Bandy2sleeve

18 hours ago, lillian.b.white said:

Hi there! I've been reading quite a bit here and other places about revising from band to sleeve. Here's my backstory:

I got the realize band in 2009 - self pay unfortunately, due to a stupid anti obesity clause with my insurance policy at the time. I was relatively successful - my starting weight was 335 and I got down exactly 100 pounds over the next 2 years. I experienced regain of 45 pounds after a car accident in late 2013 and another injury a few months later. I've worked hard since then and am about 5 pounds away from my original low weight (and plan on surpassing that).

The thing is, the whole time I've had the band, I've been a chronic vomiter, I get stuck ALL THE TIME (especially when I eat things I'm SUPPOSED to eat) no matter what and I never really feel full or satisfied, just uncomfortable and stuck. I always blamed myself and thought it just must be normal. But the more I read now, the more I realize that life doesn't have to be like this! I've been asked if I'd ever consider getting it removed and even the thought starts to hurl me into a panic. "I could NEVER get it removed!! I'll gain all the weight back and more and get diabetes again and a fatty liver and increase my depression and anxiety... NEVER!!" Plus I spent $25,000 on this dang thing!! But I hadn't thought much about a revision until the past couple months.

The insurance I have now covers WLS. One question I have though is do you think they'd cover a revision? Especially if the band was self pay? Also, my BMI is now under 40 (as of today it's 37.6)... my comorbidities have pretty much gone away, aside from slightly high cholesterol and I just found out I have 2 herniated discs (definitely related to obesity. I'm only 35, for crying out loud!) would they even ok it based on that stuff. I know no one here can say for sure. Just looking to see if any of you have had any experience with a similar situation. Thanks in advance!

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Hi Lilian, I can't give you any feedback regarding the financial side of things as I'm not in the US, but as a revision from Band to Gastric Sleeve patient, I can tell you that it is just so completely different eating with the sleeve compared to the band. I had my revision just over two months ago and even though I measure out all my food and know I am eating the required amount for my sleeve - I feel like I can eat so much more than I did with my band because I don't get that stuck feeling and have to go and relieve it after eating.

I realise everybody has a different experience as all our bodies are different, but if I had known more about the sleeve procedure I would have chosen it hands down over the band. I hope that your health fund helps you find a way to get the revision because it sounds like you are tired of that stuck feeling all the time as I was? I used to say to people that I could never get my band removed also - as I would just put the weight back on - but two months later I am almost back to my goal weight. My revision was due to band slippage and damage caused, not because it wasn't keeping the weight off.

I had this issue. I even had pneumonia because of the reflux and had to be unfilled for months. I never could get the restriction I previously had (honestly I was to tight but the results were amazing while it lasted). The band broke years later and no reflux since. I was planning to get sleeved but I'm hearing that because of the reflux with my band I will likely have reflux with the sleeve. Are you finding the same issue with reflux now that you've had the procedure done? Thanks.

Faithmel, I was exactly the same as you. Left hospital with a pain scale of a 1 (if even). Could drink normally. I was so concerned that I was thinking my surgeon might not have even performed the sleeve operation, as that was how normal I felt. I am now almost 6 weeks post op. Can still drink normally, but when I eat my stomach just tells me I'm full and i stop eating. I also avoid drinking 1/2 hour before or after a meal as advised. I know that everybodys experience is totally different. Check with your surgeon if you are worried, but sounds like you are heading in the right direction.

I am also a revision from the Gastric Band and was sleeved 4 weeks ago. I had the same thoughts as you, but have just moved onto the normal foods phase. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to eat and not have that "elephant's foot feeling" on your chest. I hope that you have the same experience in a couple of weeks time? I think the great thing for us revision patients is that we are already used to not being able to eat large amounts of food - so the ability to be able to eat without pain is a huge bonus in itself. Not everybody can eat every food, so there may end up being things which your new stomach might not tolerate - but you also might be able to eat foods with your sleeve that you had difficulty eating with your band. Hang in there, better days are around the corner for you :-)

Badwolf... Im not extremely overweight either (10kgs above goal prior to revision surgery) and I have also exercised and remained fit right up until my revision surgery. Get your surgeons advice as he is likely to know what will be best in your own situation. I eat all my Protein and drink all my Water and have Protein Shakes etc but my energy levels are still really low. As I said Im only 3.5 weeks out but could not imagine running a marathon in 5 weeks despite my good fitness levels.

