How do you explain to people why you are getting a revision lap band to rny?

I was all amped when I got the lap band, I thought for sure this would work for me and I wouldn't have to deal with having my intestines cut or anything. It didn't work. I felt a failure. But, I am reading more and more about people not losing weight with the lap band. I worked the band for 2 years and my surgeon did all he could.

I don't know why it didn't work. Maybe my pouch got big? I never got to my sweet spot, it was either too much or not enough fill. I stopped being able to vomit properly. In the mornings, even with nothing in the band currently, its tight. I gurgle when I drink. Ha!

Waiting for approval, going to start the New Year with revision surgery and get rid of this unwanted excess.

Is there a good way to explain it. My sister likes to say she could lose the weight just by working out. That is her response. However, the rest of the people who know about the lap band and now the revision seem a bit confused. I am confused. I know that I am making the right decision I am unsure why it didn't work.

When I take pills now, they always get stuck, I have to eat a cracker after each pill, to pu**** down. Weird, eh?

Looking forward to Dr.Poplawski doing that endo scope thing to see whats going on with my space junk (what I think of my lap band as).

Rose

current: 214
goal: 130-140
5'2-3

Hi Rose, I had the lapband (2 of them) for 9 years.  Ultimately I never lost alot of weight and had lots of complications.  4 months ago today I revised to RNY.  I just told people the truth; that I was having complications and needed to take the band out.  I was not concerned with who thought I could lose it on my own or that i was crazy to do the surgery.  It was my choice.  I love the RNY.  I have lost 50 lbs in the 4 months (more than 9 years with the band); from my top weight i have lost 133 lbs with about 25 lbs to go to goal.  You will be happy with the revision  Good luck.  Maryjo

You are so not alone. I had the band done over 3 years ago, I am 232 right now, my heighest weight was 262...not even kidding you. The lowest I got was 210. So I got approved for a revision to RNY, which I have scheduled for February 23rd. I am excited but nervous! My family has made comments, like "the band didn't work for you, why do you think this will?" Well I am not the only one who failed with the band...there are at least 5 other people in my doctor's practice alone that are getting revisions....I never thought I would be doing this again, but here I am. And this time, I am going to make it work no matter what....I think just your whole way of looking at food and how we eat will change...

To the one who posted that you got a revision - have you had any major complications or side affects? I am scared to death of "dumping syndrome"..

Thanks! 

I had a Lap Band put in back in 2002 that never worked for me.  I only lost  30 pounds total.  I just had a revision to RNY 12/7/09 and so far so good.  I felt like a failure too, and wondered what people would think, but I knew that what they thought wasn't going to stop me from doing what I needed to do in order to be healthy, so I decided not to worry about it.  I just told people that I had a "failed Lap Band" and left it at that.  I too, had problems getting pills and things down.  The first time I ate every single day, the first bite would get stuck and I would often have to bring it back up.  Then after that, I could eat anything and would never get full.  I never could find my sweet spot either, and like you, with nothing in the Band, I still had these problems every day.  I thought it was weird too, but my Doc just called it a "falied Band", so that's what I say! 

The Revision went well for me.  I was in the hospital for two nights (no longer than 1st time RNY patients with my Doc) and I was out of work for a week and a half.  I was only going to take a week, but I got an infection where the IV was and ended up staying home a few extra days.  I will say that the RNY surgery was a little more painful than the Lap Band, but it wasn't terrible.  I just had a little more soreness.  I am 3 weeks and 2 days Post Op and just started on the soft food on Christmas Day.  So far, I have not experienced any "dumping", but I have been very careful to follow my NUT's guidelines and have not cheated once. 

I lost 16 pounds during my 3 week Pre Op diet, and have lost 15 more since my surgery, for a total of 31 pounds in six weeks, more than I lost with the Lap Band after 7 years!  Ha!

Good Luck to you and don't worry about what other people think!

I revised to a DS.
I got tired of choking all the time, even water would pb back!!

soooo after having several edg's to see what was the matter , all looked great, just decided I had  enough! by the grace of god, had a gallbladder attack, it was removed emergency, but that surgeon punctured tubing, So he did me a favor,,

AS a ds I am only three weeks out, and LOVE this !

I can eat!  anything !

be it tiny bites at the moment, no dumping, no strangulation going on, no pb, no fluids coming back,,, I even take my vitamins with a full swallow and it stays down,,, this is why I did my revision, and what I told family and work.... of course at work they all saw me running for the bathroom lots LOL!

You don't have to justify yourself yo anyone...remember that. Just tell that that the band SUCKS! You don't have to go into a million details either. I think that is a good answer =) Can you tell I am very anti Band? I just revised to RNY 3 weeks ago and I am loving life and down 25lbs already! I finally feel full and love it. So glad to be rid of the damned band. I hope you get your revision soon...hang in there =)

Have to admit I chickened out and didnt tell many people! At least not as many as I had told about the band being my saviour...To people I had to tell (like work) I said I was getting surgery to cure my diabetes, which shuts most people up, and is true anyway.

I only admitted it when the weight started to go down, because by then people were thinking I had some kind of awful disease or something.

I didn't tell as many people that I was having a revision as I did that I was having the lap band surgery done.  What I told them was that I was having continual issues with my band, that it had to come out, and that I felt I needed to have another weight loss surgery at the same time.  I revised to a VSG on 12/28.  The jury is out but I can say that so far, I'm less miserable than I was in that post-op period with the band.  BTW, I had my band almost 6 years so it isn't that I didn't give it a chance.  It just wasn't the right choice for me any longer, although I think it was at the time.  The other surgeries have much lower complication rates than they did 6 years ago due to the increase in number performed, and I believe I'm going to be just fine this time around!  Good luck with your decision.

I also had the lapband for 2 1/2 yrs with only a 30lb weight loss and several continuing issues, vomiting, everything getting stuck, either not enough or too much fill (never found the sweet spot). It finally slipped, and had to come out so I decided to have a revision as long as they had to go in anyway.
I was never happy with the band, it wasn't the right choice for me and didn't work. I am now almost 5 months post op RNY and have lost 63 lbs, more than  I did  in 2 1/2 yrs with the band.  I love it!!! You  will too!  I hope you're approved and can get the show on the road!
I just told people the truth-the band didn't work for me and I had complications requiring removal so I revised. But you really don't owe anyone an explanation, you know......
Myrna

I got my band July 30, 2009 and have not lost a thing since the pre op diet. I am seriously thinking about bypass surgery now. I am so pissed off and frustrated. I feel like most of you...I can eat a ton, and sometimes things get stuck and I vomit. Does that mean I'm eating too much? I have no clue. Also, will insurance cover another surgery?