FLJeepGirl #1

[FLJeepGirl]

I was banded in April 2008. I lost close to 70 pounds with my band within the first year. I have some some complications (which I will go through on introducing myself) in the past two years. In a nutshell, my band has to come out due to port and esophogus issues.

A few questions on Band to RNY Revision for those who have gone through it?

1. Were you able to do it in one surgery?
2. Did your insurance require any further 'pre-requisites' or did your band-pre work qualify? (I know all/most insurances will be different - just looking for examples)
3. What was the recovery like in regard to the band?
4. Was there a difference in the diet?
5. The Good and Bad of RNY for you?

I have been reseraching as much as I can and have decided to have the RNY, but there isn't a lot of research out there on Band to RNY revisions.

Thank you for your feedback!

[Juniper]

 Leslie2Lose, on July 8, 2011 - 2:49 PM, said:

I was banded in April 2008. I lost close to 70 pounds with my band within the first year. I have some some complications (which I will go through on introducing myself) in the past two years. In a nutshell, my band has to come out due to port and esophogus issues.

A few questions on Band to RNY Revision for those who have gone through it?

1. Were you able to do it in one surgery?
2. Did your insurance require any further 'pre-requisites' or did your band-pre work qualify? (I know all/most insurances will be different - just looking for examples)
3. What was the recovery like in regard to the band?
4. Was there a difference in the diet?
5. The Good and Bad of RNY for you?

I have been reseraching as much as I can and have decided to have the RNY, but there isn't a lot of research out there on Band to RNY revisions.

Thank you for your feedback!

Hi Leslie,

Here's the short answers

Yes, my doctor did everything in one surgery. I ended up with 9 total incisions, though, so it's quite different than just getting the RNY or just the Band.
My insurance required nothing more than a letter from my doctor stating the reasons why the band had to come out and why I needed the RNY. None of what happened pre-band mattered.
Recovery from the revision was much harder than from the band, but this was in part because my doctor removed the scar tissue that had built up around my band, so I had more to recover from. Plus, we're talking having your insides cut and rearranged. Expect there to possibly be more pain, and definitely more time to heal.
The main difference in the diet is that now, I HAVE to stick to the diet. Unlike the band, where you can eat pretty much anything you want - in smaller amounts if it's working like it should - after the RNY, there will be some foods you just CANNOT eat without feeling seriously ill (think flu-like). And it's a lot harder to get all the protein in that I need, since I eat such small amounts at a time and the shakes are hard for me to get down.
The good is that the weight is really coming off. The bad is that I'm tired a lot, get dehydrated easily, and both of these are because it's hard for me to get all my food and water in because my "pouch" is just so small!

Take care,
Juniper

[FLJeepGirl]

Thank you for your response. I got approval from my insurance today - and my surgery is scheduled for July 25. It is good to hear from someone that has gone through the revision. Two short weeks - I know it will fly by. Take care of yourself and feel better soon - I'll be joining you in not too long. I hope this site picks up - I've always enjoyed LBT (although left for a while - which is why I'm a newbie now).

[FLJeepGirl]

Just an update to any who are reading...my surgery has been postponed a week. - Now August 1st. Hope it doesn't move again...I was psyched and ready, but it is what it is...another week to prepare. Going to the store today to stock the house on liquids.

I have to do a liquid diet two days pre-op and I go on Monday for all of my pre-op appointments. Hope everyone is doing well out there and begins posting.

[cassieme1]

 Leslie2Lose, on July 16, 2011 - 11:03 AM, said:

Just an update to any who are reading...my surgery has been postponed a week. - Now August 1st. Hope it doesn't move again...I was psyched and ready, but it is what it is...another week to prepare. Going to the store today to stock the house on liquids.

I have to do a liquid diet two days pre-op and I go on Monday for all of my pre-op appointments. Hope everyone is doing well out there and begins posting.

hey guys,
i went to ameeting, my first meeting with dr. wegner. he said that he doesat least 1 revision from band to bypass aweek because of what ever reason the patient is not satisfied or have complications from the band. and yes its done at once and laproscopic. i have an appointment with my medicine next month, i need an echo and stress test. I will still be a self pay. but thats what credit cards are for. I have not been satisfied for over a year and a half. i may as well be content with something about my life. RIGHT

[FLJeepGirl]

Hey Cassie - glad your appointment went well with your doctor. Mine two does a lot of revisions - I do wish I would have done RNY the first time, but at the time of my surgery the band sounded like the right choice. Hindsight - I'm hearing more and more removals and coversions for whatever reasons. Some it works for some it doesn't.

I went this past Monday for my pre-op. This included an ultrasound of my abdomin, the ekg, bloodwork, an exra of my abdomin, the chat with the anethsiologist and pre-regsitration. Then two hours with the nutritionist on my post surgery diet. The diet looked very similar to the band diet - although each step (clear liquids, liquids, soft/mushies) will be longer and there will be foods I've been told not to eat for at least six months out. The vitamins was a big part of the nutritionist. My doctor is more than an hour away and says the B-12 supplements over the counter do not absorb as well so I will have a monthly injection to do from home. That actually made me happy. I can live with one shot rather than the pills that don't seem to be effective. I also found out from my bloodwork that I have a potassium deficiency caused from my hypothyroidism and diaretic...so they started me on some time realsed supplements.

It was a long day (Monday), but I have everything taken care of for next week. My doctor is putting me on a two day liquid diet prior to surgery. I will have to be there at 5:00 a.m. - which means getting up at 2:00 a.m....

Please let me know how everything goes with your tests and when you get a date :-)

[terilynn112]

1. Were you able to do it in one surgery? yes
2. Did your insurance require any further 'pre-requisites' or did your band-pre work qualify? (I know all/most insurances will be different - just looking for examples) I had to do it all over again. All but the sleep study, which they have since added in for revisions.
3. What was the recovery like in regard to the band? I had an easy recovery, I was very tired. But was home taking care of my 3 kids within 3 days.
4. Was there a difference in the diet? I had similar diet to one of the previous posters, just longer with stages than with the band. I was 3 weeks liquids, 3 weeks puree's and 3 weeks soft solids, then gradually adding back in. Truth is I got stuck on the soft solids due to a second surgery (not related) and my pouch was super tight.
5. The Good and Bad of RNY for you? I can eat without it hurting. I don't puke. I do have nausea, almost daily.







I have no regrets about my revision!


teri

[FLJeepGirl]

Thank you for all the replies! I'm getting ready for next week...glad to hear you are doing well Teri. :-)