I have the same concerns and have gone through same exact things as you. I have the band currently and it is slipped. I am in process of seeing if insurance will approve band to sleeve just waiting. With all the questions that I have had I was advised to turn to a forum on facebook that helped me out a ton. You ask one question and you will get tons of responses. From what I have seen, it is different and you dont feel the same feeling when you eat/drink. Search on Facebook for the group Lap Band revised to Sleeve and just request to be added. I cant even tell you how much advise and questions I had have been answered from there. Hope this helps!