RNY Revsion to Lapband?

Hi, I had a lap band that failed (eroded very badly and emergency removal). I am now waiting for approval for the DS. I really loved my band, and I know a lot of people are very successful with it, so I am not trying to say its not the right way to go....but I found that the maintenance and the fills, etc...were exhausting. I also think that band complications are under-reported. Then, when I started gaining, it was extremely difficult to find out why, until they put me out and did an endoscopy. The only symptom I had was regain. I know many bandsters who have really bad reflux (I had some) and then some have a bad slip and have to have another operation to fix it or replace it. (I know one, and have seen several on the forums)....Personally, I really dont want to be opened up anymore! I also had horrific pain if I ate too fast, even one bite too much, but I never complained, because I looked AMAZING!!! I put up with the getting stuck, mever ever eating bread, etc etc, just to be thin. Anyway, I gained every pound back....I would keep reading...I have learned a LOT here!!! Good luck!!!

I too am considering having a revision to a RNY from a VBG.  I had the VBG in 1999 and lost 135lbs and have gained 70lbs back.  I also feel like the RNY was the best of the best for long term results.  My surgeon communicated to my husband and I that with the lap band not only is the weight loss slower and it's very similiar to the VBG(only difference is you can adjust with the lap band) but the failure rate and complication rate is higher.  He said that patiens with the lapband experience vomiting, dumping, reflux, band erosion and slipping.

Hi Kathryn, I had my band revision in Oct 2006. It was slow losing for me but I have lodt 42 pounds and I am now very happy with my band. Once the band starts weorking it is almost effortless to lose weight, like when i first had my RNY. I don't get hungry and can eat a small amout.

Cathy, Did you have your RNY taken down and revised only to the lapband?  Or did you have a lapband placed on the RNY?  If so, did insurance pay for it or was it self-pay?  Thanks.

They just added the band around my pouch. My pouch was still small but stoma was wide open so food just went right though. I had an upper GI to confirm that. I had to go through all the hoops all over again just like my first wls. Insurance did pay for it  so that was great.

Im looking at having the lap band placed over my pouch, Im not sure what the issue is if my stoma is to large, or what but ive lost the feeling off feeling full and can eat 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches at lunch before I feel full, if I eat pasta I get fuller faster, but Im gaining weight not losing, which makes me think I need some more help and I have a hernieted disk and disk degneration in my back so this weight needs to come off, Ill find out more at my appt with the surgeon on Friday and find out if my insurance will cover it, if it will Im all for some more help to get the rest of the weight off.  Im only 37 I shouldnt be struggling to get out of bed every morning because of my back. 

It seems many RNy'ers that are having trouble have larger stomas. Good luck, Ihope you get the help you need

So I'm thinking the surgeon you see might ask about your back and wonder if you need to take care of that first if it's so bad, if it's a matter of just losing the extra weight then the surgeon would probably move forward.  Expect the surgeon to consult with your doc about your back because he/she will want to know everything.  You'll have to do a EGD & an Upper GI - Barium Swallow as well provide all medical records from your RNY.  Based on all these tests then your surgeon can make a decision on what he/she can do for you....well unless this is the same surgeon who did your RNY. I'm in the middle of my process to have a lap band over my RNY, I've spoken with a few folks that have their lap band over RNY and it works well for them.  I can't wait to get the restriction back and have the knowledge to know how to use my tool.  Some of us from way back were never told how to care for ourselves after surgery so here we are with most of our weight back due to stoma enlargement.  If you can eat 2 peanut butter & jelly sammichs then your stoma is way to big!  I bet your hungry like 2 hours later too. I know some folks here will suggest you go after a DS and if your BMI has never been 50+ then I would rethink that surgery as a last ditch effort.  I've met with 2 of the best DS surgeons in the country at the Univ. of Chicago and they said that if they did an DS on me (my BMI is 38.3) that I would probably end up with a reverse weight problem.  Now I know some have had the DS that never had a BMI of 50+, and if you can find a surgeon who will do it for you just be careful.  Although I wouldn't mind a reverse weight problem at this point. I'll send you a message, I've got more to share.

Bradshaw, You have an interesting story.  Have you regained most of your weight back from the RNY?  Also, you mentioned having the band over your RNY is insurance paying for this.  I am having a revision to the RNY and I am wondering if I should have a lapband placed over the revision?  I am trying to have a safety net because I know the emotional turmoil of failing a surgery.

You know I went to a WLS information session back in July and they told all of us that RNY patients end up with a bit of weight gain after about 18 months.  So if you lost 100 in the first year, but by year 2 you're probably wondering why you haven't lost any or wondering why you've gained 20 pounds.  This is very typical of RNY patients, and I know all of us go into the procedure with the best of intentions but when you are like me and many others out there who had surgery almost 10 years ago we were all taught differently than patients today. With that said, my surgeon has suggested lap band over my RNY.  I HIGHLY doubt a surgeon would put a lap band over RNY as a precaution.  Maybe do the RNY with a technique from the stomaphyx procedure to make sure the stoma doesn't get out of whack which is usually our problem with the weight regain. I know you're after an RNY but I'm getting the feeling that you're researching as much as possible as most of us are, but really think about the DS procedure as well.  I've never heard of anyone needing a revision after a duodenal switch procedure. After the last few days I'm actually rethinking the lap band over RNY.  I'm hoping to have a revision to a DS so it's a permanent fix and not just a band-aid over my RNY.  We'll see I guess. Good luck!!!!