LAP BAND Removed but sutures/stomach fold left in place

I had a lap band in 2010. I went from 270 lbs down to 135. In 2015, my band slipped and was removed. I did fairly stable for 2 years, but following several life events, I started gaining 1 to 2 pounds a week and am now up to 250. I'm feeling very discouraged to find out that when the doctor removed my Lap-Band, the sutures that are put in to hold the band in place, were not removed. This is where they fold your stomach up over the band and Stitch it together. Apparently this makes any revision surgery more difficult and I'm worried about it because had the stitches been removed at the same time the lap band was removed, my anatomy would be back to normal. I am worried that this will make things more complicated and interfere with the ultimate outcome. Has anyone heard anything about this or have experience with it?

Ziggy, this is a question for your surgeon. A revision surgery might be a little more difficult, but still shoulf=d be able to be done.

The real question is about your re-gaining. Going from one surgery to another to another is never the answer. You can change surgeries, but they all require the same effort on our part - lifestyle/exercise/eating changes.

Please consider working on those things. possibly with help from a good therapist, to see why you are sabotaging your success. You can do this!

JB

Hi Ziggy,

I am almost 4 weeks after my revision surgery. It was a revision from Lap-Band placed in 2009; everything was fine at the beginning, however after 5 years I started having a horrible reflux and since I had to eat soft creamy stuff to alleviate the acidity I started gaining weight; the reflux was progressively increasing to the point I had too sleep on a sitting position for almost a year.

I finally went to another surgeon, since the previous did not accepted my insurance anymore. My surgeon recommended to remove the band and going for gastric by pass instead of sleeve, since one of the complications of the sleeve is also reflux. My GI doctor agreed with that.

I had the Lap-Band removed and the gastric by pass done on the same day and my surgeon said the band and the stitches were very hard to remove, but still with patience it was done.

It is not true anymore that you have to get the band removed and wait 4-6 weeks for the other surgery to be done. That may be decided at the time of the surgery, on a case by case basis. It was a possibility in my case, but my surgeon told me that if was possible and safe to complete the removal and the conversion at the same time, she will do it.

I am doing great after my surgery; the process is the same you learned the time you went for the band. Eating and exercising properly. It is your second chance and you already know the surgery is 50% of the process, the rest is on you.

A nurse I meet at the hospital had the same experience as you; her band removed and for months she went without it and of course she gained weight; it is just physics since you do not have the restraint anymore and we, people who needed bariatric surgery are not like others people who don't have problems with weight and food addictions. Now this nurse is doing great with a healthy weight and lifestyle.

Go back to your surgeon to complete your revision; o change surgeons if you think it is a better option.

The best of luck