Considering band to sleeve revision, would love to know good and bad!

[azdmelissa 7]

I was banded 3 years ago. I had a lower BMI when I started and have had successful weight loss, my BMI is currently a 26, so I am very close to normal. I have had numerous fills and unfills over the last three years. It seems like every time I was in the green zone, I would get too tight and be unable to keep anything down until I had an unfill. My band has been high maintenance.

I started having night time reflux so I had all the Fluid removed, then an upper GI. The upper GI revealed a slip in my band. That was 3 months ago and I had another upper GI to see if it had fixed itself. Unfortunately it did not, and now I notice that I am uncomfortably tight (without any fluid). I plan to call the surgeon's office to discuss the possibility of either getting the lap band fixed, but after reading more about it, I am also interested in revision to the sleeve. My sister in law had the sleeve and she has had good success.

I would love to know the good and bad about revision to the sleeve after lap band. I am worried that I might have a lot of scar tissue and/or a hiatial hernia that is causing some of the nighttime reflux. Some weeks when the slip makes everything feel super tight, I mostly live on soft foods, Protein Shakes, and Soup. It's not fun.

One major benefit (to me) of having a revision to the sleeve is less maintenance. As I said earlier, mine has been high maintenance - unfills, fills, reflux, and episodes of being so tight I can't keep much of anything down.

Thank you!

[lolarose13 147]

Hi! I'm in the same boat. Banded 3 years ago and I'm having tons of complications with the band. I didn't loose a lot of weight with the band because all the problems and my current BMI is 33. I have an appointment with a doctor here in Arizona in a couple of weeks but I'm super nervous about my BMI, as most insurances will consider a revision with a BMI higher than 35. I feel we should be a candidate for a revision regardless of our BMIs if the lap band removal is medically necessary

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[azdmelissa 7]

If it's not too personal, what complications are you having?

I was prepared for fills and adjustments for 6 months, maybe a year. I never imagined I would continue the process now three years later and now with a slip. My reflux has been getting to the point of intolerable. I have put up with it for months. I've maintained my weight loss even without my band actually doing its job because the reflux is bad if I eat more than a small amount. So I mostly don't eat very much because of that.

[lolarose13 147]

Mostly inability to swallow solid food and certain meds (big metformin pills), acid reflux, night cough, vomiting, and constant pain and pressure in my upper back and chest. I had an emergency unfill back in November and now I can eat some solid foods but I'm still vomiting/slimming every other day. Feel awful.

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[azdmelissa 7]

Wow, I hate to hear that! It sounds similar to my symptoms.

[liposuction68 178]

hi azdmelissa, im researching now for a revision in Mexico if my insurance doesn't approve me i had 2 denials as of TODAY and so my doc is going to do a peer to peer thats my last chance/hope so in the meantime i have been reading and getting information from people here that had revision in Mexiico. Is Mexico an option for you? i actually call bill here on bariatric pal and he is going to send me information to add on to all the other information that i have received thus far. Is's overwhelming..

[JimBivens 26]

I was banded about 10 years ago. Had two more surgeries to repair slips.

Finally had band to sleeve revision on March 1st. Spent one night in hospital. Almost no pain, just some mild discomfort, the worst day being day 3. Was off work about 10 days. I've had zero problems or issues. Have lost about 25 pounds since surgery.

Wish I never had that band. It caused me years of reflux and grief. So far, the sleeve has been "easy".

Good luck!

[azdmelissa 7]

I'm too scared to go to Mexico. I would rather just have my band removed and see what happens than go to Mexico. Maybe I'm uneducated on that experience but it's not something I would consider.

Im glad to hear you have had a good experience with the sleeve. I have an appt to discuss my options with the surgeon and I am hopeful for insurance coverage!

[GalleyGal 26]

This pretty much sounds like my story. I was banded in 2009, starting weight around 190 and I lost about 60 pounds before I had my son in 2013. I got almost all of my baby weight off but just got stuck around 148. I started having serious problems with my band over the last year. I went days without being able to get anything down, not even Water. I had a few unfills and fills and continued to feel crappy without loosing weight. I finally had to make an appointment with a new dr to see what my options were and decided that I wanted the revision to the sleeve. He did an EGD and found that my band was prolapsed and I had a hernia. I know I need this tool to loose and maintain. I had revision surgery on 3/2, by surgery day I had crept back up to 170 since I was unfilled when he did the EGD. I'm 3 weeks post op and feel great now. I've lost 12 pounds so far and I'm happy with that. I'm looking forward to the rest of my journey and getting back down to my ideal/healthy weight.

I'm looking forward to no more fills/unfills and pains from the band. Plus I can't feel that crazy contraption anymore and that's nice.

You have to do what's best for you and your health.

Edited March 24, 2016 by GalleyGal

[certifiedcoder 11]

I was banded about 10 years ago. Had two more surgeries to repair slips.

Finally had band to sleeve revision on March 1st. Spent one night in hospital. Almost no pain, just some mild discomfort, the worst day being day 3. Was off work about 10 days. I've had zero problems or issues. Have lost about 25 pounds since surgery.

Wish I never had that band. It caused me years of reflux and grief. So far, the sleeve has been "easy".

Good luck!

I agree! I was banded in 2007 and revised in 2009 from a slip. I had no idea how much havoc the band was causing internally. I converted to the sleeve March 15th, but also needed a hiatal hernia repair. The band adhered to my liver and had to be dissected to be removed. Even though the Doctor removed most of the significant scar tissue under the band I still have the narrow passage because they couldn't take it all. Hopefully it will stretch over time. I have some aching around my back but it subsides when I rest. I do have a seroma over my incision site which should resolve as well. On Protein shakes now and feeling ok, no hunger or desire to eat. Otherwise I am feeling great. I would recommend converting without reservation.

Good Luck!

[azdmelissa 7]

Amazingly enough, I have not gained a pound since I've had this slip, even with no Fluid in my band. I thought I would gain, but I still have a tightness and feel restriction. Sometimes it's uncomfortable to eat, so I just don't.

Thank you for all the advice and well wishes!