Anyone had Lap-band to RNY revision in Augusta by Dr. Trieu at Mainegeneral???

I would like to hear your story and how you approached him, and what was his response?

I am trying to gain the courage to face him to talk about a revision. I'm concerned he'll want to do a bunch of tests or make me "hang in there" with this band, and I am so done with it.

I definitely feel your pain. I got a lap band in 2013 and from the day it went in all this thing did was cause me stress. All this thing did was cause me to vomit and and even at that mess on water. The funny thing is a did not do my research as most bariatric doctors have no use for the lap band. The % of failure I'd over 80% and the most successful is the RNY with 98.7 success rate. 

So ive gone though the program and have surgery booked January 25/16 to have the band removed and revision to RNY 

i can hardly wait to have a tool that will give me a high success rate into my weight loss journey. 

So be strong and get the band removed and get the RNY 

mine is going to be done in one operation so it's just a single surgery. 

Be strong and ask for what you want. 

Good luck in 2016

simon

Thank you, Simon, for your response. I haven't been on OH for a while, and apologize for not seeing your message sooner.

Back in 2008, lap band was still the popular choice. My main reason for choosing it was because it was the least invasive. Fast forward to today, I wish I had done further research on some of the specific complications. I've learned the big issue I have is esophageal spasms. It happens if I'm stressed, very hungry, getting enough water to drink, and first thing in the morning can't drink cold water. It really sucks. I thought for the longest time that I was not chewing enough or eating to fast. But, after several months of instances where I've been really hungry, I would sip some water before eating - thinking it would help lubricate things. The water would seem to get stuck. How water not even go through? The band isn't too tight - I actually had to have a little removed after my 3rd fill, so only have about 6.25 cc's in a 10 cc band for the last 7-8 years.

Continued frustration lead me to look this problem up to figure out what was going on, and it brought me to a bariatric journal article from Sweden (I think) written in 2006. Two years before mine was put in! It described the low long-term success and growing numbers of complications. It concluded that the lap band was a not a good choice for long-term weight loss in morbidly obese patients.

I couldn't believe what I was reading. I was astounded - how could all these surgeons still be endorsing and performing this surgery? They had to have seen this article, and other's like them? Right?

Guess not.

So, now I have a referral in for the revision and will probably have a consult some time in August or Sept. Not a 100% I want the RNY yet, but definitely want this band O U T! I'm so beyond done with it.

Thank you again for your encouragement and support :)

P.S. How did your revision go?