I was banded in March 2011. The day after surgery I started having esophageal spasms. I had to go and have all of my primer fluid removed. After 4 weeks and several medications, it seemed to have stopped. So I go and have my first few fills and all is well. After the fourth fill I started having trouble with certain foods which was to be expected. But, one day I could eat something and the next time I would throw it back up. This was very confusing because I wouldn't know if I could eat something or not until I tried. After another fill I started throwing up more often so I had some of the fluid taken out. Naturally I wasn't losing weight which was frustrating! After this point they said my tissues were very sensitive and that we would have to go with smaller fills. So 0.2 ml is what I have been getting from then on which is next to nothing. But I would still swell to the point of not being able to eat solids for a week after a fill. Long story short, I have gone so many days not able to eat solid foods and sometimes not even liquids! I've thrown up more days than not. I have starved off every one of the 70 lbs I'm down. I had actually gotten down 80 lbs. but at the end of May I had 0.5 ml removed because I needed a break from the vomiting and just wanted to eat! So I gained 10 lbs! At this point my band is only half full. Anyhow, I had a consult with my surgeon and where I though food was getting stuck in my band, it's actually getting stuck in my esophagus. I'm still having esophageal spasms and the food never makes it to the pouch! The band has not even had a chance to work because I can't get it tight enough to get restriction. My esophagus is boycotting the band! He basically says my body is not tolerating the band (duh) and that my options are to keep the band and hope it gets better (after a year and a half), have it removed (and gain all my weight back and then some) or get the sleeve (which could still piss off my esophagus). My fear is that I will have the same issues with the sleeve and it's not reversible. Atleast right now I feel like I have a choice to be miserable for the rest of my life or not. Once the stomach is gone, it's gone. I'm so torn!!! Any input would be awesome. Espeacially if anyone has had the same band issues and then had the revision done. I just don't want to make the wrong decision. HELP?!

Im right there with you my friend....having my revison on the 19th. The way I look at it the band failed, no way id do the bypass so this is my only option. I guess I look at it this way, do nothing stay fat, do the revision and at least I have a better chance of losing the weight...have to at least give myself a chance. Whatever you do, good luck

Had a revision.Love it! do it! the sleeve is what we thought the band would be!

Hi, I know what you mean, I experienced the same issues as you did. My doctor kept sending me to get an UPI (upper GI) before I saw him each time. I was having issues and was having extremely bad heart burn. I was diagnosed a couple of months ago with a hernia in my esophagus. My doctor gave me two options: fix the hernia or take out the bad and replace with the sleeve.

I opted to take out the band and replace with the sleeve. My surgery is set for 11/20/12 I am excited and ready to lose this weight. Because my doctor had to open up my band I have gained weight.

I know that this is scary and you don't know what to do. The best option for me is to have the sleeve surgery and a healthy and happy life.

Be strong, in your heart you already know what you need to do.

Nicole, I'm undecided too! my band is already half emptied due to severe acid re/flux and a dilated esophagus. my Dr says the same thing. But as someone here said, We can either stay fat, or give the sleeve a go at it. It's so easy to say, but as you said, It's permanent and we wouldn't be able to untighten it if we get the same band symptoms. I completely understand. I hear so many positive responses from our friends here who have converted to the sleeve, that I totally believe that it's a good thing.

Reshiapooh96

The thought about it being permanent and not being able to unfill if you get symptoms...I reasoned like that for 5 years while not know what else to do and regaining 100 pounds.

Now,anyone can have complications with any surgery,sure.But statistically complications are quite low.And long term comps as I can see it is mostly heartburn or reflux but not too many have it out of control either.

The thing is I waisted another 5 years of my life wondering,worrying about this.And 8 months out I can tell you I now go through phases where I mourne the loss of those 5 years and the regain of those 100 pounds as after the band and the weight loss I didnt need any plastics (maybe boobs but no one sees them and I can hitch them up quite high..lol)

Now,I am going to need to do arms,legs tummy and boobs.I am still so mad at myself for this as I hate surgery but I look terrible and will definitely have to do it.

If you can lose it without the sleeve en get rid of the band and change your life by yourself.

But the bottom line is we have to lose the weight as it will kill us sooner rather than later.The qualitly of a very obese persons life is so much lower and life is just so much harder wit so many aches and pains.And it gets worse as we age!

Good luck to both of you and dont let the fear that made us do the band,because it isnt permanent,stop you from have a great long healthy life!

