Hello all:

Just wanting some info on some questions.. After much debate I've decided to move fwd with revision and will undergo the change end of June.. Of course I'm apprehensive due to an unsuccessful band experience and knowing the sleeve will still be restrictive but different from the band hoping someone can provide some clarity:

1. What has been your personal success from the revision

2. How has the sleeve exceeded your expectations

3. Has weight loss been slower than folks that opt for sleeve first go round (the assumption being that as banders were already used to smaller portions)

4. Any challenges I should be aware of?

5. Not feeling hungry, how long did that last and were you truly not interested in food?

Im praying and throwing all hope to the heavens this works.. It's been a looooong painfully slow battle.

I had the band for 10years and was eating around and through it the last 7or so years....complete fail for me.

I weighed 308 at start of sleeve pre op diet, 300 on day of surgery Dec 11 2011. I hit my goal of 158, losing 150# in Feb 2013, 14 months. I have been maintaining and currently weigh 140-142 range so I have been very successful.

Sleeve vastly reduced appetite and capacity. Band I was often hungry but eating would cause pain so I ate alot of slider foods.

I picked a sleeve practice that had great education, support and follow up. I know my results are considered excellent even for a virgin sleever and maybe not typical but I know it's possible. I went with the sleeve because there were successful stories lkke mine (ladies no longer post here) and I knew it could be done.

Best decision ever.

I am 6 weeks out, I have not had any complications, Im down 25 pounds since surgery. I felt normal on day 3 only a lil sore and a lil tired. The first 3 weeks i was never hungry, I do get hungry once a day and I am not sure if im hungry or is it because Im now at work and everyone else is hungry and eating lunch

One of my biggest issue is and have been getting 64 oz of liquids in. I get full and tired from sipping all day.I have dropped one size and can now fit in size 14. I dont get the stuck feeling and typically Im full after a few bites. My other big issue is the running to the ladies room....ughhhh can eat soft food, liquids and and maybe 2hrs sometime 4hrs later I HAVE to go the ladies room. I dont like to eat out because of that unless we eat out and are close to home. Other than that, I love my new sleeve and 4 of my 5 incisions are almost gone...I too hung around and read people like Cowgirl Jane post and was inspired by her honesty and experience so I did my research and chose the sleeve. Good luck

I was banded for a year, slipped. Revision was 2 years ago. I can't tell you what normal weight loss is without the revision but I have lost a total of 118 lbs. Only 40 was with the band. I've maintained for over a year. I also have hypothyroid and just found out I was still Vit D deficient, but I was before any surgeries. Right after my surgery I couldn't stand the smell of any food. I stuck with my Protein shakes, still can't stand them today and I don't drink them. I drink my coffee in the morning, work out for an hour. I try to stay active. I'm 43 yrs old, 5'1" tall, and wear a med top and a 4-6 pants. for the most part I have no sagging skin. I've lost slower than some of my gastric by pass friends but they all have a lot of sagging skin. I have a little on my inner thighs but I wear bike shorts and you can't tell. My hunger did come back a bit after about 6 months. It gets stronger now than it did. The great thing is that my stomach is still small. Right after surgery I could only eat about 1/2 at a time. I know because I always measured out my portions. Today I can eat a little more but no more than 3/4 of a cup or I am miserable. Let's see, what else did you ask. Oh yeah, my revision was supposed to take 3 hours. I was out in 45 minutes. My dr. was tickled with his talents. No problems, no food stuck. For the first year, the only food I could not tolerate was mustard. Go figure but I switched brands and all is well. The best thing that has helped me is having my husband to talk to to work through emotions of the journey. I did this for me and I do not regret it but it has brought up things I did not expect to have to deal with: example: learning to walk,, comments from friends, loss of some friends, snitty comments, unwanted attention from men.

Yes, I had to learn to walk different. after losing 118 lbs, you don't shift your weight the same way when you walk or sit. Some of it is exciting but some of it is freaky scary. People volunteer the comments freely about what they think of your loss, and it's not always good, I've even had life long friends make snitty hateful comments. I had to ditch some of them because I got tired of being called the "skinny bitch". Unwanted attention from men. Some of them get just gross with their comments and come on's. I really resented it at first but I'm working through it more and more. I've learned to ignore a lot of it, or give a half ass, I don't think so sort of smile.

It get's better and you work through it. It's all good.

I was banded march 2010 and slipped. I was going to have revision March 2014 but the week before surgery my Dr called me in and said he had done a lot of research and wanted to remove the band in 1 surgery and wait 2 months to so the sleeve. I had the band removed March 2014, let my stomach heal and had the sleeve May 6, 2014. Today I am 4 weeks out and I am down 12lbs. I am kind of stressing that i'm not loosing faster but if it helps with skin sag I will be ok with that. I was 240 when banded, 210 when band removed, 220 at start of pre-op and 210.5 day of sleeve surgery. Today I am 198. I had no complications but the 1st week I regretted it because I felt I was going to poop FOREVER! Today I can truly say I am very glad I did this surgery and can't wait to get back to the gym in 2 weeks! I would love to keep in touch with you since our dates are so close!

I was banded in August 2010 and had my revision exactly one year ago today. My weight loss has been extremely slow but I am still happy with my sleeve. I am down 30 pounds from a year ago but I also had a lower BMI going into the surgery. I have another 45 to lose but I feel much better to reach my goal weight! I do have to work harder at losing weight because this is a tool but I love that I am full at the end of dinner and have no room for dessert

Hi sheila,

My case is similar to yours....not loosing much weight...a bit depressed....and now I have gout...which is not helping me at all...cant walk I am limping...hope it goes away soon.

Hi sheila, My case is similar to yours....not loosing much weight...a bit depressed....and now I have gout...which is not helping me at all...cant walk I am limping...hope it goes away soon.

I hope it does too!!

Thanks all for your stories,honesty and encouragement. I am now a week away from surgery and still hopeful but also still vulnerable to the unexpected. My band has been empty for a month now and very rarely are any foods getting stuck. I just need to get thru this surgery and really owe it to myself to take care of me and do my best to make good choices. I know it's only a tool but I just hope it sustains my motivation to take the best care of me for myself and my husband.

I appreciate the heads up on some of the changes and challenges experienced, I wish everyone the best!!!

@@sma102205

How's your weight loss going now? Its still very slow for me.....actually I've stalled for two weeks. Trying not to get discouraged.

My doctor and I discussed this at my last appointment. I am a revision band to sleeve. Had my band out in April, will be sleeved August 4. He said there was a study published recently that indicated no real difference in success rates between "virgin" sleevers and revisions from band to sleeve.

I would guess if a person was revising while at a lower BMI, the weight loss would be slower than someone with a higher BMI, but since I had gained most of my weight back, I don't expect to have any slower weight loss than if I had sleeve first without the band.

hello,

My gout is ok now...but weight loss...not very sucessful....just moving up and down...but I am happy I am not putting on weight...and I am sure slowly I will loose more...all the best to all of u.