Are revisions REALLY necessary?

[this sucks 557]

So my question is to all of you, how many of you are revisions from LapBand?

I tend to get really pissy about people who haven't lived with a LapBand judging me for having revision surgery.

If you haven't walked in my shoes, don't judge-you haven't experienced multiple "stuck" episodes where you feel like you will die because you cannot even swallow your own saliva. You haven't experienced the feeling of food sitting in your esophagus, not getting past the band, because the Band has impacted your ability to swallow.

My request is that you not be quick to judge what you don't know. Don't make assumptions that band failure is strictly caused by the user. Don't judge my ability to be successful with the VSG because I had a device in place that did not work the way it was supposed to.

Don't for a minute assume anything about any of us that are forced to revise-I was prepared for my LapBand surgery and I fully expected to have the band until I died. I was compliant with routine maintenance-saw the surgeon, bariatric Doctor, weight management center staff including dietitian and exercise physiologist for over six years and sought out therapy to address my food issues for three years.

I don't need any of you to judge whether or not I was worthy of revision surgery.

Bottom line is, if this isn't your journey, don't make assumptions about those of us who are.

And while I'm on this, why does it matter to you WHY someone is revising?? Does it impact your life if I choose to revise and I am approved by my medical care team? Just saying...

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Edited November 18, 2016 by rkimom

[woo woo 872]

So to piggy back on the question.

What are your thoughts on WLS on folks who swear they were not addicted to food, rarely over ate, only consumed 1500 calories or less daily. etc?

How does reducing their stomach size really help? I get that malabsorbtion might, but the sleeve or band? Again, no judgement, just confused.

I don't know how a person gets obese without overeating on a regular basis! But I have seen those posts too. I have no idea.

As far as food addiction, I think I used and sometimes abused food but I'm not one of those that struggled to comply with the food stages/rules after surgery by any means. So I actually don't think I was ever a food addict.

But if we are saying food addict is like other substance addiction, there must also be recovery right?

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[LipstickLady 25,682]

@

No one is judging you.

~~ Signed, Sleeve with a Stricture.

[Babbs 14,680]

So my question is to all of you, how many of you are revisions from LapBand?

I tend to get really pissy about people who haven't lived with a LapBand judging me for having revision surgery.

If you haven't walked in my shoes, don't judge-you haven't experienced multiple "stuck" episodes where you feel like you will die because you cannot even swallow your own saliva. You haven't experienced the feeling of food sitting in your esophagus, not getting past the band, because the Band has impacted your ability to swallow.

My request is that you not be quick to judge what you don't know. Don't make assumptions that band failure is strictly caused by the user. Don't judge my ability to be successful with the VSG because I had a device in place that did not work the way it was supposed to.

Don't for a minute assume anything about any of us that are forced to revise-I was prepared for my LapBand surgery and I fully expected to have the band until I died. I was compliant with routine maintenance-saw the surgeon, bariatric Doctor, weight management center staff including dietitian and exercise physiologist for over six years.

I don't need any of you to judge whether or not I was worthy of revision surgery.

Bottom line is, if this isn't your journey, don't make assumptions about those of us who are.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

To be honest, even though I had quoted the person talking about an eroded band and still eating around it, I wasn't really even considering lap band revisions when I brought the subject up. Those are one of the 'special circumstances' I was talking about. It can't be argued that a large percentage of lap band surgeries are failures due to mechanical and functional issues. Heck, my surgeon doesn't even do them anymore.

[shedo82773 1,236]

So my question is to all of you, how many of you are revisions from LapBand?

I tend to get really pissy about people who haven't lived with a LapBand judging me for having revision surgery.

If you haven't walked in my shoes, don't judge-you haven't experienced multiple "stuck" episodes where you feel like you will die because you cannot even swallow your own saliva. You haven't experienced the feeling of food sitting in your esophagus, not getting past the band, because the Band has impacted your ability to swallow.

My request is that you not be quick to judge what you don't know. Don't make assumptions that band failure is strictly caused by the user. Don't judge my ability to be successful with the VSG because I had a device in place that did not work the way it was supposed to.

Don't for a minute assume anything about any of us that are forced to revise-I was prepared for my LapBand surgery and I fully expected to have the band until I died. I was compliant with routine maintenance-saw the surgeon, bariatric Doctor, weight management center staff including dietitian and exercise physiologist for over six years and sought out therapy to address my food issues for three years.

I don't need any of you to judge whether or not I was worthy of revision surgery.

