has anyone had ANY problems with their sleeve?

[mommytoethan 1]

i'm getting the sleeve done on June 15. they are taking out my lapband and doing the sleeve procedure on me since my band has been causing me problems.

i've read through some of the posts and noticed that everything i have read has been positive. i haven't seen anyone say they've had problems once they've had the sleeve done.

so my question - have you had ANY problems since you've had the sleeve? if so, what type of problems did you have and are they better?

my MIL has heard of several people having blood clots and wound infections and she's nervous about me having this done.

[Tiffykins 673]

Blood clots and infections are a complication of any surgery, but I can tell you that once I recovered after my revision, I have had zero issues.

I am almost a year out, and have zero food restrictions, no med restrictions, and the only "problem" I've had is trying to maintain. I've pretty much got a handle on that for a few weeks now, and it's just a balancing act.

It is tough to find some negatives, but the ones I've read about more often are the mental struggles with eating small portions, and wanting to eat junk. For some, the food issues aren't resolved with the sleeve. I had head hunger pretty much beat with the band. I have never experienced hunger post-op and even to this day, I don't get real hunger. It's a great tool, and I have zero issues with vitamin/nutrient deficiency. Oh, the only other problem I've had is in February, I was diagnosed with orthostatic hypotension. It's low blood pressure when I stand up too quickly from a sitting or laying position. It's been resolved with increasing my Fluid and sodium intake. My surgeon and PCP agree that it is related to my drastic weight loss and it will take some time for my body to adjust to my current weight. I hardly ever have an episode now since following doctor's orders with my fluids/sodium intake.

Overall, I haven't had any serious issues post sleeve.

[mommytoethan 1]

thanks for your reply. but i thought i saw a reply of yours on another post where you stated that you had a leak at one point. is this correct or am i getting you mixed up with someone else?

Blood clots and infections are a complication of any surgery, but I can tell you that once I recovered after my revision, I have had zero issues.

I am almost a year out, and have zero food restrictions, no med restrictions, and the only "problem" I've had is trying to maintain. I've pretty much got a handle on that for a few weeks now, and it's just a balancing act.

It is tough to find some negatives, but the ones I've read about more often are the mental struggles with eating small portions, and wanting to eat junk. For some, the food issues aren't resolved with the sleeve. I had head hunger pretty much beat with the band. I have never experienced hunger post-op and even to this day, I don't get real hunger. It's a great tool, and I have zero issues with vitamin/nutrient deficiency. Oh, the only other problem I've had is in February, I was diagnosed with orthostatic hypotension. It's low blood pressure when I stand up too quickly from a sitting or laying position. It's been resolved with increasing my Fluid and sodium intake. My surgeon and PCP agree that it is related to my drastic weight loss and it will take some time for my body to adjust to my current weight. I hardly ever have an episode now since following doctor's orders with my fluids/sodium intake.

Overall, I haven't had any serious issues post sleeve.

[Tiffykins 673]

thanks for your reply. but i thought i saw a reply of yours on another post where you stated that you had a leak at one point. is this correct or am i getting you mixed up with someone else?

I did have a leak. I just replied to your other thread where I discussed my leak. The band caused a lot of scar tissue to develop around my stomach, and the stomach tissue was damaged. The risk of a leak with a revision is higher, but there are typically things that can be done to help decrease those risks. Unfortunately, I couldn't get an unfill, nor did the pre-op testing reveal that my band had caused so much damage.

So, while I had a leak, once that I got through that issue, I really didn't have any other complications related directly to the sleeve. I was hospitalized about 6 weeks post-op for abscesses in my abdomen and drains were placed, and I went home on antibiotics.

I've always been really open about my leak. I thought your question was more about after the sleeve is done what to expect in the months, years following surgery.

The risk of complications increase with a revision than with a virgin sleeve surgery.

[samanthadiva 0]

I had the sleeve done a month ago. I have some bubbly reflux and was dehydrated last week and had to be hospitalized for 4 days. Outside of that, things are going pretty normally for me. If you are looking for any of us to say nothing uncomfortable or bad happened, I don't think you'll find that to be the case. I'm queasy sometimes, I get stomachaches, sometimes I can't consume all of my required liquids but those are normal complications. Everyone has complications, some major, some minor, but they exist.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I had a revision from band to sleeve and I have had no complications what so ever. I love my sleeve and compared to the band, it's like night and day.

There are a lot of band to sleeve revisions on this board and Obesity Help.com and the majority of people have no complications.

I know one person who was on liquids practically the entire time she was banded. Every time she tried to eat solids, she threw up. She was on liquids for over a year. Once she was sleeved, she had no comlications.

[deedee 5]

My major problems have been mental. I had never suffered from depression in my life, but at around 6 months out I was having a lot of emotional difficulties and went on an anti-depressant around 7/8 months out. I'm assuming the sleeve, rapid weight loss, played some role, but I also had many other things going on in my life at the time too (death of my grandmother, infertility issues creeping back in, etc.), so who's to say.

Medically, I have low blood pressure issues, which I've always had, I'm just about 4-6 points lower now, and Vitamin D deficient, which I was pre-op as well.

Good luck with your revision! I am so happy and grateful I had this procedure.

