My band needs revision. Thinking about the sleeve....

[marfar7 1,528]

Hi everyone,

First post here, I'm on lapbandtalk tho. I've had my band for 3 1/2 yrs and recently it herniated (bad slip). The dr closer to me (my dr is 3 hrs away and it was an emergency) took out all of my fill and told me contact my dr. I emailed his nurse today and she said it can probly wait for 3 weeks (we have a 7 day Alaskan cruise in 3 weeks and I really don't want to go on it eating only liquids!). I talked to the insurance lady in the office and she told me I can either get a new band (plication isn't covered, which I really wanted), a sleeve, or gastirc bypass. My BMI is ony 27 now but since I'm having complications, Medicare will pay for a revision. I luv my band, however it's alot of maintenance. I have to drive 6 hrs round trip + pay $160 for every adjustment. So I'm thinking about the sleeve. But I'm scared cuz it's permanent. Would you do the sleeve again or get a new band placed?

Just looking for info on how many people are happy with the sleeve. I weight 162 today and my goal is 135, so I have less than 30 lbs to goal, but I know if I completely just take out my band, I will gain all of my 104 lbs loss back. I need help.

What do you think?

marci

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

What a quandry.

I fear you might get too thin if you go to the sleeve, but I would also fear regain if the band is removed with nothing done.

I am curious if there are any others with this experience.

I lost 150# after my revision and in the early months you can almost not help but lose weight... so i cold really see you getting too thin...

[marfar7 1,528]

What a quandry.

I fear you might get too thin if you go to the sleeve, but I would also fear regain if the band is removed with nothing done.

I am curious if there are any others with this experience.

I lost 150# after my revision and in the early months you can almost not help but lose weight... so i cold really see you getting too thin...

I had to laugh at this (I know it's truly not funny) cuz I don't think I can ever be too skinny! I've dealt with my weight all my life and have never been accused of being "too skinny". No, I don't have the desire to be rail thin or look sickly, just be a normal, healthy woman. How many of us actually pictured ourselves too skinny? I've worried about lots of stuff - never this tho.

Thanks for the chuckle - really.

Marci

[shauna37 0]

I had lost 118 pounds with my band but it slipped and had to be removed 11 months ago. I am going to be sleeved in 11 days and I can't wait!! I was 159 pounds when it was removed and have gained almost 80 pounds back!! I should have been revised to a sleeve back then but I was hoping I would be able to maintain my weight loss!! Good luck on your decision and journey!!

[cincykat 34]

Hi everyone' date='

First post here, I'm on lapbandtalk tho. I've had my band for 3 1/2 yrs and recently it herniated (bad slip). The dr closer to me (my dr is 3 hrs away and it was an emergency) took out all of my fill and told me contact my dr. I emailed his nurse today and she said it can probly wait for 3 weeks (we have a 7 day Alaskan cruise in 3 weeks and I really don't want to go on it eating only liquids!). I talked to the insurance lady in the office and she told me I can either get a new band (plication isn't covered, which I really wanted), a sleeve, or gastirc bypass. My BMI is ony 27 now but since I'm having complications, Medicare will pay for a revision. I luv my band, however it's alot of maintenance. I have to drive 6 hrs round trip + pay 160 for every adjustment. So I'm thinking about the sleeve. But I'm scared cuz it's permanent. Would you do the sleeve again or get a new band placed?

Just looking for info on how many people are happy with the sleeve. I weight 162 today and my goal is 135, so I have less than 30 lbs to goal, but I know if I completely just take out my band, I will gain all of my 104 lbs loss back. I need help.

What do you think?

marci[/quote']

I had the band for about 3 years also. It slipped and I had it removed sept 2012. My doctor wanted me to wait 3-4 months before he revised to the sleeved. I gained 20 lb after he removed my band. I'm loving my sleeve. My surgery was jan 14 2013. I have lost 36 lb. I'm a slow loser but still losing. Good luck to you

Sent from my iPad using VST

[M2G 1,836]

Here is a blog of someone who was in a very similar situation...

http://jax0120.blogspot.com/

She used to post here but not so much anymore. Anyway, she had lost some weight with the band, had issues and revised to the sleeve. When she did the revision she was at about 160lbs. Now she maintains around 140lbs.

Here is right before her revision:

http://jax0120.blogspot.com/2011/06/before-surgery-to-vsg-pics.html

Hope that helps!

[marfar7 1,528]

Here is a blog of someone who was in a very similar situation...

http://jax0120.blogspot.com/

She used to post here but not so much anymore. Anyway, she had lost some weight with the band, had issues and revised to the sleeve. When she did the revision she was at about 160lbs. Now she maintains around 140lbs.

Here is right before her revision:

http://jax0120.blogs...o-vsg-pics.html

Hope that helps!

Thanks so much. I've contacted her for info. Luv her blog. Read about 2/3 of it. I need all the info I can get!

Marci

[sherrypep 91]

Hi, I am having my revision on May 6th. I am 162 pounds and have had my band for about 16 months and it has been pretty rocky. I have a slow leak which caused them to fill the band so much I couldn't hold down Water and this went on for months. I was throwing up constantly, woke up crying with heartburn in the night, and feel all my food go down no matter how much I chew. I was worried about losing too much weight and looking sick, however, my doctor and others in this situation assure me that your body plateaus at a certain weight and will stop or slow down. He told me I may loose another 20-25 pounds which is ok by me. I will take the chance to be rid of this discomfort. Good luck with you decision.

[Flyingirls3 1]

Hi. I am in a similar situation, been banded since 2010 and now I have all this trouble, heartburn with even Water sometimes. Monday will have the band looked at. I am really considering the sleeve. At 175 I am 15 lbs away from my goal. I could lose 25. I gauged my goal weight by my daughter weight, as we are built the same. I will look sick under 145.

My biggest concerns (besides the surgery itself ) banded people tend to have dilated pouches and esophagus, what happens to weight loss with these issues? Will the heart burn go away with a sleeve?

Good luck :-)

[M2G 1,836]

Thanks so much. I've contacted her for info. Luv her blog. Read about 2/3 of it. I need all the info I can get!

Marci

Marci you are welcome! I hope Jacqui has some good advice for you. One thing that I wanted to mention from your very first post about being scared of the sleeve because it's permanent. Don't be. It's a GOOD thing. Once you are through the surgery and subsequent recovery and healing, you are good to go. You get to keep this tool for LIFE and no more 6 hour trips for a tune-up.