I have had a lapband for almost 3 years. During that time, I have lost 120 pounds. Last summer my band slipped and was replaced in the same surgery. I had a miserable 4 months of pbing and vomiting before I finally realized that the problems weren't me and something was wrong with my band (I'm a slow learner). Since getting my new band I have had a lot of nausea. ALOT! It doesn't seem that the new band had ever reallly worked well, but I have had some restriction and been able to maintain my weight. I just found out Wednesday that my band has slipped again! All the fluid has been taken out of the band and I find that my appetite has really picked up. I'm so afraid of gaining weight back. My doctor has suggested the vertical gastric sleeve and I am seriously considering it. It seems like a drastic move, but the anxiety of gaining weight is very strong. I'm wondering if those that have had the band removed have been able to maintain and or lose weight, if they had an alternative surgery or they wish they had had an alternative surgery? I would appreciate any and all feedback. My doctor is willing to do the revision for free. Just not sure what is the best thing to do. Thanks!

If your doctor is going to do the sleeve for free, go for it!

Everyone I know that has it, just loves it.

You'll have permanent restriction and never have to worry about slips, erosion, fills or unfills.

There is a forum for life after band removal. You should be able to read in there how successful people have been keeping the weight off after having it removed.

If your Dr is willing to do it for free, that's AWESOME!

BUT.......

Make SURE that he has done HUNDREDS of them SUCCESSFULLY on other people before he does one on YOU!.

You do NOT want to be a guinea pig for ANY Dr.

Let them get their practice elsewhere.

Perhaps he has done many of them, and if that's the case, go for it.

HH

Thanks! Keep thinking about it. I am about 10 pounds from my goal weight. It's a big decision. According to my doc's bio he helped pione the sleeve gastrectomy at the University of Pittsburgh. I have not been able to ask him how many he has done yet. Won't see him again for a month.

A really good resource to get background info on any bariatric surgeon is obesityhelp.com. You can search your surgeon under the "search" feature and it brings up a great and readable grid that clearly shows all the experience he/she has with each specific bariatric surgery.

For example, here's my surgeon: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeon+profile+John+Feng+jjm.html

Many doctor's claim to be "pioneers", so please be careful and understand what he/she means by using that word :smile2:

I'm almost 6 months out of lapband surgery myself, and am really happy....but, I kinda secretly wish I had the sleeve now, lol.

Thanks for the link. Good luck with your weight loss journey!

Once a bariatric patient, always a bariatric patient. If your band is removed you will regain your weight. I strongly encourage patients to convert to something else if the band has to be removed. I will convert to either RNY or sleeve gastrectomy, though my personal preference is for the sleeve. Besides, most band patients prefer the sleeve for the same reason they didn't want the RNY in the first place. You get great restriction with no rerouting or Vitamin problems.

Mark Pleatman MD

Web page: laparoscopy.com/pleatman

Dr.Pleatman: Thanks for your opinion. I am strongly leaning towards the sleeve. It's frustrating because all around me, family and friends and even some of my doctors think I can do it without a replacement surgery. They make it seem like I am copping out to want the sleeve. I'm very nervous about the amount of stomach they take out, but love the no appetite and restriction part of it. Glad there are options.

Dr. Pleatman: I just looked at your website. I'm wondering how important you think experience is in performing the sleeve surgery. There are people on LBT that say that a doc needs to have done 250 sleeve procedures before you let them operate on you. What do you think about this? How common are leaks? What should I really be asking my surgeon before I let him do the surgery? I would really appreciate your perspective. Thanks!

Dr.Pleatman: Thanks for your opinion. I am strongly leaning towards the sleeve. It's frustrating because all around me, family and friends and even some of my doctors think I can do it without a replacement surgery. They make it seem like I am copping out to want the sleeve. I'm very nervous about the amount of stomach they take out, but love the no appetite and restriction part of it. Glad there are options.

My honest opinion...

Tell your friends and family to go to hell. They are not living your life, you are. It's none of their business.

Repositioned/replaced bands have a 70% chance of slipping again. I don't know why any good surgeon would reposition or replace a band anyway given the stats. More surgeries?

Get the sleeve. Go to a GOOD surgeon, someone who has low leak stats and happy patients.

I am a band to sleeve revision and the band sucks. Sleeves rock.

Had my band removed in December and am depressed. I have been told I "WILL" regain all my weight by my doctor. He is not the one who put my band on, and specializes in Gastric Bipass. But anyhow, I am not heavy enough anymore to qualify for that one. I need help feeling full! I am scared and miss my band so much! I felt the band was the answer to my prayers and not it is gone. I feel like someone took a piece of me away. After my surgery for removal of my band, the doctor never even called to check on me. It has been since December 21 and I still have not heard from him except I did get his bill. Hmmm.... Let me know if you have advise as to how I can keep from gaining that awefull weight back????? :wink:((((((

Wow how do you get a sleeve for free??? Where you a self pay from the start? Who did your first lap band surgery?? I also have had my band since Jan 2005 but thank god I have been doing well with it. I wish you well.

Esmeralda

I wish my doctor would have been able to do a revision to the sleeve for me at the time I had my band removed. Seemed like all he wanted to do was get it out of me. Too thin for the gastric bipass now, BMI is too low. Still weigh 198 pounds! Frusterating! Go for the Sleeve! I wish I had been given that choice.

Sherry: So sorry for your loss. I know how you are feeling. I have been having anxiety attacks, especially when I slip up! I really like the book U on a Diet by Oz Mehmet, because it is upbeat and has a lot of ideas to help you feel full. Here is one thought: He says to go on the GPS diet. When you make a wrong turn, does the GPS berate you? No, it simply says, at the next available place, make a U turn. We need to get rid of the all or nothing thinking. If we're not perfect, we make a correction and keep on going in the right direction. That is all any human being can do. I'm sorry your doctor has not called you, but who needs a doc like that? Don't let anyone take away your power and tell you that you WILL gain your weight back. That can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy. You might gain some weight back while your learning to maintain your weight in a non-lapband manner. It feels different and there is bound to be a learning curve. If you decide that it's too difficult and you can afford it, consider the gastric sleeve as an option. Daniel Cottam in Salt Lake is doing the operation. Look into it on the internet and think about it. You have the power, you can get a different surgery or you can determine that you will do it without surgical intervention. Join an online support group for weight loss. There are many of them out there, check them out and see what feels helpful and comfortable. There are no easy answers, if there were, half the population wouldn't be struggling with their weight! I wish you the very best. Please keep in touch.

Esmeralda: My doctor feels some responsiblity for my slipped band, so he is offering to do the surgery for free. He is a good man. I will still have to pay all the other fees, hospital, assistant surgeon, etc. It will still cost about $10,000 should I choose to have the sleeve.

Edited April 2, 200917 yr by kareyquilts
typo

Wow that's a large amount you would still have to pay. I guess if you can pay for it go for it I know if I were ever in that situation their would be no way, I am a single mom of 3 boys.

Dr. Pleatman: Is that what you charge when you have to remove a lap band also? Doesn't the company that makes the lap band do anything for the patient when their band fails? Is this why my doc says he'll do the surgery for "free?" I did check out your website and I was impressed. Also watched a video on U Tube where you are demonstrating a sleeve procedure. It was very interesting. If I had complications you would be a long ways from me, but it sounds tempting.

Edited April 2, 200917 yr by kareyquilts
typo