Good afternoon! I just became a member today! I had a gastric band in June 2009 and had it removed June 2021. I am currently in the process of getting another WLS. I am interested in getting the gastric sleeve; but I have to make sure I don't have any esophageal damage from the band. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I haven't told many people because of the issues I had with the band and some the negativity I have heard and still hear regarding WLS. I welcome any advice or experiences that anyone is willing to share regarding revision surgery.

Thank you!

11 hours ago, CDMC1972 said:

Thank you! You are so correct. Most of the negativity has come from those who are uneducated concerning WLS. Rather than hear it, I only share with those who support me. I appreciate your input. Your story seems similar to the issue I had with my gastric band. With the band when I ate too much or ate too fast, I would feel nauseous. Are there any warning signs with the bypass?

I can't speak on revisions but when I was deciding on sleeve over bypass everything I read told me bypass was more effective and my doctor confirmed it. As far as warning signs there aren't any, you will start to feel full and a "heaviness" and very uncomfortable. If you eat too much too fast you may regurgitate/ throw up. Your pouch will only take what it can take. In the 7 weeks since my bypass surgery I've thrown up 2x and each time I wasn't paying attention and either took too big of a bite or ate too much too fast. I also went from GERD every other night pre-op to none post-op. I'm off my Diabetes meds and IBS meds. I haven't had a single regret.

Anyone here got the revision from sleeve to bypass with a lower BMI? Long story short, I got a revision from band to sleeve on 2016, reached my goal weight, and started to have lots of reflux and life and my current BMI is now 31. I started the process to get a revision, and the EDG only showed a 4cm hietal hernia but nothing related to esophagitis. I have to go back to the doctor next week, but I’m fearful my insurance will deny me because they would need more proof of my GERD. I read the guidelines for Aetna, and it says esophagitis ?

On 7/27/2022 at 10:07 PM, Tomo said:

I think if one has had the lapband already, better to go bypass since the potential gerd and esophagus irritation problems that the lapband itself can cause. Less future problems.

Now if you never had the lapband, then I think a "virgin" sleeve's weight loss is really good, and probably less likely to cause future gerd problems compared to those who had the band first. Just my thinking, I could be wrong.

I just know going from lapband to sleeve, it was a struggle as far as restriction. I did lose weight but it was hard and I never got below 160 lb with vsg because to me, the lapband had far more restriction than the sleeve. With the RNY, it is a totally different ballgame and no gerd.

I agree. I had the Lapband in 2011, lost 60 lbs but needed to lose about 180 at that point. I've kept it off, haven't really had any issues with GERD or anything else but I've never felt comfortable knowing this foreign object is in me. Plus my husband at the time absolutely refused to even consider having my insides rearranged, so the band it was. The sleeve really wasn't known much back then, and now I'm doing a revision to get the band out and get the bypass (I have long ago kicked that man to the curb).

My doctor also wants to do the sleeve, because he says the band and the sleeve kind of do the same thing and there's no point if the band didn't get me where I needed to be.

On 8/9/2022 at 11:28 PM, CarleneD said:

I agree. I had the Lapband in 2011, lost 60 lbs but needed to lose about 180 at that point. I've kept it off, haven't really had any issues with GERD or anything else but I've never felt comfortable knowing this foreign object is in me. Plus my husband at the time absolutely refused to even consider having my insides rearranged, so the band it was. The sleeve really wasn't known much back then, and now I'm doing a revision to get the band out and get the bypass (I have long ago kicked that man to the curb).

My doctor also wants to do the sleeve, because he says the band and the sleeve kind of do the same thing and there's no point if the band didn't get me where I needed to be.

I had the band in 2014 and like you lost in the beginning, almost achieving my goal. About 2017, I started having reflux issues and had the band completely deflated in 2018. End result I gained all the weight back because I couldn’t get the band filled and insurance would not pay for a second WLS. After almost 2 years I’m one week out from bypass as that’s what the surgeon recommended.