What were your reasons for revision from LB to RNY?

 
I was the poster girl for bands.  I really did do everything the right way and it turned out to be a very bad surgery for me.

The band has the slowest weight loss, the least weight loss, the highest regain, and the most mechanical problems of all surgery types.  When I was banded it was only FDA approved for 5 years so there were no long term US studies.  But now that the studies are available and we have safer and more effective surgery types I don't really understand why anyone would get a band anymore.

Banded people 10 and 15 years post op?  I don't believe they exist.  I've been posting on WLS boards for 4 years and I've only come across one person that was banded for 10 years and she was there looking for revision info.

People do not typically keep bands long.  There are some exceptions but far more tend to become stats.  Check out the sleeve board.. probably 1/3 of sleeved people were previously banded.

Wouldn't a more effective surgery that is safer long term make more sense than banding?

Unsuccessful with the band.  I have had it since March 2004 - only down about 25 lb from my starting weight - original loss was 40 lbs (so i have gained back 15 lbs) -- i really dont like having the band - cannot get that perfect fill; either too much or too little.  surgeon agreed to do revision to RYN but insurance just denied it - i hate the thought of having the band for the rest of my life!!!!

 
What was the specific reason for their denial?

"did not meet group criteria - no medical documentation of 6 mths conservative measures attempted"  - i have had the darn thing more than 6 years and it has not worked.  my husband had RYN 2 yrs ago (has lost 90 lbs) and he was approved the day after it was submitted (but he had diabetes & high blood pressure) - i am borderline diabetic, blood pressure is under control on medication - 5'2" & 200 lbs. 

Hey Cheryl!

I was revised to RNY in late August for similar reasons...

1. I lost 29-30 lbs in a year and gained it all back because I was...
2. Vomiting all the time. It got to be so annoying. I had a hard time eating solid food so I was moving to sliders so I could EAT.
3. I couldnt go out to dinner any more cause I threw up every time and started to scare my family and frients.
4. The fills and unfills...couldnt find a good spot.
4. I just got tired of it and couldnt take it any more.

I had been afraid of the RNY because I didnt want to be re-arranged. I have to say that I feel more 'normal' now than I ever did with the band. I have only thrown up one time in 3 months with the RNY and that was totally my fault for eating junk. During my surgery the doc found that the band was growing attached to my liver...who knows how that could have ended up.

There are many successful people with the band, unfortunately I wasnt one of them.

Good luck to you!