Bottom line is, if this isn't your journey, don't make assumptions about those of us who are.

And while I'm on this, why does it matter to you WHY someone is revising?? Does it impact your life if I choose to revise and I am approved by my medical care team? Just saying...

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Oh hon, I by no way was judging you!! Just read about my hubby's Lap Band. I totally get it!! He wasn't always compliant but in the end his DAMN BAND failed him!!! I agree with you on if you haven't been there then don't judge me!! Sorry if I upset you.

[LisaMergs 2,854]

So to piggy back on the question.

What are your thoughts on WLS on folks who swear they were not addicted to food, rarely over ate, only consumed 1500 calories or less daily. etc?

How does reducing their stomach size really help? I get that malabsorbtion might, but the sleeve or band? Again, no judgement, just confused.

I don't know how a person gets obese without overeating on a regular basis! But I have seen those posts too. I have no idea.

As far as food addiction, I think I used and sometimes abused food but I'm not one of those that struggled to comply with the food stages/rules after surgery by any means. So I actually don't think I was ever a food addict.

But if we are saying food addict is like other substance addiction, there must also be recovery right?

Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

I got obese not by overeating, but by having to take 60mg of prednisone a day, monthly decadron IV infusions and the inability to be active due to a debilitating illness. The end result of the steroids? No metabolism. Little to no adrenal function.

There are those of us around here that didn't overeat. I'm no better than anyone else because mine wasn't a food addiction, I'm simply saying that there ARE other reasons for serious weight gain and inability to lose it.

I personally know several people who had Lap Band and serious repercussions from it. Horrid stuff!! Two went on to have Sleeve, one did nothing after it was removed. The two sleeve revisions have been Ubër successful.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[LisaMergs 2,854]

So my question is to all of you, how many of you are revisions from LapBand?

I tend to get really pissy about people who haven't lived with a LapBand judging me for having revision surgery.

If you haven't walked in my shoes, don't judge-you haven't experienced multiple "stuck" episodes where you feel like you will die because you cannot even swallow your own saliva. You haven't experienced the feeling of food sitting in your esophagus, not getting past the band, because the Band has impacted your ability to swallow.

My request is that you not be quick to judge what you don't know. Don't make assumptions that band failure is strictly caused by the user. Don't judge my ability to be successful with the VSG because I had a device in place that did not work the way it was supposed to.

Don't for a minute assume anything about any of us that are forced to revise-I was prepared for my LapBand surgery and I fully expected to have the band until I died. I was compliant with routine maintenance-saw the surgeon, bariatric Doctor, weight management center staff including dietitian and exercise physiologist for over six years.

I don't need any of you to judge whether or not I was worthy of revision surgery.

Bottom line is, if this isn't your journey, don't make assumptions about those of us who are.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Heck, my surgeon doesn't even do them anymore.

Nor does mine, or anyone in his group.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[Travelher 915]

My band worked for me for a few years until I got pregnant. I had a de-fil during the pregnancy and I don't know if my innards rearranged with the pregnancy but I could not do a full fill afterwards. Even with a partial fill I could not wear a bra with an underwire or I struggled to get Water down. If I needed to eat I had to undo my bra, but then there was little restriction (in the evenings). I struggled to get anything down in the mornings. I developed acid reflux so bad I would wake up choking. I suspect maybe a slip during pregnancy while it was de-filled? WHo knows...but it was miserable. Then one day I woke up starving...I knew something was wrong...Went to the clinic and I had less than. 5 cc's left...it had a leak and was no longer holding a fill...so yeah the equipment failed. Love my revision!!! I would never recommend the band to anyone after my experience. The equipment can fail and does. A significant number of people have complications like slips, gerd and erosion. This is why my doctor no longer does that surgery.

I do know that some people just don't lose a significant amount of weight after wls of any kind. I like dr weiners video where he talks about the impact of genetics being the primary indicator of weight loss in the first year...it has nothing to do with compliance according to the evidence he's seen. That some people will struggle despite sticking to the plan and others will drop past goal weight without a care in the world..most people will fall in the middle. Where compliance and healthy weight starts separating the herd is at the 3 year mark where you start to see regain in patients.

i follow a you tuber who failed to lose despite following her plan. She had a bypass and then stopped losing (a bit of regain) so her doctor put a band on top of the bypass stomach and still no success. So she is trying to get a DS. Her doctor won't do it because it is too risky.

