onmyway11

I was revised in January from a band to a sleeve. It’s an amazing difference. I’m down 103 from my highest and I don’t think I lost more than 30 lbs (which I gained back) with the band. It’s night and day and incredibly easier to live with!


Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 180
GW: 160

I was revised in January from a band to a sleeve. It’s an amazing difference. I’m down 103 from my highest and I don’t think I lost more than 30 lbs (which I gained back) with the band. It’s night and day and incredibly easier to live with!


Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 180
GW: 160

I was revised in January from a band to a sleeve. It’s an amazing difference. I’m down 103 from my highest and I don’t think I lost more than 30 lbs (which I gained back) with the band. It’s night and day and incredibly easier to live with!


Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 180
GW: 160

I can only tell you my story and I have had both. The band for me was AWFUL. AWFUL! I can't believe I lived with it for 5 years. I had port pain for 5 years it never went away. Sure sometimes I couldn't feel it but many many times years later at night I could feel it and it was sore. The other nightmare about the band is that if you eat one bite of something that doesn't go thru you are in trouble. So for example an innocent piece of broccoli? You experience pain and being to slime and can only hope it will come back up. This happened to me at restaurants, people's houses, during birthday dinners with my family. I missed so much in the bathroom praying that little piece of whatever would come up. It's not if you overeat it's if it goes down wrong. Slider foods? Have fun with that bc you can drink a mcdonalds shake and eat crackers or Cookies and you can eat a lot of them. Lastly I never lost any weight. Maybe 20lbs in the beginning. But that's it! You can eat slider foods so much more easily with the band and you probably will if you have the experiences I did with the healthier foods not going down. If it was choice for me to eat crackers that were guaranteed to not give me a problem I would choose that over a salad with chicken because who needs that kind of work?

Fast forward 5 years and I finally revised to a sleeve in January. My only regret is that I didn't start here and wasted so much time suffering with the band. I'm down 100 lbs in a size 10 jeans and I feel amazing. I can eat small amounts of whatever I want however I have become a much healthier eater. For example we are tailgating tomorrow and I made a ton of food today and a huge veggie tray that I will munch on. With the band I would have planned on chips and salsa so I didn't end up in the bathroom for the entire game.

As far as keeping the weight off no tool will do that for you. This is a long and difficult journey. My weight loss is slowing down now dramatically and I have to start thinking about maintenance and it's scary. However the past 9 months have been preparing me and I feel optimistic that I will be able to continue eating healthy and since I am unable to binge on anything I really think I'm gonna make it.

I know there are some people that have been successful with the band and maybe they will tell you differently that it works and go for it but it absolutely did not work for me it worked against me. The sleeve is a dream and I'm so so so happy I did it! Good luck!


Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 183
GW: 160

I can only tell you my story and I have had both. The band for me was AWFUL. AWFUL! I can't believe I lived with it for 5 years. I had port pain for 5 years it never went away. Sure sometimes I couldn't feel it but many many times years later at night I could feel it and it was sore. The other nightmare about the band is that if you eat one bite of something that doesn't go thru you are in trouble. So for example an innocent piece of broccoli? You experience pain and being to slime and can only hope it will come back up. This happened to me at restaurants, people's houses, during birthday dinners with my family. I missed so much in the bathroom praying that little piece of whatever would come up. It's not if you overeat it's if it goes down wrong. Slider foods? Have fun with that bc you can drink a mcdonalds shake and eat crackers or Cookies and you can eat a lot of them. Lastly I never lost any weight. Maybe 20lbs in the beginning. But that's it! You can eat slider foods so much more easily with the band and you probably will if you have the experiences I did with the healthier foods not going down. If it was choice for me to eat crackers that were guaranteed to not give me a problem I would choose that over a salad with chicken because who needs that kind of work?

Fast forward 5 years and I finally revised to a sleeve in January. My only regret is that I didn't start here and wasted so much time suffering with the band. I'm down 100 lbs in a size 10 jeans and I feel amazing. I can eat small amounts of whatever I want however I have become a much healthier eater. For example we are tailgating tomorrow and I made a ton of food today and a huge veggie tray that I will munch on. With the band I would have planned on chips and salsa so I didn't end up in the bathroom for the entire game.

As far as keeping the weight off no tool will do that for you. This is a long and difficult journey. My weight loss is slowing down now dramatically and I have to start thinking about maintenance and it's scary. However the past 9 months have been preparing me and I feel optimistic that I will be able to continue eating healthy and since I am unable to binge on anything I really think I'm gonna make it.

