Chicks56

I'm looking for folks that have had their lap band converted to a gastric sleeve. I'm on my 2nd band. 1st banded in 1999 with a Swedish band in Monterrey, Mexico. 2nd band in U.S. in 2006. 2nd band has now "slipped", so says the doctor. I'm not feeling restriction, even though it is filled and little is passing through. I've gained 30 pounds since December, and getting scared. I'm looking into going to Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana for a conversion (cash pay- no insurance coverage). However, I have no idea what going to a gastric sleeve will be like in comparison to the band. With the band, I had a lot of restriction, and so, wasn't able to eat much. If I eat over 1,000 calories a day, I gain weight. And I do exercise diligently. Any feedback of your conversion experience would be appreciated. Especially, how the sleeve feels in comparison to the band- eating food wise. Thank you!

Hi All, I'm not sure how this website works. I'd like to reply to Kathyatcare and Mimi52 individually, but just can't figure out how to do it! I can "like" or "unlike" but don't see how to respond individually. So I no doubt will be doing this incorrectly, so my apologies to all. Kathy, where did you have your sleeve done? Were you a revision? I think 2 lbs. a week is amazing weight loss! Keep up the great work!! And for Mimi52, where did you have your revision done? How does having a gastric sleeve "feel" compared to the band, would you say? Do you feel a difference in the restriction? I am also 5'2", and right now weight 150, but have gained over 20 lbs. since having all the fluid taken out of my band. I'm up over 2 clothes sizes and feeling VERY large! Since 5'2" is so short, even 20 lbs. looks like a lot! I am a flight attendant, so I'm in the public eye, and don't like looking "plump" too much. Right now, I'm spilling out of my current size of flight attendant uniform and don't want to buy the next size up. I went for my revision surgery last Tuesday in Tijuana, Mexico. The doctor could only take off my band. He was unable to do a revision. My stomach was in too much of a mess! He showed me pictures. The doctor wants me to wait 6 MONTHS!!! before I have the sleeve now. So back home I am, and waiting until the end of January for my surgery. I will do my best to lose weight before the surgery in January. Not sure how having no band will go though, so I'm a little scared about it all. Thank you for your insight and input, you are doing great, so keep up the good work!!

No my dear, I have not had surgery yet. Hopefully the end of July, the 24th is the day I believe. Doctors are waiting the results of a endoscopy to judge if I will just have my band removed first, or have the band removed and go right into the sleeve. So it all depends upon that.

Oh thank you so much for your input! I hope the sleeve goes well going forward for you!

Thanks for your input! May I ask, did you not have restriction with the band, is that the reason you didn't feel it worked? Can you please comment if this prevents you from eating so much at one time? Or do you eat less because of less hunger hormone? Do you FEEL less hungry, as the doctors are saying will happen because there is less hunger hormone? Thank you!!

Wow, thank you so much for all this information! This is exactly what I was looking for! The band restricted me from eating so well, that I was successful in losing and keeping off the weight. But I was worried that the sleeve wouldn't offer the same feeling of restriction, and that I would be able to eat a lot more. Knowing that I can eat so few calories a day without gaining, has made me very worried about converting. So thank you again for your feedback, and I do wish you all the best! If I can ever be of any help to you, please let me know.