I haven't looked into this deep enough to know what the end results are in these types of revisions. Are they successful? Sleeve to ds. Bypass to ds?

Edited November 18, 2016 by Travelher

[Aggiemae 739]

RKI mom, not one person said that revision of a malfunctioning lap band was not appropriate. The thing is that forum gets comment from people who gained all their weight back and Plame the surgery just about every day. Not all of them had lap bands or surgical complications. That was what Babs was asking about.

I really try to be helpful to my fellow WLS travelers but after being here just a few weeks I already mostly just ignore questions like "can I eat sausage 3 days post op?" but I do wonder about the competency (and integrity) of the surgeon that did not educate this person properly.

I am concluding that many of these surgeons view this as cosmetic surgery. That they don't care much about the outcomes as long as they get paid.

Again, sorry you felt the need to defend yourself. I certainly did not intend that with my comment.

[summerset 5,261]

But bottom line with any of them was if the patient didn't drastically change their lifestyle, the revision was just as much of a failure as the first time around.

Hummm, but if the revision was made because of GERD or complications and the revision fixed these issues - isn't that a success in itself?

There was one surgeon in my area that refused to do revisions unless the patient first went through six months of psychiatric therapy to address their food addictions and/or eating disorders.

Luckily my surgeon (she was the one recommending revision, btw) didn't insist on this after I made up my mind of actually getting the revision - might have been that I would have been admitted as an emergency during this six months period because my band was beginning to erode into the stomach when it was removed. Gastroscopy didn't show it, they only noticed it during the procedure of band removal so in the end I was lucky. I wasn't so fond of revision and between the first consultation and the second one was a time period of six months. I hoped, things might resolve on their own (kind of stupid, I know) because I didn't want to take the risk of two surgeries, even though I gained some weight back after the fill was removed from the band a year before I made the consultation at this center because I still had volume reflux and dysphagia sometimes, though removing the fill helped these issues quite a bit. I'm now back where I was before the fill was removed weight wise, a bit lower maybe.

What I'm trying to bring across here is, that it depends on the reason you're getting revision if therapy or nutritional counseling makes sense to try before getting a revision. I agree it makes sense if the reason for revision is weight regain. However, no amount of therapy or nutritional counseling will free you of certain complications. It might even be dangerous to postpone revisions, depending on the reason the revision is taking place.

However, in general I think most surgeons are a bit more differentiated in their opinions than it might come across on these boards sometimes.

[summerset 5,261]

And while I'm on this, why does it matter to you WHY someone is revising?? Does it impact your life if I choose to revise and I am approved by my medical care team? Just saying...

I'm quite surprised about the (not really sure what to call it) "dynamics" that take place in the WLS community regarding revision surgery, weight regain, or lack of sufficient weight loss, complications etc. - there seems to be a strong urge to blame the patient for everything. Also insisting on programs, education, compliance etc. (not saying insisting on this is wrong, so no discussions about this, please!) while patients going in for e. g. elective coronary bypass don't have to jump through some arbitrary insurance hoops like a drilled seal at the aquarium to get approved for surgery.

However, when looking at e. g. patients suffering from PAD (peripheral arterial disease) getting treatment, including angioplasty - there don't seem to be these strong emotions involved I can see in the WLS community, even though patients continue to smoke, don't care about blood pressure or blood sugar levels enough or their lipids. Yeah, doctors might be frustrated sometimes but I have to say, I'm not really when having to perform another angioplasty on the same patient and the patient still hasn't quit smoking. I just do it. I don't really get emotionally involved. So maybe the surgeons performing WLS or WLS revisions don't have these kind of emotions as well.

The WLS patients themselves seem to be the ones with the strongest emotions regarding these issues. (At least that's my impression.)

[summerset 5,261]

Heck, my surgeon doesn't even do them anymore.

Yes, the center I got revision at doesn't perform them anymore, too, AFAIK. Too many complications in the long run compared with other procedures.

I think the problem here might be that you quoted someone from another board, being the messenger whose head is now chopped off.

Edited November 18, 2016 by summerset

[mrsNilla 304]

But bottom line with any of them was if the patient didn't drastically change their lifestyle, the revision was just as much of a failure as the first time around.

Hummm, but if the revision was made because of GERD or complications and the revision fixed these issues - isn't that a success in itself?

There was one surgeon in my area that refused to do revisions unless the patient first went through six months of psychiatric therapy to address their food addictions and/or eating disorders.

