HI, I was banded 2010 and have very little sucess with my band... Mainly because I can not tolerate the fills... I have a 10cc band with only 3cc's max. I am in the process of insurance approval for the sleeve but I CERTAINLY have doubts and fear. It would be great to have advise from anyone has had gone through the process of converting .

Thank you

Hi there!

I am a converter from the band to the sleeve, and honestly I will say I love it! I was eighteen when I went with the lap band, and only lost 50 pounds with it. Over the course of the five years I gained the 50 pounds and even more. Before when I chose weight loss surgery they decided to do the band because I was so young, and the sleeve wasn't an option because it wasn't around. Well the band caused more trouble than good, I was left with acid reflux. But in November 2013 I was converted all in one surgery from the band to the sleeve. I jumped through a lot of hoops for it because normally bariatric surgeons do not like doing revision surgeries. My surgeon when she went in there was even surprised I could get food or a fill done because my last surgeon didn't do a good job. I highly recommend the switch you will see a better result overall. I couldn't be happier.

Hello,

I am in the process now, actually got approved by insurance with no problems (thanks God), my surgery is March 26th. On 1/15/14 had emergency surgery because my port got infected, b4 I was put to sleep surgeon said "lapband is coming out" and yes everything was ok until that point, we agreed that he was going to remove it, well guess what? he decided to just removed the port and leave 50% of the band in there so he can do another port in a later date %#$%$@#, I swear I am so mad at this doctor, what gives him the right to make a decision like that? OH well, now he has to take the other 50% and do the sleeve at the same time, but I am so scare that he still going to do whatever the heck he wants, at the end I will end up with a "map" in my belly. Hope you have better luck than me!

I was also converted on 1/28/13. Best choice I ever made!!!

I was very much so afraid of the pain after surgey...was I gonna feel like I had the majority of my stomach chopped off??? Lol nope! Felt like I did a thousand sit ups and thankfully no gas pains cause as soon as I was wheeled from the recovery room I walked and walked and walked!

I started out at 287 and I'm down to 247! Healthier me is just around the corner

No need to fear the surgery...fear what your quality of life will be without it.

Best of luck to you

Crys