4 Years Out W/ Band...now Looking At Gastric Sleeve

[TaiDyed 59]

Hello there...I am new to this forum. Back in 2008, I had the lapband procedure. Four years later and it hasn't been all that great of a success. Yes, I lost some weight, but it's been a struggle. Within the last year I began experiencing issues and am at the point where frustration has set in. I went back to my surgeon in early June and he removed all my restriction to allow some time to heal from what may be a mild slip. We discussed the possibility of removing the band and having the gastric sleeve. I have completed jumping through hoops to get all the pre-op tests done and am now waiting to hear if my insurance will cover the revision which is causing me slight anxiety. If my insurances denies me, I am resolved to making the choice of whether or not I will keep the band in place and hope for the best.

Part of me feels like I should just have the band removed and let it be the end of it. BUT, having struggled with my weight ALL my life, I feel like the sleeve is something I want to at least give a chance to try. The idea of having part of me removed freaks me out. One of the big reasons why I went with the band in the first place over the gastric bypass (at the time of mysurgery, the sleeve was not an option) was the idea of it not being permanent.

The hardest part has been the last few weeks w/ absolutely no restriction. It's been like letting a kid loose in a candy store and I have not been able to reign myself in. And the penalty is the scale going up and up and up. Stepping back and trying to look at myself objectively, I think I am falsely allowing myself some sort of final "hurrah" based solely on the hope of having the sleeve procedure. And I know this self sabotage behavior is not in my best interest. So then, I beat myself up some more.

It's a vicious cycle that I hope to get under control. I'm working on it. and I'm very thankful to have a place to come and find the support that is so helpful.

[UTGal99 327]

I am pre-op and strongly considering the sleeve too. I have never heard any horror stories from post-op sleeve patients. I am hoping that a few of the veterans (if you will) can talk about the benefits, negatives, etc.

Good Luck to you and keep us posted.

[Stacy P 7]

I know the feeling of band removal and all the sudden your meals and eating plan are out the window!!! 3 months after having my band removed I got sleeved on June 12 this year, the most amazing thing is I am not hungry, I do not obsess over food like I did the in the past.... So far this is much better than the band to me..... Best of luck in your decision!!

[TaiDyed 59]

Stacy - the day he removed all restriction was a love/hate feeling. After 4 years, I forgot what it felt like to swallow a bite and have it go all the way down w/out any issues. Which then led to the next bite and the next and the next...it was liberating in a very strange way. And if I had kept my head about me, I don't think the weight gain would have been so bad, but unfortunately, I rediscovered my obsession with carbs. Muffins, pancakes, bread...all the things that would get stuck super easy.

Looking at the calendar, I have 2 weeks to go until I start the liquid diet. It cannot get here soon enough!!

[Stacy P 7]

Girl I know exactly where you are coming from..... I've got people all around me that have the sleeve and complain about that stuck feeling...... Well that isn't stuck that is just plain overeating.... We may not loose as quickly as virgin sleevers like I've read but basically I am thinking we have a plus because we have already learned to chew chew chew...... You'll do fine, I'm wondering if I'm really sleeved lol

[TaiDyed 59]

Oh, I hope it is NOT the same stuck feeling that comes along w/ being banded. Go figure, but the healthiest of foods would get stuck the most often, while the crap food slid down super easy. It got to the point, that I was able to lose weight because I ate minimal amounts of food, but was so desperate to get something down, anything down, I'd resolve to eating the stuff that went down without getting stuck. It was a vicious cycle!!

Stacy - you've been sleeved since June and you're happy w/ the decision. So glad to hear that. I'm still terrified I"m making a decision that I'll never be able to undo and that just freaks me out. However, the idea of living a life of continuous yo-yo dieting freaks me out even more.

Hate to wish the summer away, but August 6th cannot get here fast enough!!

[iwannabslim 67]

Hi. I am also a revision from last month. So far, it has been the best decision. I went through what you are going through now. I had all of the Fluid removed from my band 5 weeks before surgery. I told myself I would not get into "last meal" mode, but it is hard not to. When you take a bite of something that would normally get you "stuck" and it goes down easy? Well, I'm sure you know exactly what I am talking. Try to remember the rules. Eat your Protein first. Try really hard not to snack away. I gained 10 pounds between the day my band was unfilled to the day (three weeks later) that I started my pre-op diet. Now, I truly haven't felt real hunger since I woke up from surgery. Doing Clear liquids the first week was EASY. Ok, only easy because I wasn't hungry at all, but NOT SO easy in that it is hard during the first week to get your Fluid levels up. I'll admit that the permanence of the sleeve scared me to death, however the permanence of being obese scared me more.

