Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Band to sleeve one surgery or two?



Recommended Posts

Hi! I've had my band for 12 years and it's time to say goodbye. I'm waiting for a date for surgery, but was just informed today that this revision sometimes can not be done in one surgery. I did not know this. I was slightly disappointed.. my surgeon said he discussed this, but I don't recall. I thought I was almost there. The thought of me possibly waking up with no band and no sleeve is freaking me out. Then to wait months before being able to have the sleeve done!! What's the norm? What's the chances it can be done in one surgery? Anyone? And how did it go?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had mine done in 1 surgery only because I was self pay and it would have cost me an extra $4500 on top of the price of the sleeve. My doctor explained it as a benefit to do it in 2 surgeries, especially if you have a drastic slip, erosion, or prolapse. Giving the stomach time to heal and return to normal allows for a better sleeve. I just couldn't afford the extra $ or time off of work. They explained that once they remove the band, they evaluate the condition of the stomach and go from there.


Banded 2010 weight:327
Sleeved 12/28/16 weight:253
Currently 222.9lbs
104 lbs down!!
Heather in Texas

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you Heather. I HAVE A DATE (3/16)!! I was told the same...I just wish they had explained that sooner... before I got excited! I rather be safe than sorry...so.we shall see. How.are you feeling? What can I expect going from band to sleeve?

Edited by My3angels031703

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My experience has been great. Significantly better than when I had my band. The gas wasn't anywhere near as painful, I was off of pain meds on day 3 and back to work in a week. Getting used to the sleeve is really different because I'm used to the full feeling that I would get with the band. The feeling is nowhere near the same. It is really crazy how I have to make myself eat because food is just not appealing to me. It is easy to eat healthy because I don't have the crazy cravings and food is fuel instead of enjoyment. I know that not everyone has this kind of experience, but my sisters and I have had the same experience. It is just a phenomenally better experience, in my opinion. Congrats on your date! Just don't compare yourself to first time VSGrs. We typically lose more slowly as revisions. I am finding that my speed of loss is about the same as with my band. I can't wait to hear about your journey! March is your removal or are you having both at the same time? I asked to keep my band. It is my little trophy!


Banded 2010 weight:327
Sleeved 12/28/16 weight:253
Currently 222.9lbs
104 lbs down!!
Heather in Texas

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That's awesome! I'm freaking out... the thought of my band being gone after our 12 year love/ hate relationship. I go in to remove band...and if my stomach is in good condition, possibly get sleeve same time. After 12 years of abusing my band I feel like there has to be a lot of scar tissue, but who knows. My doctor just informed me that it matters be 2 separate surgeries. ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, I had my band for 5 years and it has been removed for 2.5 years now. My surgeon said that it's like having two procedures b/c he'd have to remove the band and then proceed and do the sleeve. which to me meant more time under, a longer time in surgery, and a sorer belly. Although it's less expensive to do it all in one but after 2.5 years I have to do classes again. I'm hoping that my stomach is in better condition since waiting so long. Good luck, it may be worth the wait.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ladies as you consider removing your band and going into the sleeve. I strongly recommend taking your time to research the sleeve.

It does not compare to the band.

1) You will have significant restriction. I am two months out and I cant eat bread, Pasta, red meat, or rice. Some ppl can and others cant. There's no guarantees which one you will fall into. I will lose weight. But I won't be able to eat like a normal person ever again even in moderation.

2) Acid reflux is a serious issue with the sleeve. I never ever had an issue with the band. I am dealing with rather bad GERD even though I am taking prescription meds. I have chatted with folks that it got so bad over the yrs that they had to revise to gastric bypass.

3) Vitamins! You can't live without them. Daily intake or I will develop issues.

4) NSAIDS! Even if your surgeon tells you that you can take them. There's significant debate on whether sleeved folks should take them or not. These meds are very hard on a normal stomach let alone a thin sleeve! Continous use will most likely lead ulcers which are very dangerous with little or no stomach left.Think about aging and the lack of NSAIDS.

5) You can still get stuck! I just had to vomit food yesterday. You still experience that nasty slime....eww! I cried the first time it happened cause I lived with that for 8 yrs.

Please feel free to message me. Think about life beyond weight loss cause there's no turning back with the sleeve.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ladies as you consider removing your band and going into the sleeve. I strongly recommend taking your time to research the sleeve.
It does not compare to the band.
1) You will have significant restriction. I am two months out and I cant eat bread, Pasta, red meat, or rice. Some ppl can and others cant. There's no guarantees which one you will fall into. I will lose weight. But I won't be able to eat like a normal person ever again even in moderation.
2) Acid reflux is a serious issue with the sleeve. I never ever had an issue with the band. I am dealing with rather bad GERD even though I am taking prescription meds. I have chatted with folks that it got so bad over the yrs that they had to revise to gastric bypass.
3) Vitamins! You can't live without them. Daily intake or I will develop issues.
4) NSAIDS! Even if your surgeon tells you that you can take them. There's significant debate on whether sleeved folks should take them or not. These meds are very hard on a normal stomach let alone a thin sleeve! Continous use will most likely lead ulcers which are very dangerous with little or no stomach left.Think about aging and the lack of NSAIDS.
5) You can still get stuck! I just had to vomit food yesterday. You still experience that nasty slime....eww! I cried the first time it happened cause I lived with that for 8 yrs.
Please feel free to message me. Think about life beyond weight loss cause there's no turning back with the sleeve.

