Lap Band to Sleeve

[stacey8220 2]

Hi! I'm having my lap-band removed September 13th and once healed I will have the sleeve done. I have been banded for 10 years and I am so nervous. I am nervous that a million things could go wrong and that I might not be able to get the sleeve. My surgeon told me that it would be a two step process so I know its not going to get done in the same day but I am just so worried I would be able to get another bariatric surgery. Before I was banded I weighed 295. My lowest weight with the band was 164. Last Summer I started having issues where my food was getting backed up in my esophagus and making me vomit. My band can no longer take fills. I actually gain weight still with fills. I now weigh 214 pounds. I was hoping maybe somebody is in the same situation as me or have done this as well and can be my support. My family is a great support but obviously they have never had a bariatric surgery before so none of us know what to expect.

[Matt Z 4,139]

7 hours ago, stacey8220 said:

Hi! I'm having my lap-band removed September 13th and once healed I will have the sleeve done. I have been banded for 10 years and I am so nervous. I am nervous that a million things could go wrong and that I might not be able to get the sleeve. My surgeon told me that it would be a two step process so I know its not going to get done in the same day but I am just so worried I would be able to get another bariatric surgery. Before I was banded I weighed 295. My lowest weight with the band was 164. Last Summer I started having issues where my food was getting backed up in my esophagus and making me vomit. My band can no longer take fills. I actually gain weight still with fills. I now weigh 214 pounds. I was hoping maybe somebody is in the same situation as me or have done this as well and can be my support. My family is a great support but obviously they have never had a bariatric surgery before so none of us know what to expect.

Why not just revise in 1 surgery? There are **PLENTY** of folks that have Band to Sleeve or Band to Bypass revision done in the same day, curious why your doc wants to do it in 2 steps rather than 1 like most cases.

Something to be aware of, the sleeve has the potential side effect (actually effects most people) where acid reflux is increased.

My doctor refuses to do Band to Sleeve revisions because the sleeve staple line runs right through the scar tissue the band has created, and this causes a potential weak spot on a high pressure incision. There are plenty of folks that have gone from Band to Sleeve, I agreed with my surgeons logic and reasoning and went for the Bypass. Best decision I ever made getting that band out... I didn't have any major issues, but my band was 100% encapsulated in scar tissue and took my surgical team more than 3 times longer to remove than it should have. No idea what would have happened if I didn't have it removed! But, even though it was a very tedious removal, I was revised to the bypass in the same exact surgery.

[AASosa 56]

I had a lapband installed in 2011 and had it removed this past April and had the sleeve revision done in the same surgery. I would strongly consider doing the same no point in having two surgeries and two recoveries.

The lapband was Hell I was always stuck and throwing up while loosing weight and then plateaued and would just get stuck all the time. Saucey foods became a normal just to get the food to go in and Fluid intake sucked.

The sleeve has been way easier for me, the initial liquid diet part was difficult but tolerable and the post surgery diet while could stand to be better has been more forgiving since portions are extremely limited.

Id get another opinion on your surgery methods.

Good luck

[Vizslamom 92]

Right with you. Had lap band 12 years ago. Dropped 100 pounds and stayed in the 220's for years. Then the trouble started. Dilated esophagus. Slip. Blah blah blah. Had the band removed a year ago - my doc does not do revisions at time of removal - I had to clear up damage first. Horrible weight gain since removal. I'm getting the sleeve next week. Can't wait.

[Frustr8 7,886]

And still SOME DOCTORS still put them in today? I guess money💰 talks and Good sense🚶 walks.

[Mrsplace 4]

I just had a band to sleeve revision on 7/24. Best decision ever.

[Screwballski 540]

I do not understand why, unless there are complications, a surgeon would put a patient through two procedures. Especially at your low weight!

I had the Band to Sleeve revision on May 17th. All in one day. My band was a nightmare from the very first week in 2005. I vomited for 12+ years nearly ever time I ate. Never kept a fill. Rotated port. Scar tissue. Terrible pain. You name it, I went through it...and accepted it because I was too busy to do something about it.

This sleeve has changed everything. Immediately. No return of reflux. My giant port scar tissue tumor is gone. And recovery was a breeze. The nightmare is OVER!

[Sanders001 10]

If you don’t have any crazy issues I’d look for a surgeon who will do it all at once including repair a hiatal hernia if you have one, which I’m sure you do. I had my band for 10 years and had the revision and hernia repair on 8/14. I do not recover well after ANY surgery so there is no way I would go through with it if I had to wait. If you are in Dallas or even if you’re not Dr Scott Stowers is amazing!

[TakingBackChrissy 9]

I had the LapBand done in August of 2012 and it's been nothing but a nightmare! The surgeon and surgery itself went fine, but had I known I'd forever have food "stuck" and be miserable I'd have opted for a different surgery. I was over 500lbs when I decided to have it put in and lost to 460lbs the day of surgery. I only ever dropped to 403lbs - And NONE of it was the healthy way. I was ALWAYS hungry and I said all the time, the stuff that I SHOULD eat gets stuck, but the things I shoudn't eat sits just fine. For a long time, I blamed myself for this issue, but find it's a pretty common occurrence for Banders I hear now. I would NEVER recommend this surgery for anyone...If it was the Band or nothing, I'd have chose nothing!

