Why is everyone converting from band to sleeve?

[Icantbelieveit 955]

Probably an odd question, but can you throw up kind of normally with the band? Or does it restrict in and out?

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[Who'sThere 331]

Probably an odd question, but can you throw up kind of normally with the band? Or does it restrict in and out?

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I wouldn't say it's normal, but you can throw up. It's painful. I had hyperemesis with my pregnancy and should've had an unfilled sooner. It was awful!

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[GoCubbies79 31]

My surgeon is phasing out doing the band as well. He feels that many people "abuse the band" and then blame the band.

Here is my theory, with the band you still have that big hungry stomach under there, growling to be fed. Just like any other diet it will work for a while when you are super motivated, but after you get tired of being hungry you figure out ways to eat around the band. I have heard of people drinking milk shakes, etc.

While I understand that ANY WLS is just a tool and we still have to work at it, the restrictions or the other surgeries seem to help more people long term (not all of course, you can always gain back if you aren't careful)

I didn't like the idea of the band when I first heard or it. I understand people like the fact that it is reversible but I don't like the idea of that object being in my all the time. Now many people are having slippage, corrosion, etc of the band.

Some people are successful with it but lots of surgeons are not happy with the stats.

I'm revising from band to sleeve in two weeks.

If you didn't have the band, please don't make broad statements about why I need this revision.

I didn't "abuse the band". It injured me and continues to do so.

I had my band for more than six years- I thought it would be in place forever. Unfortunately, my body has decided that enough is enough. My esophagus is worn out from working hard to get food through the restriction. It has nothing to do with eating around the band or drinking milkshakes. I did what was asked-I continued care with my surgeon, I saw the dietitian and exercise physiologist, and ate as required for six years. I lost a lot of weight but once things started going bad, none of that mattered. I did my due diligence and researched before I was banded in 2010.

I resent your implication that I did this to myself. You have your theories about why the band doesn't work, but you need to be careful when you make blanket statements.

Yes, it's dropped in usage but it isn't just because everyone abused it or ate around it-the problem is with the device itself.

OP-I'm revising because I can no longer eat food and have it go through without sitting in the back of my throat. My last upper GI showed that the barium didn't clear the band for almost five minutes. My band now sits empty, ready for revision.

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Amen. I love your reply.

I had lapband surgery back in 2011, when i weight over 500lbs. The band was great and I lost over 240lbs. Life was great. I was running, exercising everyday, staying up on ally support doctors, dieticians, fills etc.

Back in 2014 after a fill the band eroded into my stomach. I was not drinking milkshakes, overeating, or finding ways to overeat. Long story short I spent a week in the hospital on two of the best anitibiotics known to man and required emergency surgery to removed the band. I then spent the next two months out of work on hardcore oral antibiotics treating a staph infection that nearly killed me.

Do not ever make assumptions or accusations that you know everything about what some of us went through. If you are just starting trouble because of your own insecurities take it somewhere else because some of us actually use this site as a portion of our continued support.

Sorry for the rant but I could not keep that in.

I went forward with bypass surgery andbhad it oct 3rd 2016. I will keep you all posted on how it goes.

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[Luce587 48]

I had my band surgery in November 2012. It was great to start with, and I had great restriction and good weight loss, but upset my gallbladder. I was having sometimes daily attacks and we didn't know what was going on. I thought I was experiencing a "stuck" moment, but after 9 months of back and forth for fills and unfills and my surgeon not really sure what was going on his associate sent me for an ultrasound. It showed so many stones... i was scheduled for its removal and had to have all my fill out for the op.

And that was where my weightloss started to stall. In the 2 years after that I've lost only 10kg and struggle with being too restricted or not restricted enough. I'm just tired of not losing my weight and that the band isn't really working for me the way it should.

I'm looking into getting a band to sleeve revision in January 2017.

[Mimi52 103]

I had my band surgery in 1/2011 first 8 months good, but after that had so many issues. Couldn't get correct fill. Slipped 3 times and after each slip had to have all Fluid taken out and wait 3 months to start filling again. Which meant weight gain. Just did not work for me. So finally decided to do the sleeve. So happy had it on 9/27/16.

