When is it time to consider revision?

I am 24 years old I have had my band for 2 1/2 years now. I was 378 when I got my surgery I got down to about 340 ( partlly I believe because I was in the hospital for almost 2 weeks and lost alot from not being able to eat I had to have the band removed then a new one put back in 2 days after my initial surgery) Now I am at about 365 :( I have had aboult 7 maybe 8 fills in these 2 years ( I dont know what the normal fill rate is) and never have I ever be able to eat a cup of food and feel full. The only thing I have ever felt which I continue to feel is every once in a while a stuck type feeling and aftet a few seconds it moves and I can continue to eat. I knew when I got the surgey it wasnt a cure. However what I was told it would do for me it has never done. Before I was overweight. Now Im overweight and have had a weight loss surgery. The depression and shame and embarrassement that brings me has been very hard. Everytime I go to one of my fills i get so excited and for about a day or two I think I feel what might be restriction but then Im back to being able to eat like I use to. I go to school I walk around campus all day. I swim at least 2 times a week ( im working on more) Its just so hard to stay motivated when you look at a number like 360 and know even after you lose 60 pounds your still 300! I have two sisters who are overweight and I wouldnt say by any means they are excited to be over weight but they have always accepted it. I have never been able to do that. I have always been trying to diet and excercise sense I was 15 years old. I know in my heart I will never be truely happy at this size. Its not an option I have to lose it. I want kids when Im done with school but refuse to have children being this size. I want to have an actice lifestyle. I want to run marathons, play softball with all my girlfriends, go to an amusement park. I cant do any of those things at this size. So this brings me to when is it time for revision ( sorry I had to vent its been a while) I have considered getting bypass. My aunt was over 500 pounds and got her surgery the same week as me. She is now well under 200. That alone hasnt been easy for me. I know they were different surgeries and I cant compare. But I swear to you she did not go to the gym one day! not saying thats what I want I just didnt realize that the surgeries where that different.  Im scared to get bypass It was a big step for me to get the band and that didnt go very well. Have I not had enough fiills? Does the band simply just not work for some people? should I consider bypass? Any information would help

I have not had WLS yet so I may not be the best resource but I do work at a hospital that is a center of excellence for bariatric surgery.  My understanding is that the band only works for a very small portion of the population which is why few insurances even cover it.  The band does go slower but I believe that they expect you to have more success than that.  I thought about 40% loss in your first year.  Have you spoken with your surgeon?  Mine has life time follow-up.

I am having the bypass in the fall because I know that restriction alone won't do it for me.  Maybe it just doesn't do it for you too.  That is something the surgeon could give you better input on I think.  Good luck in your decison.
 

Hon don't feel bad! The band hasn't worked for so very many of us. We all feel we've been gypped and cheated. Myself I never felt restriction even at 8 ccs in my 10 cc band and I lost all of 20 lbs. the first year and that was it. What I did lose I lost because I couldn't eat without getting stuck. I got a partial unfill and then was wide open. I was always either too tight or too loose. Also I never did have the full feeling they said I would have. It wasn't until I had my band emptied that I was able to start losing a little again. The band is the slowest least effective weight loss surgery and is causing more and more serious complications for people. Look at all 4 main WLS s the DS, the RNY and the sleeve. The sleeve is restrictive only like the band but so much more effective. The DS and RNY are also malabsorbtive in addition to restrictive. You aren't the only one who was hood winked! There is still hope, you just need an effective surgery!

I would suggest talking with your doctor.

What you're describing (feels a little stuck, then it passes & you continue to eat) is how I felt when I was first starting to get restriction but long before I was at optimal restriction.

My doctor believed in a catious fill approach, which I think is the way to go.  I went in every month for the first year and got a small fill.  It was 3 fills before I felt anything at all, 5 fills before I had any real restriction and 10-12 fills before I hit an optimal fill level.  Every time I lost weight my band would loosen (actually the fat was disappearing from under the band) and I would need a fill to get back to the restriction level I used to have.