I know there are some people that have been successful with the band and maybe they will tell you differently that it works and go for it but it absolutely did not work for me it worked against me. The sleeve is a dream and I'm so so so happy I did it! Good luck!


Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 183
GW: 160

I can only tell you my story and I have had both. The band for me was AWFUL. AWFUL! I can't believe I lived with it for 5 years. I had port pain for 5 years it never went away. Sure sometimes I couldn't feel it but many many times years later at night I could feel it and it was sore. The other nightmare about the band is that if you eat one bite of something that doesn't go thru you are in trouble. So for example an innocent piece of broccoli? You experience pain and being to slime and can only hope it will come back up. This happened to me at restaurants, people's houses, during birthday dinners with my family. I missed so much in the bathroom praying that little piece of whatever would come up. It's not if you overeat it's if it goes down wrong. Slider foods? Have fun with that bc you can drink a mcdonalds shake and eat crackers or Cookies and you can eat a lot of them. Lastly I never lost any weight. Maybe 20lbs in the beginning. But that's it! You can eat slider foods so much more easily with the band and you probably will if you have the experiences I did with the healthier foods not going down. If it was choice for me to eat crackers that were guaranteed to not give me a problem I would choose that over a salad with chicken because who needs that kind of work?

Fast forward 5 years and I finally revised to a sleeve in January. My only regret is that I didn't start here and wasted so much time suffering with the band. I'm down 100 lbs in a size 10 jeans and I feel amazing. I can eat small amounts of whatever I want however I have become a much healthier eater. For example we are tailgating tomorrow and I made a ton of food today and a huge veggie tray that I will munch on. With the band I would have planned on chips and salsa so I didn't end up in the bathroom for the entire game.

As far as keeping the weight off no tool will do that for you. This is a long and difficult journey. My weight loss is slowing down now dramatically and I have to start thinking about maintenance and it's scary. However the past 9 months have been preparing me and I feel optimistic that I will be able to continue eating healthy and since I am unable to binge on anything I really think I'm gonna make it.

I know there are some people that have been successful with the band and maybe they will tell you differently that it works and go for it but it absolutely did not work for me it worked against me. The sleeve is a dream and I'm so so so happy I did it! Good luck!


Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 183
GW: 160

I can only tell you my story and I have had both. The band for me was AWFUL. AWFUL! I can't believe I lived with it for 5 years. I had port pain for 5 years it never went away. Sure sometimes I couldn't feel it but many many times years later at night I could feel it and it was sore. The other nightmare about the band is that if you eat one bite of something that doesn't go thru you are in trouble. So for example an innocent piece of broccoli? You experience pain and being to slime and can only hope it will come back up. This happened to me at restaurants, people's houses, during birthday dinners with my family. I missed so much in the bathroom praying that little piece of whatever would come up. It's not if you overeat it's if it goes down wrong. Slider foods? Have fun with that bc you can drink a mcdonalds shake and eat crackers or Cookies and you can eat a lot of them. Lastly I never lost any weight. Maybe 20lbs in the beginning. But that's it! You can eat slider foods so much more easily with the band and you probably will if you have the experiences I did with the healthier foods not going down. If it was choice for me to eat crackers that were guaranteed to not give me a problem I would choose that over a salad with chicken because who needs that kind of work?

Fast forward 5 years and I finally revised to a sleeve in January. My only regret is that I didn't start here and wasted so much time suffering with the band. I'm down 100 lbs in a size 10 jeans and I feel amazing. I can eat small amounts of whatever I want however I have become a much healthier eater. For example we are tailgating tomorrow and I made a ton of food today and a huge veggie tray that I will munch on. With the band I would have planned on chips and salsa so I didn't end up in the bathroom for the entire game.

As far as keeping the weight off no tool will do that for you. This is a long and difficult journey. My weight loss is slowing down now dramatically and I have to start thinking about maintenance and it's scary. However the past 9 months have been preparing me and I feel optimistic that I will be able to continue eating healthy and since I am unable to binge on anything I really think I'm gonna make it.

I know there are some people that have been successful with the band and maybe they will tell you differently that it works and go for it but it absolutely did not work for me it worked against me. The sleeve is a dream and I'm so so so happy I did it! Good luck!


Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 183
GW: 160

I'm 8 months out and experiencing my first stomach virus. I'm miserable. I've noticed that what I'm getting up and out (you see where I'm going with this) is minimal. I'm wondering if because of this the virus is taking longer to move through my system. This is day 4. Wahhhh
Has anyone experienced the stomach virus post surgery and had the same experience? Any advise appreciated. Thanks!
Band to sleeve revision surgery 1/16/17
HW: 283
CW: 184
GW: 160

Do it! I too was banded in 2011 and revised mid January of this year. Today I got on the scale lighter than I ever was with the band. After 2 and a half months.