Yes, it doesn't compare to the band...it is far better!
1.you WILL have significant restriction...THAT IS THE POINT! You can't eat bread or rice. You shouldn't eat bread or rice anyway. There is no needed nutrition from bread or rice. (I CAN eat bread, but rice is still difficult.)
2. Acid reflux. Nope, not everyone. I had esophageal erosion and tooth erosion from reflux with the band. I have NO acid issues at all with the sleeve. I don't even need any acid medication any longer!
3.vitamins. You CAN live without them, but should you? Even with a perfectly normal digestive system, you should take Vitamins. My hair, skin and nails are better than ever because of vitamins!
4.NSAIDS. Not every doctor eliminates them. Some do. You can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) even if your dr says NO NSAIDS. I don't take pain meds too often because I just don't have the pain like before.
5.you may have slime and you may vomit, but get a stomach bug and you vomit too. I did vomit a couple of days ago because I ate rice and it kept growing and overfilling me!

Your stomach and eating may not ever be normal, but look at where normal got you before. Some people have horrible experiences and some have life altering experiences. You work your plan every day and spend the rest of your life making more good food choices than bad food choices! If I had it to do over, I would not ever get the band and just get the sleeve!!


Banded 2010 weight:327
Sleeved 12/28/16 weight:253
Currently 220.7 lbs
106 lbs down!!
Heather in Texas

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was banded in 2013 and it slipped. Most like due to the fact that I continued bad habits like bread, rice and other junk. I had the band removed and revised to a sleeve on jan 23rd. I feel great. 1st week was the worst. Pain from where the port was. My surgeon was excellent. He said there was a lot of scar tissue but he was able to it. Weight loss is slower due to this being my second surgery but loss is a loss and I will take it. Not screwing up this time. Good luck!!


Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That's awesome! I'm freaking out... the thought of my band being gone after our 12 year love/ hate relationship. I go in to remove band...and if my stomach is in good condition, possibly get sleeve same time. After 12 years of abusing my band I feel like there has to be a lot of scar tissue, but who knows. My doctor just informed me that it matters be 2 separate surgeries.



Hi my3angels,
My surgeon only ever performs it as 2 surgeries. He showed me a picture of an actual stomach after band removal and it basically looked like a sausage - still all pulled together in the middle from where the band had once been.




Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ladies as you consider removing your band and going into the sleeve. I strongly recommend taking your time to research the sleeve.
It does not compare to the band.
1) You will have significant restriction. I am two months out and I cant eat bread, Pasta, red meat, or rice. Some ppl can and others cant. There's no guarantees which one you will fall into. I will lose weight. But I won't be able to eat like a normal person ever again even in moderation.
2) Acid reflux is a serious issue with the sleeve. I never ever had an issue with the band. I am dealing with rather bad GERD even though I am taking prescription meds. I have chatted with folks that it got so bad over the yrs that they had to revise to gastric bypass.
3) Vitamins! You can't live without them. Daily intake or I will develop issues.
4) NSAIDS! Even if your surgeon tells you that you can take them. There's significant debate on whether sleeved folks should take them or not. These meds are very hard on a normal stomach let alone a thin sleeve! Continous use will most likely lead ulcers which are very dangerous with little or no stomach left.Think about aging and the lack of NSAIDS.
5) You can still get stuck! I just had to vomit food yesterday. You still experience that nasty slime....eww! I cried the first time it happened cause I lived with that for 8 yrs.
Please feel free to message me. Think about life beyond weight loss cause there's no turning back with the sleeve.



Anne, I was told that I never should be taking NSAIDs with the band either because of what it does to the upper stomach with the concentration being to much for the smaller stomach to handle and leading to complications. I will personally never take NSAIDs again after seeing what they did to my mother. She developed stomach ulcers from over use and it led to ulcerations of her stomach and she died from it.

Sounds like you are just going through the adjustment phase with your GS? Can you not go back to your surgeon or dietician and perhaps get some tips to help you through this part of your journey - especially with your acid reflux. Hope things improve for you soon, as it sounds like you are struggling a bit at the moment?



Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please if you are considering doing this in 1 surgery know that serious complications can happen. I did mine in one surgery and have had horrible issues because the state my stomach was in after the band. I'm 3 weeks out and still can not tolerate anything beyond Clear Liquids. I also had to have an NG tube to rest my stomach because of swelling. While it is possible to have this done successfully in 1 surgery it's not worth the risk.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My revision to the sleeve and a hiatal hernia repair were all done the same day. No issues yet.



Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My Dr. told me that It would be a little higher risk to do both at the same time, but it would also cost less to do it at the same time. I had my band removed 2.5 years ago and my comorbidities are now worse especially my B/S. I'm going through the process over again and will now meet with my surgeon again in 4 weeks for sleeve surgery. I don't weigh a whole lot at this time, but need to do this for health reasons. I hope you get to the right place with your revision and things get better for you very quickly....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×