I know it's hard and embarassing but you're worth it!!  Your doctor should be able to do an upper GI to see if you are getting restriction and make sure everything is ok.  If the band is still good, make regular fill appointmnets and really give it a try.  If you feel the band is not for you, absolutely research a revision - the WLS is supposed to work for you, not run your life.  You deserve whatever procedure works for you and there's no shame in not having a crystal ball and needing a revision.

The first step in making the decision to revise is to first determine if everything is in functioning order with your current procedure and try to get an idea of what about it isn't working for you.
Do you get your fills under flouro? When we the last time your band was checked under flouro? If your doctor never did your fills with flouro its possible you've never had enough of a fill to have restriction. It's also possible you have a leak and so your fills don't work very well.
It sounds like you're getting great exercise, but have you talked to a dietician about what and how much you eat?
You already had one surgical procedure, do the diligence to make sure it's actually in proper working order before you sign yourself up for another procedure. If it looks like there is somethign amiss, then do some research and talk with your doctor about what your revision options are.

Think about revising sooner than later.  The band was nothing but hell for me.  Now I am 13 lbs from goal with the sleeve.

I understand the pain and stuck feeling from the band.  Never knowing if I was gonna vomit in public or not.  Never vomited once with the sleeve.

Hello, my name is janie. I have had the lap band 3 years and I have done nothing but suffer. It is either too tight so I gag and vomit or like it has been for several months now. I cannot eat anything solid until after late in evening. For some reason the band opens up and since I haven't been able to eat all day, im starving. I have lost 50 and over past year gained back 10. So lately my port has felt like it is pinching me and I went to doctor to tell him I wanted band removed. I would like to get the sleeve done but he said my stomach is too stretched out now from the lap band, so I can only have by pass done. I am sick of that feeling of pain and stuck. At 9:00 I tried to eat some brocolli and chicken. I got 1 ounce of chicken in me and one stalk of brocolli and started pucking it up. I HAVEN'T EATEN ALL DAY. I'm starving. But right now I feel stuffed. I am so sick of this.

Hi Janie,

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I understand how awful it feels.
Does your doctor DO sleeves? If not, he might be suggesting the bypass  because he's proficient at them. However, if you really feel a sleeve might work better for you, you should consult with other surgeons who are known to perform VSG.

I hope you'll feel better soon. I feel for you. And please take good care of yourself. It gets better after the band is removed.

~Nic

I agree with Dev.   I would talk to your doctor and get looked at under flouroscopy.  There is no "normal" level of saline for a band because everyone is different.   Do you know how much saline is in your band or how much your doc puts in at a time?  it is possible you could have a leak.

Please don't take offense as I am * not*  inferring you haven't followed the rules. We just need to
know a little more to better answer your question.   Like, have you been drinking with your meals? Carbs and salt were big culprits for me early on.  I can't fault you on the exercise part because I have a hard time exercizing because of pain issues.

Yes, the band simply doesn't work for some people but i don't know if you are in that category.  If you are following all the rules and still can't lose, you might need the benefits of RNY but...first, talk to your doc!  GOOD LUCK!


    

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and opinions. To answer some of the questions. In the beggining I did well with following the rules (mainly I was kind of scared to eat) However as time went on and I never felt the restriction fill after fill after fill I did go back to my old habits. I still dont drink with my meals because I get the stuck feeling and drinking doesnt help. I have tried to measure out my food but with no restriction 1 cup of food isnt going to do it for me. I got up this morning and made an appointment with my doctor its on july 2nd. He is always booked and when I do see him its only for like 5 minutes because he is always rushing. He has never done a fill under flouro and everytime I have expressed my concerens he tells me its gonna be ok and gives me another fill. The last time I was there he though I had just gotten my surgery and it had been over a year and a half. WHAT THE HECK! I feel like he has rushed everything from the begining. I am going to try and talk to him at the next appointment about checking on my band and making sure everything is ok with it. Honestly I have no idea what size my band is because he has never told me. I am going to ask him a little about the bypass. I am still not ready to give up on the band yet. I want to make sure its woking properly and maybe try another fill. If that doesnt work I will move on to other options. Thanks again everyone it helps to know that I am not the only one who has had these problems it makes me feel like less of a failure.