Hello All,

Hoping someone who has gone through a gastric band revision to a gastric sleeve can help me. I got the band 10 years ago and for awhile it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I lost 100 pounds and I was working out every day and life was good. Then the reflux started. So bad I spent months sleeping in a chair because lying in bed made me choke with all the stomach acid coming up. They took all the fluid out of my band and now I'm on track to get the band removed and get a gastric sleeve. Very worried about going to a hospital in the middle of the pandemic, but I'm going to be 60 soon and they're telling me that it's pretty much now or never. I'm hoping someone here who has had the experience with a band conversion to a sleeve can give me some advice about how different it is, or if it's similar and how much harder it is than the initial surgery. If there is no one on here who has had a conversion I'd also like to hear from people who got the sleeve and if they'd do it again. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

12 minutes ago, BayougirlMrsS said:

guess i'm just one of the lucky people that didn't have acid reflux with the band. Banded in 2009, removal 2017 due to a slip from a stomach virus. Sleeve 11 months ago tomorrow.

Sleeve was the easiest sx i ever had. SW w/sleeve 173lbs. today 121

You guys have to know that there are other WLS:

• Gastric Sleeve Surgery
• Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy – VSG
• Gastric Bypass – Roux-en-Y
• Mini Gastric Bypass
• Duodenal Switch – DS
• Gastric Plication – Gastric Sleeve Plication

and others..... I was wanting the MGB, but my SX didn't do them and didn't want to go to Mex to have it done.

I paid 14k out of pocket for the sleeve.

Wow, thank goodness my insurance is paying. Thanks for the info, much appreciated. I meet with my surgeon tomorrow, wish me luck!

6 minutes ago, Barbwired said:

Wow, thank goodness my insurance is paying. Thanks for the info, much appreciated. I meet with my surgeon tomorrow, wish me luck!

Good for you. Only thing that was ever covered by insurance was 2009 banding (232lbs). My ER removal was OOP (2017 143lbs), and so was the Sleeve (8/28/19 173lbs).

Have you talked to him about the MGB?

26 minutes ago, BayougirlMrsS said:

Good for you. Only thing that was ever covered by insurance was 2009 banding (232lbs). My ER removal was OOP (2017 143lbs), and so was the Sleeve (8/28/19 173lbs).

Have you talked to him about the MGB?

No, this is all new. I will discuss it with him tomorrow.

Hi,

You will be fine! I, too, was a bandster for 10 years and converted to sleeve 2 months ago. The best word to describe my feeling is RELIEF! the band started out great but then it was too tight, too loose, too finicky from one bite to the next. I have lost 35 pounds and Eat the things that I like. I did away with complex carbs with the band so I haven't (and don't plan on) picked them back up. Best thing, I can eat fruits (All kinds) without throwing up.. You won't regret it. Best,

6 hours ago, Ann777 said:

Hi,

You will be fine! I, too, was a bandster for 10 years and converted to sleeve 2 months ago. The best word to describe my feeling is RELIEF! the band started out great but then it was too tight, too loose, too finicky from one bite to the next. I have lost 35 pounds and Eat the things that I like. I did away with complex carbs with the band so I haven't (and don't plan on) picked them back up. Best thing, I can eat fruits (All kinds) without throwing up.. You won't regret it. Best,

Thanks Ann! So glad to hear you're doing well.

The bypass surgery is better for you than the sleeve, the sleeve makes reflux worst

13 minutes ago, dmclaurin28 said:

The bypass surgery is better for you than the sleeve, the sleeve makes reflux worst

So has this been your experience?