Thinking about going from Band to Sleeve....

[loohoo63 1]

I am considering going from the band to the sleeve... I was banded in 2012 and I am starting to gain again .. Getting very very frustrated and I think this May be the next step... Any thoughts?

[Georgia 2,908]

http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/394-band-to-gastric-sleeve-revisions/

Here is the link specifically related to band to sleeve revisions. Good luck.

[Domika03 309]

It's a very personal decision that only you can make. Personally, BEST thing i ever did was get the band removed & replaced by the sleeve! I had it done all in 1 surgery. Recovery went well overall. I'm almost 8 weeks out & have no regrets. I do struggle with getting enough fluids & sometimes Protein in, but it's all me & has nothing to do with the surgery itself.

Great decision, good luck!

[loohoo63 1]

Thanks for the thread info... And words of encouragement. Still a thought process on this end.. I have a re-consult on April 14th. This is not a "done deal" yet.. But I am leaning this way! blessings!

[piercedqt78 658]

I had my band for almost 8 years. (just 2 months shy) and I did the yo-yo weight loss all 8 years. I never lost more than 50% of my excess weight, and it always came right back on, no matter what I did. I started having issues keeping anything down last Feb (2013) and by the end of March, I had been in the ER 4 times with uncontrolled vomiting. (still didn't lose any weight) I had an endoscope, and a stomach emptying test, nothing abnormal other than reflux in either test. I was also checked for spasms in my esophagus, all normal. I had my band placed in Chicago, and had moved to Florida in the mean time, so I didn't have a band doctor. I knew someone that had just been sleeved, and she LOVED her bariatric surgeon, so I set up a consult with him on the suggesting of my GI doc. Because I was having issues, they waived their program fee and agreed to see me, knowing my band would most likely have to be removed. He did a barium swallow, and saw instantly that my stomach had prolapsed into my band, and the band would have to be removed. This was already the last part of April. The surgeon submitted to my Insurance and they were fine with the sleeve surgery, but didn't want to cover the band removal. How stupid is that???? He called them when they received the reply from the insurance, and told them if they didn't approve the band removal, he would keep me in the hospital on IV fluids and bed rest until they got their head out of their asses and approved me. I was approved within 48 hours, and had my band removed, and the sleeve done on May 8th last year. I was at goal before Thanksgiving. I'm now 115 pounds, and a size 4/6. I have managed to actually get under my original goal. When I get the sleeve I said I would like to be in single digit sizes, for the first time since highschool, I surpassed that goal, and then I wanted to be 135 pounds (that would put me in the middle of the "healthy" bmi scale) now I am borderline underweight. I don't regret the revision for one single moment, and I made him swear to me that he would do my sleeve if at all possible at the same time, and if not in the same surgery then as soon as I was healed I would be sleeved, the surgeon agreed, and the rest as they say is history. I can't tell you how very happy I am.