Afraid and need advice

[Loooou 30]

Hello all.. Well, I have been banded since 2004

I started my band journey at 367 pounds in 2004!

Now I weight 230-235!

and I am stuck:S .. Its really getting hard! and overwhelming knowing that I have been so slow! I hate to say the forbidden word but sometimes I feel like I am a "failure"

I had 6 fillings so far and my doctor is about to run the 7th but he is not optimistic! he told me sometimes Lapband surgery doesnt help with some ppl that much.. I exercise 4-5 times a week!

I feel horrible for being stuck! so Today he suggested the sleeve again, and he is saying that I am a good candidate for it but hearing from the web the terrible disadvantages the sleeve have is scaring me! it is considered the worst procedure according the the web! I am clueless! I need real life experience advice, so would you please let me know if any of u gained the weight back as suggested online that most ppl put back the weight cause their stomach normally stretch back!

I dont hate my band and I asked my doctor of keeping it in after the sleeve surgery and he told me that it can be done although I wont need it, but I just need it as a safety net in case my stomach started to expand!

He said that these stretching happens only when the surgery isnt done well!

Do u have the same hunger strikes as the band?

Do you never feel satisfied?

What kind of food is hard for you to eat?

I cant get any Protein in! unless it is a sashimi or something soft.

I am waiting eagerly for your advice .. thanks!

[Tiffykins 673]

I'm not sure where you're reading it's the worse surgery and all the disadvantages, but that information is very skewed from the actual research articles that are available on VSG.

I would recommend doing more research. The sleeve is the safest, and carries the least amount of long term complications of any WLS available.

Personally, it sounds like what you have read is limited. My band to sleeve revision has been extremely successful, and I've been maintaining for a year at this point without any long term complications or vitamin/nutrient deficiencies.

I'd be interested to read what you've read regarding how horrible the sleeve is.

To answer your questions based on my sleeve experience:

Do u have the same hunger strikes as the band? I have zero physical hunger, and amazing, constant restriction at over 21 months post-VSG

Do you never feel satisfied? Always, and I eat anything and everything I want.

What kind of food is hard for you to eat? None. I can honestly eat anything and everything. Pork chops tend to sit heavy in my sleeve, and I don't miss pork in the least so it's not a big deal. My husband came back from Afghanistan not wanting to eat pork any longer so it worked out perfectly for us.

No one could pay me to keep a band in my body. Stretching with the sleeve is minimal, and your surgeon is correct that if the surgery is performed correctly, there is little to zero issues with stomach stretching. There just isn't enough tissue left behind to stretch back to pre-op size. No way, no how.

Keep researching, and make the decision based on what you want long term. I lost 138lbs in 10 months with VSG alone, and have maintained that loss easily for a year. Everyone has a different experience, and certain aspects of VSG are very individualized just like the band experience, but in my opinion, the band is not worth all the turmoil, time, and energy lost trying to lose weight.

[Foxbins 625]

I'm sorry to hear that the band is not giving you the results you had hoped. However, where are you reading that the sleeve "is the worst procedure"? It is true that early surgeons made the stomach too big in some cases, but now, experienced surgeons remove the stretchy part of the stomach AND make the remaining part very narrow. liquids flow without restriction but dense Protein stays and makes you feel full. There is usually some relaxation after a period of months-years but no one who has a sleeve can eat the same volume of food they could before surgery.

I encourage you to read more here and on Obesity Help. We have a number of people who are band-to-sleeve revisions who are very happy they had sleeve surgery.

And to answer your questions:

I don't get hungry any more. I eat on a schedule so that I get my Protein and fluids in, and I measure my food. Since I'm not hungry, I'm always content with the amount I have eaten. I have a hard time eating firm fish (salmon, mahi mahi) but I can eat steak, pork, chicken, seafood, eggs, sausage, etc. I am low-carbing to get the weight off fast but I anticpate eating everything in moderation when I am maintaining.

[Deakay 15]

my surgeon told me I could do lapband or sleeve, my choice right up until the day of surgery. He also told me that 1 in 4 people have to have their band removed, and that if you have a BMI of 35 and need to lose 50 pounds that was the way to go. With my BMI of 42 and having 100 lbs to lose, I consider my sleeve to be the best choice for me.

