Problems converting from band to sleeve?

[salsa1877 10]

Thank you for your response. My husband and I were talking about this over dinner tonight and he is not even convinced that I should go spend the 450$ on a band fill as he thinks that this "tool" is not going to work for me. My biggest problem is that when I am hungry I am going to eat. During the first year of the band I had absolutely no hunger and actually had to set an alarm to eat. However after my first Tummy Tuck the hunger started coming back and I started eating. When I couldn't get the restricition....well it is has been a battle ever since.

I also have really started thinking about the fact that the band has really always been a pain in my rear when it comes to fills. I was once on popcorn and crystal light for 3 weeks because I couldn't get across the mountains due to a snow storm and after experimenting with every food in our cupboard that was what I found would go down. I was just in denial that there was a problem. For one, I was loosing weight and very quickly. Two I just spent more on this little device than I had on my car...it had to work.

I'm still uncertain of what my decision will be and a lot of it will be based on my employment for next year. While there are many revisionists in Texas, I will most likely go to Mexico since we are this close and it is a heck of a lot cheaper.

Thank you again for your response.

[amybaby33 5]

I went through TWO bands in 3 years! My first one slipped almost one year to date of my surgery. They replaced it and 3 months later I got pregnant. I had an uneventful pregnancy and it was helpful having the band as a tool as I only gained 10 pounds my entire pregnancy. HOWEVER, at 37.5 weeks I got horribly sick and found out that my band had slipped again and caused a complete stomach obstruction. I ended up having to have my baby under general anesthesia (which was devasting) and get my lapband removed at the same time of delivery. It was horrible and traumatic! I am soooo happy to not have foreign objects in my body and am having a consult with my bariatric surgeon on Friday to discuss the sleeve. I did really well with the Portion Control and diet aspects of the band, so I would like to continue to have a "tool" help me and continue with my quality of life. Will keep you posted!

[renniemommie 8]

amybaby, sorry kid that is awful. Having a epidural and "sleeping" a dehydrated fever nap for a few hours after my son was born gave me some post-postpartum depression, anestheisa sounds so much worse

[tryinagain 1]

I had my band for 4 years. Never found a sweet spot, had fills then extreme pain, then it was back for unfill the next day, and only lost 32 the whole 4 years! Then my dr. quit and moved away. I was forced to find another Dr. That was the best thing to ever happen to me. The new Dr. found out during my first fill that my band was leaking and possibly eroding into my stomach. After having a scope on my tummy one day, He did the removal of the band and revision to the sleeve, the next day. In that process the Dr found my band wasn't even buckled. I had the surgery on a Wednesday, and went home on Thursday. I have had no problems what so ever. I have lost 32 lbs since my surgery 3 months ago. I love love love my sleeve. I go for my 3 month check up tomorrow. Thats my story.....

Jeri

[calliewoof 1]

I never had any complications from the band, unless you call not being able to eat a lot of healthy things because they would get stuck a complication. I also could never find the sweet spot, and I got real good at eating fattening slider foods to get around it if it felt too tight. I just hated food constantly getting stuck (and yes, I chewed like crazy), not being able to eat salads and fruits like grapes and oranges, and the feeling of the port bumping my ribcage. One of the most embarrassing things I dealt with was running out of a restaurant in downtown Santa Fe after a fancy meal and basically throwing up out in a dark alleyway. The bathroom was full and I didn't want to have to do it in front of people.

Getting all that plastic out of my body was so freeing. Living with the sleeve is completely effortless. I love it and would recommend it to anyone not happy with their band. Fills, schmills - who needs them???

In Texas there are plenty of surgeons experienced in revisions. I was also self-pay, so I know this is not a decision to take lightly. Good luck!

[calliewoof 1]

I'm considering revision in Dallas, anyone recommend good surgeon and what results have you had?

[TexasT 99]

I'm considering revision in Dallas, anyone recommend good surgeon and what results have you had?

Dr. Wade Barker did both my surgeries. He's a fantastic surgeon and has a very nice staff. My revision was $5000, but I also had my gall bladder removed, so insurance helped pay some of the fees for the hospital, OR, etc. I got down to my goal weight very quickly after my VSG, this after having lost NO weight with the band for 3 yrs (I only lost with it the first 6 months post-op).

