Revising a Band

hey everyone,

I had a Realize band placed in October of '08 by a very qualified doctor here in Miami. I had no restriction, and have gotten 5 fills I think so now I have 9cc's of 10. On Monday, I'm going to have an upper GI, and my doctor said it may show that my band has slipped onto my esophagus. My insurance didn't cover WLS, and now I'm looking at the reality that I may have just put $20,000 into a procedure that didn't do anything.

I'm not very comfortable with the idea of him repositioning my band because I've heard that re-slipping is much more common among people whose bands have slipped before. My doctor doesn't do the sleeve, but I've been looking into the procedure anyway.

Have any of y'all had bands repositioned? how did it go? Am I a decent candidate for the sleeve? My BMI is much lower now... probably somewhere around 34, which would make me a lightweight to start with. (I've lost 55 lbs through good ole' diet and exercise, but I plateaued awhile ago, and I'm terrified that I can't keep up this ridgid dicipline forever). Anyway, just wanted some info if any of y'all have thoughts

thanks
Ann

Hi Ann,

Had a band for almost 5 years and had a prolapse/slippage into year 3 and spent two years with problems and subsequent regain. I wouldnt get another band even if they gave it to me for free. I revised to the sleeve a year ago and love my sleeve!! And you are right. There is a greater likelihood of slippage the second time around. If yo uare cash pay, I wouldnt mess with a band since you still have to worry about fills, another possible slip or additional complications. At a year out with the sleeve, I can eat about 5-6 ounces at a meal.

Good luck!!!!

Babs

I had my band removed and revised to a sleeve, I was a lightweight too with a BMI of 20.8 at the time of revision.

I cannot begin to express to you the difference in the band and sleeve regarding quality of life. It's night and day.  The band simply does not work well.

There is no way I'd spend $20K on a stupid band, it wouldn't happen.  As the poster above writes, I wouldn't take another band if it was free.

I paid around $12 for my revision from band to sleeve.  That seems much more doable than $20K for another band.  Besides, you know as well as I do that you'll be revising to a sleeve someday so better now than a 3rd surgery down the road.

These are all very sound comments. I have become a bit of a pessimist regarding second-time band surgeries. Okay maybe more than a bit of one. Vertical/Sleeve Gastrectomy would give you another option of a non-malabsorptive surgery without the issues of foreign-body migration.

John D Husted, MD

Dr. Husted,
Just wondering how successful it is to revise an old gastric stapling  (from 1982)to a DS. 

 Pepsi, do you mean the VBG? That was what I had. My revision was to the DS. The biggest problem my surgeon said with my revision was the mesh band. I have what he called a true Ds and my tummy works better now than before the revision it works like a normal stomach. I can eat more proteins  and I can drink and eat during a meal. 

Heather

Well, at the time I was in my early 20's and really didn't know too much.  I don't remember any mention of any mesh...just stapling off the top 1/4 of my stomach and reconnecting the bowel further up.  When my current surgeon put my band in he said that my pouch was much bigger than he had thought and he said I had essentially had an RNY.

I had started to just think about the DS, but since there were no surgeons near me that did it, I chose the band.  Just felt my surgical odds were better.