Hi everyone!

I havent been super involved in this community yet, but was hoping to start. Thought it would be best to share my story. I apologize in advance if there seem to be details left out, just a long, long story.

I got the sleeve in 2009, when I was still in high school. I was on the lower end for the band, at about 5'8 & 220 lbs. I had tried every diet imaginable (weight loss camps, etc). Unfortunately, the band never worked for me. From the first time I tried to get it adjusted, the nurses could not get the needle into the port (I actually did not have a great deal of abdominal fat, so they didnt even try to do it under fluoro the first time). They claimed that the band port was "malrotated," but it would cause no issues.

I never, ever, felt "right" with the band. I never felt appropriately restricted, and in the same day I would be able to eat a sandwich then later not hold down food. I had horrible pelvic pain that no one could diagnose, went from doctor to doctor. After years of failure (and a ton of weight gain), I was so sick of the band. I thought that it might have something to do with my pelvic pain, but two different band docs denied it and gynecologists couldnt find any explanation.

In 2012 (ish), I started having intermittent sharp pain, that felt like it moved from throughout my pelvis. It hurt so badly I could barely walk during those episodes. Again, no doctor could diagnose it.

In December 2013, I went to the ER with a ton of pelvic pain that I thought was appendicitis. When I went for a CT the pain suddenly moved to my left side, so they thought it was a kidney stone. However, the CT came back negative for everything, and I was sent home yet again with no answer.

Over the next few months I went to many docs, from gynecologists to urologists to urogynocologists. At last, I went to Dr. Iannace in NJ in June 2014 (took me almost 6 months to get two other bariatric surgeons to send my records over!). He pulled up my records from the ER that night, and found that the tubing of the band was broken!!! There is actually a part of the band half way between the port and the band itself that comes apart, and the broken tube was lying in my left pelvis. The radiologist read it on the report, but no doctor ever called/told me. I was incredibly upset/pissed but also relieved that I finally had an answer. For years doctors told me that I was "cheating the band," and that I was lying about being able to eat bread but threw up liquid. With the broken band, changes in pressure in my abdomen could explain the differences in restriction.

Dr. Iannace took the band out in august 2013, and said that i had no adhesions (yay!), so that the sleeve is totally safe. I am getting sleeved tomorrow, and I cant wait. I am super excited, but nervous for the surgery. I really hope the recovery will be easier than the band removal (getting the port out really hurt for me!).

I hope to share more about my journey in the future

Good luck. It's a great procedure and you will find lots of 'ease of use' with this. You have to work but not like that ridiculous band. Sorry you had to experience that.

Start walking as soon as they say 'ok' and sip, sip , sip - you'll be so glad that you did this ! Right away you have control - its given to you !

thank you so much, I will try! Did you have your band earlier this month?

i have a sleeve. my doc said the band, in his 20 years of experience, is less than 75% effective - i figured if I was going in - I was going all in ! I week ago Monday. Works like a charm…

Edited October 12, 201411 yr by akrier

ah sorry I meant sleeve! Congrats! Wish I had heard that before the sleeve. Granted, I was young, so lap-band was less "scary."

Wishing you the best - with your surgery and recovery - and with your sleeve journey after all that!

I had problems with the band too - I love my sleeve though!

I am also a band to sleeve revision and have never looked back. Good luck to you, please keep us posted on how you are doing.

Thank you everyone! I will update you soon!

Hi everyone!

thanks for the encouraging words. Everything went pretty well, came home last night. I unexpectedly needed a hiatal hernia repair, and that seems to be the only source of pain. I've been pretty dizzy, but no nausea for the last two days.

Did you guys also feel dizzy right after the surgery?

Best,

Hi Allie- glad it went well and that they found the hernia and could repair it at the same time.

I was not dizzy, But my Blood Pressure was pretty high for two days, then went down to normal - normal for the rest of the world - which was great ! I was nauseated too. But by the third day, everything was okay !

Wish you a quick recovery - take it easy and definitely listen to your doc !

Hi @@Allie1234

I was sleeved on 10/13 by Vaimakis and Iannace too! I was at Holy Name, were you? I don't know anyone who has gone through this so if you are looking for a buddy, I'd love to chat sometime!

Kaitlin

Hi everyone!

thanks for the encouraging words. Everything went pretty well, came home last night. I unexpectedly needed a hiatal hernia repair, and that seems to be the only source of pain. I've been pretty dizzy, but no nausea for the last two days.

Did you guys also feel dizzy right after the surgery?

Best,

Do you still have your patch on behind your ear to help the nausea? (Scopolomean or something) It could possibly make you dizzy.

Hi all! Thanks for the advice, I am thankfully no longer feeling dizzy Can't wait for the next few months.