Band Revision to Sleeve- Pregnancy after WLS

[pdubzzzz 1]

So it is sort of a weird title, I know. Let me catch you up to speed...

I had lab band surgery January 2009. I was quite successful in my first 6 months then had some set backs as new insurance would not cover any fills. In May 2010 I had a few fills that brout me to the so called "sweet spot" live was good. I was losing weight steadily and all was good. All of the sudden in January 2012 out of nowhere I started feeling pains in my shoulder, really bad and similar to that gas feeling you have after band surgery. Dr. released some of the Fluid from the band to ease up pressure if it truly was gas. He only did a little so I ended up feeling worse and the pains lead me to the ER. In the ER I met a really great doctor who saw from the Xrays that for some reason there was a lot of gas filling my abdomen all the way down to my intestines. He removed all fluids from the band and I almost immediately felt relief.

We went to refill in May after giving the band some rest and in June, same problem. I went to his office and he sent me for several tests, and again had to remove the fluid. The band somehow had shifted and he feels that the reason is my body rejecting it and creating too much scar tissue due to the foreign object. After an endoscopy confirmed this it was determined that I can't have fluid in the band and that it would eventually need to be taken out. About a week following this I got engaged so the doctor allowed me to postpone surgery until after the wedding which was at the end of December.

So after much debating between getting bypass and the sleeve I have opted to get the sleeve and am scheduled for a February 18th surgery date! Band will be removed and sleeve procedure done in one surgery. My doctor actually recommended WLS pre pregnancy instead of after as he says this will help prevent any fertility issues....so having explained all of this I have a few questions for all of you out there.

1. How similar was the experience post revision to sleeve from the band?

2. How was the diet the same/different?

3. How do you keep hydrated...I see a lot of people mentioning problems with drinking.

4. Has anyone on the forum gotten pregnant after WLS and what was the experience like?

5. Does anyone wish after getting the sleeve that they had actually gone with bypass? If so why?

6. Please feel free to give any unsolicited advice!

I have to say the main thing that I struggle with right now is that I'm quite sad that the band did not work out. I was very excited for the lab band surgery and "all in" so to speak. I wasn't prepared for the idea I would have to do WLS all over again so it's a wee bit overwhelming, but I know it is best for my health for the long run so I'm sure it will be worth it.

[krr41475 12]

Hi, your experience with the band mimics mine. I am getting sleeved on 1/19 so ill let you know about the pain level. With the band I was fine the same day and returned to work the next day. I pray the sleeve goes the same way.

I have done a lot of research because I want babies of my own too. From what I found there is more nutritional loss with full bypass then w sleeve, therefore making pregnancy a little more complicated. That's the no 1 reason I chose the sleeve.

Good luck!

[The.new.g 48]

I am about 10 days post revision. I was banded in 2007. I got pregnant in 2010. My band was working at that point. I had a partial infill at the beginning of the pregnancy and just kept it at that level throughout. Obviously my experience isn't the same as with a sleeve pregnancy, but I can tell you that between the band and the baby, by the 3rd trimester I could barely eat. There just wasn't any room. Luckily my daughter was growing fine so we just continued along and she was born very healthy. But I think if I am lucky enough to get pregnant once more, it could be a real challenge to get enough nutrition. It seems that people do it, though. Have you checked out the pregnancy board here?

For me, I think my pregnancy was where my band malfunctioned--either during that 3rd trimester when I was so tight, or perhaps during labor, which was unusually fast and strong for a first baby. My band never worked after my pregnancy. After my surgery my surgeon told me the buckle was unclasped and the band was just dangling. He had never seen that before. I wouldn't have had to worry about something like that with a sleeve.

I had a much better pregnancy than I would have if I was still morbidly obese then. Good luck!