Hello all, sorry for the long post. I am new here and was hoping for some feedback. I was banded in 2001 and initially did very well and loved my band. Started having bad shoulder pain about 5 years in and saw three different band doctors who all told me there was no way it was band related. I was on a forum back in the day in which several banded folks related the same pain.

Around 2008 I started vomiting a lot and had several fills with a doctor who is very aggressive in his fills. I would often leave the office spitting up and had to turn around on two occasions to have some fill removed. He was not too pleased so I stopped my follow up. Developed heartburn and imaging studies in 2011 revealed esophagitis, gastritis, and a hiatal hernia. I had a complete unfill in either 2011 or 2013 and just gave up and have gained most of my originally lost weight back.

I am now considering switching to sleeve. I keep putting it off because I am terrified of any surgery and also about how bad the band might be in there. I went back to my original band surgeon two months ago who in no uncertain terms told me the band has to come out. He has not done any more bands since 2004. I will most likely be self pay and I am very worried about complications, how I will feel, and not losing.

Can anyone tell me how it feels to have sleeve restriction versus band restriction?

Do you vomit with the sleeve or slime up?

Do you still have GERD if you developed it with the band?

Thank you all in advance for any responses and for all the information you have posted in this forum. I look forward to reading the other posts and getting to know you all

@@ReaderGirl thank you so much for your post. I can definitely relate. I am glad your surgery went smoothly. I have been worrying about what can potentially be going on with the band but figure I will need to deal with it eventually so I am guessing the sooner the better. I have been putting it off but am feeling like I am ready now. I am submitting to insurance and hopefully it will get approved. But I agree with you, it need ps to be done and I will find a way. I appreciate you taking the time to post and wish you much success c

@@judyd I have read that the sleeve is not the best option for GERD so am glad you are doing well

I read many posts that if u get Gerd with sleeve it goes away after awhile, like a phase. Also can be treated well with meds.

I am about 12 days out now. So far I am on the same gerd meds as before and feeling fine b

My son and I have both been sleeved, he was never banded, though. He has gerd, I don't. He gets the slimes, I don't. What I'm saying is, everyone's different!

I love the sleeve. With the band, you feel "restricted". With the sleeve, you feel normal...your stomach is smaller so you don't overeat, but not restricted so things don't get "stuck". I vomited daily with the band; only 4 times with the sleeve and that was my own damn fault! You can still overeat, as everyone can. There's nowhere to go but out. I'm learning my lessons, slowly but surely!

I think you'll be happy with your decision to be sleeved...I know I was! Good luck!!!

I hope I can resist overeating to the point of vomit.

I am so glad to have the revision surgery 6 weeks ago.I do not miss the sliming when i went to bed.I lost 80 Lbs at first with the sleeve but when i had the fluid taken out i gained 40 lbs.I felt like somebody was chocking me all the time.Due to the inflamation I wouldnt work out for the year around january I felt so bad I thought I was having heart failure.My diabetes got worse again.I havnt got sick with the sleeve.It is so much better than the band.There is some discomfort when I eat but not near as bad with the band.It feels good to be able to eat and not worry about excusing yourself to throw up.I was told the discomfort will go away in 2 more months.I was able to go back to work in 8 days only because i was alittle weak from the liquid diet.My job requires alot of concentration and i have been fine.I feel so much better.I whent in for my physical and my doctor was impressed he shared wih me when I saw him in january he didnt know if i would make it by the end of the year because my heart condition,Also with my condition I was able to go home the next day from surgery and heardly any discomfort.If anybody has any questions follow up with me.

So I'm about in the same boat as VDLT in regards to having the band giving me many issues.

I've been banded since 2009. My main questions about having the sleeve vs the band: What is the main difference you noticed as far as your eating habits (ability to eat, how much you could eat, how you tell you have eaten enough, etc) without the band giving you a "hard stop"? Do you feel just as or more successful? Do you think it's easier to over eat with the sleeve?

I'll have to have my gallbladder out - and am considering having revision to the sleeve at the same time. I discussed with my surgeon and he said yes he could do both at once. I keep going back and forth about doing it. I'm back to feeling like I should just go ahead and do it. Ever since my band was too tight like 2 months ago and I had to have Fluid taken out I haven't felt very good. I got it re-filled with 1cc then 4.5 weeks later I got one more cc. That last one was about 3 or so weeks ago. It's so weird - sometimes I feel like I can eat way more than I should be able to - I have about 8.7cc in there now...maybe a tad more - and other times I can't keep anything down. I started having reflux again and went to liquids for a few days. It went away. Now it's back this morning and I haven't even had any solid food. I made a Protein shake for Breakfast and was only able to drink about half of it. I took all my medication, but it hurt (I guess I went to fast, I try to wait a few minutes between pills, but was running late today).