[Loooou 30]

I'm not sure where you're reading it's the worse surgery and all the disadvantages, but that information is very skewed from the actual research articles that are available on VSG.

I would recommend doing more research. The sleeve is the safest, and carries the least amount of long term complications of any WLS available.

Personally, it sounds like what you have read is limited. My band to sleeve revision has been extremely successful, and I've been maintaining for a year at this point without any long term complications or vitamin/nutrient deficiencies.

I'd be interested to read what you've read regarding how horrible the sleeve is.

To answer your questions based on my sleeve experience:

Do u have the same hunger strikes as the band? I have zero physical hunger, and amazing, constant restriction at over 21 months post-VSG

Do you never feel satisfied? Always, and I eat anything and everything I want.

What kind of food is hard for you to eat? None. I can honestly eat anything and everything. Pork chops tend to sit heavy in my sleeve, and I don't miss pork in the least so it's not a big deal. My husband came back from Afghanistan not wanting to eat pork any longer so it worked out perfectly for us.

No one could pay me to keep a band in my body. Stretching with the sleeve is minimal, and your surgeon is correct that if the surgery is performed correctly, there is little to zero issues with stomach stretching. There just isn't enough tissue left behind to stretch back to pre-op size. No way, no how.

Keep researching, and make the decision based on what you want long term. I lost 138lbs in 10 months with VSG alone, and have maintained that loss easily for a year. Everyone has a different experience, and certain aspects of VSG are very individualized just like the band experience, but in my opinion, the band is not worth all the turmoil, time, and energy lost trying to lose weight.

Thanks a lot for insights on the matter Tiffy

first off here is one of the links that nearly assured my fear of gaining weight My link Also on one of the documentary on E! they mentioned that some ppl died a day after their sleeve surgeries due to some leaks... I am sorry I am not trying to terrify anyone I am just narrating the stuff I have heard and read.

One of my friends told me that one of his friends gained all the weight back too!

I was opening millions of links that suggested the same and I came back here to find all these replies WHICH AM MORE THAN GRATEFUL FOR!!

My only concern is gaining the weight.. thats why I want to keep the band in case something goes wrong, why throw it when u can have it? .. unless! you have a scientific proof I am better off without it.

I am really confused but I am already weighing my options! and going for the surgery! I have wasted more than SEVEN years trying to lose the weight and I seem to be a great fighter with my "inner negative talk" other than that I am losing the battle!

I run an hour 3 times week now! lets call it jogging not running, but I am still FAT! even if I feel like I can do lots of work out a slim girl cant do.

I am also fearing that if I keep my calories that low after the surgery as I read on the board here it is between 500-800 that I wont have the energy to exercise and frankly thats my only get away in life! it makes me feel great about myself.

I keep on reading experiences on this board! I really love it.

Thanks again and please bare with me, English is my second language and u must know how it felt to take this decision!

so What about sweet tooth? is it a big deal if I sneaked a dessert every now and then? or does it ruin the whole procedure?

Here is my progress so far..

[Loooou 30]

I'm sorry to hear that the band is not giving you the results you had hoped. However, where are you reading that the sleeve "is the worst procedure"? It is true that early surgeons made the stomach too big in some cases, but now, experienced surgeons remove the stretchy part of the stomach AND make the remaining part very narrow. liquids flow without restriction but dense Protein stays and makes you feel full. There is usually some relaxation after a period of months-years but no one who has a sleeve can eat the same volume of food they could before surgery.

I encourage you to read more here and on Obesity Help. We have a number of people who are band-to-sleeve revisions who are very happy they had sleeve surgery.

And to answer your questions:

I don't get hungry any more. I eat on a schedule so that I get my Protein and fluids in, and I measure my food. Since I'm not hungry, I'm always content with the amount I have eaten. I have a hard time eating firm fish (salmon, mahi mahi) but I can eat steak, pork, chicken, seafood, eggs, sausage, etc. I am low-carbing to get the weight off fast but I anticpate eating everything in moderation when I am maintaining.

OMG Foxbins!! you are actually saying the same thing my doctor told me!! that those doctors removed wrong parts of the stomach!

