Lap Band going Sleeve

[Misspeesh 0]

This past Friday I went into my surgeons office and got a complete unfill of my Lapband. We talked about how after 2 year of trying to make it work that the Lapband just wasn't going to work for me. He suggested removing my lapband and having the sleeve surgery. I agreed and told him to start the approval process.

I made a choice more than 2 years ago to have bariatric surgery, I was not going to have bypass surgery because I still want to have children and the thought of having malabsorbtion issues, while growing a fetus seems like a bad idea to me. There are no studies to prove me wrong so I am still sticking to that. So that is why I chose the lapband.

But now it is clear that the lapband is not working for me. I agreed to have the sleeve surgery, so that the approval process can get under way. Now the research starts.

I am encouraged by what my surgeon said about how there are no malabsorbtion issues with this surgery, and that it has results much like the bypass.

I am scared, and overwhelmed but I am moving forward. If anyone knows anything, has any advice and or similar experience I am all ears. In the meantime I am here and I am researching.

Thanks in advance for the help, support and advice. Sorry this was so long.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

There are a lot of us here who are band to sleeve revisions. You will be happy with the sleeve. Life is great with no problems.

[excited2lose 0]

Welcome! I am glad you are here. This board is a wealth of information. I go in for my sleeve tomorrow. I am quite excited to tell you the truth. :thumbup1: Read, read, read-the good and the bad. I think you will be very happy with your choice. Again, welcome!

[Misspeesh 0]

Good luck tomorrow! I hope you all the best! I feel like i have been reading for hours, mostly cause I have been. I am loving what I am reading so far. I thought I was the only one who couldn't make the lapband work, but I see now I am not alone. I have so much more to read, I will be around a lot. I was a fixture on Lapband Talk two years ago, but as I got discouraged I found it harder and harder to keep going back and supporting the newbies. Now I am the newbie again.

[smeet 0]

hey thats good news i have been doing so much research myself and yes the main question even i had in mind was ...my doctor told me that i might have to wait for 18 months before i consider conceiving so i was wondering if there would be any problems i mean if one can hardly eat is it fine when one is pregnant ?..... or am sure slowly i will have to try and eat a little more and ht could enlarge my stomach again ... i dunno this is really confusing

[Josephine 1]

hey thats good news i have been doing so much research myself and yes the main question even i had in mind was ...my doctor told me that i might have to wait for 18 months before i consider conceiving so i was wondering if there would be any problems i mean if one can hardly eat is it fine when one is pregnant ?..... or am sure slowly i will have to try and eat a little more and ht could enlarge my stomach again ... i dunno this is really confusing

Yes you need to wait 12 - 18 months before getting pregnant to make sure you're able to get in the necessary nutrition the baby will require.

[Tiffykins 673]

hey thats good news i have been doing so much research myself and yes the main question even i had in mind was ...my doctor told me that i might have to wait for 18 months before i consider conceiving so i was wondering if there would be any problems i mean if one can hardly eat is it fine when one is pregnant ?..... or am sure slowly i will have to try and eat a little more and ht could enlarge my stomach again ... i dunno this is really confusing

I'm almost 8 months out, at goal and have been cleared to conceive sometime late March or April as long as I can maintain my goal weight for 3-4 months.

Depending on each individual patient's results, your surgeon, your ob/gyn, and your nutritionist should help you decide when you conceive. Some surgeons suggest waiting 12 months after reaching goal, some surgeons base their decision on the individual patient. I have 2 friends who had RNY, got pregnant within the first 9 months of their pregnancy, and delivered healthy, average weight babies that are both thriving today.

As for stretching the sleeve, it is not going to stretch that much because the portion of the stomach that is left is all muscle. Studies show the most a sleeved patient's stomach stretches after 5 years is about 8oz.

I'm able to get in around 1000 calories a day, and since I'm at goal, I am able to eat more carbs, and have a very varied menu for my meals.

MissPeesh - I replied to your private message with my advice, and experience on a band to sleeve revision.

[Cmstant 0]

I am in the same boat as alot of ya'll. I have had my band since Sept of '05 with pretty good results. Started having problems with it after a few years and gave up and had it pretty much emptied. This past April found another Dr. that I liked and started seeing him for fills, but now my band has slipped causing severe reflux and he is suggesting removing the band and going with the sleeve. Just trying to decide if I want to go back with the band or go with the sleeve? Then insurance approval. Sounds like most people are in favor of the sleeve... Anything I should know before I make this decision?

