Well, here goes. I am a 50 year old female living near Hot Springs, and I started my liquid pre-surgery diet today. My surgery is scheduled for 03/22/12. I had the lapband on 1/7/07, lost about 50 lbs, but have since gained it all back. While my band has not slipped, or eroded, I have daily issues with "sticking", and my eating habits have gone down the drain. I am using Dr. Kaler in Hot Springs, and have faith that this is what I really need to do. My insurance approved the surgery (I am Dr. Kaler's first patient to have approval from insurance), so that's a good thing. Dr. Kaler will be removing my lap-band and doing the sleeve at the same time. He hopes to be able to do both lapriscopically, but he warned me that it might not work out, and he will have to actually open me up. I'm not really sure what to expect over the next several weeks and months, but I hope to "chronicle" it here. Any suggestions, ideas, etc., from experienced sleevers would be greatly appreciated.

Oh it was like reading my own story. I am 50 had a lapband in Aug 2008. Lost about 50 pounds and have put it all back on. My band has a leak : *( I have never really felt like the band has helped me. If I wasnt starving I was throwing up.

I already have approval from my insurance. My surgery is schedual for May 3. I am scared to death to have this surgery done. I am also excited to have it done. I guess it depends on the moment you catch me how I am feeling.

I try to spend a lot of time on this website. Looking at the before and after picture I want to be there so bad. I try to look at all of the positive things this surgery can bring me.

Well good luck and please keep me posted on how the surgery is????

Thanks! I am actually excited (and somewhat in shock). I've been looking at doing this for about 6 months now. I will keep things updated as I go along. I'm thinking of starting a blog in order to motivate me to bigger and better things. Good luck on your surgery and let me know how things are going!

I love blogging and vlogging! I use blogspot.com for my blogging and of course... youtube for the weekly videos. I have a lot of fun sharing this journey with everyone through internet media.

I also had a lapband before I was sleeved. I did not have any slipage either but I was constantly vomiting after the food would get stuck and I was tired of the constant doctor visit to have my band check and water added or removed. I had my sleeve removed by Dr F Garcia in Tijuana after my insurance carrier, BCBS refused to pay for the band removal or the sleeve procedure.

I have never been so happy as I am now having the band removed and the sleeve done. I had my surgery on Dec 11, 2011 and the band and sleeve were all done in one procedure laproscopically. I have not have any problems since my surgery and am losing weight and on my way to the goal.

I wish you all the best on your surgery. I am sure that you will do fine and you will be amazed on how much you like the sleeve vs the band.

I had my lap band done in January 2008 it worked good until I got pregnant. After I had my son last April it slipped. My surgeon wouldnt do it all in one sugary so I had my band removed November 2011 and was sleeved March 8th. Good luck with your surgery.

Thanks! Are you pleased with your sleeve?

Congrats on the revision. I get mine in a little under two months. How are you feeling?

I'm feeling good so far. Just adjusting to the pre-ops liquid diet. My Doctor requires it 10 days before surgery.

So far it's going good, the pain experience was defiantly different from the band.

In what way? I'm expecting it to be worse.

I had little to no pain with the band being put in or removed. The sleeve knocked me off my butt. My surgeon said it's normal but I have the worst pain on the left side of my stomach.

That's kinda what I'm expecting. . . to be knocked on my butt. I hope your pain eases soon. Keep me posted on how your doing!

Down 5.2lbs since I started my liquid diet on 3/12. Sleep study went well, and now it's just a matter of waiting for 3/22.

So far, I've lost 6.3 lbs on liquid diet. Struggled over the weekend, but DH was supportive. Now it's just 3 days left. Hopefully, 3 days from right now I'll be in recovery!!!

I had a lap band put in almost ten years ago. It worked for about three months, then I had zero restriction. My surgeon kept insisting there was nothing wrong with the band and it was just me. We did fill after fill after fill...and nothing. Well, a decade later, my current surgeon did a fill under fluroscopy and found out that, indeed, my band is broken.

Soooo...I'm self-pay and hoping to have the lap band removed and be sleeved at the same time. My surgeon says he will try, but he can't guarantee he can do the two procedures together. It will depend on how much scar tissue I have.