Otay -- tell me about the sleeve

[Manatee 0]

Some of y'all know me from elsewhere.

Seems I have three choices in front of me now: a third revision on the band, take it all the way out, or change to something else.

The sleeve sounds good in theory -- but so did the band. Any long-term folks here, or is everyone still in the OMG this is so KEWL stages?

Thanks

[*susan* 1,709]

Hi Manatee, welcome to the boards! I am not very long-term, as I just revised from the band to the sleeve in April. I was having a ton of problems with my band and even my surgeon agreed that it was time to change. I can tell you there is a world of difference between the two. I no longer have to worry about fills and getting to the elusive "sweet spot." When I had my band, it literally occupied my mind 24/7. If I had a lunch meeting, do I dare try and eat at the meeting and risk embarrassing myself with the inevitable pb, or do I wait and take my food back to my office to eat after the meeting. Same thing with dining out. It was no longer about enjoying dining out with family and friends, it was worrying about whether I was going to be able to keep my food down or not, what is safe for me to try and eat, etc. Now, I just enjoy life. Dining out is about enjoying being with friends, family and coworkers. I just have a smaller tummy and cannot eat as much food as everyone else. No more pb's, no more getting stuck, no more fills, nothing. It has made a huge difference in the quality of my life.

[MacMadame 81]

I'm almost 10 months out.

I have to say there is NO WAY I'd get a 3rd band revision. No matter what surgery you end up getting, it's clear the band and your body don't get along!

Anyway, I have some links to posts from people who are 1, 2, 3, etc. years out from their sleeve surgery here:

ObesityHelp - Gastric Bypass, LAP-BAND? System, DS and Other Surgical and Non-Surgical Weight Loss Options.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Welcome Manatee. Mac gave you some good links. Just think, with the sleeve, you never have to worry about another fill or unfil, being too tight or too loose. You just have a small stomach that works like a band is supposed to.

[Manatee 0]

Round 3, first steps

I spent part of this morning talking to the new surgeon, Dr. S.

As I mentioned earlier, Dr. M. is a good guy and good surgeon, but he only performs banding. I no longer have confidence in the band -for me-, and so I am looking into alternative choices.

We discussed the VSG procedure, and between the two of us decided that would be the best choice. The other option was the bypass, but honestly I think it would be overkill given my current physical condition. I'm overweight, but only by maybe 30 lbs. I'd look like a cancer victim if I did the bypass now!

Things are a bit more complicated because of the insurance company and the role they are playing in all this. They have approved a removal of the band, and so that is going to reduce the costs somewhat from the cash price of the VSG. The procedure is normally around 11K, which I cannot pay for at this time. I can swing the 8K or so that this should turn out costing. It will -hurt-, but I can cover it.

If I consider Dr. M. was quoting 4K for the new band, it's not all that bad. Of course, that's the same kind of false logic that people use to justify expensive purses "on sale" :ohmy:

The next step is for their office to start talking to the insurance company and resubmit for the revision. I have no idea on timelines yet for the surgery, recovery, etc. I do know that I will be out for a week, and given that I'm a contractor on a day rate, that's going to bite.

Ah well. This all beats being FAT again, and it's readily apparent that without the assistance of some sort of restriction I will again top 300 lbs.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Manatee, I had surgery on a wed and I could have easily gone back to work on Mon. I actually think I could have gone back on Fri but Dr. Aceves makes you stay

in the hospital for 3 days.

The main problem is the post op (you know the drill) liquid diet. Some people are really tired, but I think that's mainly if you can't fine a Protein drink that you like.

For me, recovery was non existent.

[Manatee 0]

UHC Success!

Got the word today that UHC has approved taking out the lapband system, after the doctor coded it (correctly) as a gastric obstruction.

The center is talking to the hospital about the costs to do the VSG as an add-on procedure. I should have hard money numbers shortly.

While the band certainly did the job when it was working, I'll be happy to get my slip-and-slide companion on it's way. I wonder if the doc will let me keep it in a jar?

[burnsun 27]

I got to keep mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Mine is sitting on my dresser. I like to look at it every now and then so I can be so glad it sitting on my dresser rather than wrapped around my stomach.

[*susan* 1,709]

Manatee, that is great news. I also got to keep my band. I loved it for the first two years, but was miserable with it the last year. I keep thinking I should do something mean and evil to it to get even with it for that last year. :blushing:

[cajun 46]

Manatee:

Just be sure the surgeon you choose to perform your sleeve has done at least 300 of them, since research shows that there are less complications once the surgeon has logged that many. That way they know how to handle just about anything they might encounter during the surgery. You can see some statistics on numbers performed by various surgeons at Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum (VSG)

Click on the bariatric surgeons section in the upper right. Some of the ones in my area have only done about 20 and I would not let them cut on me. I'll be going to Mexicali for mine, with Dr Aceves. He's done over 600, with no leaks from what I have been told.

[Malaika 50]

With the number of people on here who have gone to Dr. Aceves, I bet his numbers are up over 700 by now! He did Dr. Campos' and Ernesto's sleeves too, plus when I was there there were others, not on this forum, who had also had sleeve surgery.

[LadyLee 3]

Some of y'all know me from elsewhere.

Seems I have three choices in front of me now: a third revision on the band, take it all the way out, or change to something else.

The sleeve sounds good in theory -- but so did the band. Any long-term folks here, or is everyone still in the OMG this is so KEWL stages?

Thanks

Hi,

Had the band for about two years it slipped, went in to get it fix, couldn't had to be removed, I loved the band....... Lost 100 pounds with he band, its a great tool. So now I had the sleeve done June 22, 2009 lost 32 pound so far....... its been hard for me not as easy as the band but I'm learning. My doctor has only about 22 patients with the sleeve the rest are the banding and gastric bypass. I'm not long-term as of yet but I think it's better than the bypass, theres no dumping or absorption if you eat from the food groups.

Good luck with decision:001_rolleyes:

[Manatee 0]

WLS, take 3

Well, the word came down today, and I am now scheduled for VSG surgery Oct 21. The insurance company is picking up about half the tab because of the lap-band removal; the rest of the procedure comes out of my pocket.

This looks to be an interesting and different path than the one I've been on, and hopefully ends up in a much better place. I still think the lap-band is a great procedure for those who can cope with it, but my body simply insisted on being in that 2%.

(Lap-band 05/2007, high 292, low 178, slip, revision, slip, current 220 and headed up)

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I think you will be happy with the sleeve Manatee. It's little hard to learn in the beginning just how little you can eat, but it does get better. There have been a few with a harder recovery due to hiatal hernias. I had mine repaired and had not trouble whatsoever with recovery or with any foods not working or being harder to eat. I did stay on liquids and mushies longer than I was told to, just because learning to eat solids took a little bit more time.

Please let us know if you have any questions of if we can help in any way.