Lap Band to Gastric

Hello Everyone! My name is Tessa and I use to come to this site often when I was banded back in 2004.  I lost about 60 lbs in the first year, and was able to keep it off, up until now.  The band has not worked for me for a while and I was starting to have pain (overeating) and my surgeon advised me to get Gastric.  My surgeon is Dr, Jossart at LAPSF in San Francisco. So now I am waiting for approval for a revision to Gastric.  I guess I just need a bit of support.  No one in my life is understanding my decision (they were all hesitant with the band) and now they are freaking that I am even thinking about gastric!  Everytime I tell a friend/family member about my decision, its like an hour of defending my decision.  ARGH!!! I feel like a total failure with regard to the band, and have really been soul searching.  I want the Gastric and feel I am totally ready, but I just need some support!   THanks Tessa

Hi Tessa: I can totally relate! Nobody was behind me when I got my Band back in 2001.  I actually ended up flying to Mexico alone... not speaking a word of Spanish... not telling anybody to have my operation.  Then everybody got happy when I lost weight... but when I started to talk about a revision (to a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, not a RNY), they were all like... "No... no.... shouldn't you try more with your Band?? Etc.)  Bottom line is you have to do what is right for you. :)  You're the person who lives life as an obese person... you're the one who has to do what you can to try to get a healthy as possible.  There are a lot of studies showing good success of Lap-Band to RNY, Mini-Gastric Bypass, and Duodenal Switch surgeries.  There are also a lot of people (mainly Australians) who have gone the Band to Sleeve Gastrectomy route on the VSG boards. (I know Jossart also does this operation.) If you want studies, let me know, and I'll post some. (Or go to Pub Med...they're all there!)  But if it's just somebody to say, "I can totally relate!" Trust me, I can!!

Thanks so much Sami! I really needed that! I would love to see you post some studies!! THanks, Tessa

Hi Tessa: Sorry it has taken me a few days, been weird ones.. .with false labor and such. (Due any day now.)

Surg Endosc. 2007 Mar 14; [Epub ahead of print] Links

Laparoscopic conversion of laparoscopic gastric banding to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a review of 70 patients.

Mognol P, Chosidow D, Marmuse JP.

Service de chirurgie générale A, CHU Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility and outcomes of conversion of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) to laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP) was evaluated. METHODS: From November 2000 to March 2004, all patients who underwent laparoscopic conversion of LAGB to LRYGBP were retrospectively analyzed. The procedure included adhesiolysis, resection of the previous band, creation of an isolated gastric pouch, 100-cm Roux-limb, side-to-side jejuno-jejunostomy, and end-to-end gastro-jejunostomy. RESULTS: 70 patients (58 female, mean age 41) with a median BMI of 45+/-11 (27-81) underwent attempted laparoscopic conversion of LAGB to an RYGBP. Indications for conversion were insufficient weight loss or weight regain after band deflation for gastric pouch dilatation in 34 patients (49%), inadequate weight loss in 17 patients (25%), symptomatic proximal gastric pouch dilatation in 15 patients (20%), intragastric band migration in 3 patients (5%), and psychological band intolerance in 1 patient. 3 of 70 patients (4.3%) had to be converted to a laparotomy because of severe adhesions. Mean operative time was 240+/-40 SD min (210-280). Mean hospital length of stay was 7.2 days. Early complication rate was 14.3% (10/70). Late major complications occurred in 6 patients (8.6%). There was no mortality. Median excess body weight loss was 70+/-20%. 60% of patients achieved a BMI of <33 with mean follow-up 18 months. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic conversion of LAGB to RYGBP is a technically challenging procedure that can be safely integrated into a bariatric treatment program with good results. Short-term weight loss is very good.

PMID: 15603650 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

I am in the same situation.  I had my lapband on 10-4-05 and lost around 70 pounds.  Now it seems like no matter how hard I try I just can't lose anymore and I have about 70 to go!  My surgeon and I are also talking about the Gastric or the DS.  Haven't decided yet which I want to go to.  Good luck!

