slipped band

Found out my band slipped several weeks ago.  Was unfilled and it is back in place.  Pretty sure it has happened in the past, and corrected itself with an unfill.  The only reason I know that it slipped this time is because this is the only time a doctor did an upper GI before the unfill.

He (and I) both feel that if I put any fluid back in the band that a slip will be the result...thinking the sutures might have come out?  He is suggesting a revision.  I'm looking into a VSG...possibly gastric bypass.  Any comments about either  My band did work for me until I began having problems with it.  Not sure that I'd want to just stitch it back....

I love my RNY.  It was the right choice for me.  I am 3 1/2 months out and have lost 68 lbs.

Hi I had two lapband surgeries and recently had a revision to a bypass a month ago. So far things are going well, though I have my good days and my bad days. I feel so different with the bypass than I ever felt with either of my bands, I haven't had that stuck feeling at all and feel so full after two small bites of food. My weightloss is greater than it ever was when I had the band. I am still so exhausted since my surgery and the recovery seemed much harder this time around. I lost a lot of blood post-op and just got my recent labs back from my pcp and am now anemic.

I don't regret my decision at all, it's just really different. I wish you the best with whatever you choose to do!

Jenn

I revised to VSG after band complications, and it was by far the best decision I could have ever made. I knew a restrictive only procedure would be perfect for my lifestyle. I wasn't willing to deal with RNY complications/long term issues, and honestly the pouch thing with the band really sucked so getting another pouch was not an option.

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact me. I'm 18 months post-revision, dropped 138lbs in 10ish months, and have been easily maintaining for over 7 months.

I revised to a sleeve after banding. Never again will I live with a pouch and stoma.

 This is all good for me to read.  I had a band placed in March 2009 and did well for several months when everything came to a screeching halt.  I stopped losing and stayed the same for a very long time.  However, I also was still taking Prilosec every day because of acid reflux, even though my surgeon repaired a hiatal hernia when he banded me.  About 7 months ago, I developed severe bronchitis and ended up having to take Symbacort so I could breathe.  When I saw my surgeon in September, he emptied my band saying that my symptoms were because my band was too tight even though I only had 3cc in a 10cc band.  So I'm looking at revision surgery.  It's between RNY and the sleeve but I'm really only now starting to research things.  One comparison I saw didn't give the sleeve very high marks so I need to do way more homework.  Thanks for sharing your experiences!  I need to hear what other's have gone through because it helps so much!

 
Some studies show that 33% of people with a band develop reflux.  Hiatal hernia or not, it's the new anatomy that causes the problems.  It is not uncommon for people to have to sleep in a chair because as soon as they lay down reflux is a horror.  You are NOT alone.

Sleeve stats are improving drastically now that they are using a smaller bougie.  They used to use a 48F bougie, today most docs are using a 32-38 bougie and that makes a world of difference.

I think sleeves will do better in the long run vs. bypass merely because of the massive regain with bypass due to mechanical problems.  Dilated pouch, dilated stoma, lack of malabsorption beyond the 2 year mark...  While bypass folks malabsorb nutrition for life they only malabsorb calories for up to 2 years.  With a dilated pouch and/or stoma, they essentially lose restriction.

I had a band for 18 months, I've had a revision to a sleeve for over 2.5 years.  I've been at goal for over 3 years.  Life is grand with a sleeve.

Sleeves and DS are tomorrows surgeries, bands and bypass are yesterdays surgeries.

This has all been VERY interesting to me. One question, what is DS?

The DS is a Duodenal Switch (also known as   It's like the RNY gastric bypass in that it gives you both restriction and malabsorption. The bottom part of the intestines that are bypassed are very similar for both the RNY and DS.

It's what happens surgically in the upper end of the surgery- the stomach- is what makes the two different.  This is the part of the surgery that causes restriction. The RNY doctors do a variety of things to make the stomach smaller -- most create “pouches" or transect (divide) the stomach. They then reroute the intestines by connecting them directly to the new stomach pouch, bypassing the duodenum. In the RNY/pouch procedures, the pyloric valve (which regulates the emptying of stomach contents into the duodenum) is bypassed and therefore doesn't function after surgery.

In the DS procedure, however, the surgeon creates a smaller stomach by removing about 75% of the stomach (which is called a partial gastrectomy)- just like the sleeve. The top part of the gastric bypass is connected below the duodenum which keeps the upper part of the digestive process the same as before surgery (except that your stomach is smaller). Your pyloric valve continues to regulate the emptying of the stomach contents into the duodenum and all of the hormones and secretions that occur in the duodenum continue after surgery. With the pyloric valve in tact, those with the DS do not experience "dumping" from eating sweets.

While dumping does not occur in all RNY patients, I LOVED that i had it because it was a definite deterrent for eating sugary sweets that i had such a love for (still do.. not gonna lie, hehehe).

 
Here you go:

wasabubblebutt.blogspot.com/2010/03/which-surgery-type-is-right-for-you.html