hi Everyone I am so excited I have my surgery date for October 16th!!! I've had a few people tell me that I failed the band so I will probably fail the sleeve too. those comments really get me down but they also make me want to work harder and prove that I can do it and that I can lose the weight!!! :-)

Alenr, this is why this site is here....to support each other in their journeys! Leave those nay-sayers behind and concentrate on yourself. Keep a positive mind. I know several people who had the band and I would not say they "failed" I would say the band "failed" them! I even considered having the band surgery as well but after researching the vsg....my mind was made up.

I limited the number of people who I told about my surgery after hearing the speaker in my pre-op class say that we should surround ourselves with positive people who will support us on our journey. Something to think about. Then again.....maybe these negative people will push you harder just so you can prove them wrong.....hmmmmm! Good luck beautiful lady

Thank you so much!! The naysayers happen to be my boss and Co worker...so I have to be around them on a daily basis. but you're so right I think this will give me the opportunity to try harder and show them what I can do!!!

Girl you will make it as successful as you believe you can be. The band has it's own issues, which isn't the sleeve. Give it a shot and show those suckas that you believe more in yourself than any negativity those nellies dish out! You will meet these sort of obstacles throughout your weight loss journey. Believe me, I know all about it! Believe in YOU and do what you know to be right (i.e. listen to your dr., workout when you are ok to do so/on a regular basis, log your food, Protein first, etc etc). All of these are successful behaviors. Adopt them and know YOU CAN DO IT!

Best of luck! xx

thank you thank you thank you I just know I can do it!!! you guys are all so wonderful!!

Wow who needs enemies when you have people around you every day who bring you down....

The only person you have to be worried about is yourself....not what they think but what you think of yourself........Look close at the two of them...how do they stack up in the imperfections of life....Bet they have tried things and did not succeed.....

Being focused on you gives them a chance to feel better about themselves....You have not given up at all....you are moving forward with the choice of becoming a better healthier you....still hanging in there and opting for the sleeve....

You should be proud of yourself...you want this really bad or you would not try so hard...Don't let them get you down...what they are doing to you is sabotage at its highest form....

They need to make like a bee and buzz off!!!!!

Lol!!! Yeah!!!:-)

I didn't tell a lot of people but for those I did, I prepared for the negativity upfront so when it happened, it didn't seem to bother me so much. They don't have to live in my body and have not been thru my 14 year struggle with weight so I could care less. I decided to do something for myself for really the first time in my life and made up my mind NOTHING or NO ONE would stop me. 3 weeks post-op and I'm already down 28 lbs. Good luck Alenr!

Wow!! Congrats Earwood!!! That's great!!

Well, I had a surgeon more or less tell me the same thing. The first surgeon I went to recommended the gastric bypass and felt that my odds of success with another "restrictive only" procedure were low.

I couldn't get comfortable with the gastric bypass, so I switched to a surgeon who did believe that the sleeve would work for me.

Lapband to Sleeve is comparing apples and oranges. The sleeve just works better.

I feel like I have been very successful with the sleeve and have found it to be much much easier to live with then the lapband ever was. I was banded for 10 years, so I have some experience on this subject.

However, maintenance is a whole 'nother thing and I recognize I have many challenges ahead. I am inspired by the many that have gone before me - and I know it can be done!

Go in with your eyes wide open, do your research, check inside your own heart that you are ready - and then GO and don't look back! Good luck with your revision journey!!

This is your body, your decision, and no matter what the naysayers think you have to do what's best for you. It does not matter that xyz didn't work before, that has no bearing on how you will do now. I knew when I decided to tell everyone I'd have some people like that. If I get a reaction I don't like, whatever, I love my sleeve and wouldn't trade it for anything. =)

Thank you so much!! The naysayers happen to be my boss and Co worker...so I have to be around them on a daily basis. but you're so right I think this will give me the opportunity to try harder and show them what I can do!!!

Tell your boss and co-workers you decided against the sleeve and are just getting your band removed. Do not put that kinda pressure on yourself! I am getting sleeved after having a band, and plan on only telling my boyfriend and people on this site. Once you drop the weight, you can tell them if you want or keep it to yourself and others who are supportive.

well my gastric balloon surgery have failed so bad iv actually gained some weight after it , but i will tell u this the : gastric sleeve surgery is wayyyyyyyyyy more different and effective check me out hun iv lost 110 pounds in 6 months ,

Thank you so much!! The naysayers happen to be my boss and Co worker...so I have to be around them on a daily basis. but you're so right I think this will give me the opportunity to try harder and show them what I can do!!!

Co-workers can be the worst confidantes....I learned this first hand by trusting a coworker who I thought was on the positive side of my journey. After i started to drop weight in my 1-2nd month, she blabbed to the biggest blabber-mouth on our floor! I did damage control and calmed all the rumors...but still! Needless to say...she is def an "ex-friend" at this point, altho i have to work & see her everyday...I jus simply distanced myself and "cut her off". You may consider doing the same?

Have had the same kind of experience..............been on the liquid diet so many times the guys would dog on me that I was just going to fail again......

This might be a guy thing...........but I turned the tables..............in a few choice occasions I would call them a 'food ****'. One guy ran home and told his wife that I called him a 'Food ****'.......

Had an aggressive co-worker that could be really judgemental about other people...........................so once in a while I would hit him up in the morning with ' You look like Hell today'....

sure enough it slowed him way down.

I am always amazed at what people actually say to other people without thinking anything about it. Like someone else said, you didn't fail the band, it failed you. I was given statistics on the different WLS, and the band had the poorest outcome. The sleeve has been shown to be very successful. It used to be the first step in a 2 step WLS procedure, and patients were doing so well, they decided to make it a stand alone surgery. You will do great! For now, I would just suggest not talking about it to them. The last thing you need is all that negativity when you are undertaking a huge life change. Just distance yourself as much as possible. If they do start bringing it up again, say something like "Well I appreciate your concerns, I have done my research and I feel the sleeve is the best decision for me." Hopefully that will make them feel like big enough a**es, that they will lay off. Good luck with your journey!