I'm Revising from Band to a Sleeve

[DAT 0]

Had my band to sleeve conversion on 10/20. Unfortunately I had a motorcycle accident five days before. So, although no broken bones, I was still allowed to have surgery with a very purple painful right side. Surgery went well, swallow test went well. Right now I'm still on liquids. The horrible stuff they gave me for my swallow test made me throw up and have some dry heaves. I told my doc that I was scared I might have weakened the staple line. He said it should be OK that it would take all day heaving to damage the staple line and sutures.

I am having watery stools since the op. And some burning in my stomach after eating/drinking. Anyone else have that problem?

OK now for the reason for the conversion. I had the lap band put in late 2004. In three years I lost sixty pounds. I am a 54 year old male who goes to the gym three times a week and does martial arts at least twice a week. I'm active and am not hindered by any severe physical ailments. Just the usual scoped knees, rotator cuff repair, etc. Based on what I ate and my activity level my docs and more importantly me, felt I should have lost 100lbs easy. We kept closing up the band until it got to the point where it was too tight and I had bad reflux and food was in my esophagus as much as in my stomach. Previous to that I had tremendous acid problems and was living on Protein pump inhibitors. I also contracted 13 ulcers and an h pylori infection. After visiting some different docs, including gastros, we all were convincing that the benefit of the band had reached its limit. I was one of those who hit a wall and the band was actually causing harm.

Fast forward, Dr. John Sweeney at Emory Hospital in Atlanta did the surgery this past Monday and here I am on the forum on Friday. I'm 5 10 and around 265 now and I just want to get to around 200lbs. My main reason for weight loss is my diabetes. About six years ago I topped out at 378lbs and despite losing over a hundred pounds my diabetes has not been improved one bit. Very discouraging to say the least. I'm going to keep on going though, keep moving in the exercise dept and keep learning how to cook and eat more healthy utilizing a more fresh organic diet. I love Dr. Weil, Dr. Jordan Rubin and that crazy Gary Null.

The only anxiety that I have about the sleeve at this point is staple line failure. Does anyone know whether you come to a point where if you haven't leaked by now you never will?

[MacMadame 81]

The only anxiety that I have about the sleeve at this point is staple line failure. Does anyone know whether you come to a point where if you haven't leaked by now you never will?

Yes, the major danger point is the first 2 weeks -- which is why 99% of the docs have you on a liquid diet during this time. Then after that, there is still a chance until somewhere in the 1 to 2 month timeframe (I've heard 1 month, 6 weeks and 2 months).

In a study I read with hundreds of sleeve patients, followed for several years, no one had a complication of any sort after 3 months out. So I consider that my "safety" point.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

The pain and burning with liquids could be the type of liquids you are drinking. Right after surgery it burned to drink OJ, grapefruit juice, etc.

Loose stools... liquids in/liquids out.

[DAT 0]

Thanks I feel better now about a set time frame to monitor things. Question, did anyone of those studies or links indicate what type of activity increased the risk of staple line failure, or was it just a question of the surgeon's snafu? I'm thinking about too much liquid, sleeping positions, bending, coughing, sneezing, etc.

[MacMadame 81]

Definitely eating real food before 2 weeks are out is associated with staple line failure. So is surgeon skill. Some surgeons have horrible leak percentages. You want your surgeon to have a % less than 1.

I don't think things like sleeping position could really make a dent. Or even sneezing. Our organs are so protected. The human body is actually pretty well designed that way.

Other than that, it's just stuff that happens. Even the best surgeons have unexplained staple line failures.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thanks I feel better now about a set time frame to monitor things. Question, did anyone of those studies or links indicate what type of activity increased the risk of staple line failure, or was it just a question of the surgeon's snafu? I'm thinking about too much liquid, sleeping positions, bending, coughing, sneezing, etc.

It's a little bit surgeon skill with an equal amount of patient compliance.

[DAT 0]

Gracias sleeve hermanas! :tongue:

I'm definitely going to stay on what they categorize at Emory in Atlanta as Full Liquids for two weeks and then on to puree.

I think I'll more happy to hit 3 mo post op with no leakage issues than if I were to lose a whole lotta weight. But that's just me.