I am truly reading and researching like crazy and my only hope that this surgery will pay off not that the band didnt paid off but It just helped with half what I have lost but the rest as quoted from my doctor "was done on my own" but it getting impossibly hard to move further or lose any more! it is like I am losing the pound today and gaining it again tomorrow! so u can imagine the effect it leaves on u emotionally!

After all what have been said by all of u here and all I have been reading, I am willing to do it! but what if it didnt work? and my body just dont respond as its not responding now.

I got used to feeling hungry and unsatisfied all the time but I cant get use to another failed surgery.

Sorry for whining too much!! but I need to let my fears go out loud, may be I will find the answer somewhere.

thank u again:)

[Becca 108]

Hello and welcome! I have had both the band and the sleeve. The sleeve is far surperior from my experience because I actually have restriction and my obsession with food is gone. I never really had much restriction with the band, except early in the morning. The band never helped with my food issues. With the sleeve, I have lost interest in gorging myself and I am very satisfied on a small amount. I don't really want sweets, except on occasion I have "head" hunger for them around that time of the month. I have lost 42 pounds so far in eleven weeks. I am super happy with that and I am considered a slow loser compared with other VSG patients. As far as stretching the sleeve out, is it possible that you were reading "old" data? The sleeve used to be made bigger and so some of the first sleeve patients have experienced weight regain. Now doctors make the sleeve very small, so weight regain is not common. I wish you the best with your decision, but I must say, I am happier than I have ever been. Losing my food addiction has given me my life back! I love, love , love my sleeve!

Also, your progress is amazing! You have really come a long way with your weight loss. I really feel the sleeve could get your to your goal.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

OMG you are adorable and you've already done so much for yourself. I see you ran in the Susan G Komen in your area, that is AWESOME!!!! I'm running the 5k here in my area on May 7th...

Firstly, welcome to VST Secondly, I am a revised lap band to sleeve person.

I can tell you, regaining with the lap band is *extremely* easy once you figure it out. I could eat just as much as I ever could, thereby making my band pretty useless. I initially lost about 55 Lbs with the band, and gained it all back up to within pounds of where I started. That included with needing to go BACK on my HBP tmedications and severe joint pain (couldn't run anymore ) I decided enough was enough and I needed something PERMANENT AND REAL. Not something that I could just think that it's reversible so I chose not to take it as seriously. Besides I never ever found good restriction with it... like I was always chasing that dream that everyone else seemed to get. I felt like a total and complete failure, and thought it was me. It wasn't!!! I know this now because since I've been sleeved the weight is just melting off. I'm off ALL HBP medications and I CAN RUN AGAIN!!!!! :D I'm also the furthest from perfection, and yet I'm still losing really well.

I know this will work for you. If you were able to make your band work so well, this is going to blow your mind. Can you imagine having perfect restriction every single day AND NEVER, NOT EVER NEEDING A BLASTED FILL???? Yeah it's as incredible as it sounds. I don't miss my band what so ever. I have it in my hat box at the top of my closet even. It's in a ziploc bag so at least its not collecting dust... lmao!! Once it was out, there was no need for it again.

Believe me when I tell you, I now have a restored faith in the WLS world all due to my sleeve. I was skeptical even though I took over a year to finally take the plunge to revision. I wondered, well if I couldn't make my band work, what makes me think I can make this work? It's so easy though, it's working amazingly. Yes, it's not all the sleeve either, it is but a TOOL... but if you do what you're supposed to you are going to lose, and lose fast. I have total faith in it. I also have no more worries on whether I'll make goal. I'm more concerned I'll lose too much!!! Can you imagine??? I set my goal higher in case it takes me awhile to get used to maintenance mode, as I just don't think my body structure was meant to be on the thinner side. I'm also not worried I'll be able to hang on to my weight loss, because since the beginning of the newer smaller and thinner sleeve, the weight gain AND the making it to goal stats are pretty outstanding.

Again, I'm no angel, but I'd say on any given month I'm at about a 95%. That alone will keep me losing and maintaining when I get there.

Blessings to you, and keep in touch. We all love to support, and there are a lot of us revisioners just waiting to tell the GOOD NEWS!!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I have a friend who has Barretts esophagus from the band, which causes

esophageal cancer.

