Band2Sleever

Incredible @@tommyd Full of admiration for you! Keep up the great work I can't wait to get my surgery... to get back to training again... and hopefully do something amazing like a triathlon

More amazing transformation pictures! They are truly Inspirational How many months out are you now @@Julie G T ? How are you finding hunger levels and portion sizes? Thanks Betty (Currently: preop for conversion from band to sleeve. Previously: I had very successful band, but it failed mechanically and had to be removed. I have regained weight and am obese again and nervously waiting for a date fora sleeve)

Amazing transformation! Keep up the great work

Hi @@DairyFairy42 where are you in the UK without bariatric surgery??? I thought most big cities had big NHS hospitals or smaller private hospitals with bariatrics?

So glad it went well for you @la Lilly Wishing you all the best for a continued great recovery and life with the sleeve

Both the sleeve and band can be successful and have complications... just different ones. It's a really hard decision and it's different for different people. Personally, I don't consider the band to be "reversible". It is a permanent change to your body. Even if you have it taken out your body will still be changed by multiple surgeries. If you do ever need to have it removed you are not truly "reversed" back to how you were without the band. Your body and life will be completely changed, either by - band erosion or slip: very serious, sometimes life-threatening, damage to your stomach (not exactly "reversible") - having difficulty with vomiting or no weight loss or mechanical failure of the band: but you'll still have the damage to your abdomen wall from repeated surgeries to put the band in a and one or more further surgeries to take it out (so leaving your body altered and so is not truly reversible in my opinion) My opinion is coloured by my personal experience. I had a band for 10 years, it worked, I got to healthy BMI and maintained it, I loved my band Then the band failed mechanically and I have had several surgeries to fix the problem and finally remove it. Since band removal I've regained weight and seriously obese again and struggling mentally without a band... I miss it! I cannot begin to explain how frustrating it feels. Also, personally it doesn't feel as if the bad is reversible, I've had lots of surgeries and anaesthetics and scars and damaged abdomen wall. There is damage, but I have to keep moving forward. So after much thought and serious consideration I have decided to have yet another surgery. I'm going through all the preop assessments and hoping to have my date for gastric sleeve confirmed in May.

Wow! 74pounds is incredible progress. You look incredible @@Memily Keep up the great work

Wow @@PdxMan amazing recovery and what a transformation (in your gallery photos)! In the uk you are kept in hospital for at least 1 day, and more often 3-4 days. No walking round Las Vegas for 5hours post op... Incredible!

Hi @@Sally Johnston I'm not condemning your client's (or anyone else's) behaviour. I am however condemning coke (and diet coke) for being "bad" food. I'm not persuaded by your argument at all. In my opinion Coke is a bad food. It is quite OK to have occasionally (like your client did). This behavior isn't "bad", but the coke or other junk soda is " bad". I still respectfully disagree with your myth 2 that "there are no bad foods". I can think of plenty more junk foods that are highly processed and are not even proper food if you think about it. How is it that things like Coke (carbonated chemicals and sugar), "fat-free" yoghurts (chemicals, sugar and processed milk) and supposedly "healthy" margarines (made from industrial oils) are even allowed to be classified as foods? I don't understand how a bunch of industrial chemicals are allowed to be marketed to humans as foods, when they don't resemble any type of food!

Hiw on earth did you manage gastric sleeve as day surgery? What about pain? I am in the UK and waiting for a date in May (hopefully) and have been told it's a two or three night stay. First day in high dependency nil by mouth, then second day back on the ward sips of fluids only and third day in the ward taking more fluids like Soups and Hot drinks. Throughout having pain relief and told to expect tre first two days to be fairly uncomfortable.

Great list. I'm not sure that I agree with "Myth 2: There are good foods and bad foods". To my mind both diet sodas and full-fat sodas are truly "bad"... that's just my opinion! I cannot find any redeeming feature for a can of Coke or Mountain Dew (USA) or Fanta (UK). I've tried to think of them through a morally neutral frame as you suggest ... but cannot bring myself to do this! These drinks are sugar, colourings and chemicals and in my eyes are therefore bad. If people give them to my children this is close to poisoning them in my opinion. I say this as a former diet coke addict who could easily drink 3 cans a day I'm "cured" now and drink tea instead

Sounds amazing! @@1Day1Life4Now Are you going to post the photos here?