[salsa1877 10]

So I have read most of the responses on here and I am just in the beggining of making the decision as to whether or not I would even consider switching from the band to VSG. I was incredibly successful with the band for about 2 years. I lost 110 pounds in 9.5 months, ran a marathon, and had 2 tummy tucks. However, I was completely unfilled just before the last Tummy Tuck and I have been unsuccessful in reaching any sort of restriction since then. The fills/unfills are killing me especially since I lived 7 hours away from my doctor and that drive also included a trip over mountain passes. I never really thought about my band being an issue for me, but now that I think about it I have never had the ability to maintain a fill. I have either been too tight or too loose. However, I was a self pay with the band ($17000) and would be a self pay with the VSG. I am just so apprehensive because maybe it isn't the band...maybe it is me. For those of you who didn't have medical complications (slippage, flipped port, erosion) do you feel that the VSG makes life easier? Obviously for those with the medical complications...life is much better now!! I know that food is always going to be an issue in my life, but my band is so fickle. One day I can out eat my husband and the next day every bite makes me feel like I'm going to hurl. Is the sleeve the same????

I moved to Texas in October and so now the ability to go and see my band dr. is completely removed. I did find a doc that will do fills so I am going to give this another shot. Hopefully they will be able to get a fill level that will work for me. If not...I will be seriously considering VSG. My husband seems to be more okay with this than I am. I just think that I am failing the band and myself...My food choices have not been the greatest and exercise is very difficult for me right now. Most of it is due to being depressed about the 50 pounds I have gained back. I know that I will have to take the weightloss much slower than I did with the band because I did experience some health problems due to the rapid weight loss. I want to just be healthy and if that means that I am not a size 4 I am okay with that. All I want is to get the life back that I had when my band was working...not sure that VSG will be any better. Sorry for rambling...I'm just kind of at the same panic level I was when I opted for the band.

Turns out that since I posted this that I have found out that I did indeed have MAJOR issues with my band. I went in for a fill when the found out that my band had slipped. They removed the fill and my symptoms got worse. Completely unfilled I was dealing with vomiting daily even when eating yogurt!. I finally found a doctor who is going to try and get a revision covered by my insurance. Two days ago I had an endoscopy and we found out that I have major gastric outlet obstruction and the sleeve is really no longer an option. This doctor is convinced that because of all of the damage to the stomach where the band has been inserted that my only option is bypass. He said the stomach is in such poor shape that even removal of the band would do me no good. So we have now submitted for insurance approval and hope to have the revision in the next month or so. While I am not looking forward to another surgery I am relieved to know that the last few years of throwing up and gaining weight were not totally my fault!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Turns out that since I posted this that I have found out that I did indeed have MAJOR issues with my band. I went in for a fill when the found out that my band had slipped. They removed the fill and my symptoms got worse. Completely unfilled I was dealing with vomiting daily even when eating yogurt!. I finally found a doctor who is going to try and get a revision covered by my insurance. Two days ago I had an endoscopy and we found out that I have major gastric outlet obstruction and the sleeve is really no longer an option. This doctor is convinced that because of all of the damage to the stomach where the band has been inserted that my only option is bypass. He said the stomach is in such poor shape that even removal of the band would do me no good. So we have now submitted for insurance approval and hope to have the revision in the next month or so. While I am not looking forward to another surgery I am relieved to know that the last few years of throwing up and gaining weight were not totally my fault!

I'm so sorry to hear you are going through this. Big hugs to you, and wishing you all the best on your new journey. You have to do what you have to for your health, and if that's getting the GBP, then that's what you should do. I've seen a great deal many success stories with the BP too, so I'm rooting for you.

Thinnertimes.com is a great message board for RNY patients. They have a lot there, and I'm sure they will be a great resource tool for you. You are always welcome here too, regardless!

Good luck!!!

[Gracie 1]

Hi, I'm new on the forum, I live in Québec Canada, I had a lab band for 3 years, lost 70 pounds the first year. I had a surgery last year (not related to the band) and they had to empty my band because I was to inflated, result I gaines 30 pounds and even if they restarded to refill my band, I'm still gaining wait.

So I'm seriously thinking about the sleeve but reading your posted I realize that they can't do it in one surgery (taking out the band and proceeding with the sleeve), is that right?

Thank you

Frenchie

Hi Frenchie:

I had the lap band done in 2004. I lost about 30 lbs max....I still have the lap band but I too am looking to have the sleeve done in the summer. I haven't had much success with the band at all, although, I have had no complications from the band what so ever, just that my stomach has streched over the band, hence, allowing me not to loose weight. In the begining it was good, for the most part, but now I found a great dr. in Florida that is going to remove my band and do the sleeve in one procedure. I'm so thrilled. I just hope and pray I can loose this weight. The lap band was once my dream, but failed, I hope the sleeve will do it. But to answer your question, yes it can be done in one procedure and most dr. desire that one surgery. Did u have it done yet?