The band can permanently damage your stomach and esophagus. I couldn't wait to get mine out.

Read all the band to sleeve revision stories.

[Loooou 30]

Hello and welcome! I have had both the band and the sleeve. The sleeve is far surperior from my experience because I actually have restriction and my obsession with food is gone. I never really had much restriction with the band, except early in the morning. The band never helped with my food issues. With the sleeve, I have lost interest in gorging myself and I am very satisfied on a small amount. I don't really want sweets, except on occasion I have "head" hunger for them around that time of the month. I have lost 42 pounds so far in eleven weeks. I am super happy with that and I am considered a slow loser compared with other VSG patients. As far as stretching the sleeve out, is it possible that you were reading "old" data? The sleeve used to be made bigger and so some of the first sleeve patients have experienced weight regain. Now doctors make the sleeve very small, so weight regain is not common. I wish you the best with your decision, but I must say, I am happier than I have ever been. Losing my food addiction has given me my life back! I love, love , love my sleeve!

Also, your progress is amazing! You have really come a long way with your weight loss. I really feel the sleeve could get your to your goal.

Hello Becca!

Thank you sooo Much for taking the time to reply, Hearing the words" my obsession with food is gone"

I am sorry I am asking too much!! but I am glad I found such a support group went through exactly what I am going to go through:)

Does the sleeve have the same problems? I know from the replies here that I am never hungry but do I feel food sitting in my throat and do u have problem swallowing medical tablets on ur sleeve too?

I have read your post yesterday and it was so late.. I needed a morning coffee to sit and write back so here are my thoughts while i was sleeping!!

WOW! 42 pounds off in 11 weeks!! and u call that slow!?! u are doing amazing and actually so inspiring:) If I lose like u I will be DAMN CLOSE to my goal weight as u said!! it is like wasting 7 yrs of my life.. but still the band helped somehow " I dont know why I cant hate it with all the bad reviews I have been hearing! I think I am sick lol"

Also ur words about losing ur food addiction kept ringing the bell!! thank u thank u!! .. May be the data I found online was indeed old one!! cause u are all doing great here:) Best of luck!

[Loooou 30]

OMG you are adorable and you've already done so much for yourself. I see you ran in the Susan G Komen in your area, that is AWESOME!!!! I'm running the 5k here in my area on May 7th...

Firstly, welcome to VST Secondly, I am a revised lap band to sleeve person.

I can tell you, regaining with the lap band is *extremely* easy once you figure it out. I could eat just as much as I ever could, thereby making my band pretty useless. I initially lost about 55 Lbs with the band, and gained it all back up to within pounds of where I started. That included with needing to go BACK on my HBP tmedications and severe joint pain (couldn't run anymore ) I decided enough was enough and I needed something PERMANENT AND REAL. Not something that I could just think that it's reversible so I chose not to take it as seriously. Besides I never ever found good restriction with it... like I was always chasing that dream that everyone else seemed to get. I felt like a total and complete failure, and thought it was me. It wasn't!!! I know this now because since I've been sleeved the weight is just melting off. I'm off ALL HBP medications and I CAN RUN AGAIN!!!!! :D I'm also the furthest from perfection, and yet I'm still losing really well.

I know this will work for you. If you were able to make your band work so well, this is going to blow your mind. Can you imagine having perfect restriction every single day AND NEVER, NOT EVER NEEDING A BLASTED FILL???? Yeah it's as incredible as it sounds. I don't miss my band what so ever. I have it in my hat box at the top of my closet even. It's in a ziploc bag so at least its not collecting dust... lmao!! Once it was out, there was no need for it again.

Believe me when I tell you, I now have a restored faith in the WLS world all due to my sleeve. I was skeptical even though I took over a year to finally take the plunge to revision. I wondered, well if I couldn't make my band work, what makes me think I can make this work? It's so easy though, it's working amazingly. Yes, it's not all the sleeve either, it is but a TOOL... but if you do what you're supposed to you are going to lose, and lose fast. I have total faith in it. I also have no more worries on whether I'll make goal. I'm more concerned I'll lose too much!!! Can you imagine??? I set my goal higher in case it takes me awhile to get used to maintenance mode, as I just don't think my body structure was meant to be on the thinner side. I'm also not worried I'll be able to hang on to my weight loss, because since the beginning of the newer smaller and thinner sleeve, the weight gain AND the making it to goal stats are pretty outstanding.

