Question:
lap band revision

hi everyone...I am needing some advice and opinions from everyone... I am planning to have a revision surgery in Sept...I'm having the band taken out and the gastric bypass done...I am a little nervous but I failed at the band so I'm hopeing to do well with the bypass. My delemia is..I saw my doctor this morning and he suggested that I consider the sleeve instead of the bypass..he says it's safer then they bypass when doing a revision. I am open to the idea but I have already failed at just having restriction and I am so afraid to fail again witha surgery that just gives restriction...has anyone had to make this decision before??? I want the bypass but now i'm confused because of my doc sugesting the sleeve.    — SWESTMOR1 (posted on June 16, 2010)

June 16, 2010
I was just at my dr this week because I am having a revison from the band also. We talked about all the different surgrys and he said if he was going to do one it would be the sleeve. I would go that way but my insurance doesn't cover it and he said most insurance's don't. So I am thinking about rny. I hate the band and it hasn't worked for me wish I had never got it done. I am just scared about any surgery now.
   — pandavenise

June 16, 2010
I had the band to and it wasn't the right surgery for me. I needed the malabsorption that comes with rny. My surgeon felt rny is the gold standard for treating obesity and I agreed with him from all the data that was availalbe to us at the time. I'm doing well and averaging a 10lb weight loss per month. I am experiencing my first plateau, but that will end when my body is ready for it to. Good luck in making your decision
   — FindingAndrea

June 17, 2010
I started with the lapband in 2004 and had constant major problems with it from the very beginning. Had it removed in 2006 by emergency surgery. Had rny in May, 2008 with much success and no problems, no regrets. Lost 110 lbs. and am currently maintaining. Feel great!! I don't know much about the sleeve, but I have no qualms in suggesting rny. Best of luck to you!!
   — ksp1155

June 17, 2010
Hi, If I were you I would definately go with the RNY. I had the band put in in 2004 and removed last year. It was removed because of a severe slip after having trouble the whole time. I had to wait three months and my doc talked me into the sleeve because it was less drastic. My insurance would have paid for RNY, but I paid cash for the sleeve. Comparing it to the band, after one year I have lost only 50 pounds, about the same as with the band. My weight will not budge no matter what I do. I would like to loose 20 more pounds and don't know if that will ever happen. I can eat any type of food (unlike the band), just less of it. I get hungry every 3 to 4 hours. I was hoping for so much more with the sleeve! I think the sleeve may be a good answer for people who eat large quantities of food, (I did not). Also for people who have over 100 pounds to loose. I will admit, I don't have strong will power, and see now that I needed the additional benefit of malabsorbtion along with restriction. I would strongly recommend that you consider the Rny! I wish you the very best luck and please let me know what you decide and how you do! I care!
   — Bonnie H.

June 18, 2010
Hi, I had the band put in January of 2007 and at that time my weight was 290lbs. Wow I still can't believe that I weighted that much! I am going to make this long story short............back in August of last year I was having some very, very bad stomach pain so I called my surgeon. He sent me for an upper GI and my I also had a bad slippage. They would not let me leave the hospital and had me in emergency surgery to remove the band within two hours. That day was very surreal and seemed like a dream or should I say like a nightmare. To that day I had only lost 70lbs. I also felt like I had failed, like a big loser but not a loser of weight. A week later I was still having stomach pain and come to find out it was my gallbladder. The surgeon and I talked about a revision and we did go RNY and gallbladder removal all at the same time. RNY surgery September 21 2008 I now weigh 137lbs!!!!! I can not tell you how good I feel!!! I would not change anything! Hang in there you can do this. Good luck and everything happens for a reason thinks positive thoughts. Best Wishes Chunk-E-Monkey (not so chunky anymore)
   — Chunk-e-Monkey 1.