Band to sleeve revision....scheduled for this April

[stars in my eyes 10]

Hi, I am new to this site...Well here it goes, I was 300 pounds and originally banded on July 30, 2010. I was very successful with my band and by my 2nd year, I had lost 175 lbs and was 125 lbs. I had met my goal and was very happy. Then suddenly I started getting food stuck, throwing up all of the time, having abdominal pain and feeling very weak. I went to see my doctor and had an Upper GI. No slip, just was that my band was too tight. So, the dance began and I had my band loosened, then tightened, and back and forth like this for about a year. During that time, I had developed severe pitting edema and gained 60 lbs of Water weight, my blood work was showing everything was out of whack. I was very anemic and seeing a hematologist. I even had a bone marrow biopsy. During this time I was missing so much work and was at risk of losing my job. The stress was unbelievable. I had to work to have insurance, but I could barely get myself to work some days. Thankfully, I have a great support system and was able to get through it all. Well after everything was said and done, they could not find a reason for my condition and symptoms and said "sometimes no answer is the best answer". What ever it was cleared itself up. I settled in at 150 lbs and was comfortable there. Then I began to get food stuck again, was PB'ing, and the worst part was the GERD!. Every night & day, I had the worst heartburn I'd ever had. I changed my diet, took acid reducers, slept propped up with pillows. Nothing was helping. So, after a few more small unfills of my band, my doctor finally said " I am completely deflating your band". I was in a panic! I worried that all that hard work was for nothing and I would gain all my weight back. I am up to 185 lbs now and feeling horrible. But then after another Upper GI and scope, my doctor said that I had developed scar tissue around my stomach, under my band, like a cuff and this cuff was too tight. So he recommended the removal of the lap band and scar tissue and a revision to either the Gastric Bypass or the Vertical Sleeve. After researching and thinking about it, I chose the Vertical Sleeve. I had done very well with a restrictive WLS and my band failed me, through no fault of my own. My doctor submitted to my insurance and within 2 weeks my procedure was approved. I wish I could have it done like yesterday....but I have to wait until Easter Vacation so that I do not miss too much work. I am nervous about my band being removed, but happy at the same time for all the problems it has caused me. I am happily awaiting my new sleeve! I'm nervous about how different it will feel than the band, the new diet, possible problems, just everything! Hope to get support here and look forward to reading about others and their experiences.

[NewBecky 11]

Hello Stars in your eyes, I recently went through the revision on 1/30/2014 so i am 21 days into this and unlike you I didn't lose all my weight with the band. I only lost about 40 lbs and was so tired of food getting stuck and feeling every meal was a challenge. So I had the revision and

had a lot of scar tissue around my band which needed to be removed before he could remove the band and do the revision. I have lost a total of 23 lbs so far and feeling great! I wish this procedure was done 1st and foremost! The feeling of full is very quick and different than the band. I am still on mush foods but love being able to have the foods i can had until I start regular foods next week. You won't be disappointed. Of course I don't know what it feels like having regular meats, chicken, breads, etc till next phase but so far doing really great. Oh and by the way the dumping syndrome does happen with Sleeve patients. (I tried orange juice, and wish I hadn't)!!!

[lynn2win 142]

Welcome to the site...there are a lot of people on here who has had the revision surgery...sorry for your complications but you are almost their...Good luck on your journey

[kyleebean 209]

I had revision from band to sleeve this past November. I Love the sleeve so much better.... I lost about 100 pounds when I was banded in 2005 and slowly I gained it back. I take responsibility for that. However, I was vomiting at almost every meal and turned to foods that were sliders. in 2011 I went to a different clinic as I felt my current dr. was not listening to me about how much I was vomiting and the reflux. I would literally wake up choking at night because Water or whatever I drank prior to going to bed was coming up on me. My poor partner thought I was dying. Anyway, when the new dr. ordered an upper GI it showed the band was waaayyy tooooo tight and he opted to empty it and then refilled it a few months later. Even with the tiniest fill, I was vomiting and having nighttime reflux. I ended up getting sleeved this past November. My surgery was rough and I had some complications from having such bad scar tissue. An overnight hospital stay ended up being 4 days. Dr. said I had an infection on the lining of my stomach where the band was. After a couple of weeks I felt so much better. Also during the past year I was diagnosed with Fibro as I had such wide spread chronic pain..... After about a month after being sleeved, I noticed I wasn't in pain anymore. Dr. felt that having the infection could have caused some of the inflammation in my body. Super glad to be rid of that damned band.

[LuckyT 58]

Hi Stars, I too had a revision and can only tell you from my experience the sleeve is way better than the band. I think you will be glad for the change. I am still in the soft food stage but it feels more normal to me than when I was banded as everything seemed to make me either nauseous or get the stuck feeling. Best part of it all is I am down nearly 50# in 4 months - I never achieved that with the band. Good luck to you and if you have any questions feel free to ask