Glendaaus

Yep, May 17 for me with Dr Garcia. Had a eroded lapband out on 24th January here in Alberta, but just couldn't wait for all the hoops to get the surgery here!! Getting the lapband out was harder than I thought, so the sleeve will be a walk in the park compared to that!

Yep definitely the more information we get the more comfortable this all seems. Let's keep the thread going!

I am also being sleeved by Dr Garcia on 17th May. Good luck everyone - I am excited!

I have only had my old lapband recently removed. I have a three months program now till I get sleeved. I am such a doubter - I always think - I can never be slimmer - my mother always told me, "Glenda, you will always be a fat girl but we will love you anyhow". Mum is now 85 - I guess she thought that was a way of showing love - but it is imprinted in my head. Our head really messes with us - all of us - otherwise we wouldn't be here on this site! Reading the hundreds of success stories and even those that have struggled - and the inspirations like Kathe (I am nearly 51 myself) - and KellyL who is always a brillant support on this site - WE CAN DO IT! We have to replace the negative - I saw a therapist on TV a few weeks ago saying to have a little notepad and a pencil and when you wakeup in the morning write down three good things that you are going to achieve that day. Maybe those of us with head messing issues should give this a go! Good luck Glenda

I just had my lapband removed and am getting prepared to have my sleeve in 3 months. My 9 year old asked me on the phone from hospital "are you skinnier yet mom"? so cute. For my daughter this has been a great learning curb - she loves to eat - she is not too big yet, but seeing my surgery and what I have been through - she seems more interested in being healthy and walking our dog more. This can only be a positive thing. She is mature and totally understands all the implications of being overweight. If this helps save her the misery of what I have been through in my life - then it is worth every bit of it.

So good to hear your doing so well. Your attitude will make you succeed with this, your like me - there is no point in poking holes in every little thing - just go along for the ride. Good for you Amy, keep us posted. Glenda

I had my 10 year old lapband removed this week. The surgery was successful but the Doctor was amazed at how badly my stomach had been damaged by the band - he repaired it and the leak test was perfect. It was not easy - I am a pretty tough cookie - but this was much worst and painful than what I had expected. I am feeling great 5 days out - but was totally unprepared - having my babies was nothing compared to this! I have a month off and then start the 3 month program with this surgeon and will then get sleeved then - he said I will need a modified version - but it will be great anyhow. I know without a doubt that getting the sleeve will not be as painful and traumatizing as this removal. Hope anyone who is going through this with the band gets it fixed quicker than later - I only caught it a a few months ago - but it must have been so gradual that I didn't seem to notice. Glenda

Thanks again for the replies. My band was 90 percent eroded. It seemed amazing to me that you barely know that is the case. The body is an amazing thing! The only thing I started to feel was that I could eat more and I was gaining weight rapidly. I would have months of weight watchers and exercising 1 or more hours a day and still keep gaining. So I started to investigate and found out that perhaps I should get it looked at. Alot of people can have their bands in forever and it doesn't happen, we are all so different. Today I am feeling better than I have for about 3 years - so even though I said it wasn't an obvious thing - you must adjust to not feeling yourself.

finally know where I am up to with having my band out and getting the VSG. I will be booked into hospital over the next week or so for January removal and then 3 months healing and the surgeon says the VSG is for me. He commented that he is now taking out more bands than what he puts in. Glenda :biggrin5:

Well it is only 5 days till I get the band removed and it can't come quick enough. I really hope people do their research on bands - it makes me sad when I read about people going to get them, I know they do work for some, but I think they don't for more than anyone ever knew. I will have to wait the 4/6 months wait with this surgeon to get the sleeve - which will go quickly, I have been on this recent issue of wanting to get the band out since June last year, so a few more months won't matter. Will report back once I am back from the surgery.

The time is getting closer to getting the band out. 16 Jan is the date - I cannot wait - I am so so over this. I agree with you Mary for some - the band is the perfect wls, but I just wonder how many people there are that are going to suffer like those of us who it didn't work for. My erosion is bad so I have to wait 3/4 months to get the sleeve - but it will be worth the wait for me. I can have a few months of eating salad and harder foods (including chicken) that have made me vomit for 10 years! I have started exercising 40-50 minutes a day again to get into shape before my 16 Jan surgery, I just think it helps with the recovery. This has been great reading thank you everyone again Glenda

Some of you will know that I have been back and forth with making up my mind on who will do my revision. I had a lapband done in 2003 and have decided on a VSG revision. I finally received a call from the surgeons in Red Deer Alberta (about 300km) being the closest to where I live and will be seeing a new surgeon there on 7 September. I decided to go this route as it is funded by Alberta Health Care, and I can use the money I was going to spend going to Mexico on other things - like flying home to Australia to see my family. I love this site and have found out so much because of everyones information. Thanks. Glenda

Thanks Susan I have contacted his office for more information. I am happy to pay to go to Mexico as well. :bananajump:

Susan, he says that my stomach needs to be healed before he can do the vsg - about 3 months - I wish I could find someone in Canada or Mexico that could do it all at once - I would much prefer that.