[Tiffykins 673]

I am in the same boat as alot of ya'll. I have had my band since Sept of '05 with pretty good results. Started having problems with it after a few years and gave up and had it pretty much emptied. This past April found another Dr. that I liked and started seeing him for fills, but now my band has slipped causing severe reflux and he is suggesting removing the band and going with the sleeve. Just trying to decide if I want to go back with the band or go with the sleeve? Then insurance approval. Sounds like most people are in favor of the sleeve... Anything I should know before I make this decision?

My only piece of advice is that you have to realize once you have one slip, your risk quadruples for another slip with the band.

Personally, the instant restriction, no fills/unfills, no food restrictions, and absolutely fabulous quality of life post-op sleeve gives me the confidence to say that life with the band absolutely sucks, and the sleeve has been the best decision I have ever made for myself.

[Sabrina 0]

I had the band. It eroded and made a huge hole in my stomach. My sister nearly died when hers eroded. I lost weight with the band (she didn't lose that much), but I was always sooooo uncomfortable. I was miserable for years with that thing in me. I am 3 weeks out from surgery with the sleeve. So far it is fantastic. I am not uncomfortable and will eventually be able to eat anything unlike with the band. I was always hungry with the band and food got stuck all the time. My sister would puke all the time from hers. I am so happy I no longer have the band. You won't regret your decision to sleeve.

[3636millie 3]

Oh, god. The lapband should be banned. I am so glad to finally be rid of that piece of "chet" band. My sleeve totally rocks. I have my life back.

Literally, my body did not tolerate the band. I had lysis of adhesions in Feb and by July, my band had adhesions develop between the band and the stomach and I spent from July to December unable to do anything but drink Protein Shakes and Water to survive with the band unfilled (even had problems getting shakes and water in- towards the end, I would literally have to have one of the anesthesiologists I work with write a prescription for IV fluids 2-3 times a week and pay out of pocket for the fluids).

I had to wait so long to do the revision as I had to finish paying off the $hitty band and then save for the sleeve as the insurance refused to pay for the revision unless I went with the RNY. No way was I gonna do that.

[Cmstant 0]

Everything I've read here is pretty much what I've been hearing all along... I have had my band since Sept '05, so I don't think I remeber how it feels not to be restricted. I guess one of my concearns is that I have gotten so use to this feeling that once its gone I'm going to be able to eat anything I want. Right now I know what to stay away from and what I can get down, when that feeling is gone it could be open season for everything. To me that was a plus for the band, but at the same time it will be nice to get that feeling of all ways be stuck gone.

[Sabrina 0]

Everything I've read here is pretty much what I've been hearing all along... I have had my band since Sept '05, so I don't think I remeber how it feels not to be restricted. I guess one of my concearns is that I have gotten so use to this feeling that once its gone I'm going to be able to eat anything I want. Right now I know what to stay away from and what I can get down, when that feeling is gone it could be open season for everything. To me that was a plus for the band, but at the same time it will be nice to get that feeling of all ways be stuck gone.

I had mine from April 04, until July 09. I know what you mean. I gained 40 or 50 lbs as soon as that thing came off. It actually felt good to eat again. I'll be totally honest though. I'll bet 2/3 of that weight gain was beer. I love the taste of beer. Once that was out, it was open season on Sam Adams. Of course I can't like something like Coor's light which is cheap and low in calories. I have to go for pricey and fattening LOL

I'm telling you though, the first 2 years were ok for me. After that I was in nearly constant pain (apparently from the hole it was eroding in my tummy as I was "bubbly" all the time and doubled over with painful gas). I hated the food getting stuck and still being hungry. Once I started to have that gassy discomfort and tummy aches, that's when I started to put weight back on too. It happened to coincide shortly after I became pregnant with #3, but I honestly do not think one think effected the other. Pregnancy does not cause band erosion :wink0: I went on to have another baby on the band (2 band babies) and was uncomfortable every single day then too as well as for a year an a half after she was born.

[Mary Gordon 3]

i definitely say go for the sleeve, you won't regret it!!! you'll love it, it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. goodluck!!!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I wish they would take that stinkin band off the market. I feel so bad for all the people when I go to my support group and they are all excited about getting a band.

The best thing I ever did was have it taken out and getting the sleeve. I wish I had gotten the sleeve first, but I didn't know about it then.