 2 weeks later I had my band removed and revised to the sleeve. So far I'm really loving the sleeve.

I'm really hoping I love the sleeve! I hate that I have to go through this pre-op "is it going to work" stress again. I spent a couple of hours on the phone today setting up all of my pre-op appointments and should have all of that done within the next couple of weeks. My coordinator said that my insurance only takes about 7 days for approval. I go on vacation the first week of August and I'm hoping surgery is shortly after that!

I had my band out May 8th because of many reasons. The sleeve is everything I had hoped the band would have been but it wasn't. I never lost a lot of weight with the band. The sleeve causes me no issues. Beyond happy I did it!

I had revision on 6/18 due to many of the same reasons as you. I'm glad I switched and love my sleeve so far. I have Kaiser and am glad I didn't have to go thru all the hops to get approved. Since we had 3 years of documented testing, issues etc that was enough to get it approved and paid for.

Same story as all the above. I had my band for 10 years and the last 5 it was more or less empty. Gained a bit less than 50% back but will have my revision on the 8th of September now. I really hope I feel the same way as you all. I just hope that my acid reflux does not come back when having the sleeve. I asked to get a bigger size to avoid reflux. I will get a bougie size 44F. Does any of you know which size you go? Please wish me luck ! And good luck to you Akafij !!!!!!

<p>Same story as all the above. I had my band for 10 years and the last 5 it was more or less empty. Gained a bit less than 50% back but will have my revision on the 8th of September now. I really hope I feel the same way as you all. I just hope that my acid reflux does not come back when having the sleeve. I asked to get a bigger size to avoid reflux. I will get a bougie size 44F. Does any of you know which size you go? Please wish me luck ! And good luck to you Akafij !!!!!!</p>

I had reflux with the band and still do with the sleeve but I take omeperzole for it and have no issues. It's been worth it. Once you have the sleeve give your body time to heal a good month to feel semi normal. You will wonder what the hell you did to yourself but I promise it gets better and the surgery and recovery will be a distant memory :-) good luck to you.

Thanks Teshadb !! Believe me I am (despite my concerns) very excited to get the band out FINALLY and the better solution. I just want to move on and put all this behind me. So you have your sleeve since May 2014? Well I hope I will be as successful as you with getting rid of my regained pounds Take care.

Edited August 18, 201411 yr by nowornever14

<p>Thanks Teshadb !! Believe me I am (despite my concerns) very excited to get the band out FINALLY and the better solution. I just want to move on and put all this behind me. So you have your sleeve since May 2014? Well I hope I will be as successful as you with getting rid of my regained pounds Take care.</p>

Yes I had it out May 8th. I was in the hospital 8 days due to an infection. They also thought I had a leak so went back in for surgery on the third day to check around for a leak but apparently there wasn't one. They put drains in on the second surgery and I got a lot better after that. I have lost 38lbs since may. Day of surgery I was 216. Now I am 178 and half way to goal. I have lost 53lbs all together since January when I started the revision process from a high weight of 231. It's the best thing I ever did!

You can not imagine how positive this sentence ".... It's the best thing I ever did!...." makes me feel in my decision.

Thanks you !!! You are such a pretty girl. I just looked at your 4 before and after photos. You were a beautiful young woman before but you look so happy on your after pic

That is something so many people don't get. Gaining so much weight and living with it takes not only a toll on our bodies but it also takes a big toll on our happiness.

<p>You can not imagine how positive this sentence ".... It's the best thing I ever did!...." makes me feel in my decision.</p> <p>Thanks you !!! You are such a pretty girl. I just looked at your 4 before and after photos. You were a beautiful young woman before but you look so happy on your after pic </p> <p>That is something so many people don't get. Gaining so much weight and living with it takes not only a toll on our bodies but it also takes a big toll on our happiness. </p>

Thanks so much!!! I feel great! There is so much freedom that comes with this surgery. I love eating such small portions and I am full. I love that a small salad can fill me or a small piece of meat and I don't need the carbs to make me feel satisfied anymore. I hope you are as happy with it as I have been.

I second the "best thing I ever did" remark. I have lost over 160# and maintaining!

@ Teshadb .... Yes eating small portions and feeling satisfied or not feeling always hungry like it was with the band I am looking forward to that And it really seems with that big portion of the stomach gone the gremlin production reduced makes the world of a difference in comparison to the feeling during the band.

@ Cowgirljane .... WOW #160 that is amazing. That is a huge achievement !!! I would be happy to lose 60 or maybe 70 pounds. How much had you lost at your best during the lapband.

I am really seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when I read your comments and see your amazing success. You girls look so vibrant and beautiful .... like it never was any different. I really hope I will go back to my normal self again , like before my illness and the weight gain started. For the last 5 years I though that was it for me, I never would be able to go back to having a normal life where eating is just normal and not a permanent issue to think about 24/7.

Well I started the pre-surgery Optifast diet yesterday. 3 more weeks to go.

It seems most people have only 2 weeks of optifast, we have 3 weeks to do. How long did you both do the optifast diet? And how did you do on it?

<p>@ Teshadb .... Yes eating small portions and feeling satisfied or not feeling always hungry like it was with the band I am looking forward to that And it really seems with that big portion of the stomach gone the gremlin production reduced makes the world of a difference in comparison to the feeling during the band.</p> <p> </p> <p>@ Cowgirljane .... WOW #160 that is amazing. That is a huge achievement !!! I would be happy to lose 60 or maybe 70 pounds. How much had you lost at your best during the lapband.</p> <p> </p> <p>I am really seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when I read your comments and see your amazing success. You girls look so vibrant and beautiful .... like it never was any different. I really hope I will go back to my normal self again , like before my illness and the weight gain started. For the last 5 years I though that was it for me, I never would be able to go back to having a normal life where eating is just normal and not a permanent issue to think about 24/7.</p> <p> </p> <p>Well I started the pre-surgery Optifast diet yesterday. 3 more weeks to go.</p> <p> It seems most people have only 2 weeks of optifast, we have 3 weeks to do. How long did you both do the optifast diet? And how did you do on it?</p>

I didn't have to do optifast. With the band back in 2009 they made me do medifast for 4 weeks. This time I could do my own thing as long as I lost the 10%. And I did the liquid diet for one day prior to surgery

I only had to do 48 hours of clear liquids