Converting to Sleeve From Band

[misslex 12]

Okay folks, I need the honest truth here.... I currently have a Band, had it 3 years now.... loved it, lost 65 lbs, hit my goal weight and maintined for 6 months. Then my band slipped and my dad got sick at the same time...very stressful....now a year out from that, my band has slipped even more, I have gained 25-30 lbs. (but my dad is well again) and my doctor wants me to convert to a sleeve. I was self pay with the band, we are not rich people, it was a HUGE sacrafice to come up with the money for the Band, no way I can come up with another 14-16K and still be able to sleep at night. I have a hard working husband, 2 little boys and a future to take care of..... anyway...considering Mexico for a conversion, different topic I know....here is what I want to know.... Give me the good, the bad and the ugly about life with a sleeve!!! I want to know what I am getting myself into. I can promise you, if I had been told that my band was not a life long commitment, I would not have done this.....I was told this was a life long change/tool and now they are saying 50% failure rate...grrr!!! So, give it to me....what are the pro's and con's of sleeves!!

[tonya66 13]

I too had great success with the band, was banded in 2007 and then after a slight infill I lost restriction completely, after 23 fills, still no restriction. My doctor recommended switching to the sleeve and said my band simply quit working, they could not find a leak.

I started with the band at 250, got down to about 145 and gained back up to 214, that was my weight on my surfer date for the sleeve.

I was sleeved 11/20/13, losing weight slower than those younger than me, and those that are virgin bariatric patients (no precious WLS) but I will take it. I'm almost 7 months out and down to 165, 50 lbs in 7 mos.

I do have reflux, I have Barrett's esophagus and had this before the sleeve, so I can't blame the sleeve.

The only con I can think of is you can't take ibuprofen, ever. And u do have Vitamins to take for the rest of your life. I have arthritis in my knee and the ibuprofen really helped with inflammation. But losing weight is also helping.

The pros, (which I used to think was a con) is it's permanent. Once they cut that stomach, it's gone. Dealing with the band and all the fills, I'm glad it's a permanent solution.

I can eat anything, just not much of it. I can eat about 3 oz of food at a sitting and I am 7 mos out. For example, I split meals with my hubby and the other day I had my first hamburger since 2007, and I ate 1/4 of his burger and that was all I could eat and about 5 ff. I normally don't eat bread, but I wanted to test the sleeve and see if I could eat it. I never could eat a burger when I had the band.

I haven't thrown up once with the sleeve, I have got nauseous a few times, especially in the beginning which is usually due to eating or drinking too fast, according to my nutrition or it's something my sleeve doesn't agree with. Everyone is different.

Feel fee to ask any questions.

Best wishes to you

[misslex 12]

Thank you for your reply!! All the cons of the band didnt bother so long as it was working (fills, the slime in my mouth, food stuck, vomitting) but now that I am unfilled because of the slip, I do have to admitt that it is kind of nice not to have all that.... I am just scared to spend more money for something that might not work...I know I have to do my part too, which I feel I can because I DID with the band. I gained about 5-10 lbs when my dad got sick (Lukemia) but I really feel I could have gotten that back off if the band hadnt slipped then too.... Thanks again!

[Skywalker 170]

Thank you for your reply!! All the cons of the band didnt bother so long as it was working (fills, the slime in my mouth, food stuck, vomitting) but now that I am unfilled because of the slip, I do have to admitt that it is kind of nice not to have all that.... I am just scared to spend more money for something that might not work...I know I have to do my part too, which I feel I can because I DID with the band. I gained about 5-10 lbs when my dad got sick (Lukemia) but I really feel I could have gotten that back off if the band hadnt slipped then too.... Thanks again!

Misslex,

I understand the hesitation with money; if money was not a consideration, I would have already had a WLS and be on my way now. From what I understand, insurance companies will cover one WLS in your lifetime. If you were self pay for the band, can you Dr. annotate the slippage/complication and try to get you in for the sleeve? I know the savings of 17,000 would sure seem worth it to jump through a few hoops.