Hi everyone! I am looking into have my lapband removed and have VSG instead but I am so scared of the thought of my stomach being permanently removed... Are you happy with decision to convert from the band to the sleeve? What issues were you having with your band the made you go for revision?

Thanks everyone

I didnt have the band... but went right for the sleeve & had it done on Dec 11, 2013 - IT WAS AND HAS BEEN THE BEST THING I COULD HAVE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF!!!!! I havent felt this good in 10 years!! I just wish i had done it sooner...

Me too! Best thing I ever did!

I originally was going to have the band as the thought of having 85% of my stomach permanently removed just seemed like too drastic of a step. But as I continued my research I began to reflect. Why do I need my entire stomach when I see so many folks getting along just fine living the sleeved life? For me, it came down to realizing that if I went with band, it gave me the option to once again to have 100% of my stomach back so I could abuse food in the same manner to which I was accustomed. I found myself rationalizing, "I know, I'll just get it unfilled around the holidays and then filled back up after." That thought actually went through my head. It told me I had issues with my relationship with food and I needed a permanent change. I had to protect myself from myself and the sleeve would give me the power to do that.

You will read things from anti-sleevers saying, "But what if I need 100% of my stomach? What if I get stomach cancer or something?" This was a question I asked my surgeon and he laughed. His response was, "You have a better chance of being killed walking across the street than you do of getting stomach cancer. And if you were to get stomach cancer, what makes you think have 100% of your stomach will be any better? Chances are you would end up with the same solution anyway, so ..."

It was the best decision I have made in recent memory, for sure.

I had my band for three years before it slipped. I had problems with it probably starting after the first 6 months. Chest and back pain, inflammation, vomiting, filling and unfilling...

And it never took me to goal or even close. There is south pain related to the band. With the sleeve, for me, the only pain came from healing. Yes the first 30 days were rough. Really rough. But I feel great now, and when I eat 3 oz I feel full. A healthy full, not pain. The difference is night and day for me. The sleeve sounds scary, but do the research on it and you'll see less complications than for the band, and higher success rates.

*so much pain. Not south lol

I was banded in 2005 and revised to sleeve in 4/2014....So far I have no regrets and No complications. I am 20 pounds down and have been feeling normal since day 3 of coming home from the one night stay at the hospital...We are all different and we will all have different results and different feelings. I really like my Sleeve and its nothing like the band, no throwing up,no stuck food, no fills and unfills, no being too tight at night. Good luck with your journey and decision.

Had my band in 2009. Loved it the first 3 yrs. Till it slipped. I was about 14 lbs from goal when it slipped (frequent vomiting will eventually do detriment to ur band). Spent almost a yr trying to fix it conservatively (unfills/fills/tweaking) until it finally herniated and had to come out. I went thru the same thought: Taking 85% of my stomach out forever? Why yes, please. I want to be thin, FOREVER don't I? I don't want weightloss to be temporary. And sometimes it takes doing something drastic for drastic changes in ur life. It's what it took me. No diet ever worked. It took altering my anatomy to do that. I gained 30 lbs during that yr of it being slipped.

I'm now 9 mths out from my sleeve revision and now have 10 lbs to goal. It's coming off pretty slowly now, in fact for 5 mths I easily maintained. Had to review my intake and decide I wanted to eventually get to goal, not just dream about it. My bmi is now normal so if I never lost another lb, I'd still be happy.

Good luck to u! U can do this!

I had a band and revised to the sleeve. I am having second thoughts. Since I have had the sleeve I am tired and weak a lot . I have no energy. When I had the band out I gained ten pounds. I have lost that ten and five more since January. If I had to do it over again I wouldn't because the price was to high on my health. I would of stayed with the band.

I had a band and revised to the sleeve. I am having second thoughts. Since I have had the sleeve I am tired and weak a lot . I have no energy. When I had the band out I gained ten pounds. I have lost that ten and five more since January. If I had to do it over again I wouldn't because the price was to high on my health. I would of stayed with the band.

Wow Im sorry to hear that...i noticed alot of wls patients state that they are tired or weak Im wondering if you are getting all your vitamins in and enough b12...we all are different and wls isnt for everyone...i hated bein banded for numerous of reasons besides complications...i wish yu luck and great success to everyone trying to be healthy

I converted to the sleeve on May 12th and I am thrilled to see a change.The band wasnt for me...Three years of struggle is over...

Lapband for 10 years and revised to the sleeve 2.5years ago.

For me the sleeve helped me achieve my goals and has been essier to live with. The initial recovery...first 6-8 weeks was much harder though.

I had the lapband for 5 years and had complications with it. I have had the sleeve since January so I am today 4 months out!!

I am so Thankful for this wonderful tool, a healthier lifestyle and the ability to say goodbye to 61 pounds.

5 weeks out from revision to gastric sleeve. Had band for 8 years with complications and regain weight over past 4-5 years. So far I'm down 28lbs. Weight loss is slower than it was when I initially got the band but much easier. I do get little nauseous every once in a while but no more vomiting every time I eat.

3 months out on on having the sleeve done- best decision I've ever made! I'm 30- wish I had known about it in my 20s...life would've been so much better, instead of always feeling so self conscious and avoiding certain activities that my friends were doing like the beach or any kind of work out like climbing or hiking.

I had the band for 10 years - great the first year and had problems for the last 9. Removed in November 2013 - gastric sleeve on March 4th and I feel GREAT! As long as you stop eating when you should it is wonderful. I never felt sated with the bandand therefore made the wrong food choices - I never found that "sweet spot". I love the feeling I have with the sleeve - unbelievable - off of diabetic meds since day before surgery - I have been given a new life!

Hey, I had a band In 2006 but began the "too tight/reflux" problems in 2008/09. Pre-band I was at 248 and dropped 60 lbs, but with the probs regained about 30. Now, I'm just past my 1yr. mark w/ my revision to a sleeve. I'm down to 155 and in a size I've never seen in my life! I set a lot of mini goals over the year, with my main goal being to hit 70% loss of weight in my first year. (The Dr. said the expectation was this to happen in 2 yrs.). I DID IT!

Now, I'm still pushing on to my next goal, but after my 1yr. check up, my Dr. said my blood work is great and I was doing fantastic with things. Here's the key....EMBRACE THE CHANGE! I took the eating and exercising seriously. Don't get me wrong, I hate any and all forms of exercise (PE was NOT a fav in school) but it is a job I must do to maintain my change. Clearing the house of junk and making sure my body is taking in what it needed and not always what it wants helps the process. OH, and the biggest thing (for me anyway) is learning to recognize the head games my brain will play about wanting food. In the last year I have really tried to focus on learning what is hunger and what isn't, and how to compensate with new things instead of old habits.

A phrase I've adopted is "It's a marathon, not a sprint." As long as I work the plan and stay focused (recording what I eat, exercise 3-4x a wk for 30-60 mins., make healthy choices) my Dr. says I'll stay on a successful path. So, best of luck on your journey!