Any veteran sleevers out there? Really waffling here. . .

[Shinyhappymommy 2]

I am pretty new to this site. I have had a Lap band for almost 5 years now. I've put back almost all of the weight I lost with it the first year. I've been really considering getting revised to a sleeve, but I've read and read and read about all the possible complications. These stories terrify me. I'm 40 years old and have 4 kids. I have to be here for them. I cannot spend months of my life in a hospital or laying in bed struggling to recover from complications from surgery. I'm basically healthy. I don't want to trade good health for losing some weight.

One of the things that worries me is the lack of long-term info available on life after being sleeved. Are there any sleevers that are more than 5, maybe even 10 years out from their surgery? I'm just so scared of the possible things that can and do go wrong that I don't know that I'm going to be able to go through with it. My insurance will cover it, so that is a good thing. I've already attended my surgeon's seminar.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

Get rid of that band!!

I had the band for 2 1/2 years, and I've had the sleeve now for 3 1/2 years now. There is no comparison. Just go and read all the band to sleeve revision stories and you'll find everyone is so much happier to be rid of the band and get sleeved.

The sleeve works like the band was supposed to. I can eat anything I want, just smaller portions.

If you choose a good surgeon who has done revision surgeries, there aren't high statistics for complications. Complications do happen, but they are rare.

[clk 3,519]

Agreed! The reason I skipped the band and went with the sleeve was the possible complications with the band! You've already made it through a very similar surgery if you have a band and you already faced the complications and restrictions of life post op. You should be an old pro!

As with the band, maintenance is all up to how much you learn and apply during the loss phase. For some it is an ongoing struggle because the food demons just won't go away. Oregondaisy has always been up front and open about the challenges she's faced but she has maintained her weight within a reasonable bounce for several years now.

Maintenance was easier for me, but there are still the ups and downs and the ability to slip up and fall off the wagon for a few weeks is there for any of us. I'll see how well I'm crowing about easy maintenance when I'm back on the loser's bench after this pregnancy!

I'm only 2.5 years out but never ever would have reached my goal weight and hung there without my sleeve. You won't find a huge number of vets beyond 3 years out - they're out there but seldom visit the boards these days. I only visit the boards so I can try to help other people! Most of us reach goal, maintain and move on.

The only advice I can offer is to research. I was sure I wanted a band until I saw how hard it was for people to reach goal and maintain with one, and once I saw how many people were having them removed or revising I knew it wasn't the choice for me.

At any point you could have an issue that requires surgery from the band already in your body. Get it out of there and move on to a surgery that can actually help you achieve and maintain your goal.

Good luck whatever you decide. Be thankful your insurance covers the sleeve, too! So many of us self pay. I don't regret it for a minute but I wish my insurance would have covered my procedure. Having a new lease on life AND not paying a monthly payment for it? That's like winning the lottery in my world.

~Cheri

[Shinyhappymommy 2]

Thanks, both of you, for your thouhts. I probably should have mentioned that I am already sure I want to have the band removed. So I am already mentally committed to having surgery again. My only question is whether or not I want to come out of that surgery wih a sleeve or not.

[readyfor50 4]

Hi I just had my band removed and sleeved 9 days ago. I feel fantastic! I hated my band nothing but problems. I have lost 12 pounds and feel great. My recommendation would be to make sure your surgeon is skilled in revision. Good luck.

[TexasT 99]

Getting the band removed will be one of the best decisions you can make! Had mine for 3 yrs and hated it. Now have had my sleeve for 3 yrs and LOVE it. The only complication I had from my surgery was getting a hematoma where my port had been. But that's because my doc had put that thing in there VERY well the first time around, and it was a bugger bear to remove. Blood pooled in the area and caused a hematoma. Some people's bodies will absorb the blood, mine didn't. I also had my gall bladder and tons of adhesions removed during the same surgery. It was done on a Friday, came home from the hospital on Sunday and was back at my desk in my home office on Monday working part-time. No big deal.

From what I've read before, sleeve gastrectomys have been done for many many years on people with stomach cancer, who go on to live long lives with no issues. Only in the last few years has it been done for weight loss. So I wouldn't worry about long term effects. I continue to need to take an acid reducer daily, but I would say that's the only thing I deal with on a daily basis.

Best of luck on whatever decision you make!

[JessLess 1,163]

I got my sleeve 1.5 years ago. No complications. It was a great decision.

[BriarRose 432]

I had a gastric sleeve over 10 years ago. I weighed 320 and was 5'2" and 54 years old. I also have asthma - life long and I needed a surgery that would allow me to take oral steroids and other life sustaining medications that also cause weight gain... but breathing is an important concept. I could not have a bypass surgery, as my pulmonary docs said that the surgery would make the use of oral steroids impossible and I am prone to pneumonia from years of impaired airways. (And yes, I am working from home right now !!!)

I went from 320 pounds to 180 pounds. I unfortunately gained 40 pounds back in the last few years, mostly due to not being able to exercise much and well.... life. I got pissed off at myself last July and went back to high Protein, and low carb and more veggies and cut out the slider foods... and I have lost 25 pounds. Yes, I am still obese, but for me, who weighed 320 pounds, I now weight 193. (27 pounds down actually) since this July. At 64 years old I will probably stick around the 180s to 190. Yes - it could and should be less, but my doctors are pleased and I have been pretty darn healthy for me. I take care of my critters, keep up a house, a career as a social work supervisor, I garden and am active.

For me, I have kept off over 100 pounds and now am back to having lost 137 pounds and holding. I highly recommend it. Oh, I was in the hospital 2 nights after surgery. Mostly to stabilize my lungs. And I had surgery at 54 years old

[YvetteSims 9]

Hi all, I had my sleeve surgery in 2015 and I have never looked back since! I absolutely love it! I followed the doctors orders and changed my food choices, so I haven't had any complications. All of my pre-existing conditions went away (pre-diabetes, HB, joint pain, back pain). 5 years later and when I see the scale go up a few pounds, I immediately make revisions in my diet. Problem solved! I can lose weight easier now than before the WLS. You will not regret choosing the sleeve. Good luck!