The sleeve is completely different. It works. It's not VIOLENT. You will not take a random bite of an apple and be in pain for a half an hour. You won't have port pain for forever. You will still need to work and I'm far far from having this all figured out but if your experience was anything like mine you will be very very happy you took the plunge.

Oh and also I felt this surgery was easier than the band. I don't know why I was super diligent of about Water and walking maybe??

Good luck with your decision. I was super emotional and nervous about this surgery. Something about "doing it again" that made me feel incredibly anxious. I know how you feel but this can and most likely will be your answer!


Lap band 9/2011
Revision to gastric sleeve 1/2017
HW:283
CW:225
Goal:160

I'm 2.5 weeks out from band to sleeve revision. Let me just say...yay! Totally totally different. Very happy. I had a band for 5 years and the port discomfort never truly disappeared during those years. I didn't always feel it but sometimes it bothered me mostly getting comfortable at nighttime in bed. I just feel like I always knew it was there.
I think the pain I'm having now is where the port used to be?? It could just be bc that's the biggest incision?? Did any of you have this?know it's still early but I'm hoping this will heal and eventually feel normal.
Also this far out which position should I be sleeping in? Sleeping on my back hurts my back sleeping on my side hurts that previous port area. Sigh.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Any advise on what to bring? I'm scheduled Monday morning YIKES! I'm nervous and excited and a little worried about a slight head cold causing a reschedule but I'm ready. I'm down 25lbs and excited to start my journey!
I've read to bring gas x strips to help with the gas, headphones and earplugs to drown out the hospital noise, loose clothing and chapstick. Am I missing anything?
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Any advise on what to bring? I'm scheduled Monday morning YIKES! I'm nervous and excited and a little worried about a slight head cold causing a reschedule but I'm ready. I'm down 25lbs and excited to start my journey!
I've read to bring gas x strips to help with the gas, headphones and earplugs to drown out the hospital noise, loose clothing and chapstick. Am I missing anything?
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Any advise on what to bring? I'm scheduled Monday morning YIKES! I'm nervous and excited and a little worried about a slight head cold causing a reschedule but I'm ready. I'm down 25lbs and excited to start my journey!
I've read to bring gas x strips to help with the gas, headphones and earplugs to drown out the hospital noise, loose clothing and chapstick. Am I missing anything?
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I went to my surgeon fully prepared to choose bypass surgery and he told me that his sleeve patients are losing the same amount of weight as his bypass patients. And also that he had only preformed one bypass in recent months because everyone was choosing the sleeve.
The sleeve makes me nervous because I am a band failure. I'm not sure I want to do a surgery that is not the "gold standard" bc I'm afraid I will fail at losing weight.
I've met with 3 women that have had weight loss surgery in recent months one that did bypass and is very thin. One a sleeve that is at a healthy weight might need to lose another 15 or so and one that did a sleeve and regained 40lbs recently. THATS what I'm afraid of. After going through so much with the band I want to get this one right!
The sleeve is of course more appealing. I'm hoping you band to sleevers can tell me your thoughts on why you chose the sleeve and if you are happy you did and didn't go to bypass. Also if you believe there's a motive for my surgeon to encourage the sleeve over bypass (easier surgery i.e. Better for him) I'm not a conspiracy person just wondering why and that's in the back of my head.
Thank you so much for your advise!

I went to my surgeon fully prepared to choose bypass surgery and he told me that his sleeve patients are losing the same amount of weight as his bypass patients. And also that he had only preformed one bypass in recent months because everyone was choosing the sleeve.
The sleeve makes me nervous because I am a band failure. I'm not sure I want to do a surgery that is not the "gold standard" bc I'm afraid I will fail at losing weight.
I've met with 3 women that have had weight loss surgery in recent months one that did bypass and is very thin. One a sleeve that is at a healthy weight might need to lose another 15 or so and one that did a sleeve and regained 40lbs recently. THATS what I'm afraid of. After going through so much with the band I want to get this one right!
The sleeve is of course more appealing. I'm hoping you band to sleevers can tell me your thoughts on why you chose the sleeve and if you are happy you did and didn't go to bypass. Also if you believe there's a motive for my surgeon to encourage the sleeve over bypass (easier surgery i.e. Better for him) I'm not a conspiracy person just wondering why and that's in the back of my head.
Thank you so much for your advise!

