Lap band over previous surgery

Does anyone know if a lapband can be placed over a previous bypass?  Has anyone on this forum had a lapband over their bypass?

It depends on the situation.  We have placed bands over bypasses, but we did an upper GI to make sure there was enough room over the previous pouch to make the band placement possible.  There is also  the new Stomaphyx procedure that reduces the size of the pouch and stoma.

There are many of us that have had this done. It is working for me. The new Stomaphyx is really taking off with success also. They weren't doing it when I had my revision around here anyway.

I wouldn't mind having the stomaphx but insurance does not pay for this procedure.  However, they will pay for a lapband.

I had a lap band placed on my RNY pouch last November....I weigh the same today as I did the day of surgery. I am adequately filled. I'd look into a DS.

Paula, Have their been any improvements with the effectiveness of your lapband?

Well, I couldn't tell you for sure because I am pregnant. I will say that I am almost 31 weeks and have gained about 10 pounds, which isn't bad. I am SUPER tight right now in respects to the band. My surgeon is 4 hours away (closest one) and it is a HUGE deal to get down there and back for an unfill so I am just suffering--which is not good because I have bad reflux and have thrown up too much because the band is too tight. I was fine until about the second trimester and then it seemed like the band got mega tight. ANyway, like a previous poster said, my LapBand procedure was supposed to take 45 minutes and it took almost 3 hours. They had to cut through TONS of adhesions before they could even get to my RNY pouch and all my organs were stuck together. I had an Open RNY in January of 2002. Anyway, I anticipate MAKING the band work for me, even if it means appetite suppressants and nasty protein shakes again because I am just not functional at 260 anymore and need to be back to 225 to feel good.

I had bypass surgery 7 years ago and 2 months ago had a lap band placed over that.  It was a horrific experience.  I ended up having serious complications with scar tissue and adhesions and ended up having another surgery where the band had to be removed.  I'm still struggling with getting "back to normal".  This weight thing really sucks!

Sandi, Your experience sounds horrible!  It has gotten me scared with seeking a lap over my previous bypass.   Was your RNY open or lap?  Was your doctor not able to see during surgery of your lap that you had a lot of scar tissue?

Hi Darnell, My surgery 7 years ago was a lap RNY.  I had a huge BMI - 74 - and actually lost 208 pounds from that surgery.   I ultimately gained back about 35 pounds.  I recently had a hernia that needed repair and when I went to my doctor, he told me about the lap band over the RNY to help people like me whose BMI is still considered obese (44).  Going from a BMI of 74 to 44 was a great accomplishment, but the thought of getting it even lower made me want to do the band since I had to have the hernia repair surgery anyway.   When he did the surgery on September 17th, he repaired the hernia and put in the band.  He did this laproscopically.  He did not notice any major scar tissue at that time.  By September 25th I couldn't eat or drink anything - nothing stayed down.  It was like my whole body shut down.    He thought it was a simple bowel obstruction (easy for him to say) which should have taken 30 minutes in the operating room.  However, the internal damage was more intense and it actually ended up taking 5 and a half hours.  I ended up with a bowel obstruction and the scar tissue had also wrapped itself around my stomach as well.  When I talked to him after the second surgery, he said that scar tissue can form immediately after surgery and mine formed after the surgery with the insertion of the band.  The scar tissue had also calcified in that short time and had to be chipped out.  Chipping the calcification away  caused a small "nick" to my liver which required more drains, etc.   It was a very painful and debilitating surgery.  Since I was under so long for the second surgery - and probably because I had two surgeries back to back, I then developed a blot clot.  It's been a nightmare. I don't know if I'd recommend anyone to have this done, but I do feel that I probably was a unique case.  I didn't know however before the surgery that almost 60 PERCENT of people who have abdominal surgery have scar tissue issues.  If I had know that, I may not have been so quick to do it.  In retrospect, I truly wish I had never had it done, but se la vie....... Let me know if I can be of any other help. Sandi