Thinking of Making the Switch, but have lots of Questions!

[babyblue71us 0]

HI All:

I am new to this forum and thinking of making the switch from lap band to the gastric sleeve. I just got the call from my insurance company that I have been approved, which is great, but I dont want to jump into anything, the way I did with the lapband. I believe that if I knew about all the "issues" that came along with the band, I dont think I would have ever done it! At that point in my life, I was excited that my insurance approved it and wanted to get the surgery done before the insurance company changed their minds! LOL

I got my lapband a little over two years ago and have been unsuccessful at it. I did pretty good in the beginning, just like I am sure everyone does, but I was never able to lose more than 25 pounds. I have since gained the weight back. At my last appointment my doctor suggested that I try the sleeve. I am asking for honesty here. I would really like to know just what to expect with this surgery. I understand the liquid diet and the reasons for it at the beginning, but my questions are more towards "life" with the sleeve. :scared0:

First and foremost, sliming, PBing, throwing up, gurggling? Do you have these issues with the sleeve?

I was also told by my surgeon that with the sleeve, you hardly ever feel hungry. Is this true?

When you eat, do you have to eat really slow like with the band? Small pieces and chewing really well?

Is there some food that you just can't eat? Do you have issues of food getting stuck, like with the band? If you eat to much, what happens?

Well, that all I think of right now....any help would be greatly appreciated to help me decide if this surgery is the best for me.

Thanks

Sharon

[Tiffykins 673]

HI All:

I am new to this forum and thinking of making the switch from lap band to the gastric sleeve. I just got the call from my insurance company that I have been approved, which is great, but I dont want to jump into anything, the way I did with the lapband. I believe that if I knew about all the "issues" that came along with the band, I dont think I would have ever done it! At that point in my life, I was excited that my insurance approved it and wanted to get the surgery done before the insurance company changed their minds! LOL

I got my lapband a little over two years ago and have been unsuccessful at it. I did pretty good in the beginning, just like I am sure everyone does, but I was never able to lose more than 25 pounds. I have since gained the weight back. At my last appointment my doctor suggested that I try the sleeve. I am asking for honesty here. I would really like to know just what to expect with this surgery. I understand the liquid diet and the reasons for it at the beginning, but my questions are more towards "life" with the sleeve. :scared0:

First and foremost, sliming, PBing, throwing up, gurggling? Do you have these issues with the sleeve?

I was also told by my surgeon that with the sleeve, you hardly ever feel hungry. Is this true?

When you eat, do you have to eat really slow like with the band? Small pieces and chewing really well?

Is there some food that you just can't eat? Do you have issues of food getting stuck, like with the band? If you eat to much, what happens?

Well, that all I think of right now....any help would be greatly appreciated to help me decide if this surgery is the best for me.

Thanks

Sharon

Hi Sharon and welcome to VST.

I'm a band to sleeve revision as well, and life with the sleeve is so much better than life with the band.

To answer your questions:

Sliming, PB'ing, gurgling with the sleeve is NOT the same as it is with the band. You can slime with the sleeve if you overeat, but it isn't nauseating like it was for me with the band. I have only gotten something "stuck" a couple of times with the sleeve, and it passed much quicker, or I was able to get it up and out faster.

I'm am 5 months post-op with the revision, and I am literally never hungry. I have a reminder alarm on my IPhone so I can remember to eat. I know I need to eat when I feel weak. Some say the hunger returns, but not like before surgery.

Regarding eating slowly, it really depends on what I eat. Steak, and chicken I need to chew more than mashed potatoes obviously. I can eat mushies pretty "normal", I can eat soft meats like deli meat I can eat normally. salad, white cheddar cheese popcorn, Pringles all go down super easy. Yes, I eat Pringles. The only thing I can't really eat easily is thick, dense breads. I can eat 1/2 slice of thin sandwich bread, or a couple bites of the bottom of a hamburger bun.

If I eat too much, I might burp up a little or slime a bit, but it is nothing like with the band.

My story with the band is much like yours. I was successful the first couple of months, then I had complications with the port, and tubing. I gained back some of the weight, and knew I had to get the band out of my body. My ticker reflects only weight loss post sleeve revision.

[Chancie 65]

Hi Babyblue-

Welcome to the boards!!

I just want to tell you that everyone is so different ( as you know ) but I was one that had problems at first, lots of nausea, and dry heaves out of surgery. I ended up spending 5 days in the hospital because of it.

But, It was something I could handle, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I'm one of the "heavy weights" here. I stated weighing 354.... and 9 months out........ I have lost 152 pounds.

I've never had the band so I can't relate to any of that, but as Tiff said, she was a band to sleeve patient, and she is very successful!

As with any surgery, there will be differences.... I had my gall bladder out and was able to go back to work in a week, but my g/f had it done and it took her over 3 weeks... as I said, differences....

If there's any questions I can answer... feel free to ask, but I think its one of the best surgeries around!!

I'm so glad I did it, and I'm sure everyone in here is tired of hearing me say....... I wish I did it 10 years ago!!!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I can eat anything I want. I have slimed before, from eating too fast and too much. It takes awhile to figure out how much to eat. I have trouble sometimes because I feel much more full after about 20 min. after I am done eating, so I have learned to stop eating before I feel really full. Life is so much easier with the sleeve than the band. Yes, it's true, I am never really hungry.

[Malaika 50]

Hello Sharon and welcome to the VST family. We're so happy you found us and joined us. I never had the band, so can't answer questions as to the difference, but believe Tiffy covered it pretty well. Let us know what you decide and keep us posted on yoru progress!

[Tracy46545 6]

i'm doing revision surgery next month. What helped me alot was to simply spend several days reading EVERY POST on this site. The positive comments and success stories are awesome to read...but just as important is to thoroughly read the Complications posts. I think having a realistic overview of the "good, the bad, and the ugly" is the best way to decide on something that will strongly impact the remainder of your entire life. There are posts here about intimate issues, eating in public, dealing with stalls, dealing with comments from family and friends, dealing with doctors reluctant to "act" in an emergency, virtually a thousand thoughts and opinions. I'm grateful for this (and other forums) as they bring the information "up close and personal" much better than the innumerable "studies" done by the "experts" (most of who aren't fat and wouldn't know what to do about a food addiction if it bit them in the ass).

Welcome to the site!

Tracy

[AKBarnes1 0]

I had the band to sleeve revision and am 10 days post op. So far, it is MUCH superior to the band and I'm not hungry with the sleeve. I was always hungry with the band and never lost any weight. The day of surgery was pretty rough, but each day gets better and better. They weight loss is great...I'm down 20 lbs already! Good luck