Hi everyone. my name is Alene I had a gastric ban put in 5 years ago. I lost 40 pounds and in the process was throwing up every week and got a horrible case of gastric reflex. I went to my surgeon and said,” take the thing out of me” and he said what you need is the gastric sleeve. I'm willing to try it and I'm doing my research but I'm really getting shy about having another procedure done in case it doesn't work. I guess I'm just really scared.

Good morning Alenr,

Welcome to the gastric sleeve forum... I went thru the entire process for the band and was denied... I was upset at first but as it turns out it was a blessing. I have heard more negative than I have positive about the band. You have come to the right place in you are wanting more information. I will have my sleeve done in less than 2 weeks and I am so excited. Do your research, go on you tube too...and then make the decision that you feel is best for you.... I have saw several people on this website that went from the band to the sleeve and have had great results.....

Alenr

hi there - sorry you went through a band experience with the lap band - i've heard some people being successful for a brief time - then having many many other problems like you, and then need the band removed to have it replaced by the sleeve - best thing in the world (i must say i was never banded, but...i've heard so much about it, none really good)

there is a whole thread on the board concerning people who have switched from lapband to sleeve. i always say, why in the world would there be a section like that - if the band was good?

everybody there, wanted the band out, so they could get the wonderful sleeve to help/assist in loosing their excess weight.

they all went through another surgery/procedure to have the sleeve, but it is so worth it to most of us sleevers

have to throw in that some people have had problems with the sleeve PO WLS - and they regret the WLS - but there are problems with all surgery - there are never guarentees.

the only guarentee in life is - DEATH and TAXES

i understand about being scared, especially since you had the other procedure before, that eventually failed you

like i said most people (ok, not everyone) but MOST,MOST and MOST etc etc. love their sleeve

the sleeve has become my new best friend, that has been helping me as a "tool"/assisting me to loose weight.

surgery cuts out 85% of your stomach - wow - terrific - BUT the sleeve can't do this weight loss on its own, no way. you have to be right there following the rules, such as drinking alot of fluids all the time - never drink fluids with meals, can't drink anything for about an hour after you eat

i say sometimes, "the sleeve is the best thing next to sliced bread"

i've just tipped the iceburg with a couple of comments hopefully swaying you to the other side of the mountain, and getting sleeved -

take care of the sleeve/and it will take care of you -- this is a life time committment..so do more research - but hopefully you'll come to the right/wise decision that the sleeve is the way to go for health and happiness, and a plain simple way to a wonderful life

BTW i no longer have to take my meds for diabetes or high blood pressure, or use my CPAP - way to go - this can happen to you also, with alot of other benefits too

ask as many questions as you like about the sleeve to show you that the sleeve is the best WLS, others will confirm and explain more

ps - are you getting the feeling that i'm a true/firm believer in the sleeve? you betch your bottom dollar!!! hope to see you soon

good luck

Oh thank you so much for your reply, I feel a lot better just knowing that there's a place like this where I can talk to people. My surgeon is planning on taking out my band and then giving me the sleeve. also my surgeon has told me that about 70 percent of his patients are changing from the band to the sleeve with better success rate.

Welcome Alenr,

First off I'll say you've come to the right place, I highly recomend you spend some time here before making your decision. I really try not to steer any bodies decisions on getting the sleeve primarily because it is a permanent/nonreversible procedure. I do however make an exception to that for people that have the Lapland. Becauses you already have experienced the restriction & limits on food that the sleeve gives you.

The sleeves healing process is a bit longer than the band is, & you will have to deal with a lot of restriction early on. But by paying this price early on you never have to worry about being too loose or too tight, never a concern about slippage, no ports or tubing to leak, never have to worry about a band eroding a hole in your stomach, or any of the other band specific issues. After about a year sleevers can tolerate any food they like(most people it is a lot sooner but this is the time frame my surgeon gives), however our tastes do tend to change and we tend to take on a healthier mindset when it comes to food.

If you are ok with being limited to approx 1/2cup stomach capacity permanently (you can't easily stretch a sleeve) then I say go for it. You have experienced the restriction, now you can have that without al the other BS that comes along with the sleeve.

I had lapband done in 2010 I lost 40 but in 2011 my band had a leak and I gained it all back plus some extra since I was cash pay I felt like I wasted alot of money but it did help me not get any bigger. When it came down to getting the revision done I was scared because once again I was cash pay and didn't want to spend the money and have WLS not work again. Well I ended up getting the sleeve done August 1st and im down 21 pounds my recovery was harder than it was with lapband but as the weeks go on I'm feeling better and better and so glad I decided to take this journey I have hope and faith that this WLS will work for me this time around!! Also I'm never hungry which is weird for me because food used to be always on my mind even with the lapband!!

