I've been suffering from complications with my band for years. I finally got the nerve to go back and see my doc (after long term vomiting, reflux, pain, weight gain), and she and my surgeon suggested a revision to bypass. Has anyone done this? What have your results been like? How does eating differ? Worried that I may fail with bypass the same way as I did with the band.

I have so many questions, and while the forums I've seen have been very helpful I'm seeking more specifics! Thank you : )

My doctor added 1/5 cc to my band and just told me to do the typical liquid diet for two days. He said my angle was good. Hopefully it will be okay but it still worries me ????????????

Edited December 2, 201510 yr by staceface09

Please consider the sleeve over the bypass

This is so not true. Please consider a sleeve over a bypass. I am a lap band eroded survivor and would never recommend a band to anyone. I work for a Endoscopy Center so I have seen it all. I have seen people die from results from the bypass. You have no stomach so you have no way to absorb nutrients. The sleeve leaves a banana of the stomach and nothing is rerouted. With the sleeve you can still absorb nutrients. The only successful long term weight loss we have seen and with little to no complication is with the sleeve. Most people with the by pass usually gain there weight back after about 7-10 yrs.

I disagree.

@@Pinkgirl1234 we do probably 20-30 EGD's a week on bariatric patients. And I can tell you patients that have had the bypass 5 or more yrs ago are as obese as the were before or bigger. I almost died from a lap band erosion and ended up having two major surgeries and a 16 day stay in the hospital. I am thinking about the sleeve only bc I have seen the best results with less problems with the sleeve. The GI Dr's I work with will tell you the same thing. We have seen some bad stuff from bariatric surgeries. A sleeve is the only thing I myself would ever do to my body again. I know a family of 5 that 2 of the women had the by pass and 3 of the others sleeves. The two with bypass have gained their weight back. They have acute gastritis, hair loss and are deficient in so many vitamins. The sleeve has the least complications of any of the bariatric procedures.

@@mbrown but like any WLS, it's a tool. So if people gain their weight back with bypass, wouldn't you say that they may have resorted back to bad eating habits? You can have regain because of that with any WLS. But for someone that the Band did not work for, Sleeve most likely will not work either. They're both restrictive. Bypass is restrictive and malabsorption both. So it changes everything. I wouldn't want to revise from pretty much the same surgery I had to another one (I.E. Band to Sleeve).

I have a friend that's 5 years out with Bypass and is doing wonderful. She of course takes all of her Vitamins daily and follows the plan. She continues to keep all of her weight off, and that's throwing a pregnancy in there too.

@@gebbiabn you're so right. That's the long and short of it and how it was explained to me by my surgeon. Which is why i revised from band to bypass.

@@gebbiabn when they do the sleeve they remove 85% of your stomach. They take it out. Your stomach produces a hormone that tells you brain it's hungry. Some people produce to much of the hormone hence that's why they eat to much. With bypass the stomach is not taken out. It remains in your body. Just trying to give info since we see it on a daily basis and see the failure rate and the problems associated with it.

@phatfagirl, @@gebbiabn look up peptide hormone ghrelin. It will explain it in detail. When the sleeve is done it removes the stomach so that hormone is not produced.

New research is showing the while the ghrelin hormone is supressed initially with amputative surgeries such as the sleeve, the hormone actually seeks another pathway and will re-develop in the remaining bit of the stomach. This explains why some sleevers' hunger returns. The hormone's production is only temporarily supressed but it will seek a new way to express itself eventually. Hopefully, however, the patient will have developed good habits by that time (because really, that's the goal of all WLS, right?) and when the hunger hormone returns, he/she will manage just fine with exercise/reduced portions/happy healthy lifestyle.

@@parisshel yes that's true and it has a much smaller stomach to produce the hormone, so it doesn't make as much. I am only giving advice because, I work where everyone comes that is having a problem so we see it all. We do Endoscopy's.

Edited December 4, 201510 yr by mbrown

Hi Mbrown,

I have the band and I am as fat as ever.I can't have the sleeve because of the damage that was caused by the band.Torturous ephagus and severe Acid reflux,hiatal hernia,flipped port....The band has messed my stomach up.

@@PinkGirl I had a band put in 2002 it eroded in 2004. They took the fluid out hoping it would pull away from my stomach and my stomach heal on its own. Unfortunately that did not happen. I finally had surgery to remove the band in 2008. When they went in to operate the band had completely eroded and was not visible. They removed the band and repaired the damage. Two days later they did the leak test and my stomach would not open to release anything. That night I went in for surgery #2 which was a complete open surgery. I came out with a feeding tube and three drains. I was in the hospital for 14 days. I was off work for an additional 8 weeks. I wouldn't suggest a lap band to my worst enemy. I feel the Dr who did my fills is the one who missed mine up. I think he over filled me each time. I lost 110 lbs with the band. I have gained 50 lbs back since I had it removed in 2008. I see failed lap bands almost on a daily basis where I work. I work at a Endoscopy Center where we do EGD's on patients. It really sad to see all the people that have gone through the lap band procedures only to have it fail. I chose the lap band bc they said it was reversible. But after a 14 day stay in the hospital, 2 surgeries and $300,000 Later it was removed.

Edited December 5, 201510 yr by mbrown

OMG.I am so sorry to hear this.There should be a class action lawsuit and a ban on the lap band procedure.I have so much damage and I am awaiting approval from the insurance company..In pain and I feel bilious because my port has flipped...I had a doctor that I saw in the same practice that was known as the "lapband Doctor ".No personality and a bad attitude when someone came in complaining and seeking a revision.He performed some sleeve procedures but was adamant that he performs the procedure 6 months apart.First removal then revision.I have had a DVT...not looking to have to separate procedures.I was originally going for a revision to a sleeve but my acid reflux is off the charts.This band has caused damage to my insides.Plus I developed breast cancer...hmmm....silicone in body...erosion...

I changed to another doctor in the same practice....you could tell they know the band is faulty....you could see it when you discuss all your problems...they have heard it all many times before.If I don't get it out soon...I am in trouble

I think you should seek a lawsuit!!!

I would like to know how the revisions are going?

We have the Protein items in Maine that you are using Banded... I love each I have tried, except the broc cheddar Soup I thought was nasty.... I need to try the lemon!