Hi Tessa, I just got the revision from a similar surgery to the LapBand.  I had a stomach stapling with the little ring and it was good for about 11 years but then I started gaining my weight back and got scared.  My surgeon suggested a revision to the RNY and on May 7th I had it done but everyone made me feel like I was surgery happy.  I told them, it's not that I love surgery, it's that I want a surgery to lose and keep my weight off. I feel wonderful and I am losing weight again and feel like this is an answer to my prayers.   Don't let anyone make you feel guilty.  You do what you need to do. Hugs, Esther

Thanks so much for all of your support!   I HAVE A DATE!!!!  July 9th.  I am super excited!  Thanks again for everyone's support! Tessa

Congrates on your date! You did well losing 60 pds with the band. Could you not get any other adjustments to help with weight loss? Just curious. I had the band also...but now gone.

Yes, I did well with the band, but looking back I realized I lost the 60 lbs in the first 6 months...and after that I maintained it for two years (never gaining, never losing)  I looked at it as a good thing because I did'nt gain a pound.  But the past 3 or 4 months I have started to gain weight back and it really scared me....I really felt like I could eat anything. And it sent me really over the edge emotionally.  It is so hard to go through WLS and fail.  It has brought my quality of life back down to where it was before I was banded!!!!   But I am thinking positive and hopeful for my gastric future..(:  I did have many fills and unfills, and they just don't seem to be working.  I also had trouble with my esophogous dilating, and it was very painful.  My surgeon suggested the sleeve and I opted for the gastric because I truly believe I need the malabsorption and risk of dumping to keep me on track.  I am just praying that losing more weight (than the band) up front, will keep me on a better track for life. I could go on and on....but ultimately it didn't work for me.  I still need to lose 135lbs.  I don't regret getting it, as it has prepared me for my up and coming surgery.   I guess now I believe the band is defenitely for people who don't have a ton of weight to lose, and have a VERY strong will power! That said,  thank you all again for responding and supporting me...I really needed it! Best to all! Tessa

Hi Tessa, I'm a new member and was reading your story about the lap band failure.  I too have had one.  Mine slipped 3 times, and a gallbladder removal.  After the 3rd slip I said "enough is enough", Take It Out!! So right now I am faced with having to wait 6 months to completely heal due to all the surgeries I have had.  I have mentioned revision to Gastric Bypass with my Dr. but he seems to feel I have lost a good amount of weight (65 lbs) and should just keep with the diet as prescribed when you're on the Lap Band.  Well, anyone who has a weight issue knows that just going back to a diet plan, may not work.  I've had the band removed on June 28th and I already have started to put on a few lbs. (following the diet I might add)  The incision site opened up on me and now I have to deal with that as well as an infection.  If anyone asks me for my opinion of the Lap Band, they have no idea of what an earful they might get.  I have to wait and see if the Insurance will cover a revision, but can't ask them until September.  In the meantime it's a waiting game. I know what you mean when you talk about your family and their ignorance about our plight.  I have a brother who made a remark to me when I told him I was considering the Bypass. He said, "why don't you just accept the fact that this family is obese, and get over it"  Can you imagine the dowright ignorance, stupidity, and total lack of feeling that remark was?  Boy if I had trouble making up my mind, that comment he made helped cement my decision.  Several of my family members just don't understand what we go through. Much less even care.  You know what, it may sound a bit severe, but, Screw Them!  We are in this journey for ourselves. To better ourselves, to be nutritionally on tract, to have a better self confidence.  In my case, it not just about looking good, althoug I do like that idea a lot, but my folks and all my brothers have Diabetes and severe Arthritis.  I already have the Arthritis, and recently I found out I am Pre-Diabetic.  So this decision is a necessary evil. Let me know how things go for you. I'd like to talk to you on my personal website if you like. You can go to [email protected].     Good luck with all you do.  God Bless. Cathy