Band2Sleeve2015

My Doc said the same thing. In fact she said she almost cringes when some opt for the band because she has done so many revisions.

Good luck today...! My big day is in March, keep me posted!

Excited to share that my insurance approved me today and my gastric bypass surgery is scheduled for April 6! Feeling a range of emotions but mostly I'm feeling really motivated. Both my surgeon and my PCP think I'm going to do really well with the surgery and I've been doing really well with the liver shrinking diet. I'm excited about this new chapter of my life and using my new tool to lead a long and healthy life!

It amazes me that so many get their panties in a wad when they post their opinion on a public discussion board and someone else disagrees or posts a counter opinion.

Seriously! It's OK. In most cases, that counter opinion is just that -- opinion. While I do take issue with those who take themselves very seriously and post their opinion as fact, I am happy to say they are few and far between.

We, for the most part, have different surgeons, different NUTs, different metabolisms, different builds, different backgrounds, different thought processes, different psychosis... (JOKING! Kind of.)
There are very few doctors or therapists here. There are NO experts on YOU here, with the exception of yourself. No one is qualified to give you *absolute do or die* advice. No one is in a position to tell you that you are !!!WRONG!!! or that everyone else is.

Relax. Breathe. Discuss. Share. Vent. Listen. Learn.

We all have our hot buttons, we are human. We all have topics we are passionate about. Debate is fun! It's healthy. It's how we learn and grow. It's a positive form of interaction until someone takes it personally. (I'm guilty at times -- I know it!) As long as it's respectful, there is no name calling involved, and there are no personal attacks, there is nothing wrong with it.

I'll tell you a few things about me that are "wrong" and I don't give a rat's patoot if you want to tell me so:
I drink soda. GASP! Even worse, I drink it through a straw! I would never tell anyone else to do the same. That's between you and your doctor.
I graze all day. My sleeve is small, my restriction is fierce. I graze to keep myself from getting too hungry, eating too fast and then vomiting it all back up.
I eat while I work, when I drive, when I watch TV. I find that when I do this, I get distracted and I eat slower. Weird, I know.
I weigh myself 2-4 times a day. First thing in the morning (usually fully dressed in my PJs as I get up at a ridiculously early time of day to get my kids out of the door.) I weigh myself buck naked after kissing them goodbye when it's time to get myself dressed. I weigh myself before and after a poo (giggle) because I have a middle school boy sense of humor. I weigh myself at night, again buck nekky, just before I get in the shower. I call it my step aerobics. It works for me. I don't get frustrated or upset. I never have, even at my fattest.
I eat real chocolate every day. Just a few Hershey Kisses or a Dove Promise (dark!). It quiets the sweet tooth I didn't have pre-op and keeps me from thinking about sweets all day. It's better to feed the beast a nibble and shut it up. FOR ME.
I eat full fat everything except the things I don't.

I am choosing not to be a WLS advocate. I don't care HOW people think I am losing weight, I don't care who supports me. I don't tell my business to everyone and it's not up to me to save the world from obesity one fatty at a time. I'm not embarrassed, ashamed or a liar.



Your personal experience, your advice from your NUT/surgeon/NP may differ completely. You may be of the opinion that I will be the size of a small whale in 5 year's time. You may think that I am failing myself and my surgery. You may think I am a hypocrite. It's OK.

You do you, I'll do me. We can talk and share and be opinionated together, even when our opinions don't match.

This is a public DISCUSSION board. It's ok to discuss, it's ok to be opinionated. Just expect the same in return.

Next Tuesday is my date also and I'm in the exact same place! We got this! 7 more days and our lives change forever!

I begin on Friday. My Dr is only having me so do 2 days of soft diet and two days of clear liquid.

Awe it was a nice thought. Now throw it away! Or donate it to a skinny friend! Ha!!

Wow..this was a great read.
I was self pay....there for I did hours of research, talked to many doctors, nurses, people with bands, sleeves and bypasses.....in the end when it came down to it, as a self pay all of the surgeries were very close in cost.
I chose the band....so far I am happy with the results. Am I where I need to be? Nope.....but I also didn't get fat over night.
Each surgery is going to be a tool which is going to require self control and discipline....it's not magic.
After reading this I am quite happy with the doc I chose. Not only does the cost of everything include a year of follow up of fills, un fills, or if anything goes wrong with the band it's covered. And he likes to stay on schedule of seeing me every month for the first year. I love that he has spent so much time going over everything with me and he does all my fills. It makes me feel more confident in my choice when the doctor doesn't try and rush me off, but takes time to answer all my questions.
I have not had any problems with my band.
I am quite happy with my choice.
As this will be your choice...
We can all find the negative or positive in anything if we look for it!
Go with what you feel will work best for you. No one knows your body better than you!
Good luck with what ever you choose!