[ShrinkingChef 2]

I can really relate to your story.

It could have been me writing it.

The lapband was a complete mess to me too.

In Sept 10, 2007

Out June 15 2010

I also wasn’t able to eat anything healthy. I was down to eating soft things like chocolate…it went down real easy.

I can’t tell you how many times and how many different situations I have been in that were horrible.

I’d also leave the restaurants and have to pull over in a parking lot somewhere and throw up. Gosh I hated that.

It got to the point where I didn’t know what to eat. It seemed everything was going to get stuck. I chewed until the food was basically pureed in my mouth (gross) and swallow, only to have that ut-oh feeling. The one you have when you know it didn’t go down.

I know the bathroom feeling. Holding it in your mouth until someone left the bathroom. Hoping for a handicap stall so you could wash up. I’d also did not want to throw up in the public toilets…others germs, so I’d use the sink, and then I’d have to clean it out. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.

I also hated the plastic feeling in my stomach. When I would lie flat in bed I hated they way it felt. It always felt foreign to me. The fills were never right. One weekend I couldn’t even swallow my own spit. I called they said can you wait until Monday.

I’m schedule for May 12 to have the Vertical Sleeve put in. I’m doing that in Mexico and I’m really looking forward to it.

I wish I had researched the lapband more before I got it put in.

Funny thing insurance paid to have it put in; I changed jobs and had to pay to have it taken out. Life’s lessons. LOL

[TexasT 99]

I can really relate to your story.

It could have been me writing it.

The lapband was a complete mess to me too.

In Sept 10, 2007

Out June 15 2010

I also wasn’t able to eat anything healthy. I was down to eating soft things like chocolate…it went down real easy.

I can’t tell you how many times and how many different situations I have been in that were horrible.

I’d also leave the restaurants and have to pull over in a parking lot somewhere and throw up. Gosh I hated that.

It got to the point where I didn’t know what to eat. It seemed everything was going to get stuck. I chewed until the food was basically pureed in my mouth (gross) and swallow, only to have that ut-oh feeling. The one you have when you know it didn’t go down.

I know the bathroom feeling. Holding it in your mouth until someone left the bathroom. Hoping for a handicap stall so you could wash up. I’d also did not want to throw up in the public toilets…others germs, so I’d use the sink, and then I’d have to clean it out. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.

I also hated the plastic feeling in my stomach. When I would lie flat in bed I hated they way it felt. It always felt foreign to me. The fills were never right. One weekend I couldn’t even swallow my own spit. I called they said can you wait until Monday.

I’m schedule for May 12 to have the Vertical Sleeve put in. I’m doing that in Mexico and I’m really looking forward to it.

I wish I had researched the lapband more before I got it put in.

Funny thing insurance paid to have it put in; I changed jobs and had to pay to have it taken out. Life’s lessons. LOL

Sounds exactly like my story too. Having all that plastic out of my body feels so freeing. The band is equal to a medieval torture device in my opinion!!! Insurance companies are always behind the times. In a couple of years they won't pay for the band and they'll go to the sleeve. I was self-pay for both surgeries, but it was worth it to get that horrible band removed. I DO NOT miss that feeling of food getting stuck. Life is so good now!!!

[donali 0]

I don't know that my story will make anyone feel better about their decision in revising from band to the sleeve, because I did have complications - most likely due to the scar tissue from when my band eroded.

Post my band erosion and prior to my sleeve surgery I would very occasionally get stuck, still. Apparently the damage from my band created enough of a narrowing that under certain circumstances I could still get food stuck between my esophogus and stomach. It didn't happen very often, but every once in a while I'd get that "deer in the headlights" feeling, and sometimes what I had just swallowed would even need to come back up. This is after having been unbanded since 7/04! Five years!

Also, once I was in the hospital with my sleeve complications they did an endoscopy and said that there is still a piece of lapband stuck in there - so I imagine that had something to do with how sick I had been feeling after my VSG, and my previous "stuck" episodes after band removal.

