Revision Lap Band Pros and Cons

Hello,

I am planning to have a revision. I had gastric bypass in 2006 but have stretched my pouch and stomach opening to double. Lap Band is an option but I have heard a few stories...can I get some pros and cons of the band?

Thank you

Do you have any proof (test results) that your pouch is actually stretched? Many of us can eat more as time goes by, especially if we're eating "slider foods" rather than dense protein.

Lap-band is likely not a good option because of the potential for scarring and serious damage. Many clinics will not place bands at all any more, much less over an RNY.

Hi,

Yes I had an endoscopy and that is what they found. To many "just one more bite" moments.

You may want to ask your doctor for more information - my understanding is that the portion of the stomach that we are left with can't be stretch easily so too many "just one more bite" wouldn't seem to be a good explanation for a physical failure of the surgery.

I wouldn't recommend Lap Band as a revision. I had a band for 14 years but I converted to sleeve after severe GERD and adhesions and stomach scarring.

Also, the pouch on a bypass is about the size of an egg. If it has doubled in size, that is only 2 eggs worth of stomach. That's less than the volume of a gastric sleeve. I can't presume to know your situation but, perhaps it isn't the volume of your stomach you should focus on, but rather what you're filling your stomach with?

A LapBand on a bypass stomach still needs to be filled with the most nutrious food most of the time.

On a side note, I've read about people with "failed" bypasses going to the duodenal switch.

I think the majority of surgeons are moving (swiftly) away from the band. My surgeons office doesn't even offer it anymore! It has too high of a percentage of people who experience complications such as adhesion to the stomach wall, GERD development, and scarring. I wouldn't recommend it. Like another poster said, most people *****vise from a RNY go to a DS, have you thought of that?

I made an appointment with my surgeon to discuss other options. I have all my clearances just need to decide on what surgery I should go with this time.

Thank you

Kathy

People are getting revisions away from lap bands at alarming rates with extremely damaging complications, such as the band eroding into the stomach and having to be dissected out. There is no repair to stretched stomas that I know of, and even a band over your pouch won't help that. I would recommend getting the sleeve if you think eating less will get you back to where you need to be - or DS if you need that 1-2 punch of eating less and changed metabolism.