For Anyone Debating To Convert To Sleeve

[msaprildawn 59]

My band broke(tubing) twiCe. I converted a year ago. Best move ever- see you at sleevetalk..com.

Aweomse! Will see you there!

[PhatKat1127 55]

I am sooo ready for the sleeve!!! I have ONLY lost 44 lbs and thats due to the fact that I dropped the 1st 20 right after surgery. I am 9 months out and I yoyo around 5 lbs. I have been told by my surgeon NOT to work out cuz it increases my hunger. Then scolded and accused of eating sugars and carbs. I feel like such a failure! I can hardly get food down some days and I get stuck! BELCH like a MAN! SHOULDER PAIN & the monthly costly fills are just something I no longer want to deal with! I am hoping my BCBS will help me convert since I cant seem to lose. I know I have completely reduced my calorie intake. I don't do carbonated drinks! Even drinking Water causes an hour of belching! My primary doctor said, "IF I WANTED TO SEE MORE WEIGHT LOSS I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE SLEEVE!' & 45 for a women who started at 224 and is 5'1 is common. I cant even eat an egg in the morning without getting stuck! is this how its gonna be for life and still NO WEIGHT LOSS?

[lellow 1,713]

I'm glad you found something that works for you! I think that's the main thing people need to look for. WLS is not a one-size-fits-all. You look at all the pros and cons and make the best decision for you.

For me, the band works. Easily. In fact it works so well I got another when my old one was leaking (not port, but band). I fixed a band complication by getting another band, that's what I actually love about my gastric banding and why I chose it again. With my luck, I would have gotten a complication with the sleeve and would have had no recourse! I accept that it's a rare occurrence but so is a leak, and I managed to get that anyway.

So while I accept that the band doesn't work for everyone, and the sleeve might be a better option for them, the band worked really well for me and a lot of people here on these forums. Isn't it great that we all have choices with this weight loss surgery caper?

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

I am new to this forum and I have a question for those of you having a revision. My doctor wants to do a revision on my from my lap band to a possible sleeve, although we haven't decided which procedure we will do. I have had the band in since 3-2010 and the best weight loss I had is 30 lbs. I am almost the same weight I was when I had to band put on, and I throw up at almost every meal. they have taken liquid out of my band but I still vomit or food gets stuck. I have tricare prime, and I was wondering if anyone else has tricare. for the band they approved it within 24 hrs. I still have type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol,take meds for all those as well as anxiety and to sleep. any suggestions on how to get tricare to approve the revision since it hasn't been at least 2 years since the band placement? Oh and we are suppose to move at the 2 year mark making this even more difficult. I also do not see military doctors. any suggestions or guidance is appreciated

Lisa.

I can't answer your question about what you can do to push Tricare to cover a revision. Just want to say that I have a friend who converted from the band to RNY and had no problem getting Tricare to cover it. And she hadn't been having band problems, just had lost 100 of the 200 lbs she needed to lose with her band and then plateaued for a year.

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

I'm glad you found something that works for you! I think that's the main thing people need to look for. WLS is not a one-size-fits-all. You look at all the pros and cons and make the best decision for you.

For me, the band works. Easily. In fact it works so well I got another when my old one was leaking (not port, but band). I fixed a band complication by getting another band, that's what I actually love about my gastric banding and why I chose it again. With my luck, I would have gotten a complication with the sleeve and would have had no recourse! I accept that it's a rare occurrence but so is a leak, and I managed to get that anyway.

So while I accept that the band doesn't work for everyone, and the sleeve might be a better option for them, the band worked really well for me and a lot of people here on these forums. Isn't it great that we all have choices with this weight loss surgery caper?

I for one am very thankful that we have WLS choices nowadays!

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

I am sooo ready for the sleeve!!! I have ONLY lost 44 lbs and thats due to the fact that I dropped the 1st 20 right after surgery. I am 9 months out and I yoyo around 5 lbs. I have been told by my surgeon NOT to work out cuz it increases my hunger. Then scolded and accused of eating sugars and carbs. I feel like such a failure! I can hardly get food down some days and I get stuck! BELCH like a MAN! SHOULDER PAIN & the monthly costly fills are just something I no longer want to deal with! I am hoping my BCBS will help me convert since I cant seem to lose. I know I have completely reduced my calorie intake. I don't do carbonated drinks! Even drinking Water causes an hour of belching! My primary doctor said, "IF I WANTED TO SEE MORE WEIGHT LOSS I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE SLEEVE!' & 45 for a women who started at 224 and is 5'1 is common. I cant even eat an egg in the morning without getting stuck! is this how its gonna be for life and still NO WEIGHT LOSS?

Whatever you decide about a revision, I don't think you should call yourself a failure. If you've lost "only" 44 lbs in 9 months, you've lost about 1.25 lbs/week, and the average with the band is 1-2/week. Also, if at all possible, I'd start looking for another surgeon. The one you have now sounds like a jerk. Good luck!

