girliegirl

hi, I am wondering how long after surgery are we still at risk for a leak? can it happen months after surgery? do we have to worry our entire lifetime? is there every a time when we can feel safe?

have you talked to the surgeon about this? what do they say about leaks?

did they give you anything at the hospital to stop that heaving? you poor thing.

dont be devastated, you dont need to have the surgery right now. i wouldnt have sleeve done if my BMI was 23. just see how you do maintaining your weight and if by some chance the weight comes back the sleeve will still be around, im sure !! good luck.

wow...so we are never safe from a leak? thats so scary!

im so afraid too. i have read some stories too where people get a leak after months out. i mentioned these stories to my doctor and he seems surprised, said its not common. he says its like the 1st 10 days to 2 weeks that its most common. i was also told that regular people can have a leak too not just WLS patients. im so scared too. can anyone help ease these fears for us?

wow...thats so inspiring. do you find this new lifestyle easier to do since you have been sleeved?

so would you say that the sleeve doesnt make it easier?

Im not sure i can tell you which surgery to opt for but I will tell you that I was banded in 2007 and had a nice weight loss woth it BUT the band slipped about a year or so after it was in, no idea why. I had a revision surgery and new band put in with the risk it could slip again one day. about a year after that one slipped too. i decided to have my band removed and i didnt go do the sleeve at that time because i had enough of surgeries over the past 3 years. i hoped i could keep my weight off or at least the majority of it (75lbs). anyway, here i am 5 yrs later, all the weight is back and Im looking at the sleeve. I am high risk now because I was banded and that scares me. Please research these operations, and it might help to bring you mother to all your consults because this way she can hear what the doctors are explaining to you and she can ask questions as well. it will help her so much, I did that with my mom this time around. good luck

How long does one have to always worry about a leak occurring? is there ever a time when you know you are in the clear? what has your dr told you about this? i hear a lot of different time frames regarding it.

your story sounds just like mine. did u have your band removed for a while before you were sleeved? any regrets or complications with the sleeve?

I havent been sleeved yet and I used to be banded as well. Im not going to Mexico but I have been doing so much research for the past 2 years and I always read and watched so many videos on Dr Alvarez and I thought IF i was going to Mexico Id see him. have you heard of him?

I had to have my band removed after a few years due to slippages.

erin, i can so relate to you because i have been dealing with the decision to have the sleeve or not have the sleeve for 2 years now. i keep giving myself that "one" more chance over and over again to do it on my own and Im not getting anywhere. Im to the point where I started going through the testing, slowly and i need to start telling myself its okay to help myself in this way. Im just nervous of leaks but im sure we are all afraid. My father wishes I do it on my own and he doesnt say much about it to me because he knows it will upset me. You need to do whats best for you. really think about it, even if it takes 2 years like it took me, just do some heavy soul searching and praying. only you will know what the right answer is .....good luck

Hi, I really agree with everything you said because it sounds just like my story. I too went through a lot with my band and I had it removed 5 years ago. when it was removed my dr did mention the only other option at this point would be to convert to a sleeve. he explained it to me and I was like No Way!. i was about 20 lbs from my goal weight and I just felt that was too drastic to do considering the weight I was at that time. I told him maybe one day if I cant keep the weight off. Well, here I am 5 years later and Im really considering doing the sleeve, if i can move past the fear I have. I know you were sleeved 2 months ago. Im curious what your dr said about any scar tissue you might have? were you more concerned with leaks?

wow sorry to hear. but will the esophagus every go back to normal? how long has your band been out ?

You will be fine!!!! Everything you feel is normal, everyone feels that way. If need be, ask the doctor for something when you get to the hospital to take the edge off. they will put it right in the IV and it will help relax you (I had to have that) ! Good Luck

Hi, I know some people have their revision done in one procedure and then some people have to wait a few months or so. My band has been out for 5 years. do you think thats better for me? i mean, the longer its out the better because the stomach had more healing time? right? Im super worried about leaks afterwards and I was told im a higher risk for leaks because I had lapband surgeries. HELP????

How does one know if they wont have long term problems later on in years due to the gastric sleeve? that a fear of mine. i mean, when I was banded i really felt it was a safe option. Little did i know i and so many people would have terrible experiences down the road. Is it possible for the same thing to happen with the sleeve or no?

is your band removed yet?

Hi, How many years have you been sleeved? you seem to be doing terrific and I want to so badly follow in your footsteps if I ever get the courage to have the sleeve done. I feel as though Im sitting on the sidelines cheering everyone else on while I wait to get some courage! I think i just have to jump in head first and dont look back!!!

ughhh.....i know how you must feel. just pray to God to comfort you and hold your hand and keep you calm! also, if you are still very nervous the morning of, ask them for something when you get to the hospital. they put it right in the IV and it works! good luck!

nice to hear your story. I was banded and had a slip 2x as well. the first time i had another surgery to revise it and then the 2nd time i had to have the band removed all together. now 5 years later without a band I have gained all my weight back and Im struggling with the decision of if I should get sleeved. Im extra worried because of all the scar tissue i have and plus I have some staples left inside my stomach from when the dr removed my band so that all adds to leak risks!

wow...you are fast huh? good for you. ive been struggling with this decision for 2 yrs. good luck!

hi, well my concern with doctor #1 is Why did he all of a sudden change his feelings about the sleeve? why didnt he want to do it in the 1st place? i agree with everyone else and I say go with dr #2. I had a similiar situation because my 1st consult appt i had was in the same office where I had my band put in and the dr who does the sleeves told me he wouldnt touch me, he said id have tons of scar tissue and he wanted me to go with the bypass. i dont want the bypass and I was so disappointed because I had a long history with this dr office/hospital and it felt familiar to me. I then went had 3 consults with totally different drs to hear what they thought and none of them told me what he did. they all said Yes its higher risk because I had the band years ago but that it could be done. I am torn between 2 doctors now myself. lol I like them both but for different reason, but I think im going to use the dr who has the longest experience doing bariatric surgeries over the other dr even though the other dr has a private facebook group that I love and the other dr doesnt. lol. sometimes Its hard to know who to choose, but keep researching and go to some support meetings to hear the feedback about the dr from his other patients.