I wish you the absolute best! August 6th will be here before you know it!

[Stacy P 7]

Newbie, your feelings are normal...... I'm sure I'm not over some feelings of feeling left out, it's hard being around a lot of drinkers when I can't but I'm just trying to remain positive and find other things to do.... If your like me and tired of struggling with the food you'll understand why I say its the best thing for me so far. I'm simply amazed that I am not hungry and plotting my next meal all the time :-) I'm still not feeling 100% yet but its getting better every day...

[Wheetsin 714]

I gained about 60 lbs between when my band was removed and when I got my sleeve (which was about a 7 month wait). That lack of restriction was a bear. Even though the last few years I had my band I only had about 1/4 of a cc, and the last several months I was completely empty, I still had restriction due to my slip. The first time I swallowed something still somewhat unchewed (on accident) and had my oh **** moment, then realized nope, it's perfectly fine now... it was almost surreal.

3.5 months sleeved now and while I don't regret my band, and I lost a ton of weight with it and was grateful for the loss, I'll still say that if I knew then what I know now, and it had been available then, I'd have gone with the sleeve from the start.

[TaiDyed 59]

You all have no idea how much better I feel reading these responses and viewing all the various threads on this website. I can't talk w/ my husband about things - he tolerated my band and seems to be in a bit of denial about me having the sleeve. He is supportive only in that he wants me to be happy but I know he is worried about me having yet another surgery.

I am so ready. So very ready. Once the anxiety over waiting for the insurance response ends, the liquid diet will begin...and then *fingers crossed* my surgery date. 11 days after that I will Celebrate my 44th birthday. Can't think of a better gift to myself!!

[bubblesbgood 29]

holy crap i thought i was reading my story! hang in there we can only keep trying and praying right? i too had my band out it wasnt eroded but i had sepsis a few years back and well i guess it hadnt been completely cleared up because when they removed my band it was busted into pieces and covered in pus and my stomach was so overinflated it wasnt funny from an overfill. so here i sit in my depression, eating, ive gotten past the pity party and have been exercising and watching a little more than i was if nothing it will make me feel better. hang in there and please keep me posted i wish you well! i will get the sleeve november/december i hope.

[bubblesbgood 29]

holy crap i thought i was reading my story! hang in there we can only keep trying and praying right? i too had my band out it wasnt eroded but i had sepsis a few years back and well i guess it hadnt been completely cleared up because when they removed my band it was busted into pieces and covered in pus and my stomach was so overinflated it wasnt funny from an overfill. so here i sit in my depression, eating, ive gotten past the pity party and have been exercising and watching a little more than i was if nothing it will make me feel better. hang in there and please keep me posted i wish you well! i will get the sleeve november/december i hope.

[hrtgoeson 19]

You and I could be the same person. I felt the same way. My insurance wouldn't have covered the sleeve back when I got banded so I would have gotten the band no matter what because there was NO WAY I would have bypass. Despite the fact that I've only lost 6 lbs in the 2 months I've been revised I still would do it. There's a reason the band is nicknamed the 'crap-band'. I haven't thrown up once in the last 2 months and life is a LOT easier without have to worry about whether I'm going to have to pull over to throw up on my way home from dinner out. DO IT!!! I would never ever recommend the band to anyone.

[TaiDyed 59]

Okay, so the anxiety is getting a little stronger. I haven't heard anything from my doctors office. I have my preop diet date scheduled for Mon 7/23 and was told that if they didn't call the cancel, that would mean everything was approved by insurance and we are on for the 8/6 surgery date. So no news is good news right? One more week to ... hoping to not get that call.

My stomach is in knots. I just want it to be the day after 8/6 so I can move on with recovery and to the next stage of what life has in store for me.

[Gijane2012 9]

Geez, so comforting to come to a place where there is commonality. I read your post and was like, omg, it is so my story too. I am waiting for my insurance approval. All of the Fluid is out of my band and my weight is increasing by what feels like the hour. I try, I try and I try. My surgeon's office submitted the paperwork in a timely manner however when the insurance company requested additional information, it was like my file went under the "do not touch list." I call respectfully every so many days bouncing from insurance company to doctor's office. It is so frustrating to feel like my life is on hold. I go on this site and it is comforting to read the various posts yet I feel like will I have the opportunity for the sleeve. I mean, there is no guarantee the insurance company will approve me......I just feel they should and they will. I am eating better and trying to exercise because regardless of approval or not, I have to do that anyway. Sighing as I wait. Sighing as I look at me slimmer, better, happier but waiting on someone to write "approved." So thankful to read people like yourself and the others on this site that knows exactly how I feel. Comforting.