Thankyou ladies, so great to see I am not alone with this. I feel like at least something is happening in the right direction. I believe bands will become non existent. I think this will be an epidemic of removals- oh well - for me - you believe what you are told at the time.

In July I was posting here on having my lapband removed and revision to vsg. Yesterday I finally got the camera test and my lapband is eroded - so I have an appointment at the end of November and imagine I will be going back to hospital to have it removed in January, 2012. I was not impressed - but I guess I always knew there was some problem. I imagine that the surgeon will make me wait for x amount of time to have the vsg done. If anyone has any experience with this - I would appreciate your comments. Glenda Lapband Sydney Australia 2003

No problems Lissa - don't cry. I will find out his ideas I guess on the 30th when I go back. I have to drive 4 hours to get there - so it better be worth it - haha!! I think I will get him to take it out - but if there is going to be a long wait to get the vsg - I may go to Dr Kelly - like I had previously planned to do.

I was just wondering for anyone who got a VSG in Canada or the USA if your surgeon first took out your band and then made you wait. I see some have waited 6 months in between - that seems sooooo long to me (patience isn't a virtue I admit it!!). Then I see alot of VSG posts that say their surgeons did it at the same time. Does anyone have any experience with this - especially with old bands - mine was done in 2003. Thanks Glenda

Thanks again for the replies. There may be a good reason why they will wait. My 1st appointment is 7 September - so I guess I will find out the details then. I am just glad that I am on the way - hopefully they can get my band out. It may be nice to have a few months of no vomiting or pain. May actually be able to eat a whole piece of chicken without the screaming pain afterwards. Somewhere in me I have found some patience and seem better than I was before with the timeframe - I figured - well you have no choice - just live until then

I live in Lethbridge, and need to start travelling to Red Deer. I am a revision patient (had my band in 2003 in Sydney Australia) and have decided (due to pain) to have it removed and have the sleeve done. I have my first appointment on 7 September with the new surgeon. It is Dr Farries office and he now has another 2 surgeons working with him - which is good timing for me I guess. I have no patients for waiting - I do other weird things like go mad cleaning and sorting my house (which is good to some I guess) and starting buying things that I didn't before I started this journey again. Like I always say this site is a lifesaver. I would love to keep in touch with all you Alberta ladies. Glenda

You are a great inspiration for those of us who are waiting (me personally for a revision), 70lb in 6 months seems fantastic - and just think of how toned and beautiful your body will be with the running. Congratulations! Glenda

Thanks ladies - you are just such a source of positive information. I am having a few days away this week and will make up mind while relaxing. I may well go to the surgeon I have chosen in Mexico. Like I said I am impatient - but also reasonably smart (so I like to imagine) and try to do my homework. I always find the best source is the people who have been there done that - like you guys. Glenda

Thanks guys. I have not had any Fluid in my band for about 2.5 years. Mine is also just sitting there - although I still have pretty good restriction and can still vomit somedays - when other days I could eat a horse!!! I do have very low grade pain in my port area. A surgeon that I spoke to on the phone said it could be the beginning of corrosion, but could not tell. I had a barium swallow a week and from what the doctor could see - all looked well. I am booked for an endoscopy as well. I have an appointment on 7 September here in Canada, but if it is going to take too long I may well go to Mexico to have the revision done. I was asking because I have a feeling that here they will send me home to heal before have the sleeve - but I won't know until my first appointment. I have just ready so many different stories. Again thanks Glenda

I had my band in 2003 - and if I knew what I knew - I would probably have done it anyhow. I did loose 105lb originally and due to a personal tragedy managed to put back on quite a bit of that - with milkshakes, ice cream and cheezie Snacks - BUT - in saying that I should have had it out years ago as well - I have spent these last years being in fear of vomiting all the time with certain foods. I would tell others to really think about getting a lapband too - do your research.

Kelly is so right. I got the band in 2003 and lost about 105 lb first up - which seems like a lot - but I did alot of vomiting and lost a bunch of hair and still had to really work hard to maintain any weight loss It all started creeping back - as with most weight loss surgery - you can trick it - it isn't magic! Now I have erosion - I feel like it is an alien - can't wait to get it out! I have also done alot of research - and the band just isn't worth S***. The RNY I am unsure of - alot people really put their weight back on - seems the sleeve is better for lifestyle change. Glenda