Again, I'm no angel, but I'd say on any given month I'm at about a 95%. That alone will keep me losing and maintaining when I get there.

Blessings to you, and keep in touch. We all love to support, and there are a lot of us revisioners just waiting to tell the GOOD NEWS!!

Hello LilMissDiva

Thank u so much!! for the reply and words of encouragement, Best of luck on ur 5k!! it is the best feeling in the whole world! you must already be so proud of urself for taking this huge step but let me tell u, as soon u cross the finish line that day "no matter when and how fast" you will be totally a new different person with new attitude! even better than the one u already have now! just keep going and keep visualizing ur dream:)

Oh man I remember when I ran those 5k I kept cheering at myself alone and going "YES YES I DID IT!" for so long lol

I fell down on that marathon, it took place by the pyramids where I live in Egypt and the road there isnt a good running one! and I dragged my friends along and I kept looking back to check on them, and then bammm! I fell!! but I got up and kept going and then after I was done I discovered how bruised my knees were and that I already bent my ankle! but the pain was not felt during the marathon!! adrenaline rush! LOL

BEST OF LUCK SWEETY!!!

You have such a journey with your band and then now the sleeve! you sound like u are truly in love with the sleeve and all of the good vibe I keep getting out of this board about the sleeve is just breath taking!!

Kudos for keeping ur back there to remind u lol ... I seem to be worried if I took off my band I will gain all the weight! It is just the fear of becoming that old girl again!! I think I will need mental therapy lol

I have few questions for you, u seem to be hooked on exercise just like I love it too, so how is your energy levels?

Cause honestly I feel like I eat soooo little now and fighting with my levels! so what if I got the sleeve and ate fewer than now as some of you are reporting on the board that you can go for only 800 calories a day! .. do u still feel active and ready for ur run?

My only fear now is that I will do the surgery and I will still eat the same small amound and never lose the weight!! but ofcourse I will just gain the benfit of not feeling hungry all the time!

how much time did ur surgery took?

How much time did u need to recover and go down and then also be able to run?

Do u have any pain? like on my band I always have a shoulder pain after I eat especially if I had too much!?

does the Water rule apply to the sleeve as the band?

Thank u so much!! I have added u on FB:) XO

[Loooou 30]

I have a friend who has Barretts esophagus from the band, which causes

esophageal cancer.

The band can permanently damage your stomach and esophagus. I couldn't wait to get mine out.

Read all the band to sleeve revision stories.

Oregondaisy , I am really sorry for your friend:( I hope she feels better I am currently reading and asking a lot!! thanks a lot for ur input and have a great Friday best of luck on ur band removal.

[Tiffykins 673]

Thanks a lot for insights on the matter Tiffy

first off here is one of the links that nearly assured my fear of gaining weight My link Also on one of the documentary on E! they mentioned that some ppl died a day after their sleeve surgeries due to some leaks... I am sorry I am not trying to terrify anyone I am just narrating the stuff I have heard and read.

One of my friends told me that one of his friends gained all the weight back too!

I was opening millions of links that suggested the same and I came back here to find all these replies WHICH AM MORE THAN GRATEFUL FOR!!

My only concern is gaining the weight.. thats why I want to keep the band in case something goes wrong, why throw it when u can have it? .. unless! you have a scientific proof I am better off without it.

I am really confused but I am already weighing my options! and going for the surgery! I have wasted more than SEVEN years trying to lose the weight and I seem to be a great fighter with my "inner negative talk" other than that I am losing the battle!

I run an hour 3 times week now! lets call it jogging not running, but I am still FAT! even if I feel like I can do lots of work out a slim girl cant do.

I am also fearing that if I keep my calories that low after the surgery as I read on the board here it is between 500-800 that I wont have the energy to exercise and frankly thats my only get away in life! it makes me feel great about myself.

I keep on reading experiences on this board! I really love it.

Thanks again and please bare with me, English is my second language and u must know how it felt to take this decision!

so What about sweet tooth? is it a big deal if I sneaked a dessert every now and then? or does it ruin the whole procedure?