Really inspiring, thanks @@laurak712 Great tip to remind people with sleeves to be ... "be prepared for a lifelong fight" I am so prepared. I am so ready. I have been through too much to turn back now.

Both are beautiful. The more recent one is less apple-cheeked, but still lovely

How far out from surgery are you @@McButterpants ?

Wow, just wow! What incredible progress on one year @@mandynichole And, I agree with @@Seela ... beautiful before AND after. But what a transformation

Amazing progress! Well done @@wholenewlife and keep going

I agree. This is just one research study on 38 people who had their band removed. I can't find the profile for @@JACKIEO85 so can't ask if her surgeon gave her other examples of research, When my surgeon took my band out he explained that in his experience EVERY person whose band he'd taken out for serious complications regained a large amount of weight. I asked him if people would regain a bit, then stop, and he said "no" not that he'd seen. I also asked if he saw people regain even more weight than before they started with the band, and he said he'd never seen that happen... but this was because people had converted to sleeve or bypass before they git that far. When I had the band removed (2nd operation to sort it out, both unwanted!) I tried to be the ONE patient who would beat the odds. For TWO years I tried so hard to follow the exact same lifestyle. I really did not want a third surgery,so was willing to do everything hat I could to prevent this. I exercised 3 times a week at the gym and kept on running at the weekends running. And I watched my diet like a hawk, tracking everything and telling myself that I had to keep to small portions... that it would SAVE me from another surgery (and I would much prefer this). Given that I had 10years of experience with the band, how hard would it be to just carry on eating the same way? Just carry on doing EXACTLY the same, it should be straightforward, right??? However, I truly struggled with portion sizes, soon they were back up to what I would call a normal adult plateful (meat/veg/rice) which was triple the amount that I used to eat with the band in place. When I had the band I became completely used to having small child-sized portions at home or eating out. I didn't feel deprived and I used to just take far smaller servings than other adults (padding my plate out with some lettuce so it wasn't noticeable and eating of the children's menu in restaurants). What I found the strangest was that after I had the band removed my taste for CARBS and the devil's food (SUGAR) came back. Gradually at first, and then with a vengeance. What started as a one-off slice of toast and marmalade (which I never ate when I had the band in!), turned into 4 rounds of toast and marmelade most days for Breakfast, or alternatively two pain au chocolats. My lunch with the band in used to be a tuna salad ONLY, but somehow that turned into a tuna baguette, and a packet of crisps (USA: potato chips) too ... . I almost never ate Pasta with the band in, but afterwards I suddenly for the taste for it again. I'm sure you get the picture by now. So, I end up here. Feeling like a failure because I have failed to follow the same eating habits without the band as I did with the band. I am almost in mourning for my banded-days... the control that I had... the sense of freedom from food. So, regardless of if the research says 100% of people regain, or 10%, this is the position I find myself in. It is definitely worth trying to get on with life without further survey after band removak. But having tried this for TWO years I have come to the decision to have a gastric sleeve.

My experience with the band was so similar to yours @@PeachyDexter I really identify with your point that "Having had a band I found that food very quickly stopped being an issue"... that's just how I felt with the band for 10 years. I loved that sense of FREEDOM. I truly found it liberating. When I had the band removed (2nd surgery to fix it, both unwanted!) I tried so hard to follow the exact same lifestyle, with the intention if seeing if I could get away without having more surgery. I religiously went to the gym, continued my weekend running as I had done for years with the band in place. In terms if diet I vowed that I would keep to small portions.., I'd had 10years of experience and learning with the band, how hard would it be to just carry on eating the same way? Just carry on doing EXACTLY the same, it should be straightforward, right??? However, I truly struggled with portion sizes, soon they were back up to what I would call a normal adult plateful (meat/veg/rice) which was triple the amount that I used to eat with the band in place. When I had the band I became completely used to having small child-sized portions at home or eating out. I didn't feel deprived and I used to just take far smaller servings than other adults (padding my plate out with some lettuce so it wasn't noticeable and eating of the children's menu in restaurants). What I found the strangest was that after I had the band removed my taste for CARBS and the devil's food (SUGAR) came back. Gradually at first, and then with a vengeance. What started as a one-off slice of toast and marmalade (which I never ate when I had the band in!), turned into 4 rounds of toast and marmelade most days for Breakfast, or alternatively two pain au chocolats. My lunch with the band in used to be a tuna salad ONLY, but somehow that turned into a tuna baguette, and a packet of crisps (USA: potato chips) too ... . I almost never ate Pasta with the band in, but afterwards I suddenly for the taste for it again. I'm sure you get the picture by now. So, I most heartfeltly echo you in saying "be back to not thinking about what I can eat next following a large meal will be fabulous."... too right, it will be FABULOUS