All bodies are different when it comes to recovery time. Im 3 weeks post op and have no pain whatsoever, but feel light headed often because of the reduced calories my body now consumes. I would suspect that your energy levels would be not high enough to run a marathon 8 weeks out. If I were you, I would complete your marathon prior to your surgery and allow your body the time it needs to recover - however long that might be.

When I had my band I experienced one quite severe blockage. I drank some fizzy drink which induced lots of burping and cleared the blockage.

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Outsidematchinginside - I asked the question originally and the reference to size in my asking relates to the volume the new stomach can can actually hold - not specifically how big it is. It IS important because it gives people a good indication of exactly how much their new stomach can hold. I previously had a lap band so never could eat massive volume anyway. My portion sizes with the sleeve will be relatively similar - thank goodness.

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My sleeve surgery is now behind me. Surgeon took 2.5 hours because of all the scaring my band caused. But the pain after this surgery was far less for me than when the band was removed. I'm now day 3 and reckon my pain scale is a 2 if even. I can sleep easily on my left hand side and am feeling great. Had my barium swallow to confirm there were no leaks before moving to clear Fluid diet. Now on liquid diet and feeling great. Getting to know my sleeve still. NOt sure if it doesn't like lactose anymore or it's just the reaction to the liquid from the barium swallow, but slight runs when going to the toilet as from last night and again this morning. Happens after I have diary... but surgeon says give it a couple of days to settle. I'm having lactose free diet at the moment, just in case. I can't believe that the band cause so much internal damage to me, I wish i had looked into this revision years ago. Hope all the other May 25ers are doing well, as well as those about to be sleeved shortly.

Mine is the size of a banana holds 250mls - so no different to any first time sleever. It all depends on the size of the boogie your surgeon uses.

I have now had my procedure and my sleeve is the size of a banana. Hope all goes well for you Allie.

1 hour ago, SEAHAWKS FAN! said:

Try this.

Here's what I'm using for shakes. This makes two 16oz Protein Shakes with around 200 cal 30 g of Protein and 15 g or less carbs. Add ice or Water until just over 32oz & blend. Two scoops of each powder, & 2 cups of most fruit blends keep you in the right range for carbs. Check first so you don't go over. Garden Of Life also has many nutients & 50 fruit and vegetable super foods. Drink one & save one for later.

I wouldn't be able to have the supplements you have shown as they have fruits and vegetables in my do not eat list. In addition to the shakes i take, I also have to restrict the amount of carbs I have from fruits and vegetables. All fruits are actually out of bounds during my two week pre-op diet. :-(

I have had my band removed 3 months ago and my sleeve surgery is this Thursday. I have really struggled without my band for the last 3 months and really miss the signal which used to go to my brain to tell it I was full. With my band I often forgot to eat - without my band I am constantly thinking of food and find I am worst from 4pm in the afternoon. I have NO off switch with bread. As far as the surgery goes I will be able to tell you more after Thursday - I have had no.reflux but lots of burping and bad gas since I had my band removed. Not sure if that is because my stomach is not used to having much food in it from when I was banded for 11 years - but thats really been my only issue thus far.

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@Alimap300 @bilisgfy @justJoan looks like we are all May 25 surgery date (apologies if I left anybody out - but please shout out so I know who my May 25 sleeve buddies are). Lovely to know that there are some other people out there going through exactly the same thoughts fears and realities I'm about to go through on Thursday.

I am suffering badly with gas... from both ends. Apologies for the TMI - but neither have ever been an issue for me before, so not sure if it's the liquid diet - my stomach still readjusting after band removal.. but hope it gets better on the other side :-)

Can anybody tell me if the size of a sleeved stomach is a standard thing or does it vary from person to person? I had my band removed three months ago and gained back 21lbs in that time - so am worried that my sleeve will be bigger than a standard sleeve because I dont have that much weight to lose. I just dont want to be able to eat larger portion sizes than I could with the band as I know that is what kept my weight off for 10 years. I hear about everybody being happy with the conversion but if there is anybody in a similar situation to me who could tell me how much they lost after surgery and whether they actually lost more than their goal weight because they were not that overweight at the time of revision. Thank you in advance kind people.

