Hi everyone

Mine is a bit of a long story but I had my band out 18 months ago (it had slipped) the plan was for a sleeve to be done at the same time but Surgeon wasn't happy to do it as there was too much inflammation. He recommended waiting a year to let it settle and trying again. I'm going to go back for surgery in the next few months and was wondering if it will work or if I'll never be able to get a sleeve due to damage by the band?

Thanks Gillian

Best of luck to you! I had my band removed and my doctor said I needed to wait at least 6 months before my sleeve to let my insides adjust. I had A LOT of scar tissue. I've read that band to sleeve don't loose as quickly but we do loose. We just need to let everything heal first.

I am not a doctor, so this is just speculation, but I would think that if inflammation due to the band was the key problem, that after a year it should have settled down enough to safely do the sleeve. For most people who go band to sleeve it's just an issue of whether to do it one surgery or two, as your surgeon recommended. I haven't seen stories of people who could never get the sleeve after band removal, but again, not a doctor and don't have all your info.

If it were me I would remain cautiously optimistic. And in terms of success, yes I've seen that us band-to-sleevers have lower average success rates, but each of us can decide to be the exception to that trend! If you are careful to avoid slider foods and snacking and other bad band habits, you can absolutely make a fresh and successful start with the sleeve. I wish you the best.

Sometimes they can't get a nicely shaped and size sleeve on revision so ask about it. I was revised in 2011 and very happy with my sleeve!

Hi guys

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for your messages. I am hopeful I can get some sort of surgery.

I spoke to one surgeon and he's sure something can be done. It's a bit complicated but he is unable to do the surgery at his hospital so I am going to another hospital/consultant next week.

This is all taking so much longer than I liked - meanwhile I'm getting heavier and heavier :-(

gilx

I just had my band removed last week with Dr. Alvarez in Mexico. He said that I will be able to come back in 6 months for the VSG revision but said that some have so much damage from the band that a sleeve is impossible without leaking or other complications. So, it is possible to have so much damage of the stomach from the band to not be able to ever have the sleeve without complications. Good to find a doctor that knows what he is doing and only does the VSG when he feels comfortable there will be minimal issues. There is always a risk but good to have a very experienced surgeon to tell you the truth.

I had my band removal and sleeve in one surgery on Friday. I had some scaring, but my surgeon says that is normal. I had a lot of pain the day of surgery, but day 1 and 2 has been minimal. I take my meds as scheduled and I feel good. I am a bit gassy, but it's not painful. God is good.

I am scheduled to have my band removed and sleeve done in 2 weeks. After much research I signed up with a surgeon that had a good track record of doing the conversion in one procedure which is what I want. I do not want to put myself in unnecessary risks and I trust my surgeon's ultimate decision in the OR so if it cannot be done I will accept it but as far as I know I would be the first one he could not do. I have not heard of the band causing so much damage that a sleeve cannot be done eventually. If you have too much damage like with an eroded band the risks are much higher and some surgeons will not even do it but it is still done.

Jake, I hope that you can do it in one surgery, I wanted so much to do it in one. I was very disappointed and still am that I went thru all that with the band and now I have to wait with no restriction for 6 months. With that said, what I appreciate about my surgeon is that he has done thousands of sleeves and bands and now he is taking out all of the bands that he put in and that other doctors have put in. He gave me a 50/50 chance after having it in for over 7 years to do all in one. I could have maybe found a doctor that would have done both with no thought, but if I developed a leak because of scar tissue, what would I have done as a self-pay?

As far as having so much damage that a sleeve can't be done, the band can do a lot of damage. The band can adhere itself to other organs, disappear inside the stomach, etc. I am so thankful to have it out and although it is difficult I will be patient until my surgeon give the go ahead. Please keep posting on your progress.

I was banded 2005 and revised to sleeve 2014....had it removed and revised on the same day...i was told that i had alot of scar tissue! No problems, no complications and I only took pain meds one day...good luck, im 5 mo out

Banded 07, had to replace tube from damage in 09, removal of band due to damage in '14 with a revision to sleeve. So far all good!

I will keep you posted. I spoke with the doctors office again about this and only on eroded bands they cannot do the conversion from band to sleeve in one step and eroded bands are not very common so my odds are pretty good at this point. They said scar tissue was not a problem, they would take care of that. They have removed 10 year old bands and converted them without complications. I am very optimistic of coming out of the OR with my sleeve. Wish me luck.