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[KeepCalm 223]

My surgeon is phasing out doing the band as well. He feels that many people "abuse the band" and then blame the band.

Here is my theory, with the band you still have that big hungry stomach under there, growling to be fed. Just like any other diet it will work for a while when you are super motivated, but after you get tired of being hungry you figure out ways to eat around the band. I have heard of people drinking milk shakes, etc.

While I understand that ANY WLS is just a tool and we still have to work at it, the restrictions or the other surgeries seem to help more people long term (not all of course, you can always gain back if you aren't careful)

I didn't like the idea of the band when I first heard or it. I understand people like the fact that it is reversible but I don't like the idea of that object being in my all the time. Now many people are having slippage, corrosion, etc of the band.

Some people are successful with it but lots of surgeons are not happy with the stats.

I'm revising from band to sleeve in two weeks.

If you didn't have the band, please don't make broad statements about why I need this revision.

I didn't "abuse the band". It injured me and continues to do so.

I had my band for more than six years- I thought it would be in place forever. Unfortunately, my body has decided that enough is enough. My esophagus is worn out from working hard to get food through the restriction. It has nothing to do with eating around the band or drinking milkshakes. I did what was asked-I continued care with my surgeon, I saw the dietitian and exercise physiologist, and ate as required for six years. I lost a lot of weight but once things started going bad, none of that mattered. I did my due diligence and researched before I was banded in 2010.

I resent your implication that I did this to myself. You have your theories about why the band doesn't work, but you need to be careful when you make blanket statements.

Yes, it's dropped in usage but it isn't just because everyone abused it or ate around it-the problem is with the device itself.

OP-I'm revising because I can no longer eat food and have it go through without sitting in the back of my throat. My last upper GI showed that the barium didn't clear the band for almost five minutes. My band now sits empty, ready for revision.

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Amen. I love your reply.

I had lapband surgery back in 2011, when i weight over 500lbs. The band was great and I lost over 240lbs. Life was great. I was running, exercising everyday, staying up on ally support doctors, dieticians, fills etc.

Back in 2014 after a fill the band eroded into my stomach. I was not drinking milkshakes, overeating, or finding ways to overeat. Long story short I spent a week in the hospital on two of the best anitibiotics known to man and required emergency surgery to removed the band. I then spent the next two months out of work on hardcore oral antibiotics treating a staph infection that nearly killed me.

Do not ever make assumptions or accusations that you know everything about what some of us went through. If you are just starting trouble because of your own insecurities take it somewhere else because some of us actually use this site as a portion of our continued support.

Sorry for the rant but I could not keep that in.

I went forward with bypass surgery andbhad it oct 3rd 2016. I will keep you all posted on how it goes.

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BTW - I just wanna point out that the orginal poster did not say or make a broad statement about abusing the band... she said her Surgeon did.

Anyhow, I revised because I stopped losing weight with the band - I was stuck at 270 for 8 years, I didn't gain any though. I did lose about 60 - 70lbs with it, and believe me I'm happy I started with it as the only other option I had back then was the gastric bypass... and I wasn't and am still not to thrilled with the idea of rerouting my internal organs. lopping part of one off though, obviously not that big of a deal to me. I need the restriction, I found that out during my brief 6 month stint of having no fill and sadly no willpower to say no to my wants. I've worked at saying no more often and learning to figure out the difference between mouth wants and stomach wants/needs. Its easier when your not running to the bathroom after every bite.

[thisisthenewme 358]

Simple for me: banded aug 2011, lost 70lbs, company I used went bankrupt , band slipped July 2014, caused daily vomiting, gained 70lbs, had it out and converted to bypass oct 2016!! Bands are horrible devises

So far 17.5lbs lost in 12 days!!

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[Candygyrl 637]

Band was never an option for me. I dont like the idea of a foreign object being surgically placed inside of me...recipe for disaster. Infection, erosion, displacement. The whole going back for fills and unfills and fill again just seems far too cumbersome. Nothing against anyone who does it... I used to work on a neurosurgery unit. Shunts placed in the brain, screws in the neck rods in the spine often came back infected. Now if I had to have a pacemaker to keep my heart pumping thats another story-- Now they have a balloon they can put in you-- Im curious to hear about HCL acid eroding the balloon releasing harmful levels of air into the bloodstream and the body turning against itself because its a foreign object and all--

Ok enough. Wishing you all the best with your Bands. I'm loving my sleeve!!!!!!! So happy with my irreversible decision. One and done!