I went to my surgeon fully prepared to choose bypass surgery and he told me that his sleeve patients are losing the same amount of weight as his bypass patients. And also that he had only preformed one bypass in recent months because everyone was choosing the sleeve.
The sleeve makes me nervous because I am a band failure. I'm not sure I want to do a surgery that is not the "gold standard" bc I'm afraid I will fail at losing weight.
I've met with 3 women that have had weight loss surgery in recent months one that did bypass and is very thin. One a sleeve that is at a healthy weight might need to lose another 15 or so and one that did a sleeve and regained 40lbs recently. THATS what I'm afraid of. After going through so much with the band I want to get this one right!
The sleeve is of course more appealing. I'm hoping you band to sleevers can tell me your thoughts on why you chose the sleeve and if you are happy you did and didn't go to bypass. Also if you believe there's a motive for my surgeon to encourage the sleeve over bypass (easier surgery i.e. Better for him) I'm not a conspiracy person just wondering why and that's in the back of my head.
Thank you so much for your advise!

I was banded almost 5 years ago and have managed to gain just about all the weight I lost (which quite honestly I don't think the band helped me lose all that much).
I still have port discomfort after 5 years and I hate that sometimes I can get stuck on one bite and sometimes hardly feel restriction. I've found a way around the band by eating slow or waiting till the food goes down and continuing to eat.
I hate the feeling of the discomfort in my chest and I hate that healthy things like chicken and raw veggies are close to impossible to eat with a band.
I feel like I would be better off without the band and no further surgery. I could eat healthier but I want to lose a lot of weight (probably 120lbs to lose) and I'm turning 50 this year. I currently have no health problems except feeling like crap because of the weight but I'm sure they are coming.
My question to those of you that have had both is what is the daily difference? Can you eat in a restaurant? What does it feel like when you reach restriction? Can you eat almost anything just very small portions?How common is it to fail at weight loss after a bypass? I know I will need to work at it forever but will bypass make my struggle easier?
Thanks in advance for your advise!

I was banded almost 5 years ago. I lost 55lbs over a very long period of time and from what I honestly think was just hard work and not much help from the band.
I hate my band. It hurts. I feel like it's violent when I get stuck (often) and I can feel my port all the time for FIVE years. Sigh. Eating is stressful and to top it off I've gained every ounce back. I sometimes eat 2 bites can't eat another bite longingly look at my healthy or even healthy-ish food and an hour later eat Cookies because I am starving. I feel like my eating habits have become worse because of the band and at this point I'm totally out of control.
I'm excited about revising and petrified too. I would like the sleeve but I'm so afraid I will eat thru it like I did with the band. I hear "it's so different" but I wonder if that applies to people like me that ate around the band. Waited for food to pass then slid junk down. I suppose I could fail at the bypass as well.
I'm wondering if anyone here has had a similar experience with the band and been successful with the sleeve or failed to lose with the sleeve as well. Any and all advise would be so appreciated!!!

I was banded almost 5 years ago and have managed to gain just about all the weight I lost (which quite honestly I don't think the band helped me lose all that much).
I still have port discomfort after 5 years and I hate that sometimes I can get stuck on one bite and sometimes hardly feel restriction. I've found a way around the band by eating slow or waiting till the food goes down and continuing to eat.
I hate the feeling of the discomfort in my chest and I hate that healthy things like chicken and raw veggies are close to impossible to eat with a band.
I feel like I would be better off without the band and no further surgery. I could eat healthier but I want to lose a lot of weight (probably 120lbs to lose) and I'm turning 50 this year. I currently have no health problems except feeling like crap because of the weight but I'm sure they are coming.
My question to those of you that have had both is what is the daily difference? Can you eat in a restaurant? What does it feel like when you reach restriction? Can you eat almost anything just very small portions?How common is it to fail at weight loss after a bypass? I know I will need to work at it forever but will bypass make my struggle easier?
Thanks in advance for your advise!

I think I'm finally at restriction! Yay! However clearly I'm a food addict and I'm obsessing about stuff I can get down but shouldn't (ice cream/crackers etc). How did you successful people get over this or get in control of this? Self help book? Therapy? I'm ready to try anything. I'm on this journey till I win the battle
Thanks!!

I was banded on 9/30/11...so far I'm down 85 pounds! I feel wonderful and full of energy. Don't get sick much unless I eat too fast. Bad habit I've got to break. I get a fill every month except I didn't get one this month. I had lost 20 pounds from January 's fill to this months fill so I guess they figured I was doing well enough to not get one. I have so much more self esteem ....I would do this again in a heartbeat!

Me too. I was banded 9/26. I lost 15 lbs the first week. 5 the second. Then nothinnnnnn.... Hate that. Makes me want to eat I have a long road I need to stay motivated and probably off the scale.< /p>