Allie1958

Thank you, that is really helpful...and reassuring!

I just found out last Wednesday that my Lap Band of 10 years slipped and needs to be removed. Surgery is scheduled this coming Friday, May 19th. I didn't know what the sleeve was a few days ago and now i'm having it done in 5 days! I found out that it was the Band (resulting from acid reflux) that gave me pneumonia this past Feb and put me in the hospital for 5 days (pneumonia leading to acute renal failure). It's nothing to mess with. Anyway, this is all so new. Not that I'm a wimp, but can anyone that's had both removal and sleeve at the same time tell me what to expect pain wise? I just want to prepare myself mentally. And how long were you out from work? I have a desk job. The nurse said 1-2 weeks. Is that accurate? Any feedback will help as this is so sudden and I haven't had time to wrap my head around it all.

I just found out last Wednesday that my Lap Band of 10 years slipped and needs to be removed. Surgery is scheduled this coming Friday, May 19th. I didn't know what the sleeve was a few days ago and now i'm having it done in 5 days! I found out that it was the Band (resulting from acid reflux) that gave me pneumonia this past Feb and put me in the hospital for 5 days (pneumonia leading to acute renal failure). It's nothing to mess with. Anyway, this is all so new. Not that I'm a wimp, but can anyone that's had both removal and sleeve at the same time tell me what to expect pain wise? I just want to prepare myself mentally. And how long were you out from work? I have a desk job. The nurse said 1-2 weeks. Is that accurate? Any feedback will help as this is so sudden and I haven't had time to wrap my head around it all.

My insurance doesn't cover bariatric either and I had to self pay. The cost was $12,000 for both band removal and sleeve in one surgery. This was done in Salt Lake City. I still have hope that insurance may pay for $6000 of it (band removal) since they should pay if it's considered "Equipment Failure" and is life threatening. My lap band slipped but once they took out the fill I didn't have acid reflux anymore so possibly not considered life threatening. I'm still waiting their decision. I was outpatient and an hour after waking up was out the door. Back to work in one week. I drank fresh veggie juices daily with the pre op and post op diet and that really helped my energy level (nutritionist OK'd it). To answer your question about throwing up, I had surgery on June 2 and haven't thrown up once which is quite different from the band -- yay! Everything has gone smoothly. My only disappointment is that I've only lost one pound since surgery. But the sleeve is helping me maintain my weight without any effort. I'm 169 lbs. and 5'7" so I'm going to have to work at it to lose my last 15 lbs. I was freaked out about losing 75% of my stomach as well -- it kept me up nights. It's strange but all fears were gone after surgery. I hope the same for you!
Good luck!

The sleeve scares me, gastric bypass terrifies me. My friend's husband died 3 months after gastric bypass. The nurse practitioner took all the saline out of my band and I've had no acid reflux since then. I'm doing the lap band out/sleeve in as an outpatient surgery. A little nervous about that.... I really appreciate everyone's perspective.

Well, surgery was last Friday; the band is now out and the sleeve in. Everything went smoothly, no complications. I actually feel great, though a little sore. No nausea (I took pills to prevent it) and have not had a hard time swallowing or any stomach pain whatsoever. It was outpatient and I was walking that night by myself to the bathroom. I stressed over this for three weeks before and shouldn't have. And I have no psychological stress like I thought I might have over losing most of my stomach. So glad that part's over. I am really tired of liquids though, and would give anything to munch on a cracker! I think one thing that has speeded up my recovery is I have been drinking fresh green veggies juices during prep (with consent of nutritionist) and the same plus fresh watermelon juice after the surgery. I highly recommend that to anyone who has a juicer--with your doctor's OK of course.

They messed up the scheduling and I won't have the surgery until Friday, June 2nd. I'm sorry to hear your band slipped. Did they take out all the fill? I've been 2 weeks without any fill so eating for the first time in 10 years like a normal person. I hate it! I've already gained 5 lbs.
I'm dead set on getting the sleeve, no waffling there, yet the last 24 hours I've had extreme anxiety. Can't even sleep. The Lap Band is so flexible and reversible. With the sleeve it's a whole other ballgame. I think I just need to concentrate on the big picture and stop concentrating on next week!
I hope your doctor will move it up for you ... good luck!

I had my Lap Band for 14 years and had it removed March 14 and had a revision to the Gastric Sleeve. I'm thrilled I did it and I'm back to losing weight. I was in the hospital for three days and have had no problems yet with the exception of heard burn but it is nothing like the issues I had with my band. You will do great! Best of luck!

So my Lap Band doctor retired a few years ago and I went to see a new Bariatric doctor to get a fill 3 days ago. The nurse practitioner looked at the Fluoroscope (sp?) and my band had slipped creating a stomach hernia. That's when I found out Lap Bands are not forever! They have an 8-10 year life and I'm at year 10. The NP briefly explained the sleeve and I decided that since the lap band has to come out, I should go ahead and get the sleeve at the same time which the doctor is willing to do. They called me the next day and have me scheduled this coming Friday! Is that normal? For the lap band we had mandatory classes to take for weeks! Part of me really wants to get this done and over with and the other part is just not ready mentally to go from what I thought would be a lap band fill to surgery in 9 days! I lost 100 lbs and have kept it off with some effort. I'm 5'7" and weigh 169 lbs. It's hard to explain to family why I'm having most of my stomach cut out when they look at me and see me normal physically. But I KNOW from battling obesity my whole life it will come back on. I feel health-wise, this is the right decision. On May 10 I didn't know what a sleeve was, and on May 19 I'm having it done. Anyone have some reassuring words of wisdom? My biggest worry is getting too much stomach cut out and battling malnourishment...