Band to RNY revision help??

I need to have my band out due to a slip and stretched pouch, and my surgeon is strongly recommending a RNY, which he said he can do in the same procedure.  I was talking to my N.P. who said that  often people who do this have to stay in the hospital longer, which makes me wonder if having the band out and the RNY done in the same procedure is more risky??  I want an RNY, but am really nervous about potential complications with the procedure, as I have read about people having serious problems during and after the procedure, so to have the band removed and the RNY done at the same time, I would think the likehood of problems would be more, am I right?

I would love to hear anyone's opinion on this, especially those who have done had the band removed and an RNY done in one procedure.  How long did it take?  Any complications?  How was it?

Hi there,

I had my band removed in an emergency surgery in February 2011.  Unfortunately the offer to do the RNY was not offered at that time.  I had so many complications towards the end with my band....it was awful.  I had lost 80 lbs but had put on about 15 before the band was finally removed.  And......I have gained it all back and then some.  The past year and a half has been horribly depressing watching the lbs adding up.  The surgeon had offered to put another band in and my response was ABSOLUTELY NOT- and would never recommend a gastic band!  I have been going through the whole pre-RNY process at the Toronto Western Bariatric Clinic since last August and almost a year later I finally have a surgery date- August 1st, 2012....8 more days!  I wish the option had been offered to me a year and a half ago when my band was removed and I would have absolutely said yes....but that's me....knowing what I know now.  I don't know why it would be a longer hospital stay but for me it wouldn't have mattered.  Unlike my previous surgery I have a team of professionals looking out for me and the support is there as well.` I'm on the pre-surgery liquid diet now and it is very...well hard...but I hope this next surgery will be successful and worth it.  Surgeons have indicated that it does not appear that I will have any issues from the previous surgery but they won't know for sure until they get in there.  If there are complications and the RNY is not possible they will make a Sleeve....I live 5 hours away from the hospital so they told me to expect to stay for 2 nights.  I am so ready for this but very scared at the same time.  I would balance the likelyhood of gaining the weight back to what the surgeons recommend and make the decision.  For me...I would have jumped on the option to have it all done in one surgery.  Good luck with your decision whatever it is.  Take Care :)

Thanks for your response.  That is what I am afraid of is gaining the weight back.  I was 292 the day of surgery and 244 when the fluid was taken out of the band about a month ago.  I was 250 when I weighed in tonight.  My appetite is back with full force and I am eating nothing but crap......not good!  I just don't have faith in myself that I can do this on my own as I'm hungry all the time now and can eat about twice the amount as I could when my band was working properly. 

Best of luck on your surgery.  How exciting, and I'm sure you'll do great.  When you're up to it, will you please update me on how your surgery went!  Take care!

I had  my surgical consult today for band to RNY.

The surgeon said that he would only do them both at the same time if my stomach looked healthy enough. He said that it is his preference to do it all at once, but that he would not risk a leak.

He said that if I felt like a rock-star he would send me home THE NEXT DAY.  He said 2 days is usually the max.

He told me that the risk of leaks go up from 1% to 3% with a revision surgery, but that he has never had a leak. (then he told me that he did not have that many grey hairs.. but that is his history so far).

He said that the risks of complications are very minimal if he can keep me out for less than 3 hours.  Which is why he won't do my gall bladder at the same time.  Too long under.

Lap band removal is 1-1.5 hours as opposed to the 30 mins to put it in.  He said in is easy and out is more difficult.

I am so excited ... I wi**** were tomorrow!!!

 I had my revision from Realize band to RNY done at the same time.  My doctor said he does about 3 a week most of the time the band has slipped.  My band and port keep moving I could feel it when it moved.  There were times that I couldn't drink water cause the bnd would move up.  There were times that I could eat a ton.  I cried almost every night for about 6 months I kept saying something is wrong I hurt I could feel my port it would stick out and poke my side.    
My doctor does the RNY open so I have my incision for the RNY and I have the inscision where he took the port out.  I am so glad to have it out.  I don't cry anymore I am glad to have hte band and the port out.  My doctor did say he felt that the placement of my band/port was placed to high that may have been part of why I hurt so much.   I got something stuck right before Christmas and had ot make an emergency drive to my doctors office to have an unfill....it was horrible but it tokk him all of one minute to un fill and make me feel better.  
After I started to gain weight it ws horrible I felt like I was a failure.  I worked out and ate what I was supposed ot eat and still could not loss weight.  My insurance approved my revision and I was on the books to have it taken out.  I really am glad that I had it done.  It was worth it!!