[Jim1967 3,569]

Not only do we have such good options we now have more and more insurance companies opening their eyes to the long term benefits of covering the surgeries for those struggling. My Wife just had surgery a week ago and they've already taken her off insulin and metformin. She will follow up with her Endocrinologist in 6 months and if her A1C is still looking good then he is going to release her back to the care of her PCP.

[PhatKat1127 55]

I too am on Metformin 1000 per day due to PCOS not diabetes. I am hoping To reduce the amount of pills I am taking. I just am not seeing the results that I was told could be scene. I am not secretly sitting under a table or in a closet eating an entire cake. I watch every bite and now have so much anxiety about what I put in my mouth!

[PhatKat1127 55]

@ Jean, Thanks for your kindness!

I am upset that I lost the 1st 20lbs the 1st ( 2 months) after surgery. But I had my gallbladder removed 4 days before lap band and I couldn't keep anything down and had a bad reaction to anesthesia. So I don't even think it was related to the band but to my reaction....

I dont even leave the house since I am soo ashamed that I look the same! People are like You had lap band? How big were you before...,, crickets?

[lellow 1,713]

I just read your post again and I wonder if you might be in the red zone, PhatKat. Are you having trouble eating? And you say that Water makes you belch?

I know your doctor is no help but if it's possible you're too tight and you can figure out that that's what's wrong, asking him to give you a small unfill might actually help.

I often talk about a banded friend of mine who only lost 20lbs all up in 3 years of being banded. I complained that she ate very little solids and instead pigged out on chocolates and ice cream. 3 weeks ago I spoke to her at a party and it dawned on me that she was too tight. She went in the next day to get 0.5cc out and immediately lost all pain, discomfort, and has since lost 3lbs. But in being too tight, she also might have potentially dilated her pouch, so I wish she'd talked to me about it all sooner.

[PhatKat1127 55]

I have considered that perhaps I am too tight.. I don't eat bread or carbs as an alternative. meat, chicken all Proteins are hard to swallow down.. But I always felt this way. I have only had 4 fills I have 7 cc.

I am terrified if he unfills I will gain it all back!

[lellow 1,713]

It's crazy isn't it that we think if we're tight enough to not be able to eat, it must mean we will lose. It honestly doesn't work that way, from my experience. You should be able to eat hard Protein easily, these are the things that will keep you from being hungry for hours. When at the right fill level, I eat one meal of a cup of chicken and I don't even feel like eating again for 5 hours. That's when it works best, when you're at that perfect spot, and you can eat good food that will provide satisfaction!

This is a chart that explains the green zone. I actually think you're in the red zone and it's hard to lose in the red zone!

[sylvia42 43]

I have to agree with Missdietcoke I haven't been banded either so I don't mind hearing these stories,, at this time I choose to be banded, I don't know to much about the sleeve. And as far as gastric bypass , well that one is thrown out already for me . So everyone is untitled to there own opinion . So really in all reality any surgery is dangerous with complications and sometimes us newbies like to hear these things that's why we come on this site so we learn what others have been thru , congrates to ur sleeve . And it was good to hear ur experience .

[PhatKat1127 55]

Yes I know the chart very well. I am almost to the point where I can go 6 hrs without eating. I only eat when my stomach growls and I am not a head hunger Gal. For instance, I do egg white in the morning 6am even that gets stuck. lunch usually due to work sched is 1 pm or so I attempt to eat 5 oz of chicken, fish , steak etc.. Takes me 30 or more mins to really eat and chew.

dinner probably around 7 sometimes 8 pm ( cuz I am a Mom) and I genuinely don't snack (never been a snacker). I walk 4 nights a weak a have taken on zumba. Which my own surgeon told me to refrain from (causes increased hunger) he almost bragged about how successful he is at making those who Eat from the red section even lose. But me I just sustain and maintain!

I started doing the weight watchers meals and he said he knows woman don't lose on those meals.

I only resorted to those due to my work schedule.

I appreciate the feedback and can only be as honest as possible. I was so hoping this would be a tool that would work for me. Maybe I failed the band..

[lellow 1,713]

Yeah, see that concerns me because the red zone is too tight, and can often cause complications such as dilation. So the fact that he thinks being in the red is a good idea, to me, means you're probably not getting the right sort of advice from him on what will work best with the band. I can eat 1 cup of solid Protein relatively easily, i.e. I chew well and it is all gone in about 10 mins. And despite not trying to lose, I'm still losing, so I know I'm probably at a good level of restriction, even though anecdoctally I would say I'm probably in the 'lime' zone. I can eat bread, Pasta and most carbs easily too. So I still personally think you may be too tight. I dunno, just my opinion. :/