I am still 2 weeks post op! but believe it or not those are just the worst part of having VSG .. Why I am saying that? cause everyday literally gets better!

I am a band to sleeve revision, I feel guilty saying that the band didnt fail me! and I never failed it:) I lose most of my heavy weight on it! but wait a second! all doctors I have been to, to have an opinion about my band removal said the same thing " the band stopped working long ago, it was ur hard work" but believe it or not it wasnt the best work, I was crushed emotionally, deprived of life , starving, binging at other times ( we all know cheating with the band is the easiest thing) but I owe it to the band, I knew when to stop at least!

The band had to go.. I knew that after I had my sleeve, till the last day on my band I was mourning its coming loss,. although everyone on this board swear that It had to go.. I still wanted there as my security blanket.

Now I know what the worse it could bring.. I always felt pain .. after my exercise especially.. now this pain is gone! it was my port and I didnt know cause it hurted me down under where it was ..

do I miss my hungry mornings? NO! I always had a bite of anything and that was it! and the hunger was all i can think of!

Do I miss the bloating feeling?! NO!

Do I miss the feeling in the late night when I am fighting my hunger? NOOOO!

Although I am still early in my sleeve experience but U will know it with your first sip of water! how water goes down! I am not hunrgy! like crazy hungry when I had the band.. I still get hungry but after progressing with ur food intake u feel satisfied right after! and for some time!

I have lost 13 pounds in the first week.. nothing in my second and may be no more for a while, but as an old bandster I know this is sooo normal especially I am soo lighter than when I had my band!

My first week WAS HELL! my second was MORE HELL! as I had to rely on stuff that always tasted so sweet to me like yogurt and milk. My tongue was like a sweet and sour.. But today after my first FOOD EVER I feel alive!

I know I wont be that successful on the long run with all my food trials.. some are gonna suck for me, but at least my first meal gave me the boost.. and life is all about trials and experiences. Havent you been trying food with ur band?

I am still weak and I dont know how can I go back to jogging .. but I know I will get there. Now I grabbed my first hershy kiss ever.. didnt feel guilty doing that btw, but I am already not hungry to keep going for another one.. with the band ehm... lol u know what you will be doing.

The band isnt evil for me or for anyone cosidering it but you have to be realistic! It wont help u lose that much.

VSG may not help me get there but I am not bothered by this now! cause the band didnt help me, I HELPED myself! so I will help me in this new journey!

and I have faith I can have the half portion of success I see ppl accomplishing on this board:)

If you are revising from band I would totally suggest VSG! you will feel more alive! your body is absorbing your food. you can eat ANYTHING! dont let anyone puts you down when u hear they cant eat that or this! remember ur band misery! (NO CHICKEN NO BEEF AND NO other more stuff)

and remember with the band, VSG or even NO WLS you are the only one who is paving the road of ur sucess..

and when I say I may not get to my goal, it is just because I believe I dont have much as others to lose, I practically felt I dont need the surgery and I can do those last pounds on my own! but I KNOW I have the geen of weight problem! so I need a medical help to either stop me there or prevent me from putting more weight or EVEN HELP ME SHED THE POUNDS!

It is a disease my friends, nothing to be ashamed of:)

Thats my take on the whole thing!

So happy for you!!! I just know you will get to your goal with the sleeve!

Wow! What a change! It sounds like you are in a much more positive place emotionally - it is great to hear.

I think that anyone who has ever had a band can understand what you are saying about the pain. I also lived with pain that I didn't always register because it was day in and day out for several years. You learn to live with the pain and kind of forget about it. I was so excited to wake up after the surgery and feel that my port was gone. My favorite thing to eat now is chicken - and I hadn't eaten chicken in 4 years because my band wouldn't allow it!!

Don't worry about the slow loss. I am not sure exactly, but I want to say I lost 10 pounds the first week and then I have had gradual loss since then. It will happen because the portions are so small. I am just about 2 months out and I am still lmited to 1/4 cup of anything. I can say that I was in no shape to exercise at all for about 6 weeks - I was just so weak and exhausted. It is frustrating, but take the time to let your body heal. Once you are completely healed, you can get back into all the exercise I know you enjoy.

Great to hear from you and here is to your continued success!

Lara

I am having my band removed (somewhat not by choice) I too have had no problems with my band, and I am truely going to miss the "security blanket" as well. But as with you It helped me get where I am at today. I chose to have the band despite the warnings that auto-immune disease was a preclusion in the requirements. I had 4 physicians agree with me at the time that the benefits of the band would outweigh the risk of doing nothing and 3 years ago I was not in the same or right mind frame as I am now to "commit" to a sleeve. I wanted something to help me and something that was not permenant that if I had problems it could be fixed. Despite being very successful with the band, I lost about 90 lbs and about 85 inches over all, I have to have it removed because my auto immune disease process has taken over ( I have RA and test positive for Lupus) and because I am on immunosuppressant drugs it is now counter productive. I will not loose weight with the band while on these drugs. Therefore I am having it removed- it is poisoning my bodies ability to fight day to day things in a "normal" person.

I have researched this fully over the last 3 years and am confident that I will be as successfull with the sleeve but also worry about the what if's... I read the good and bad on the board and won't let anywone sway my decision only we know our bodies and what is right for us but not everyone with bands had a terrible experience.

IF someone came to me tomorrow and only had 50-100lb to loose I would totally guide them towards the band- if they have 100 + to loose I would think otherwise- The band was an amazing tool as I am hopeful the sleeve will be the glue that "holds" it all together....