I have the band and am looking to revise to sleeve next month (pending approval).

I've read many sleeve success stories and they can be encouraging. However, the stories from people feeling like the procedure didn't work for them, and those who have not lost weight or gained it back, are causing me to wonder if this is the right thing for me to do.

The types of posts that worry me are those that say things like:

1. I don't have any restriction and I never did
2. I used to have restriction but now I don't
3. It took a long time to get restriction
4. I can eat more with the sleeve than I could with the band
5. I can eat whatever I want.

I don't want that! I want something to stop me from eating because I seem unable to stop myself!

I'm starting to wonder how effective this procedure will really be....Will I be the reason the sleeve fails, just like I was the reason I failed with the band?

I lost 40 pounds with band and have 40 to go. I have not lost the second 40 and have not been able to get the band adjustment correct (always too loose or throwing up everything I eat). I'm not miserable with the band and it has helped me to keep the 40 pounds off nicely. I just have not lost any more than that. I can, and do, eat too many calories everyday (1300-1500 about 100--120 carbs because I can) and I don't exercise much because I have lost my motiviation. Obviously, I'm the reason I have not lost weight (I know that and don't need to be told) - but I did think the band would help me to eat less than that! I don't eat slider foods, except maybe my Protein drinks and FF Greek yogurt. I don't eat a lot of junk - I just eat too much, plus the occasional nibble of something bad - today it was 1 brownie bite, yesterday it was 9 tortilla chips, the day before that it was more cheese than I sould have had on a salad, tomorrow it will be something like too much salad dressing.

I do realize that I have to show some self-control - but that is why I failed with traditional diets. I can show self-control for a while, but then I give up.

Am I doomed to fail no matter what I do? Is the sleeve really that much different or better than the band or traditional dieting? I realize I have to do the work, but I honestly thought WLS was going to make it ieasier to eat less.

Maybe I'm just ranting. I am feeling pretty discouraged and hopeless. I want to believe in the sleeve, but I also do not want to set myself up for disappointment.

Were you disapointed? Maybe this sleeve thing is too good to be true?

Thank you for the input everyone. Thanks for being nice too!

My band is working, as far as restriction goes and that's why I'm nervous about making a change. I don't want to end up less restricted or more free to eat with the sleeve than I am with the band. It's working for weight maintenance, it just isn't working as far as weightloss (again, my fault because I eat too much and don’t exercise regularly).

Ultimately, I'm tired of dealing with fills, and really tired of being terrified of getting the stomach flu and throwing up (not stuck, but actually sick).

I also worry that I may not always have great insurance, and if things go bad with the band, or I need fills, etc, I won't be covered.

A permanent, one and done, with the sleeve, seems like a better long term option. I wish I had chosen this surgery first.

I am going to take the chance, and do it.

I would actually consider the surgery successful, even if I stayed exactly the same weight, but freed myself from the complications of the band.

That said, I am finding myself more and more motivated to "work it" once I get the sleeve. If I lose a little bit (20-30 pounds of the 40-50 I need to lose), and keep it off for life, I'll be a satisfied customer.

Thanks again for all of your wisdom!

With the sleeve, I think you will just feel less hungry vs restriction. So you will actually feel full instead of having to stop eating because you are restricted. I've read a lot of posts on here from people that stopped losing with the band and were able to lose more with the sleeve. Good luck to you!

With the sleeve, I think you will just feel less hungry vs restriction.

I never had the band, so I can't compare, but I DEFINITELY feel restriction with the sleeve. Yesterday I overdid it at lunch and I was in excruciating pain for a good 45-60 minutes as a result.

Band was far more restrictive yet I was still hungry. Sleeve was quite restrictive at first, but 3 years out it just feels like a normal, smaller tummy with far less hunger.

I never had the band, so I can't compare, but I DEFINITELY feel restriction with the sleeve. Yesterday I overdid it at lunch and I was in excruciating pain for a good 45-60 minutes as a result.

In the end WLS is only a tool that will help you on your weight loss journey. I have had a band,a revision, a band removal and now the sleeve. If I don't exercise I don't lose as much. If I choose to snack somehow it goes down so I have to make good choices. If I don't feel like drinking as much water I don't have to but the days I get in at least 64 oz I feel better. Choosing to have these kind of surgeries is a very personal decision because only you will have control of how it works for you. In my opinion the sleeve is definitely a much better surgery then the band. I told my surgeon he should stop using it because of all the complications and follow ups. Good luck!!

I'm one of those that you have read about and worry about. Iv never felt any restriction with the sleeve and never lost any physical hunger. For me removing the band was like opening the flood gates and I weigh almost 10 lbs more today than i did when I had my surgery. You are right to have concerns, there are no guarantees, it's just a chance you take but that being said, if you're not happy now or like me have fears about living the rest of your life with the band, then it's prob worth taking a chance.

I feel like I am the first Gastric Bypass failure. I had my surgery 8 weeks ago. I lost weight before I could eat solid food and I have gained back 2 pounds since. I rarely feel full...I know I have to work at losing weight but I was hoping the sleeve would be a tool that helped. Honestly I sometimes think I am the placebo test patient, they removed my lapband but did they forget I wanted the sleeve when they were in there?

Being able to eat as much as I did before ( and some days I do) makes me feel horrible. I know "hunger" is in my head but I was hoping the sleeve would make it easier for me to feel full.

Every time I read that people can consume a cup of food at some meals ( like that is a lot) makes me nuts, I can easily eat 2 - 3 cups at a meal ( if not more!)

Not trying to discourage you, just want to be honest ( and get advice as well) I am almost at a point where I will just tell people I had the sleeve removed, period the end. I am ASHAMED, and envious of almost everyone one else who only lose weight with the sleeve.

Am I the ONLY one?

Did you have sleeve or bypass...you mention both. Are you eating protein first?

Every time I read that people can consume a cup of food at some meals ( like that is a lot) makes me nuts, I can easily eat 2 - 3 cups at a meal ( if not more!)

I'm not clear on which surgery you had. Sounds like band revised to sleeve? But you mention bypass as well.... Anyway, when you say 2-3 cups of food at a meal, what kind of food and how long does it take for you to eat it?

Lap band to sleeve

Lap band to sleeve

What about my other questions regarding what kind of food you are eating and how long it takes you to eat it?

Can you give us what your day is foodwise?

Today I started at 6:00 AM with a Protein drink: Crystal light, strawberry yogurt and one scoop Protein powder...

By 7:00 Am I felt hungry: I had cottage cheese with a small amount of Kellogg's Protein Special Kay.

Hungry again at 10:00 AM ????

Spoke to the Doctor today, it may be that I am one of the 15% that don't feel full even after having the gastric sleeve. I did not know there was 15%, I knew the sleeve can be stretched over time, but I missed the part where some people don't feel the benefit. I see him next month and he said 2 months out from surgery may be too early to tell....how can that be I wonder?

I'm sure they did a leak test the day after your surgery ? You can request a copy of your X-rays and see for yourself what your new stomach looks like. This is how I knew for sure that mine was not the ideal sleeve. My band left behind a nicely dilated esophagus, I also had an xray at one year post op where I saw that my sleeve had stretched way more than it should have, I requested my op notes and found that my surgeon used a larger size Bougie and probably went very liberal with my sleeve size since I was a lower BMI patient to begin with. I wouldn't accept that the sleeve "doesn't work for everyone." If it doesn't, there is a reason.