The sleeve surgery itself (for me) was an absolute breeze. It was the easiest one I've been through yet. However, because of all the scar tissue my surgery took 3.5 hours, instead of the usual hour+. The scarring at my erosion site was so thick that the stapler wouldn't fire through it, and Dr. A had to hand suture the remaining portion of the sleeve. My first month went great, until the last couple of days. Then I started having terrible gas and heartburn, was vomiting intensely, fainting, etc. My leak test showed a "self-contained" leak, which means that the suture line was compromised, but stomach contents were still being held within the second row of sutures. So stuff wasn't getting into my abdominal cavity (EMERGENCY!!), but it was getting into a place where it could rot and cause problems.

To make a long story short, I was on intestinal tube feedings for a month and a half, spent the month of Oct in the hospital, had a stent placed for the month of November and had the stent removed 1st week of Dec. I threw up at least twice a day after that until the end of March 2010 when I had an upper endoscopy and they straightened out what was a severe bend between my esophogus and stomach, and since that time I've been feeling great, and I don't have to travel with a vomit bucket every where I go anymore, or keep a restroom/receptacle handy if I'm consuming anything, just in case, be it liquids or solids. I just never knew wha was going to set off the vomiting. Sometimes I vomit for no reason (that I can tell). My energy levels are back, and my muscle strength has finally returned.

So I am not a typical sleeve case, I don't think - even for a revision from the band. I haven't heard of any of the other revision people complaining of these problems.

As far as band-like - I am finding it similar to the band so far in regards to quantity and unreliability for quantity (some days I can eat more than others), and I don't have as much hunger control as I did with the band. I'm hungry about every two hours, it seems.

I'm glad I had the revision, and would do it again in a heartbeat in spite of my complications - I'm down 135 pounds since surgery, and have maintained that loss since July 2010. Still have 65lbs or so to go to get to "goal", but I'm very happy right now with where I am and the fact that I'm not doing anything "special" to maintain this loss.

Long term results sound promising. Who knows? The band sounded fabulous when I chose to do that.

I'm 5'6", 50 yo female, medium frame. VSG 8/14/2009, starting weight 333, current weight 200 +/- four pounds either way.

[time-4-change 1]

Hi All! I am really not very good at this Forum stuff! Just wrote a wonderful reply and thought I had added it to the chain and wouldn't you know it, It's gone!

Just wanted to thank everyone for all their comments. I have surgery set for May 3, 2011 and can't wait to get this band out and to start on my new journey with the sleeve. I had marginal success in the beginning with my band and am now about 10 lbs down from my beginning weight. I will admit that I let family issues and the stress brought on by them to derail me with the band. I stopped losing weight at about a 40-45 lb loss. This all happened at about the 8 month mark and although I maintained for a while, I was never able to get back on a roll. I feel that I am better educated with the process this time and plan to use my sleeve as the tool that it is meant to be. I honestly can't wait!

Thanks for all your support! I will certainly keep you posted as I head into Pre-OP, etc. Cheers~Barb aka Time-4-Change

[aussiemalcolm 0]

G'Day AllWell I have had my band for 12 years , it was put in in Melbourne Australia back in May 1999, and has now failed and I've done all the stuff for the insurance now waiting for the approval to get the revision done from Lapband to sleeve.My band failed several years ago account a hiatus hernia which damaged my band and stomach really well, had that repaired 1 year ago and they tried a new band but it isn't working like the old one did as I lost 367 pounds with my old band this band I have gained never lost with,so I decided to research the sleeve and found Dr Cirangle and just waiting on the OK now for the op.I have gained back in the past 3 years due to no insurance or a job almost 200 pounds, I joined a gym and have been going the last 2 weeks to loose the 20 pounds that I have to pre op started out slow on tread mill 30 minutes at 2 miles per hr, as of yesterday I am doing 1 hr and walking at 3.2 miles per hr on the incline course which goes from 0 to 4 % and back again 6 times in the hr and my heart rate gets up to 140, and my cardiologist checked that I could handle this Ok and is very happy as in 2 weeks I have lost 18 pounds.I am off to the Gym today again and found some people there who like myself are large and chat with them while we work out. Anyone in Newark California area who goes to 24 hr fitness I am normally there between 10 am and 11 am on a treadmill, come join me and share stories.Cheers Aussie malcolm

highest weigh 567 pounds pre band 1999Banded may 14th 1999 Melbourne Australia

lowest weight 198 pounds november 3rd 2003 week before wedding

band damaged 2008 hernia, gaining weight

2010 may new band and hernia repair weight 420

current weight 422 4/4/2011