Considering revision from the band.

Post Date: 10/21/10 12:09 pm
I had my LAP band placed in September 2008. I lost 47 pounds the first 7 mns, but then had a "slip" and then an "unfill" for 12 wks and gained back everything I had lost. My doc. was trying to fill me "very slowly" again as not to "slip" the band again, (we really have no idea why it slipped). To make a long story short, I never had restriction again since the slip. I sort of just gave up and stopped going to my doc. back in March of this year just out of frustration! Not to mention my insurance only allows for one fill a year and I was paying 150.00 a fill and was going every 6 wks for 0.25 to 0.5 ccs and was never having restriction! Needless to say after spending some $$ and not having results, I gave up. I am now even heavier than my heaviest weight, (270), 20 lbs heavier than my surgery day weight!
I feel like crap and am not sure what to do.
I have given up on the band and am making an app. to talk to my doc. about revision. I just am not comfortable with Roux-en-Y and am now researching the sleeve.
Any info. or informational websites would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
FYI I have an AP large band in with 6 ccs of fluid right now.

 
To be honest the sleeve board is going to be a good resource for you.  Lots of very wise folks there.

Don't beat yourself up over the band.  Thing is, most do not do well long term.  I never even had a slip and I also never had a sweet spot.

A couple of things come to mind.  Many ins co's are going to the new rule of one surgery in a lifetime.  If you want a revision get it quickly in case yours switches over to that.

You will need a good revision surgeon.  Someone who has done quite a few of them.  Revising from a band to any staple line makes for 3x the risk for leaks, bleeding, and perforations.  I have no idea if your surgeon is a revision surgeon or not.

I revised from band to sleeve over 2 years ago and it was the best thing I ever did!

I had my band placed in June of 2007.  Lost about 60 pounds over 8 months, stalled or stopped loseing weight even though I worked out for at least an hour every day.  Had more fills to try to keep losing, at my own expense $150 a time also.  never lost any more. Started not being able to keep down any good foods so had to have a few unfills to be able to keep down the right foods.  Basically had to be almost completely unfilled.  I have gained back everything and then some.  sigh....... Didn't go to see my surgeon for over a year because I figured there was nothing he could do and also because I was embarrassed.  I'm glad I just decided to go back.  We tried filling again with the same result, regurg after every bite.  Now I'm looking into getting the sleeve too.  he seems to think it would be the right surgery for me.  no fills ever!!! I too am not comfortable with the rny so this seems to be the right fit for me.  I'm hoping for a December revision as I will be on school break then.  (41 back in college).  I'll keep you posted and please also keep me posted on what you decide.  We have very similar stories! 

Good luck with your VSG (sleeve) Dawn!

One of the great things about a sleeve is that you have an option in the future of going to a complete DS if your weight loss isn't satisfactory and you decide you need the malabsorption!

Kudos for the  college advanture!  Wow!  I've been considering it as well but started having nightmares when I thought about having a homework load again!!! 

good for you. I would definitely question Srikanth on the size of the sleeve - I found for me that the malabsorption is probably the best thing that has kept the weight off for me, but.... you might be different if the sleeve is small enough.

I HATED the band - I never felt full and things got stuck so easily - except for bad food choices, lol. After the DS and removing the biggest part of my stomach, I felt SO different after eating. The ghrelin thing makes a difference!

Post Date: 10/22/10 3:28 am

my surgery was 6 yrs ago - only lost 40 lbs of the 80+ i needed to lose - have have found 20 of
those pounds :(

cant get the "sweet spot"  - i go from eating normal portions and getting the next smidgen of a fill
and cant even swallow my spit.  they had to remove all of the fill when i became dehydrated.  i did
 not go back for almost a year.  now i have started again.    1st fill - no change at all - i am really
scared to go back now because the last time they put a 2nd fill in is when i went to the ER

my problem is not just with the portion size but also i have trouble with are the things i SHOULD
be eating, like chicken, lettuce...etc. however, the cake, candy, ice cream NEVER give me
any problems ---

i am now SERIOUSLY considering gastric bypass.  my husband and several people at work have
had that and none of them are ABLE to eat the sweets.  That is my biggest problem.  if i had
willpower i would never have gotten this big in the first place.

i would love to know how many others have done this and how it worked out for them.
 

There are many of us that are band to RNY revisions. Most stay over on the RNY board, because of the surgery wars here. I'm a future band to RNY revision.

Teri

Wow, seven years of the band sounded a lot like your experience re: good and bad foods...sweet spot with fills, etc. i had a band failure where mine had sprung a leak, so regained all.

3/10/05 I had a revision to the DS - best thing I ever decided thanks to Dina, who steered me away from trying to find a distal RNY doctor. The DS is still working for me over 5 1/2 years later.

I reached my dream goal of 149 pounds today!

Keep considering and doing your research. I still have to watch sweets - no matter what surgery, carbs are still a downfall. Constant Vigilance is key.

I had lapband 10/06. Many of the same problems, plus terrible GERD  Thank goodness I only had to the $20 copay to get fills. Also ended up 20 pounds heavier than when I started.  Just revised to RNY 9/30/2010.  GERD gone instantly.  Food stays down and I have already lost 18 pounds from the day of surgery.  Couldn't be more pleased with my decision.

Thank you! Such an encouragement. I'm pre op for an RNY revision from a band. I had no copay, because of my insurance. But man I swear I was there, more than I was home often. I'm also above my surgical weight... by 6 pounds right now. I'm struggling to stay within that area.


teri