Hi Nicole, at this time last year, I was having the exact same fears. Your band journey sounds just like mine -- except I put up with it for 5 years because I was so ashamed to be unsuccessful with weight loss even though I had weight loss surgery.

Due to my reflux problems and esophogeal spasms, my doctor suggested the bypass. That surgery has never been an option that I wanted for myself. I went with the sleeve the day before Thanksgiving last year and I'm so happy I did! I wasted so much time feeling physically ill, losing sleep because of the reflux episodes and ashamed and now I couldn't be happier with my progress. Good luck with your decision!

I had my band in December 2010. It was fine for almost a year, then i started having issues and had to have a barium swallow, only to discover the band had slipped. Had a complete unfill, let it get settled back where it was supposed to be. After six weeks, had another swallow, everything looked okay, started fills again. And it slipped, again. Unfilled once more, still having issues. Woke up in extreme pain, had to go to the ER, band had slipped to the middle of my stomach and had to come out.

There were days when i could eat anything, and days where i could eat nothing. Vomiting was a regular part of my life, and i wasn't losing weight like i thought i would. I was so happy when the band was out - but i started slowly gaining weight, and that was unacceptable.

Today i am one month post-op with the sleeve. I am 1 pound lighter than i was at my lowest post-band. I've not thrown up, i can eat "normally", albeit much much smaller portions, and i feel fantastic.

No comparison between the two, i wish i'd had the sleeve first.

Wow! You guys can't imagine how much I appreciate your responses! I know I am not as rare as they say I am with my symptoms but no one was around to tell me before surgery so I had no idea that this could even happen! It's a miracle I don't have reflux or a slipped band as much as I have thrown up the last year and a half. And as much as I've gone hungry I should be a bean pole! LOL. I want desperately to lose the rest of my weight! I just really wanted the band to work for me. It is reassuring to hear people that have had the same issues as mine have converted and been successful with the sleeve. I just have to get it in my heart that the band has been a complete failure for long term weight loss. My quality of life is not what I want it to be and to be 70 lbs. lighter, I really don't feel any better as far as energy and just feeling good. I have a follow up consult with my doc on the 28th to ask more questions about the sleeve. He mentioned in the first appt. that they could go in a stretch the esophagus and stomach if I was having those issues. I just want to know if that doesn't work, is there anywhere else to go from there. I do not want the rest of my life to be a permant puke-fest! Which it certainly will be if I keep the band!!!! Y'all pray I make the right choice in the end. And thanks again for your words of experience!

I too had the same issues as you. I am now two months post op from my revision and this IS all that the band promised to be but wasn't! I only wish I had done it sooner.

Nicole in my opinion I don't think that you will have the esophogus issues with the sleeve. There will be a smooth transition from esophogus to stomach, just your stomach will be smaller. There won't be anything restricting your food, as in the band, for the food to get stick, or go back up into the esophogus.

Getting the sleeve will be the best decision you can make. I am now 45 pounds under my lowest band weight, I can eat chicken, yogurt, meats now all things that I had trouble with the band. It is a blessing that this surgery is available, I am thrilled!

Nicole in my opinion I don't think that you will have the esophogus issues with the sleeve. There will be a smooth transition from esophogus to stomach, just your stomach will be smaller. There won't be anything restricting your food, as in the band, for the food to get stick, or go back up into the esophogus.

Getting the sleeve will be the best decision you can make. I am now 45 pounds under my lowest band weight, I can eat chicken, yogurt, meats now all things that I had trouble with the band. It is a blessing that this surgery is available, I am thrilled!

That would be nice to just be able to eat with having to worry if it will "work" or not. Most people with the sleeve can figure out what foods they can and can't eat. Not me, one time it will work and then the next several times it won't. But still that's not the band only my esophagus. Like yesterday, I had to clear my pouch first thing in the morning because I have mucus build up at night. That takes 30-45 mins of spitting up. Then I can have coffee. I've not been able to eat Breakfast in over a year! Then I had chicken noodle Soup with crackers for lunch, went down fine. Went to have dinner last night and could not keep any of it down! So frustrating. And there is no rhym or reason to when it decides to act up! If there was a pattern maybe I could find a way to live with it but I can eat like a horse for three weeks with no major issues and then all of a sudden I won't be able to eat solids for 3 days?! Crazyness. Hopefully doc will say whatever it is my mind and heart needs to hear to make the decision to switch.

I didn't have your exact same issues, so I just don't know. However, I agree with the sentiment that you don't have that tiny little restrictuion that blocks things. The sleeve is different and a lot better in my experience.