From Lap Band to Gastric Bypass/Sleeve

Got results back from test.  I'm going to have to have band removed.  The doctor office is sending paperwork to insurance for approval for gastric bypass.  A little nervous.  I should have had that surgery years ago and I would not have to go through it now.  I'm glad you are doing well and your surgery was successful.  Thank you for sharing your information with me. Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing.

I know any surgery always makes me nervous, I was thinking the same thing why didn't I just the sleeve the first time.  Hope you insurance approves the revision right away ... Keep in touch.

I had band surgery in 2004 and just had a revision in one operation two weeks ago to Gastric Bypass.  My surgeon, however, will no longer be doing the operation in one surgery due to scaring where the band is located.  A very well known surgeon in the Boston area has just changed his opinion on the one surgery option, and she said many will follow his advice.  Apparently the area of the band is also weaker and more likely to have a leak.

My surgery went great, however, and I'm feeling fantastic.  I went back to work in two days and have had no pain at all.  That being said I own my own business and have a desk job.  I only napped twice when I got home and had no need for pain meds.  I'm walking 40 minutes to one hour daily and am down 7 lbs. 

This week I started eating mushy foods and will continue this phase for 2 more weeks.  Water intake has been going well and I haven't had a problem with any of the mushy foods I have tried so far.

I wish I had done this surgery originally as I had so many issues with the band - broken tubing requiring a 2nd surgery and always getting stuck with food.

I was also nervous about the bypass and originally had wanted the sleeve, but with Type 2 diabetes my surgeon recommended the bypass.   I was taken off all diabetes meds immediately after surgery and my blood sugars have continued to be great.

hi Greer

my dr wanted to originally keep the band while still doing the bypass. He changed his mind during surgery because of the scaring from the band. My Surgeon is in NY. I'm only one week out but no issues.

hello Clara

Tomorrow will be a week since my revision from lapband to gastric bypass. My procedure included a hernia repair, band removal and bypass. I spent about 3 days in the hospital. My hospital did an excellent job in managing my pain. I'm home recouping. With the help of the pain meds I'm getting around pretty well. Hardest thing is getting in my fluids. Like you the band stop working and I gainf about 50 lbs in about 10 months.

I had the lap band in January 2008 and lost 115 pounds over the next 16 months.  Then the band was over filled and I was sick from everything I ate.  Then the band slipped and my port flipped.  I gained back all of my weight.  I had the revision to the gastric bypass surgery on May 18th.  I am down 44 pounds.  I have been discouraged at times that the weight loss is not more, but my surgeon said that for some reason revision patients simply don't lose as quickly as those who are having the surgery for the first time.  I am very happy with my decision and with continued hard work, I know I can be a success.  I was off from work for two weeks.  I have a desk job, so I did okay with that.  I no longer have to take medication for diabetes and high cholesterol.  We have decreased the amount of meds I take for high blood pressure.  We will be weaning me off of that as time progresses.  It is also anticipated that I will be able to stop using a CPAP machine once I have more weight off.   

Hi Clara,  I also had the lapband in 2009 and chose it over the bypass because of too many fears. I really wish I had gone with the bypass in the beginning, but it is what it is.  In March of 2014 I started having major acid reflux and eventually talked myself into seeing a doctor. He did a scope and felt that my band had slipped so he referred me to a  WLS surgeon (he was not one). The new surgeon was insisting my band probably slipped. After another scope, we discovered my band had not slipped, but that I had a major hiatal hernia. In June 2015 he removed the band, repaired the hernia and did the RNY all in one surgery. The surgery took 3 hours because there was massive scarring from the band. It ended up an open procedure (I have one large, 5-6 inch scar). I was out of the hospital by the next day and was home from work about 2 weeks, even though he wanted me to take 8. Who can do that? After a couple of weeks I went back only part time for another week. I have an office job, but found myself getting extremely tired after about 4 hours.  The major issues I had were fatigue and fear. I had a hard time catching my breath. The doctor thought it was a combination of the procedure and the altitude.  I had the surgery in Lubbock, TX and I live in the mountains of New Mexico - the altitude change was fairly significant. The fear was that I was going to screw things up and harm myself with sudden movement or eating the wrong thing. So basically - the fear was my mind playing tricks on me!!

