Hi. My weight loss journey has been filled with many ups and downs my whole life. This especially started in Dec of 2012 when I was banded. I started at 339lbs after about 7months I kept throwing up. I had band released as well had upper GI tests done. I was told everything was fin and in place. By April 2014, I spent 1 week hospitalized and had emergency removal of the band. I couldn't even hold down water and was 257lbs. I have had so many emotional struggles with this, eating too much, not wanting to eat at all. Each day is a constant battle. I still continue to workout and use what I've learned with the band. However, my surgeon wants to make it right and has suggested I get the sleeve. My body is healed, but I don't know if I can go through all this again. I've been reading on the sleeve. I just would like honest and real thoughts, experiences and opinions on the sleeve. I currently am 283lbs now.

It will be a new journey with ups and downs.

it will be a new journey an not perfect. its still a learning experiance but at 270 pds as my HW I was disgusted an mad at myself. until I was approached by 2 of my drs at 2 differant appointments that suggested the sleeve I was prime canidate with all my health issues I did my research and the benefits outweighed the risk! before I knew it I had an approval an date! I got on the right thyroid med an away we went. I REFUSED to live another day fat an miserable an the victim. (bad previous 20 yr marriage divorced) remarried now for 15 yrs getting healthier an I couldnt be happier!! some days I struggle when old thinking creeps in but I try to immediatly dismiss it. I went thru 10 yrs therapy an it was needed an it gave me my life back (therapy an sleeve)...I am 6 mon postop down 101 as of today!! YOU an only YOU can make this decision. but if you already went down the road of doing the band you already was there mentally you wanted a change. the sleeve is soo much better! if you follow your protocol it will be successful. problems? with every surgery comes risk. I was willing to take that risk. being fat for 30 yrs was killing me mentally emotionally an physically. this gave me a new opportunity an I jumped on it. I only told 3 ppl..my immediate family still doesnt know. eventually I'll say something if its asked for now its s trict diet an lifestyle change. thats me. my decision. I didnt want to hear everyones elses thoughts etc...this gave me my life back! Im 51 an I feel like I made the best decision for me an my hubs is loving it also!! my biggest supporter. THIS IS THE HONEST TRUTH! had some pain the first few wks got thru it. the first month is hard. at least it was for me. especially with head hunger. your not giving the brain an body what it has depended on the feel good carbs an dopamine! so yea its up an down. but after that first month its amazing!! best wishes!!

It honestly varies person to person. My surgical course from DOS to present has been a breeze. No pain, not even the slightest complication and I have literally tolerated every thing I have tried to eat.

Thank you very much for your feedback. I think the scariest for me is going through it all again. But this time, they are actually taking part of my stomach out. I just keep thinking of that... Kind of makes me frazzled. I do want this though. I want to be able to start enjoying life again. Thank you for sharing and good luck on your journey.

I had the band revised to a sleeve two months ago today! Things were challenging because I had complications from a rare and serious renal disorder I didn't know I had until post-op, but surgically speaking, it's been good. The searing pain of reflux so severe it damaged my vocal cords is GONE! The daily disappointment when I stepped on the scale - ADIOS! I have lost nearly 30lbs* in less than 8 weeks - I'm down 4 pants sizes and I'm 1lb away from my pre-baby weight, which is like 7 years ago. The next time I drop a clothing size, I'm going to have to go BUY clothes, it's been that long since I weighed this little! Oh, and my type 2 diabetes? I don't need medicine for it anymore, and I don't have to follow a diet for it either. I just eat healthy, that's it. My BP was never a serious issue, but I'll bet that's down too.

Sure, I throw up, and throwing up sucks. And it's not easy completely learning a new way to eat. Also I'm really bummed to give up carbonated beverages. And having had a nightmarish first month (because of the kidney disorder you don't have, so you don't have to worry about it) well, that was really hard, but when things were rough, I would step on the scale and voila, I had a smile on my face

(*30lbs may not sound like much, but I am on the bottom end of the scale of of who is allowed to get the surgery, so 30lbs is halfway to my goal weight.)