waygook

So my doctor does this surgery where bandsters keep their band and he sleeves them as well. He believes this is a great idea because though sleevers get their stomach cut, just like a bandsters pouch, over time sleevers can stretch their sleeve over time and so having the band as a back up for fills to make more restrcition should help with weight loss in the long long run. I know some new banded sleevers, and have heard of 5+ year banded sleevers but was just wondering if anyone on here has this situation and how it is going?

Im not sleeved, just looking into it but im banded. Here are some band excuses I use When asked why I’m not eating a lot I respond: -I just ate – before I got here/ an hour ago/ a big meal earlier/ a snack before meeting with you/ because I was starving and now I’m kind of full - This food – tastes a little strange/ is too spicy/is too hot/ isn’t that good/ is getting between my teeth -I just ate too fast and some food got stuck - I drank too much last night and ____ isn’t a good hangover food for me - it’s too early/late for me to be eating When asked why I am not drinking a lot or taking shots ( my fav!) I respond: - I just – did a shot/ had a drink/ate and am super full - I don’t have a lot of money to drink tonight - I have to get up early tomorrow - I drank too much last night and want to take it easy tonight - I went out earlier with my coworkers and already feel too drunk - I don’t like shots anymore after I got sick off of them a few months ago - I have been drinking too much and want to give my liver a break - I’m sick and my doc tells me not to drink with my meds

So a little background. I am banded and have been for over 2 years. I am 20lbs from goal but can't get any closer (been same weight for 15 months up and down 5 lbs). Though I have been banded for 2 years I am still having to deal with fills etc on a reg basis. It's not a problem here because with my doctor it is cheap. However I am moving to another country soon and since I wasnt banded there the fills will probably cost a fortune. Another problem is my fills are hard to do. My port is hard to access and thus fills would probably be even more expensive since I must be under an xray machine to get a fill. My doctor gave me the option of getting the sleeve instead of keeping the band. It would be better for maintenance for sure but I am not sure if I should do it or not. There is nothing wrong with my band right now and I could wait HOWEVER my doctor is offering a good price since it is a revision from the band ( which he put in me). If I wait and get it done later somewhere else I will be paying more than $5,000 more then what I can pay now ( and traveling back to my doc is not an option because it is on the other side of the world. THe flight plus needing to stay in the same country for weeks to heal isnt worth it). So reasons to yes no more fills save hundreds not getting fills no more band in my stomach no yearly tests to make sure the band isnt stretched, have erosion etc easier to hide from people ( no one knows im banded either) can help me reach my goal weight Reasons to no there is nothing wrong with my band I have lost weight but just not at my goal I am used to the lifestyle with the band I am freaked out by cutting and taking out some of my stomach So I am hoping some band to sleeve people will help give me some insight but anyones thoughts on this would be great. Should I switch to the sleeve to get rid of future what ifs?

hmmmm no one went from band to sleeve?