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The liquid diet makes me feel very light headed too. I am towards the end of.my second week, but walked to the park with my hubby and 3 year old son and nearly fainted. I would say that its either sodium levels or my body dealing with so little food. I came home and had a berocca performance and that set me straight. Be particularly careful when you wake up during the night and if you start to feel light headed get down on the floor and crawl back to bed if necessary. It might not stop you fainting, but it will stop the risk of injury from potentially falling into a door frame or onto the floor if you do faint.

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I didn't use low sodium broth, and I also ate Jello (sugar free) and some clementines, and watermelon the first week.
Second week I did Protein Drink with fish and cabbage salad for dinner nightly. I drank 65-88 ounces of Water a day.
Tonight I had a rather huge dinner, salad, Pasta, bite of tuna and handfuls of low sodium chips, none of which was satisfying ( I developed a like for healthy foods )
Sunday and Monday it's just liquid. Tuesday is surgery.
I dropped 20 pounds total. My weight fluctuated up and down 2-3 pounds depending but then would drop by two pounds at a time.
I started the diet on the 1st. Lost the most weight second week, and this week.
Pre-op wasn't required but I decided to anyway. My Doctor is very pleased.
By the way a pre-op doesn't shrink the liver but removes the slick fatty coat on the outside of it, this was told to me by another friend's whose doctor is also a liver specialist. Removing the slimy fatty film makes it easier for the tools to handle it and move it out of the way.
My doctor said that they don't know how diseased a liver is, or how big or small the liver is as a result of that disease until they open us up, the pre-op diet makes no difference, hence why no pre-op diet.
But he also said that people who start a pre-op generally do better with their weight loss.
I did to be safe, get a head start, and see what's in store.

Have you guys seen the Ulla's - it's a little way of reminding to drink more Water. I'ver ordered one even if it just helps to get me into a better habit with water https://store.bariatricpal.com/products/ulla-hydration-reminder-bottle-attachment-available-in-7-colors

On 19/05/2017 at 4:02 AM, Sara Bronson said:

Are you asking me? (I'm Sara, but I'm not sleeved yet) My surgery is July 14th I have no reflux with the band..

Apologies Sara, it was actually @Kimberlee725 I was just typing very late at night here, so my brain had obviously switched off. Sorry :-)

Oh Amy, I feel for you. Thats tough to wake up in such pain. The three months without my band have been the toughest of my journey to date as I quickly gained a few kgs and reminded myself of why there is no.other option than surgery to help me. All I can say is to try and.maybe increase your physical activity as your little helper wont be with you for a.few mo months. Keeping busy and away from food prep is also good - but hard of you're a mum like me. I find its not what I eat, but how much of it.

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Im not morbidly obese and Im revising. I reached my goal weight with the band and kept it off for 7 years but one little overfill ruined everything for me. I couldn't even swallow my own saliva and had reflux like I never thought possible. Barium swallow revealed slipped band and surgeon suggested revision after removal. The last three months without my band "off switch" have been so bad for me. food and I are never going to be friends without some additional help for me. I accept that now and while people tell me how "stupid" I am for doing this when I dont look overweight - they dont know about my issues with food behind closed doors.

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I had my band removed early March (to be sleeved next week) but had pain where my port was for about 4-6 weeks post op. My surgeon said this is totally normal and just goes away over time.

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Sara - how bad is your reflux with the sleeve. I dont have any reflux without my band now.. but I noticd I burp more than I used to and a bit worried this might mean I have issues with reflux after my sleeve operation next week?

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Thanks so.
much for your feedback. I am actually worried about having fat around my liver. The dietician thinks I will be fine as I havent gained very much weight since having my band removed in March. But I am just hanging out to have back that full sensation I had with my band. Head hunger for me was controllable when I knew my stomach couldn't handle it. Im very scared about post operative pain, but just the thought that this time next week my surrgery could be over is so awesome.

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The pre op diet is really getting to me now. Im so hungry and almost dreaming of eating food I never would have even thought of with my band. This time next week will be my turn and it cant come soon enough.

Did he say what caused your liver to be stuck to your stomach?

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