Hey all! Using my daughter's account because it was already logged in. I am 60 years old and have had my band for 8 years with no problems. SW was 256 and CW is 180. I never really had any of the typical complications associated with the lap band. However, finding that "sweet spot" has never been easy. My port needs to be replaced, not the band, just the port. Yesterday, I saw my daughter's surgeon (she had a sleeve in Dec) and he asked me if I had ever considered converting to a sleeve. So my question is, if you had a lapand that was fairly successful and am happy where I am, what would you do?

I would not immediately. Try practicing your healthy eating habits without the band if you want it out.

I revised and its much more harder with the sleeve.

Don't make this decision lightly if your happy with the band. Keep your stomach .

The restriction are greater with the sleeve, no NSAIDS for life etc etc.

I had a revision to sleeve in Dec. I could never get to the "green" zone either. If you are having to have your port replaced anyway, I recommend getting sleeved. The fills, stuck feeling, extreme acid erosion on my teeth (mainly during my TOM when band was too tight) all went away. I was happy with my band, but hated the "stuck" feeling anytime I would eat something healthy. There are lots of successful band to sleeve revisions out there. I really wish I would have started out with the sleeve, but hindsight is always 20/20.


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

The restriction are greater with the sleeve, no NSAIDS for life etc etc.

That's not true. My surgeon only has that rule for bypass patients. I asked him my last appointment when I could start taking NSAIDS post op and he said either the next day or the day after.

If you're happy where you are I don't think you should undergo another surgery.
I never found my green zone either and after being sick of vomiting everything up I had my band unfilled and gained 45 lb in a year before I realized I was at the same weight I was banded at. I'm having my revision to sleeve on March 6th.

5 hours ago, Jess55 said:

That's not true. My surgeon only has that rule for bypass patients. I asked him my last appointment when I could start taking NSAIDS post op and he said either the next day or the day after.

If you're happy where you are I don't think you should undergo another surgery.
I never found my green zone either and after being sick of vomiting everything up I had my band unfilled and gained 45 lb in a year before I realized I was at the same weight I was banded at. I'm having my revision to sleeve on March 6th.

Here'sthe thing the gastric sleeve is not a standardizedprocedure. Like you my surgeon said NSAIDS are not off limit. But in reality many many surgeons say their off limit because your at a much higher rate of ulcers due to the very small size of your stomach. Ulcers are dangerous. I have chatted with a few folks who took NSAIDS post op and suffered through ulcers!

I think you need to ask your surgeon why other surgent tell their patients not yo use NSAIDS.