I am starting to feel like I'd be better off having the band taken out and switching to the sleeve. Through all this annoyance of the last 3 or so weeks I haven't even lost any weight. Go figure. Since the symptoms for being too tight and a band slip are about the same I'm not sure what to think any more. I'm sure I probably do not have a slip but I'm kind of paranoid about it anyway. I know if I call the nurse at my surgeon's office she'll have me come in and get an un-fill. At which point I guess I'll just start whatever process I need to start to do the revision. It's quite scary to me. The only surgery I've ever had was the band surgery. And of course the anesthesia made me sick after they had to wake me up from it (I take after my dad in that respect lol).

So I'm also not keen on having surgeries, but the gerd/reflux and the chest pain...I was truly miserable this weekend whenever I tried to eat anything. And despite the fact that I'm not eating very much AT ALL I still haven't lost any more weight??? I can't figure out how that happens. Especially when I'm still active. Maybe not enough calories. I mostly drink protein shakes/drinks. I try to eat more solid food for dinner usually.

I think I'll just have to call the nurse and get this whole process going. I don't like being nauseous, throwing up, and the reflux, OY! I've NEVER had reflux or gurd. EVER.

Thank you everyone for your responses! For some reason I lost this thread and glad I found it again

I have been approved for my revision and I am very nervous. I am taking 3 weeks off from work then returning to a sedentary job. Do you think that will be enough? I am also going on a short cruise (3 nights) at 5 weeks out of surgery. Anyone think it will be an issue?

Thank you all for sharing. I sometimes feel very alone in this whole thing and your words mean a lot to me

Thank you everyone for your responses! For some reason I lost this thread and glad I found it again

I have been approved for my revision and I am very nervous. I am taking 3 weeks off from work then returning to a sedentary job. Do you think that will be enough? I am also going on a short cruise (3 nights) at 5 weeks out of surgery. Anyone think it will be an issue?

Thank you all for sharing. I sometimes feel very alone in this whole thing and your words mean a lot to me

If you are anything like me you will be fine very soon. I was able to work after 3 weeks but I have a desk job and can work from hom. Also - I am 8 weeks out now and I think you will be fine to go on a cruise after 5 weeks. Good luck!

@Bndtoslv Thank you so much! I am soooooooo nervous!

I am so thankful for Dr. Ryan Heider he has been so helpful with my revision and never questioned me when I told him my issues. Doctors who don't listen to the patients are dangerous. His entire staff have had weight loss surgery, which really is awesome they can answer most questions I have about what is normal and what might be a problem.

When I went to him this last time was because of pain on my left side. Nothing showed on contrast and he took all the fluid out of my band and we tried for two weeks still had restriction so he said lets see what the insurance says. Well I have awesome insurance they allowed for removal of band and the sleeve all in the same surgery. I was worried but then realized he is one of the best in the country doing this and calmed down. I am three weeks out and yesterday had a piece of toast with peanut butter and nothing got stuck what an awesome feeling. I have lost 35 pounds as if yesterday. Best decision I could have made.

I too was banded in 2001. Today my band was removed. I have wanted it out for years, so I am really happy to be done with the band. There were many reasons, but mostly I could not follow the protocol with a decent fill without reflux, daily vomiting, and I had a slip along the way so was cautious on any fills after that. Even when the band was unfilled I still had issues with it. I will be sleeved in December. My surgeon requires a 3 month wait between the two surgeries to allow the stomach to recover from the callous that forms under the band.

For the band removal, I could not eat or drink after midnight last night, and my surgery was at 7:30 AM today. It took 90 minutes, recovery time was about 60 minutes, and I was home by 10:00AM. I'm just amazed at the speed to complete this removal. I don't want to jinx anything by going on how great this has been. I have waited so long, and here it is done in less than 3 hours.

I am very sore where my port was removed, but I'm told that will only last a short time.

I am looking forward to mid-December. Just the upper endoscopy and registered dietitian steps to go before then.

@@Halfagain our stories are the same! Banded in 2001...removed Sept 2011...sleeved Dec 2011. Been at goal for awhile. Revision was the BEST decision ever.

My port area was very sore and then weird for weeks. I got a little depressed after band was out... maybe the sense of failure? Anyway here I am years later with no regrets about my revision.

I'm new here I got banded in 2011 I'm 5ft & my weight was 199lbs. I had a lot of difficulties, throwing up, spitting up etc. my weight got down to 126lbs. I had band removed a year ago this June. My weight has came back to 188lbs. I have my revision surgery for sleeve 10-07-2015. I am scared we are paying cash, I'm worried about losing too much weight & im worried about leakage from the staples. I'm just scared. I'm back on blood pressure medicine & cholesterol medicine & I feel terrible, no energy. I want the weight off, but I don't want to look sick. My surgeon said he wouldn't do the kind of sleeve on me that would make me lose 100lbs. Is it stupid to ask has anyone lost to much weight? I want to lose 60lbs but I'm scared I will keep losing. My surgeon said since I had the band for 3 years the sleeve will just take the place of the band & I won't lose 100lbs. I guess I'm just worried I will not have any control if the weight starts falling off & I can't stop it. I hope I don't sound ridiculous ????