[Bevanne 0]

I had a revision on May the 18th. So far I can say nothing to you but positives. I had so many issues with the band, and I mean many things going wrong with the band. It about drove me crazy on some occasions, not to mention the expense due to being a self pay. I like the sleeve thus far, and I truly admire all the people on here that are way further along that continue to give us newbee's good information. Stick around and by all means, in my humble opinion...Go For It!!!

[kalew 0]

What are your options? the benefits far outweighed any negatives as far as having this surgery went for me. I was on a downhill spiral, could not get control of my weight, constantly dieting and regaining. Lots of health issues creeping in and the future did not look bright at all, only pain. Now I feel that my future is bright, can't wait to get all the weight off, everyone here has been such an inspiration. I have lost 21 lbs so far since surgery and I haven't been hungry, I have an empty feeling when I get up in the morning, but no real hunger. I have to push myself a little to keep drinking, but not bad.

[cactusmom 0]

Tiffykins...wondering...do you think your problems with leakage had anything to do with your part or do you think it was just unluckyness? I really worry about leakage, since I don't have medical insurance. Sounds like you went through a lot. I can do liquids exclusively if I have to for two weeks. Tell me what you think went wrong. Thanks for your help! I'm supposed to get rebanded in five days and really really strongly thinking of the sleeve after all the posts I've read here. I hadn't found this site until just a day ago.

Rollergirl

[Tiffykins 673]

Tiffykins...wondering...do you think your problems with leakage had anything to do with your part or do you think it was just unluckyness? I really worry about leakage, since I don't have medical insurance. Sounds like you went through a lot. I can do liquids exclusively if I have to for two weeks. Tell me what you think went wrong. Thanks for your help! I'm supposed to get rebanded in five days and really really strongly thinking of the sleeve after all the posts I've read here. I hadn't found this site until just a day ago.

Rollergirl

To be brutally honest, the band totally screwed (I'd use the more vulgar term for screw, but I'll semi-censor here to prevent offending anyone) my stomach tissue. I did nothing wrong, the leak was detected 2 days post revision, I was still in the hospital. So, there wasn't a lot of room for error on my part. I wasn't puking every day, nor did I have a slip or detectable erosion. The common band issues that lead to revision I wasn't really having. I had the normal pb'ing/sliming with some foods, I was in severe pain with my port issue, and the fact that the tubing had been tugging on my band. The scar tissue encased my band and during removal is when the surgeons discovered the damage. They cleaned up and removed the damaged tissue, and proceeded with the sleeve. I passed 2 leak tests, on the 3rd and final leak test, I popped a leak. I had been up walking the halls, laughing/visiting with the nurses, and feeling fabulous. In fact my bags were packed to come home.

Do I think I'm just a statistic? Yes, considering I'm my surgeons very first and only leak. I blame the band for the damage it did to my tissue. I could not get an unfill due to my port not only flipping, but migrating in my abdomen. I had several unfill attempts under fluoro and ultrasound. I knew going in that the risk of a leak quadruples with a revision. It was a risk I was willing to take to get the band out of my body. No one could pay me enough to get another band. And, yes, I would do my revision all over again, complications and all. I'm not sure if there is anything I could have done to prevent the leak.

Liquids before revisions if you have a slip is a good way to help alleviate any swelling from puking. If your surgeon is experienced with revisions, your risk decreases, if your band has been out for a period of time, your risk decreases.

There is no way on God's green Earth would I allow a surgeon to put another band in my body. No way in the world.

Keep reading on here, you'll find a lot of revision folks that would never get another band. Future complications with bands increase 10fold once you have band issues.

[Bevanne 0]

Tiff, couldn't have said it any better..I wouldn't have another band if someone paid me to have it placed! I had a 2 year battle..thank God I lived to tell about the port flips, fills and unfills. gagging and throwing up 3/4 of the time..A total nightmare for me..it amazes me when I hear of someone who actually doesn't have any negative experiences with their band....I was willing to have the revision..honestly, I knew it was the only way to go..I couldn't wait to see that band removed.

[CraftyChristie 62]

just from my limited experience thought I'd throw this out there... I'm 10 days out and have had no issues whatsoever! The only thing that even makes me nauseous is my Vitamin (but it always did). Everything is healing nicely.

[jen-e 0]

I am so happy I now have a sleeve & no band. No problems whatsoever for me. No pain from 2nd day post op, just some light headedness when I get a bit active. But that is improving every day.

DD looked at me tonight & said 'gee it's nice to se you able to eat properly & not to see you vomiting all the time.' :tongue_smilie:

[TexasT 99]

Mommytoethan - I also had a revision from band to sleeve done in January. The only complication I had was forming a hematoma in the space where my port had been. This is just where blood pools into an open area. Normally the blood will just be absorbed back into your body. But for me, the incision above the hematoma came open, the blood came out. When this happens, the wound has to heal from the inside out (it can't be sutered back up due to the possibility of infection). I had to pack the open wound for about 6 wks until it completely healed up. It wasn't painful, just a nuisance.

Other than that, everything's been great. I've lost the rest of the weight, I can eat whatever I want (in small portions), and I don't have to worry about food getting "stuck" like I did with the band.