Lap-Band Conversion Patient.

[maj21 0]

This is a great forum and have been reading it for awhile. Finally joined. I had a Lap-Band inserted in 2009 and never really liked it. I did initially lose weight but found it was much too easy to defeat and getting food lodged in the band while eating caused much discomfort and, at times, pain. I wanted the sleeve then but my insurance did not cover it at that time.

I am 5 days post gastric sleeve surgery and things are going well. I am going through the normal symptoms most have experienced. I never thought i would eat or drink again right after surgery, didn't even want to take a sip of Water.< /p>

Feeling a thousand times better, stopped taking pain meds the third day out and am sleeping well. My first observations of the sleeve so far is that I need to readjust the amount of food I can consume at one sitting. I know that will adjust up as a I proceed but find it amazing that I cannot finish one measly can of Campbell's Cream of anything Soup.< /p>

I appreciate all the frank talk and advice everyone has given, it really helps.

Take care all, and good luck.

[The Laughing Cat 54]

Best of luck to you.

I am amazed how many of us conversion people are out there. This has been the right choice for me and I hope for you as well.

[maj21 0]

Thank you. When I went into my doctor's to discuss it for the first time, he said that many of his patients had converted as well and had me reach out to some. The process was much simpler than in 2009 and the recovery much easier as well. Good luck.

[SGG 0]

Hello all,

so I have a rather long story... had a lapband in 2005, 2.5 years later had a stomach erosion, got pregnant so didn't remove the band until 2012.. then had a sleeve a year later in Oct 2013.. just after I was off the liquid and puree diet, I was so sick, always nauseating and would throw up if I drank anything even Water. on Jan 2014, I had an operation to see what's wrong and it turned out I had a kink that prevented food from going down. The kink was due to my stomach being adhered to my liver! accordingly, my doctor set it right and performed a mini bypass to ensure nothing similar to this would happen again. I'm super happy now, lost a total of 106 lbs since my sleeve. My problem is I can't find myself related to a specific group also I had a question, do you feel the sensation of blockage? I still feel the same way as the lap band, only that I eat much less than what I used to eat during the band. I feel I'm blocked after the first bite although I'm 3 months post mini bypass and nearly 6 months post sleeve. It's not that I feel full, I feel blocked. Just wish to know that this is normal.

[maj21 0]

Hey Sally,

When I met with my doctor after surgery he mentioned my liver had some adhesion to the stomach but I was so out of it at the time I did not ask any follow-up questions. I see him on Thursday and will discuss that with him.

I do not have the same feeling of blockage as before. I do have some discomfort if I swallow too fast, especially hot Soup but I attribute that to the surgery and my stomach as small as it will ever be.

I am still getting my head around how much I can consume before I fill full. I laugh now because a small can of soup is actually 2 1/2 servings as it says on the can. I can say that the 'full feeling' is different than when I had the Band and I really need to slow down when I eat.

I'm sorry that I cannot be of more help. I'm excited about your weight loss and wish you the best health. Hope it all works out.

[SGG 0]

maj.. what do you mean by discomfort.. would you explain the feeling more please? and do you throw up usually??

I do not have the same feeling of blockage as before. I do have some discomfort if I swallow too fast, especially hot Soup but I attribute that to the surgery and my stomach as small as it will ever be.

[maj21 0]

Sally, it just feels like slight cramping but it goes away quickly. It's gotten better as I slowed down as I eat. Just drinking Water can cause it if I drink too much too fast, but I'm learning. Have my first follow-up post surgery today so will see if everything is as it should be.

I did felt a little nausea the first time I drank after surgery but not since then at all.

Last day for full liquids! Hallelujah!

[ireallywannabthin 286]

I was based on 2/6/13 and lost 47 lbs in the first three months.. After that I found good getting stuck endlessly and was eating lots of bad foods. I went to my doctor an had an unfill and found it hard to mentally get back into eating healthy... Since then (may 2013) I have watches the scale go up and I have no gained most f my weight back. I know that I am mentally not there anymore but I also feel completely discouraged in my band... Every minute of the day my band changes with what I can and can not eat. I find myself throwing up a few times a week- even a few times a day and I'm rarely satisfied. I also have pain and soreness in my port when I wear certain pants and even when I'm laying down.

I honestly feel like a bulimic more than a bariatric patient. While I feel the lapband did make me more aware of my ability to overeat, eating nutritious food, and it being a lifestyle change, I also don't think that lapband is a strong enough tool for me. I think all of the issues I've been having make it obvious that this is no way to live anymore; I am going to my surgeon tonight to talk about conversion to the sleeve (which I am very scared of)...