So, years later I ballooned back over 500lbs. I went to a fitness camp for 6mo and with their help and all the knowledge I took home, I'm down to 389lbs as of today. I am scheduled to have my band removed next month and have the sleeve done at the same time. I have plans down the road to have the sleeve then revised into the DS, which is basically the sleeve with the added malabsorption part included. Because my BMI still sits so high and the possible complications from band removal, my surgeon refused to do the full DS at one time - But felt confident the sleeve and band removal could be done simultaneously.

For me, the band made me feel like a total failure and that I'd forever be doomed to be over 500lbs. Through thorough nutrition and exercise education, I finally feel like I'm going to be able to get my life back! The sleeve is just one step on my journey there.

Best of luck to you and whatever your surgeon suggests, I'd follow those recommendations if you trust him! (But always do your research and stick to your guns on what's right for you!)

[dmprem 25]

Hi! I'm having my lap-band removed September 13th and once healed I will have the sleeve done. I have been banded for 10 years and I am so nervous. I am nervous that a million things could go wrong and that I might not be able to get the sleeve. My surgeon told me that it would be a two step process so I know its not going to get done in the same day but I am just so worried I would be able to get another bariatric surgery. Before I was banded I weighed 295. My lowest weight with the band was 164. Last Summer I started having issues where my food was getting backed up in my esophagus and making me vomit. My band can no longer take fills. I actually gain weight still with fills. I now weigh 214 pounds. I was hoping maybe somebody is in the same situation as me or have done this as well and can be my support. My family is a great support but obviously they have never had a bariatric surgery before so none of us know what to expect.

I had my band for 5 1/2 years and didn't have any problems (except weight gain) until about 8 months ago when I went to get a fill. The doctor couldn't find my port which is never been an issue in the past. Turns out my port was turned around and underneath scar tissue. Moving forward on July 23rd approximately 4 weeks ago I had my lap band removed and revision to the sleeve. In my case my lap band did not come out easily for the doctor. It was bolted in with mesh, and attached to my abdomen. My 45-minute surgery took about 2 hours and 15 minutes. But there were no complications other than that and my doctor was able to continue with the sleeve gastrectomy right away. I'm telling you this just to make you aware I did have pain longer than most people do, in my incision mostly. I was pretty weak for about two and a half weeks. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks and I finally feel almost like myself. It was so worth it though. I had a stall after 2 weeks, but I'm now down about 24 pounds since my surgery date. Good luck, you'll do great! Just trust your surgeon!

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[hope2 35]

I had the LapBand done in August of 2012 and it's been nothing but a nightmare! The surgeon and surgery itself went fine, but had I known I'd forever have food "stuck" and be miserable I'd have opted for a different surgery. I was over 500lbs when I decided to have it put in and lost to 460lbs the day of surgery. I only ever dropped to 403lbs - And NONE of it was the healthy way. I was ALWAYS hungry and I said all the time, the stuff that I SHOULD eat gets stuck, but the things I shoudn't eat sits just fine. For a long time, I blamed myself for this issue, but find it's a pretty common occurrence for Banders I hear now. I would NEVER recommend this surgery for anyone...If it was the Band or nothing, I'd have chose nothing!
So, years later I ballooned back over 500lbs. I went to a fitness camp for 6mo and with their help and all the knowledge I took home, I'm down to 389lbs as of today. I am scheduled to have my band removed next month and have the sleeve done at the same time. I have plans down the road to have the sleeve then revised into the DS, which is basically the sleeve with the added malabsorption part included. Because my BMI still sits so high and the possible complications from band removal, my surgeon refused to do the full DS at one time - But felt confident the sleeve and band removal could be done simultaneously.
For me, the band made me feel like a total failure and that I'd forever be doomed to be over 500lbs. Through thorough nutrition and exercise education, I finally feel like I'm going to be able to get my life back! The sleeve is just one step on my journey there.
Best of luck to you and whatever your surgeon suggests, I'd follow those recommendations if you trust him! (But always do your research and stick to your guns on what's right for you!)

I came home from the hospital today. My surgery took 4 hours and the couldn't get the port out without cutting above it. I don't have much pain at all currently do not feel overly exhausted.

Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

[JessaK 59]

On 8/14/2018 at 10:34 AM, Vizslamom said:

Right with you. Had lap band 12 years ago. Dropped 100 pounds and stayed in the 220's for years. Then the trouble started. Dilated esophagus. Slip. Blah blah blah. Had the band removed a year ago - my doc does not do revisions at time of removal - I had to clear up damage first. Horrible weight gain since removal. I'm getting the sleeve next week. Can't wait.

This was my exact experience as well. 10 years on the Band & 110lbs lost. I had a major slip and had it removed in emergency surgery. I gained 90 lbs back in a year. I just had the sleeve and I’m 12 days post op. I was really great after surgery. I was the first of the 6 patients on my surgery to get discharged. I’ve been feeling great but super weak. I commonly get a vesa-vagal response and it’s acting up. A few times a day it humbles me and makes me lay down. At my 10 day follow up appointment I had lost 14.17% of my excess body weight. The first week it fell off but it’s starting to even out and come off much more slowly now.

[BarbJK 15]

I had the band in Nov 2011, but had it removed this April due to dilated esophagus. My surgeon required 3 months of healing before doing the sleeve, so I am now on tap for the sleeve 11/27. Upper GI done in June showed the esophagus almost back to normal, so yay!