I am 8 weeks post op and feeling awesome. I still sometimes feel like I have that restriction I had before, but I'm able to eat the things I couldn't with the band. (Bread used to make me gag with the band!)  But I am sticking to the small portions, cut out sugar and am sticking to a low carb, high protein diet. I've only lost 34 lbs to date and my doctor just told me he isn't happy with my progress.  But uhm..hello? 34 lbs in 8 weeks? I'm totally stoked! I'm the lowest I have been in quite a while.  With the band I was only able to get to 240...and that lasted about a week before I started creeping up. I'm 261 right now - about 20 lbs to go before I hit that all time low. The way I see it, 261 is WAY better then the 408 I started out with on this roller coaster journey!  Good luck with whatever path you chose. 

I had my band surgery in 2007 and last four years have been a nightmare.  I couldn't eat and was sick all the time and regained 60 lbs.  I had my band removed on July 2, 2015.  After surgery I felt surprisingly good!  I don't work in the summer so I was off anyway  but I stayed home for 8 weeks.  At week 2 I could have probably done a desk job but even then going back to work at 8 weeks was challenging.  It is hard enough getting in meds, fluid, protein, etc while working but it can be done!  Unfortunately I cannot find the time to exercise since going back.  My weight loss is slow also.  I never feel any sense of fullness, I'm hungry often (a sensation I haven't felt in years with the band), I can overeat if I chose to do so.  It's not what I expected.  I've lost 30 lbs. since surgery.  My surgeons office said they don't know why but revision patients don't do as well or lose as much.  I'm pretty upset about this.....but.....I feel 100% better and I try to focus on that.  My skin looks better, my hair, I don't ache and hurt as much, I don't have migraines, all of my health problems feel so much better.  I actually enjoy eating again!  I had forgotten that healthy food is so delicious. 

I had the lap band in May, 2009.  I lost 60 pounds and kept it off, but the last year I started having trouble with food getting stuck every time I ate and waking up at night with acid backing up.  I started doing research and discovered lots of people having the same trouble with the lap band and having revision surgery.  Upon researching doctors for revision surgery, I found one not to far from my home and set up an appointment.  He sent me for an upper GI and they discovered my band was too tight.  He took all the fluid out of it and said it would need to come out and he would convert to RNY at the same time.  I had the surgery on 7/27/15, spent two nights in the hospital and came home to recover.  I never had to open the pain meds they gave me for home.  I walked around the house, drank my liquids and rested for the next few days.  A week after the surgery, I was able to go to my church for a regular weekly volunteer job. I have lost 26 pounds but have hit a stall for the past 10 days.  My doctor told me revision patients don't lose quite as fast because you are already accustomed to eating smaller meals.  I am so glad I had it done.  I was so tired of that feeling of food getting "stuck" and throwing up.  I know it will be slow but I feel like I finally have the tool to get rid of all my excess weight.  I have already been able to eliminate one of my blood pressure meds and cut the other in half. 

I had lap band surgery in Chicago on February 13, 2003. I did lose 100 pounds eventually over the years but it took a long time. I didn't have real issues with the band until the last couple of years. I started having reflux all the time. It was scary! I would be sleeping and would start choking on acid..ugh! Anyways finally found a fantastic surgeon that would do a revision and he would only do the bypass which was fine by me cause I really needed more than just restriction to keep the weight off. By this time I had regained all the weight back. :( More or less because I was afraid I wouldn't get approved unless I had a 40 BMI. Anyways it's been 9 weeks since surgery. I feel great! I'm finally sleeping like a baby again. I'm also down 58 pounds. The only issues I had were 2 strictures that I had to have a scope to open my esophagus up. Not a big deal. It is WONDERFUL not feeling hungry. I never not felt hungry with the band. It never delivered entirely what I was promised. I should have just done the bypass to begin with. Live and learn :)