Luckily my surgeon (she was the one recommending revision, btw) didn't insist on this after I made up my mind of actually getting the revision - might have been that I would have been admitted as an emergency during this six months period because my band was beginning to erode into the stomach when it was removed. Gastroscopy didn't show it, they only noticed it during the procedure of band removal so in the end I was lucky. I wasn't so fond of revision and between the first consultation and the second one was a time period of six months. I hoped, things might resolve on their own (kind of stupid, I know) because I didn't want to take the risk of two surgeries, even though I gained some weight back after the fill was removed from the band a year before I made the consultation at this center because I still had volume reflux and dysphagia sometimes, though removing the fill helped these issues quite a bit. I'm now back where I was before the fill was removed weight wise, a bit lower maybe.

What I'm trying to bring across here is, that it depends on the reason you're getting revision if therapy or nutritional counseling makes sense to try before getting a revision. I agree it makes sense if the reason for revision is weight regain. However, no amount of therapy or nutritional counseling will free you of certain complications. It might even be dangerous to postpone revisions, depending on the reason the revision is taking place.

However, in general I think most surgeons are a bit more differentiated in their opinions than it might come across on these boards sometimes.

The OP wanted thoughts on someone elses post in another forum. She also added her own and they included special circumstances. I would imagine that they would be mechanical problems etc.

As for my opinion, I hope everyone gets a good understanding of what they are about to do to their bodies and the requirement of their minds. The surgeon will help with the mechanics, but the mental part is totally up to each and everyone getting wls. If you're not able to change your relationship with food, any amount of surgery won't help in the long run. Well, with the exeption on having your mouth sewn shut...

And again, if there is a mechanical problem (slippage, gerd...) with your first wls, I'm absolutely for revision, if it is a viable option.

It's a touchy subject and I hope everyone gets surgery without complications and gather the emotional strength they need, before the surgery, to change their lives.

Nilla

[Hammer_Down 631]

So my question is to all of you, how many of you are revisions from LapBand?

I tend to get really pissy about people who haven't lived with a LapBand judging me for having revision surgery.

If you haven't walked in my shoes, don't judge-you haven't experienced multiple "stuck" episodes where you feel like you will die because you cannot even swallow your own saliva. You haven't experienced the feeling of food sitting in your esophagus, not getting past the band, because the Band has impacted your ability to swallow.

My request is that you not be quick to judge what you don't know. Don't make assumptions that band failure is strictly caused by the user. Don't judge my ability to be successful with the VSG because I had a device in place that did not work the way it was supposed to.

Don't for a minute assume anything about any of us that are forced to revise-I was prepared for my LapBand surgery and I fully expected to have the band until I died. I was compliant with routine maintenance-saw the surgeon, bariatric Doctor, weight management center staff including dietitian and exercise physiologist for over six years and sought out therapy to address my food issues for three years.

I don't need any of you to judge whether or not I was worthy of revision surgery.

Bottom line is, if this isn't your journey, don't make assumptions about those of us who are.

And while I'm on this, why does it matter to you WHY someone is revising?? Does it impact your life if I choose to revise and I am approved by my medical care team? Just saying...

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Ya know, fun story:

This is a public message board. Members are free to start posts on any related subjects they please, and other members are free to chime in. Even if it's not their personal journey.

Your outrage is palpable. If I were prone to getting so upset by others' opinions, I would avoid reading that material.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I got obese not by overeating, but by having to take 60mg of prednisone a day, monthly decadron IV infusions and the inability to be active due to a debilitating illness. The end result of the steroids? No metabolism. Little to no adrenal function.

There are those of us around here that didn't overeat. I'm no better than anyone else because mine wasn't a food addiction, I'm simply saying that there ARE other reasons for serious weight gain and inability to lose it.

I personally know several people who had Lap Band and serious repercussions from it. Horrid stuff!! Two went on to have Sleeve, one did nothing after it was removed. The two sleeve revisions have been Ubër successful.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So here is my question for you.

(And before ANYONE starts a battle on @@LisaMergs behalf -- she and I are groovy, we can discuss like adults without intervention.)

Clearly you have had awesome results with the bypass. Why did you doctor suggest it? Was is malabsorbtion? As I stated earlier, that makes MUCH more sense than the people who say they never overate but who choose the sleeve. Did he/she think this would "reset" your metabolism? More importantly, are you off all those awful meds that made you gain the weight?

I've seen your pics and you look AH-MAY-ZING. I know you can clear up some of my confusion about this.