Hello all.. Well, I have been banded since 2004

I started my band journey at 367 pounds in 2004!

Now I weight 230-235!

and I am stuck:S .. Its really getting hard! and overwhelming knowing that I have been so slow! I hate to say the forbidden word but sometimes I feel like I am a "failure"

I had 6 fillings so far and my doctor is about to run the 7th but he is not optimistic! he told me sometimes Lapband surgery doesnt help with some ppl that much.. I exercise 4-5 times a week!

I feel horrible for being stuck! so Today he suggested the sleeve again, and he is saying that I am a good candidate for it but hearing from the web the terrible disadvantages the sleeve have is scaring me! it is considered the worst procedure according the the web! I am clueless! I need real life experience advice, so would you please let me know if any of u gained the weight back as suggested online that most ppl put back the weight cause their stomach normally stretch back!

I dont hate my band and I asked my doctor of keeping it in after the sleeve surgery and he told me that it can be done although I wont need it, but I just need it as a safety net in case my stomach started to expand!

He said that these stretching happens only when the surgery isnt done well!

Do u have the same hunger strikes as the band?

Do you never feel satisfied?

What kind of food is hard for you to eat?

I cant get any protein in! unless it is a sashimi or something soft.

I am waiting eagerly for your advice .. thanks!

Welcom to the board and congratulations on your success!

I am another lap-band to sleeve conversion. I am only 3 weeks out from my revision and all is going well so far. I wanted to mention that the article you posted earlier was written in 2007. I am not sure what the stats were for sleeve in 2007, but I can assure you that the stats are very favorable for the sleeve now. You have already read through Tiffy's stuff. She is a wealth of information. You will find that those of us who used to have the lap-band and now have the sleeve are a bit fanatical about how bad the band was for us.

Most important things (like everyone else has said): do your research, find an EXCELLENT surgeon that has experience with the revision. Not just sleeve experience, but experience taking the band out and then creating the sleeve. The stomach you are left with is so small - there would be no point in keeping the band there. I did not have any major band complications, but I had the shoulder pain, I could not bend over with pants on (because of the port), and I had 10 fills/unfills in a period of 3 years. I also couldn't eat chicken (always stuck). The band literaly prevented me from eating healthy food and encouraged me to eat bad foods to prevent pain. The day I had my revision, they stuck that needle in my port (OUCH!) for the last time and I was so excited that it would never happen again.

This is a very personal journey and you will find what is best for you.

Very best of luck to you--

Lara

@Little Miss Diva: Band in a hat box in her closet! LOL! I kept the pins that fixed my shattered finger tip (till the box fell down and they got vacumed up!). Sleeve for me on Monday, the sight of that big ole foreign object in my body made me go to Sleeve. I thought about Band, for someone (You) who's Band is failing, I'd go for Sleeve.

Good luck

Hatbox! haahaa

WOWWW!! Thanks for the story and the encouragement. I can only imagine the sense of completion and exhilaration one must feel when getting accross that finish line. I just keep thinking that its tough doing it on the treadmill, but once you get that gleam of the FINISH line ahead I can see me sprinting as fast as I can for it!! :D

Dear LilMissDiva ..

I will be cheering for you and dont forget to take the before and after pix of ur 5K!! I dont know why most ppl find that that the treadmill is easier than the real road! but I found it totally the opposite:) oh and the fresh air!

BEST BEST OF LUCK!!

My energy levels are really good. I have my lazy moments though, but honestly its no more than I think what a normal person goes through.

I can totally appreciate normal lazy moments as we are just human beings!! I was afraid I will be dizzy and out of mood all day, U have no idea or may be you do ofcourse how the band sometimes put me in a state of starvation! Yes I eat! but it is either unhealthy "Slider" as you all call it here food or just I avoid the terrible pain of eating!

and sometimes when I am really mad! I use the Water cheat:( and feel bloated!and irritated afterward!

Your experience made things seem so normal! and I will be considering the Vitamins Texas mentioned here.

However now, no I do not have any pain. I do feel discomfort sometimes if I take too big a bite, don't chew good enough or eat too fast or even too much. But it takes awhile to get there, its not after one swallow, if you know what I mean.

Oh I totally now what you mean!! its like you are crazy hungry and the first thing you put in ur mouth is stuck there!!

Mornings have been my worst nightmare! so do you feel tight too on ur sleeve in the mornings?

I hope this helps!!!

OMG! you have no idea!!! Thank you so much:))) now I am starting to have sleepless nights remembering my last surgery and what I went through due to pain and how I look now .. and how I will look later!! I am really not asking for not more than 70 LBS down! lol I am sick of being stuck and sick of being called FAT! and really want to start living my life!!

I will keep you posted and I have added u on FB:)

I wanted to mention that the article you posted earlier was written in 2007. I am not sure what the stats were for sleeve in 2007

Hello Lara, Oh yeah I just paid attention to the date!! I am sure with all the good reviwes down here things have totally change:) thanks for the reassurance:) you are all are great help really

I also couldn't eat chicken (always stuck)

Oh chicken and steak are nightmare to me too!!

. I did not have any major band complications,

honestly me too! but being stuck and eating poorly as u mentioned can drive anyone mentally crazy

Thanks a lot Lara!! truly appreciated X