Great progress @@Domika03 Thanks for posting ... really inspiring, and I so want it get back to that blissful feeling of CONTROL. I had this with the band for 10 years and I'm hoping that I can get to to same place with the sleeve.

Wow! Super-inspiring progress @@shelly513 Thank you so much for posting your progress pics and loose skin pics. You have come so far, it must have been really hard work. Well done and keep going

That is just so terrible @@Kelly Ruff I am sending you my sympathies and hope that you can make some recovery from here. You posted a picture if your X-ray. What does it show? Thanks Betty

I agree with @@Bufflehead People eating pizza and sandwiches weeks out sounds plain DANGEROUS! The highest chance of a leak is in the first couple of months post op as the sleeve heals. Having a leak isn't just a complication to get over and get on with your life... it's really serious and could mean months in hospital, or even death. I genuinely do not understand why people would take a risk with bread and pizza at the stage. Very worrying. Eating Oreos at 3 weeks out is clearly not a good idea as they are high in fat and the devil's food (aka sugar!). However they're probably not as dangerous for the sleeve as if eaten slowly with drink I can see how they are "almost" liquid (as they turn to liquidy paste in your mouth). I am preop and preparing for my postop life by reading and learning as much as I can. At this stage I simply can't imagine eating pizza or bread at 3 weeks as I am so scared of a leak. My surgeon is super-cautious and recommends 3 weeks liquids, 3 weeks pureed food and then 3 weeks soft foods with well cooked veg, and only then gradually introducing harder vegetables and fruits.

Wow! Good for you @@Ree That is amazing progress just 3 months out from surgery. And, what a great suggestion to try on jeans as a marker of your progress. What a brilliant way to overcome the moments when your mind plays tricks in you and you can't "feel" the progress anymore. Thanks for posting. I will remember thus one for when I'm postop. In still preop at that moment.

Only you can make a decision for you @@Ivowtodoit Have a read of the "Band to sleeve revision" forum and ask people there for their experiences. http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/394-band-to-gastric-sleeve-revisions/ Sounds like a tough decision and you have lots if things to weigh up. What's things are most important to you? - having an implanted foreign body for life - having part of your stomach removed and this is irreversible - having to have more surgery to fix problems I chose the band first time round because nothing was cut out or rearranged and there were no Vitamin and mineral deficiencies. At the time I hand the band I was advised that it was for permanent weight control (so although it's possible to remove it, it shouldn't be viewed as reversible, if you see what I mean). Whe I had my band put in I'm guessing it was early days and not that many patients had run into problems at 10 years out it more. But now that lots of people have had the band in for longer we are seeing longer term problems (like people having to have it removed). My story is that I had a band for 10 years and got to normal BMI and maintained it oh joy the maintinaing at the new lower weight really was the best part (true it took quite a lot of effort, but if I gained a few pounds all I had to do was cut my intake for a while and do more exercise and I could CONTROL my weight... and that felt good, and I felt like how I imagined "normal" people do about their weight... it's no big deal!). However, after 10years my band mechanically failed and I had to have it removed (this was a total of two unwanted surgeries... number 1 surgery to fix the failure which didn't work, then number 2 surgery to remove the band). Since then has been my far the worst experience for me because i have regained my weight and am obese again ... I don't feel "normal" any more and I am really struggling to controls weight. So that gets me to the point where in sheer desperation I am facing number 3 surgery (gastric sleeve). I am at peace with my decision for this now and just want to get on with things. Talk to different doctors who can do different types of surgery as they have their own biases and preferences for certain surgeries. And, talk to people who've been through different surgeries themselves as they have their own biases and preferences too. I used to be very positive about the band, and in a way I'm grateful fur the 10 years weight control it gave me. But now I feel anti the band because if my personal terrible experiences with it later. Who knows how I'll feel about the sleeve? Only time will tell. Good luck with your journey whatever you decide.