I was banded in 2006 and had all the same issues you are having. Lost 60 lbs, threw up all my food, heartburn, tired and sluggish all the time. Then I gained it all back plus some when the band slipped out of place on me. The worst 5 years of my life to say the least. I was also cash pay. I paid $17,000 for the band. After it slipped I had a revision to the sleeve on 06/23/11. Best decision ever. I am down 87 pounds and still losing. I do not throw up my food anymore and I feel so healthy and vibrant. I was self pay again for the sleeve and the revision cost me $11,500 in Mexico with Dr. Aceves. It was worth every single penny. I could not be happier

I had the crapband for 10 years. I had your same fears, but the sleeve has been terrific for me and I feel gettng the revision has been the best decision I have made in quite awhile.

I have lost weight. Not saying it is easy, but the tool works like it should so you stand a chance at success.

I don't vomit, slime, PB or whatever Bandsters are calling it these days

I can eat normal foods - including veggies - and have been since about 2-3 months out, just small quantities.

I am not hungry all the time.

I spend a year working up the nerve to do the revision, wish i had done it sooner, but that year of thinking about it benefited me in other ways. I was informed, had researched it thoroughly and was READY.

thanks everyone I really appreciate your words of encouragement. I have spent 5 years of literally wondering if after every meal I was going to throw up. and it seems a rediculous that the healthier the food was,the more it would stick and then I would be miserable. for example scrambled eggs were a nightmare sometimes could eat them sometimes I couldn't but it was a good source of protein. I am so ready for the sleeve I maybe my appointment with the psychologist and then I have to see a nutritionist 1 time and then hopefully my insurance will cover it.

I'm so concerned that if I failed with the band...wouldn't I fail with the sleeve also?

You cannot fail with the sleeve, if you use the tool as it is given to you. I never had the band but I did the sleeve in Dec. I initially went in for the lapband but changed my mind. If you are mentally ready for the changes, you will not fail. Start your exercise program now so it becomes habit. Take notice of when you eat emotionally and find new ways of doing things. If you start to make the changes now things will be easier for you when you get the sleeve. It is a mental game and the only person that can keep you from succeding would be you. I live with that thought every day and it helps me make the tough choices. Sometimes I slip but I get right back to it.

I can promise you this, you will love the sleeve. Good luck!

I'm so concerned that if I failed with the band...wouldn't I fail with the sleeve also?

Some concern is a healthy thing. If you weren't concerned I'd worry the fact that you are considering the possibility of failure means that you realize that this isn't going to work without your participation. For this reason alone I think you'll be fine.

I understand what you are saying, but I don't think it is completely accurate. You CAN fail with the sleeve. My doctor (not surgeon) has several band to sleeve revision patients and so I asked her about this before my surgeryy. She said that 3 of them have done AWESOME but the fourth one has not lost well at all. She thinks it is because she Snacks too often but for whatever reason the sleeve tool isn't working for her.

I was warned by the surgeon that revision patients might lose less, might lose slower. There is apparently data to support that, but I haven't seen it. The theory I heard is because you have gotten used to that "full feeling" and so are desensitized to it.

To the OP - My losses have been good, progressing like a virgin sleever not a revision. I personally find living with the sleeve so much better then the band, I feel like I don't have as many adjustment problems as some new sleevers have.

i suspect nearly 100% of revision patients ask the question of "why is it different this time". I don't know about you, but i was told I failed with the band as I wasn't compliant. You will hear that you must follow the rules to be successful with the sleeve too - absolutely true. My own personal experience is that the sleeve is a much much better tool so you have a better chance of remaining compliant. It is easier to be compliant when you aren't hungry and when you aren't vomiting healthy food, There is no comparison, you don't have a pouch, you just have a tiny tummy.

Someone who used to post here alot always said "the sleeve is what the band promised, but never delivered"

You cannot fail with the sleeve, if you use the tool as it is given to you. I never had the band but I did the sleeve in Dec. I initially went in for the lapband but changed my mind. If you are mentally ready for the changes, you will not fail.

No, I agree, you can fail, if you don't use the tool given to you AND are not mentally prepared for the changes. I think the mental challenges are the toughest to get over

I went from band to sleeve, I had all the problems u guys did, my band had slipped, I didn't want the sleeve tho cuz I still relied on my band to keep me in control and u have a lot more freedom with the sleeve, but overall I'm happy with it, I haven't lost anymore weight but it's keeping me at my current weight around 155.