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.

My surgeon feels that he SHOULD be able to do both in one procedure, but he warned that I should be prepared just in case. He's actually a general surgeon who has a tremendous amount of experience in dealing with all kinds of surgery, so I am hopeful that he can do both at one time. I'm concerned that if he can't do them both at once, I may not have the courage to go through with a second surgery. I will know for sure in only 3 more days.

With my band, I had restriction for about 3 months, then got it too tight, then too lose, then too tight again. The last time I saw my lapband doctor was 2009, when he emptied it, due to me having spasms all through my esophegus, and into my neck and jaws. He said that it was too tight and needed to be emptied and then we'd give my stomach a rest. Even after it was empty, I continued to "stick". Until I started this pre-surgery liquid diet just 7 days ago, I would continue to stick several times a day. I am so sick and tired of having to spit-up at least once a day. At least on the liquid diet, I'm not having that problem.

The most I lost with the lap band was about 50lbs and I gained it all back after my band was emptied. I'm ready for the sleeve and look forward to getting this all behind me.

I feel that getting the band was probably one of the worst decisions I've ever made!

Well, I'm 4 days Post-Op, and everything went as planned. Feeling really good today and get to start on "full" liquids. Will get my drain removed on Wednesday, and then move on to soft/mushy food on Friday . . . as long as everything continues to progress well!

Congratulations on your revision, I am so happy to hear you are feeling well. I am also a band to sleeve revision, and have never regretted it. After the first year, my band gave me nothing but problems. I couldn't keep anything down, even with no fill in it. So, I lived on the one thing I could keep down, and that was ice cream. Not healthy, and I gained a lot of weight as a result. But, my trusty sleeve has not given me any problems.

Much success to you, I look forward to following your progress.

Congrats on your revision.