Any one else go from LapBand to Gastric Sleeve or the like?

[chrissyypie 1]

Just wondering if there are others out there who have gone through two bariatric surgeries to attain their goals, what the outcomes and differences have been thus far, and if you've had any complications along the way.

In June of 2011 I weighed in at a stealthy 375lbs. at 38 years of age and my parents offered to provide LapBand surgery for myself and my Little Sister, who had the same surgery, same day. After the initial healing period, we began a strict regiment of eating right and working out. We made sure we got our daily intake of protien and worked out 50-80 minutes 5-6 days per week for over a year solid. We both saw great results and lost about 75lbs. Unfortunately, I seemed to plateau after that and just maintained that weight loss for another year though I'd toned up considerably. All totaled, I ended up losing 95lbs. in about 2 years' time.

In the winter of 2013 I became very ill and my LapBand went wonky on me. In Spring 2014 I was told that my stomach had prolapsed (pushed itself through the band) and since it was refusing to relax, the band would have to be completely drained, adjusted, and/or removed. It broke my heart. My parents paid for my surgery and I was not in a position to do so again.

I fell into depression and, without the Band, gained back almost 40lbs. My wonderful husband encouraged me to look into my health insurance, which I found would pay once for about 70% of surgery costs and I qualified because my LapBand was determined to be a obstructionto my health. We headed to the bank and got a signature loan for the other amount needed and I was on my way to fixing the problem. I was scheduled for LapBand removal and Gastric Sleeve surgery on January 5, 2015. I weighed in at 309lbs.

The surgery seemed to go well for the first 5 days but at the end of day 6 something went wrong and extreme pain doubled me over. We rushed back to the hospital and the surgeon initially accused me of having eaten something in that first week (liquids only). I insisted that I hadn't and he later apologized when a contract CT scan showed that I had two holes in the TOP of my stomach and an abcess growing in my gut. I was hospitalized for the next week, put on strong antibiotics and pain killers, and my doctor told me on day 9 that he must have put the holes in my stomach with the coterizing tool. I appreciated his honesty and just asked him to fix it. They installed a J-Pouch drain in my abdoment and I fought a nasty infection for the next 2 months, losing over 60lbs. in the process while fairly bed-ridden. To my doctor's credit, he worked things out with the hospital and home-health so I owed nothing for the stay or the vast majority of services received from either.

Here we are, almost 7 months post-op and I weighed in at 238lbs. this morning! Funny to think that I will gladly give any stranger my weight now - one of the odd things that happens after WLS. I began in a size 30 and am currently wearing size 16 hand-me-downs from my best friend. I became lactose intolerant with the Gastric Sleeve surgery in January but that's probably a good thing with Blue Bell trying to recover! It's made Protein intake difficult so I know I'm deficient there but I've finally worked in my Vitamins and whatnot into my regimen. I lost 1/3 of my hair following surgery, also, but started taking 10,000 mg. of Biotin/day and it's growing back. All tolled - I'm better for the wear!

[hockeyfan7 249]

Yes I had lap band surgery in 2012 and didn't get decent results. They could never get me in the green zone with the fills. Starting in late 2014 I kept throwing everything up even liquids. In April they took out all the fill in my band and I had a revision to the sleeve on June 1st.

Sorry to hear you had all those issues. I've been fortunate and haven't had any so far. I do not miss throwing up or that port sliding around across a nerve and giving me sharp stabbing pains.