I was banded just before Thanksgiving, and yes I have lost, I feel funny to put my original weight up here, its horrible to think (and see) how bad I have let myself become. I spoke with my physician this morning about the possibility of getting a sleeve (to help with the initial weight loss, my weight is pretty high, ok very) and he said absolutely no for now. I know the band will work, its my lifestyle that I am changing, but I really would like to know if there is anyone out there that has done both, or knows a physician that will do a sleeve after a band (within 6 months after the band), I do not want to remove my band, I would like to do both in conjunction with each other. I am pretty scared to go outside the US, but it looks like from the boards there may be a good physician in Mexico? Any information would be so helpful, thank you!!

The sleeve that is left is around the size of the pouch that is created with the band so if you have a sleeve, there is nothing to put the band around.

They do put bands around RnY pouches when the stoma stretches out. But sleeves don't have a stoma so that's not an issue.

You were just banded a little over a month ago. You are putting the cart before the horse. You have not experienced restriction... Restriction is what REALLY produces weight loss. I know you want to lose weight, but you're going to have to be patient.

This process is NOT overnight. You will have slow losses and frustrations. But, if you participate in your aftercare, get fills as needed, etc, you WILL have success. Don't go jumping off the Band Wagon just yet...

And no, you can't have both. One or the other. So, follow the band rules and enjoy your steady weight loss.

You were just banded a little over a month ago. You are putting the cart before the horse. You have not experienced restriction... Restriction is what REALLY produces weight loss. I know you want to lose weight, but you're going to have to be patient.

This process is NOT overnight. You will have slow losses and frustrations. But, if you participate in your aftercare, get fills as needed, etc, you WILL have success. Don't go jumping off the Band Wagon just yet...

And no, you can't have both. One or the other. So, follow the band rules and enjoy your steady weight loss.

Not everyone loses well with a band. Inamed announced recently that the average someone can expect to lose with a band is 55% of their excess weight. If someone is a 50+ BMI by the time they lose half their excess weight they are still obese.

I am not in favor of higher BMIs getting banded, far too many revise to a sleeve or bypass. Not saying one can't get to goal from a high BMI to healthy BMI, but it is not the norm.

Not everyone loses well with a band. Inamed announced recently that the average someone can expect to lose with a band is 55% of their excess weight. If someone is a 50+ BMI by the time they lose half their excess weight they are still obese.

I am not in favor of higher BMIs getting banded, far too many revise to a sleeve or bypass. Not saying one can't get to goal from a high BMI to healthy BMI, but it is not the norm.

Oh, I totally agree with you on the statistics. I am just saying that when you're only a month out, not having real restriction, it is a little early to be thinking about another surgery.

Oh, I totally agree with you on the statistics. I am just saying that when you're only a month out, not having real restriction, it is a little early to be thinking about another surgery.

Totally agree.

That's a very astute point on banding for the higher BMI patient, Wasa. There's loads of evidence coming to light in Australia that banding is much more successful for those with a lower BMI.

I wonder why? Behaviour? Or are or bodies working differently?

But that's not to say that there's not many people here on this very forum who have lost to normal from a pretty high BMI. Its not unheard of either. Give yourself a chance Michellah08, that's hardly a positive way to be thinking from the get go. Many of the poor statistics are due to elements entirely in your control, you CAN do this if you want to.

Even if the band DID take you to 55% of your excess weight lost, you can think about a sleeve to take you the rest of the way, if your loss was getting ridiculously slow and difficult. But give the band a chance, afterall, its already there inside you. It does take a while to get with the program though, you need a bit of restriction first.

That's a very astute point on banding for the higher BMI patient, Wasa. There's loads of evidence coming to light in Australia that banding is much more successful for those with a lower BMI.

I wonder why? Behaviour? Or are or bodies working differently?

But that's not to say that there's not many people here on this very forum who have lost to normal from a pretty high BMI. Its not unheard of either. Give yourself a chance Michellah08, that's hardly a positive way to be thinking from the get go. Many of the poor statistics are due to elements entirely in your control, you CAN do this if you want to.

Even if the band DID take you to 55% of your excess weight lost, you can think about a sleeve to take you the rest of the way, if your loss was getting ridiculously slow and difficult. But give the band a chance, afterall, its already there inside you. It does take a while to get with the program though, you need a bit of restriction first.

I've wondered why a sleeve has better stats for higher BMI people than banding, they are both restrictive procedures.

Do you supposed that considering there is a more gastric fat for a higher BMI person that when they start losing the band is actually too big and they can't get the right restriction after they lose a significant amount of weight? The other thing I have wondered is that banding is the hardest procedure out there meaning it requires the most effort. I'm not sure how much longer I could have done it. If I had another 100# to go I think I would have gotten sick of the weight loss routine and just said that I was down low enough. I'm not sure. For me, 132# was quite enough, I was over it, I wanted maintenance. ;o)

I do think the time it takes is part of why the band has the lowest average EWL of all the procedures. Heck, I'm ready for maintenance and I have only been doing this for 3 months (though for 6-7 months before that with no surgery).

I also think the trickiness of getting restriction is part of it as well.

But even with the other procedures, EWL is lower as your BMI goes over 55. I think it's just really hard for a body to shed that much weight.

When I had my band, it was in conjunction with about 8 of my co-workers. My weight loss was slow and steady, for others it was faster and they had greater loss in the first couple of weeks. When I would hit a plateau, then I would have a fill. I reached my goal weight 2-1/2 years later.

You already have the band, let it work for you.