Revision...(lap band leak)

Hello everyone. I posted about a month ago as I was getting back on track after having twins on Dec. 29th. Well, I went to the dr 5 weeks ago, got a fill of a .5 and left there hoping to feel restriction. Strange enough-that put me at 11ccs in my 11 cc band. I just went back for a check on 4/1. Was asked how my restriction level was and I told them that I had no restriction whatsoever. My surgeon did a residual, called another surgeon in the office in and they both only got almost 3cc out of my band. So, it was determined that my band is leaking and I am scheduled for a band removal in one week. Anyone else had this done? I feel completely frustrated-deflated-upset-and all of the above. My goal was to at this point get at a good restriction level and have lost my excess weight.

Any experience on this would be greatly, greatly appreciated. How was your recovery? Were you in pain afterwards similar to when your band was placed? I have 6 kiddos..and I just see this uphill battle.

But..in saying that..I am still positive in a sense for the long haul. We have begun the steps to get approval for a gastric bypasss. My surgeon feels it's best to remove band-let stomach heal and then schedule another surgery. I wish the diet changes along with exercise would have paid off, but I have to tell myself it was nothing i did wrong. My surgeon said that it was either a faulty band or at one of my fills the line must have been poked by the syringe. 

Thanks for listening.

You will likely get the most responses if you post this in the lap band board, or failed band board, or revision board.  Here is the RNY board. 

Having said that, I know (from these boards) quite a few people who have been successful with a revision to RNY.  Good luck!

Unfortunately, that's a pretty common problem with the band.

Is it possible to determine if it was faulty when placed or if a hole was poked in it during a fill?  Because I'm thinking if the band was faulty when it was placed, the company that makes it should pay for the removal.  If the surgeon damaged it during a fill, I'm thinking he should pay for the removal.

There are quite a few people on this board that had lap bands and for different reasons had it removed and revised to bypass.

Me and my hubby both had lap bands and had revision. Him in November last year and me on Feb. 27th this year. Our dr does two surgeries, one for removal and one for the bypass. It gives time for swelling from having the band removed to go down...I was fine after a couple of days from having my band out. It really was not a big deal for either of us.

Good luck with the removal and revision process....hope things go smoothly!

If there were a hole,,don't they just put in a fill with that fix a flat stuff?  That worked for me until the band was starting to cause esophageal cancer. Good luck to you!

I had my lapband placed in 2006.  In 2007 I developed a leak an had a 2nd surgery to repair the band/port that broke.  In 2008 I got pregnant and had my daughter.  THen my husband lost his job and we lost our insurance so I never got another f-ill until 2010.  Then in 2012 I had two slips and the second slip required surgery to repair.  I told my surgeon to take the band out.  I went most of 2012 with no fill and gained most of my weight back.  My surgeon suggested bypass surgery at the same time as the band removal.  I agreed and it was done October 2012.  I have lost 70lbs in the 5 1/2 months since surgery.  Wish I would have done the bypass to begin with.  This surgery is 100% better than the band.