[Sai 785]

Hmm, good question.

I had a revision to the sleeve because my surgeon suggested it. First, I want to say that I loved my band. I had it for 7 years. It helped me lose 129 lbs. and maintenance was relatively easy. The weight loss was steady. No hair loss, nothing drastic.

For me, the band problem was never severe (no erosion, no slipped band) but it was time and money consuming because my band tended to be fickle. The band can be a successful tool if you're dedicated to it, as with all tools. I think the most important part of it though... Is having a good surgeon. My first surgeon knew exactly how to fill it but then I moved, and as your body changes, sometimes the Fluid need changes. It was hard for me to find another surgeon who did the fills correctly. I was either too lose or too tight, and if you get too tight, you get a pouch dilation, and when you have a pouch dilation, they remove all your Fluid for months, wait for your stomach & esophagus to normalize, and then you go back through the phase of finding your sweet spot again. During those months with no restriction, you gain back some weight, and it's harder to take it off again. I went through that cycle twice which is why my new surgeon suggested the revision since Yo-yo dieting is one of the most unhealthiest things to do to our bodies.

[PorkChopExpress 820]

Band always seemed really non-committal to me. I figured if I was going to do surgery and make a permanent change in my life, having something I could just get taken out wasn't going to help me get where I needed to go.

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[Mimi52 103]

I did my revision as many complications with mine. A few slips which meant all Fluid taken out resting it for a few months and start all over. Started having issues where port was, stomach very sensitive to touch, surgeon suggested revision. So happy I did it. Down 16 lbs since 9/27. Was told would come off slower but not worried, following plan per surgeon and no more worries about slips.

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[Who'sThere 331]

Band always seemed really non-committal to me. I figured if I was going to do surgery and make a permanent change in my life, having something I could just get taken out wasn't going to help me get where I needed to go.

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I hadn't heard of the sleeve before I was banded, and this is kinda why I chose the band. I hadn't had a child. I had actually been told I couldn't but was still holding out hope....which is good because I now have a soon to be 4 year old, lol... In any case, I was scared that if I was pregnant I would not be able to nourish my child as well with RNY. I know lots of ladies do, but it was still a concern for me.

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[jennifer1 180]

I personally couldn't get used to the fact that I couldn't eat healthy foods with the band. Things like salads, some vegetables and lean meats were the hardest for me to get down. I had all my fill taken out about 4 years ago and up until last week (when I was sleeved) I would still vomit up certain foods. I hated it.

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ok i thought i was the only one. why is it that healthy foods are hard to get down! UGH!! i have had my band since 2011..it has slipped at least 3 times... currently it is empty and i'm going through the insurance process to get revised to the sleeve! i cant wait to start my new journey!

[Woobeesmom 5]

My band had eroded into my stomach and was pulling the port in with it. I thought my port had flipped. Had my band for 7 years. After a couple of years couldn't tell if I had fills or not. Opted for revision surgery. I am 3 weeks out and its the best decision.

[Sai 785]

Band always seemed really non-committal to me. I figured if I was going to do surgery and make a permanent change in my life, having something I could just get taken out wasn't going to help me get where I needed to go.

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I hadn't heard of the sleeve before I was banded, and this is kinda why I chose the band. I hadn't had a child. I had actually been told I couldn't but was still holding out hope....which is good because I now have a soon to be 4 year old, lol... In any case, I was scared that if I was pregnant I would not be able to nourish my child as well with RNY. I know lots of ladies do, but it was still a concern for me.

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Same here. In 2009, the sleeve wasn't the "go to" surgery as it is today, but I believe just a first step towards a multi-stage procedure. If it was available back then, I'm pretty sure I would've gone for it but the marketing back then concerning the lap band was amazing. It wasn't till years later that the stories of complication arose.