2009 band patient, hate it, see Dr Wed about sleeve

[hugs4you1971 0]

I'm nervous. I've gained all my pre band weight back then then some. I was thinking about getting the sleeve if my insurance allows me to get it.

I HATE the band and regret it. I need all the person experience with the sleeve good and bad...PLEASE any advice.

[Jason In Houston 93]

I've never had the band, so I don't know what you're dealing with. A distant relative had a band-to-sleeve revision last year and she's happy. Having heard her story, and on the advice of my surgeon, I went straight for the sleeve. My other option was standard bypass, but that seemed like more life-long maintenance and potential issues to worry about.

At first, it's just surgery recovery. A coworker described my post-op diet as "newborn on fast-forward." I think that's pretty accurate. I was on solid foods after 6 weeks, and almost entirely unrestricted by 3 months.

At around 5 months out, I started getting hungry again. Not family-bucket-of-KFC hungry, but I-forgot-to-eat-Breakfast hungry. Today, I can eat about two chicken legs and feel very full, and a few cubes of cheese or a dozen almonds is enough to satisfy me for several hours. If I eat too much - even one extra bite - I puke.

I can drink as much as I want before a meal. Gulping traps air in my stomach and causes a burp, so I sip or use a straw. More than a sip during or right after a meal makes me feel overfull and causes me to puke.

Every food I've tried so far works, but some didn't at first. I don't have trouble with straws. Some do. I haven't tried bubble gum or alcohol.

[hockeyfan7 249]

I'm a band to sleeve revision. I had my sleeve surgery on June 1st. I am so much happier with the sleeve. I haven't thrown up once. I can eat like a real person although the portions are tiny. I can eat chicken again - I couldn't eat chicken in any shape, sort or form with my band. I don't have to get up in a restaurant and go to the bathroom and throw up the little bit I just ate because it's stuck.

I can drink just fine with a straw. I hate Water so the only way I will drink it is ice cold with a straw. And adding Crystal Light or anything else doesn't help. I just have to make myself drink it.

I am so glad that band is gone. I don't miss the port moving and scraping across a nerve and hurting like heck. I don't miss throwing up everything I tried to eat. I'm happy with my choice to revise to the sleeve.

[hugs4you1971 0]

Thank you both for your responses. Please continue to keep me posted...