Here is my progress so far..

I think the sleeve is just a tool just like the band or RNY (bypass). I know far more people in real life that have monstrous complications long term with weight regain and complications with the band and RNY. I eat sweets, but I'm also in maintenance, and I eat whatever I want in moderation. For me that's the key, moderation. I think a big misconception about weight loss surgery is that the surgery is supposed to do all the work. We have to be willing to make the best food choices. I honestly don't know one single, solitary naturally thin woman that could eat like I did pre-op and not gain weight. I can still suck down a 3000 calorie milkshake if I choose to do so. But, I have zero desire to do it. All of my naturally, skinny friends eat Cookies and a slice of cake here and there, but it's in moderation, and that's the life I lead right now. I eat sorbet instead of ice cream because it's naturally fat free, and I don't feel deprived. So, I'm making the best choice for me and my needs. You can adjust your calories/protein/carb intake to offset the work out regimen you keep. There plenty of people on here that do not adhere to the 600-800 calories a day and still lose weight because they work out.

The band being left in wrapped around the sleeve could be a good safety net, but personally, I wouldn't have it in me any longer. Your concern is stomach stretch with the sleeve, and it's minimal, and the band being in place is not going to keep you from overeating junk food. The sleeve gives your permanent and constant restriction, but if you want to keep a band in place that's your choice. I think it's one of those calls you have to make based on your trust level with your surgeon. Since you have a band, for the sleeve surgery to be performed properly, the band and the capsule around the band have to be removed, and the stapler goes through that area. If the band were to stay in place, and sleeve was cut around it, that could pose issues in the future with more pouch dilation and esophageal dilation. People have died during gallbladder surgery and childbirth, but statistically, what's the true risk? This is one of those situations where you have to speak with your surgeon on his personal mortality and leak rates. I was my surgeon's first and only leak, but I also knew going in what my risks were. I was prepared for it.

I read the link you shared. Leaks happen but the risk is around 1% with an experienced surgeon. As for weight regain, the sleeve only does so much, but I've read plenty of stories of RNY and even the DS having regain if we continue to make poor food choice constantly. There is no magic bullet. Sleeve stretching is minimal if the surgery is performed correctly. I'm 21 months out, and I eat the same portions I ate at around 8-9 months. My surgeon believes my stomach is at max capacity. The only surgery that RNY can be converted to is DS and there is only a handful of US doctors that perform that revision and it has a price tag of upwards of 35-50K because the take down of an RNY pouch is extremely difficult and risky. The VSG can be converted to DS very easily if malabsorption is needed since the sleeve is the first step in DS. The RNY can be revised to ERNY (extended RNY), where the surgeon goes in and shortens the intestine more, which causes malabsorption to start again after the adaptation process takes over, and people have reported that the weight loss is minimal with this procedure.

In my blog on here, I have tons of information, research articles that I compiled from other VSG'ers and my own research. You can also check out this link for more information, the research articles are listed at the bottom as well. This is a compilation of personal stories/experiences from obesityhelp.com and other research information.

http://vsgfaq.wordpress.com/

[TexasT 99]

I also wanted to add my welcome to the board! Just one thing I wanted to mention regarding your question about energy. My doctor suggested I take sublingual Vitamin B12 tablets, which I take each morning. The ones I buy are very inexpensive and taste great. In the US you can easily find them in the grocery store or pharmacy, so you may be able to do so in Egypt also. You might find that losing the extra weight will also help your energy level.

Or course this is your decision, but my opinion about keeping the band after the sleeve surgery is that you won't need it as others above have said, and it may also cause you to have a hiatal hernia - if it hasn't already. I was found to have one when my surgeon did my revision.

Best of luck to you!

[Loooou 30]

^{Thanks TIFFY!! I spent the day reading off ur blog and ur informative post!! I am so glad:) and I think I will let you know SOON what went on with my doctor appointment:)}

^{I will keep reading reading and I think I will always be asking too many questions here too lol}

Texas Thank you sooooooooooo much!!

I will check the pharmacy for them I appreciate ur advice so much cause I am so worried about the calories intake and my Energy level

I see ur point clearly and reading into the board somehow ease my worries about removing my band completely:) let alone having hernia

I will keep u ladies posted XOX