I had a band put in 2/07. I lost 95 pounds over 18 months with the band, which wasn't too bad considering I had it done in Mexico and had zero aftercare. I learned how to take care of myself and eat via the bander sites. I never knew there was anything weird about my band during the first few years because I was losing weight and assumed I was throwing up a lot because I was eating the wrong things.
As time went on I kept losing and eventually dropped 15 pounds below my goal. That wasn't good because I worked in a very physical job and I had gotten too small to do my job effectively. I tried eating so many different foods, eating slowly, eating standing up, eating and walking, exercising then eating, drinking hot tea before eating and various relaxation techniques. I never had more than 1cc put into the band and when I reached my goal I had 1/2 cc taken out. Kaiser started providing care for banders, although they didn't have true bariatric care in my area at that time. I saw a GP, she sent me for an upper GI and they said my stomach was completely occluded at the band site. No Fluid passed through. They unfilled the band and said I had been banded with a band that was too tight.
It won't make sense if you haven't had a band but eating and drinking, for me, is so hit and miss. Even with the band unfilled I throw up A LOT. Sometimes I can't get Water to go through and I can never get Protein shakes to go through. Monday I can eat 1/2 a tuna sandwich but Tuesday if I try to eat the same thing it will sit in my pouch for hours without passing through. I learned that popcorn goes through always. It seems to be a texture thing. So do certain chips and crackers. So I started eating things I knew would go through. This seemed to relax the band and I would immediately chase these snack foods with Water because I'm perpetually dehydrated because I can't drink. Sometimes I can eat a small salad or a little bit of chicken but not often. The result is I gained back over 40 pounds because I was eating Snacks. I retired and didn't replace all the work activity with exercise at home. I'm not getting proper nutrition so I don't feel like doing anything. After retiring I went to the Biggest Loser Resort a year and a half ago and lost the 40 pounds but after falling off the exercise wagon I'm up 20 pounds again. It's crazy I can't eat but I'm gaining weight. I bought a Vitamix and I'm constantly experimenting with healthy stuff, vegan stuff, you name it. It's all wasted money because it rarely passes through and I'm back to popcorn and cheetos. If you're wondering what I mean by "won't go through"...the food sits in the pouch for hours. You can feel a constant discomfort from it. If you go to sleep the food sometimes comes up and you wake up aspirating. After years of experience I can tell what is going through immediately, what might go through with time and what isn't going through and probably won't.
Kaiser now has a bariatric center in my area. I saw a surgeon, had another upper GI and some X-rays. The surgeon confirmed that the band is and always has been too tight, even when unfilled. They're going to do a band to sleeve conversion. I'm so relieved. My eating has been so abnormal for 8 years! I thought about just getting the band out but I'm worried about gaining all the weight back. I finished my Options Classes and now have to do the psyche evaluation and an MD appointment and I'm ready to go!
I did lose weight with the band but it wasn't through healthy eating...it was via near starvation. My new surgeon said my experience is quite common.

I had the sleeve 2.11.15. I'm surprised how ok this liquid diet has been. I'm trying to focus on getting my 64 Oz in which just seems impossible. Sipping is so hard to adjust to, but I pay the price when I take in gulp. 12 lbs down in 7 days, I'm pretty excited! Ready for an exciting future.
CW: 209
GW: 145

Surgery 2/25
CW:280 (well before starting the liquid diet)
GW: 138
So excited for you I can't wait either! Lol ????☺️
Definitely way better than chocolate on Valentine's Day

I was actually set on having the sleeve until my surgeon found out my esophagus is weak from the esophageal manomtry test he requires pre-op. I've had a complete unfill for over two years and still get stuck very often. He mentioned the sleeve may act more like the band and cause me issues so recommended the bypass.

No don't be worried. I just had the revision from band to sleeve. My surgeon said that's what he's been doing with most of his lapband patients

Hi, lesliesnavely--
I was initially considering a sleeve and did quite a bit of research before my doctor told me the RNY would be a better choice given the GERD. Have you checked out the band to sleeve forum on this site? It's a very active group, and I think you'll get a lot of insight. All of the procedures carry some complications, but it seems former bandsters that have been revised to the sleeve have good success.
Good luck!

That is awesomely funny! I'm so glad you are a friend that can laugh that off. Some are to quick to get offended or read wrong motives into a situation.

I sooo disagree with funky monkey. Anti-depressants can be life savers. Without them I would be dead.

After much waiting...and much heat from my sleever homies...I'm posting my before and after pics!!! I hit my goal weight back in August, and haven't had any significant gain whatsoever...swearing that I'm never going back to 'Heavy B' again!!
 

@ what a great weight loss thus far!! I can't say I feel exactly the same as I did before WLS...I feel alot weaker than before but I think I will gain my strength back to normal if I continue to follow the plan! It gets better and better! Thank you for sharing! I love hearing how people who has the same date as me are doing it helps me tremendously!!! If we all just keep going we will get there!! My goal weight is 140... my fantasy goal is 120 what I weighed when I was married 22 years ago! Lol I always blame my hubby for me getting plump...he just makes me to darn happy and had never complained about my weight!!!!

me me!!! ????????????
I was done on 12/17
stats: hw (12/3) 295.5
sw (12/17) 277.5
cw (2/9) 245.6
gw. 145
I thought I would lose a little quicker. but I'm so happy and blessed to have had this done! I would have never been able to lose even a quarter of the weight on my own in the same timeframe without this amazing tool!
surgery was a breeze.. I'd do it 500 times over if I had to. just wish I decided to make this change sooner!
only a face pic but here's a little difference

I had my sleeve on 2/9 and the morning of I got so nervous I considered canceling. But I am really glad I didn't. At seven days out, I have no pain, the gas is gone and other than being tired, I feel great. I know every person is different, but my experience was far better than I anticipated. The thing that helped me stay the course throughout the process was imagining what life would be like if I had the surgery and then what life would be like if I didn't. I couldn't bear the thought of spending any more of my life struggling with my weight. Think about what led you to this decision in the first place and trust that you know what is best, whichever way you decide to go. Wishing you peace and clarity in making your decision!

Lots of times if the doctor knows you have no insurance they will give you free samples ????