Hi everyone,
I was sleeved in 2006 and had minimal success at the beginning, none after a few months. I'm either super hungry and can eat anything (mostly at night) or super hungry and eat a bite, stick and have to vomit. The 30 pounds I lost returned within a few months. I've powered off weight with no help from the band, then promptly regained it. Because I've now developed type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, I need to get this weight off for good. I'm approved for a band to sleeve revision and was hoping to hear how your surgeries went, success (or lack thereof) and if you would do it again. Having "failed" the band, I'm petrified that the sleeve will fail too. Like most big, beautiful women, my weight is a very complicated issue. Did you have one surgery, or did you have to remove the band, heal then sleeve? Are you hungry? Does your brain still tell you to eat and does the sleeve really make the over eating impossible? Would you do it again? Thanks for your input

Hi mamapassy, I had the band on 12/21/10 and like you lost approximately 30 pounds and then began the seesaw dance. The band failed/I failed. Bottom line, I should have gone with the sleeve from the beginning. I had to wait two years (per insurance requirements). On 12/28/12, I was sleeved. I stayed overnight in the hospital. The surgery was Friday, came home Saturday, slept on my left side on Sunday and every night since, off the prescription pain meds by the following Wednesday, returned to work the following Tuesday (January 8, 2013). My issue were the incisions - they itched because I failed to tell the surgeon about my little allergy (I totally forgot).

The sleeve is still hard work but you get the help you need - unlike the band. I have lost 32 pounds since 12/28/12. I have had several stalls from not drinking enough water or protein. Rememeber, when you hit a stall with the sleeve - push your water and protein. Or, get this...your not getting enough calories. I've had to up my calories a few days a week and then I start losing again. I stay between 600 and 800 calories a day -- when I hit a stall I go up to 900 to 1,000. Also, you will need to exercise -- I was told not to exercise until week 6 post op.

"Did you have one surgery, or did you have to remove the band, heal then sleeve? Are you hungry? Does your brain still tell you to eat and does the sleeve really make the over eating impossible? Would you do it again?"

The band to sleeve was one operation, no issues. I am not hungry (physical hunger) but head hunger is there - I joined two support groups; one run by a doctor specializing in weight loss and the other member driven. Yes, the sleeve (for me) makes it impossible to eat. Two ounces of turkey deli meat is a meal. A pickle spear is a meal. A small cottage cheese (I think they are 4 ounces) is a meal. I am still early out so restriction is more than someone a year or so out. But, we are all different.

Y E S!!! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I had my band in 2004 and my revision ( one surgery) in October of 2012. There were three of us. I agree with everything HopeFaith said but, I can often eat a bit more. My calories are also a bit over 1000, sometimes more sometimes less ... I love it. Should have done it sooner. But! I always ate a bit less so I also lose a bit slower

Banded in 2005 and Sleeved end of June 2012, lost more weight in 1 month with the sleeve that all the years with the band. plus had a bunch of scar tissue complicating the band, the Dr. Almanza did a great job in one surgery even with the difficult complications. Have been at my goal weight for a couple months. the sleeve is NOTHING LIKE THE BAND - IT IS WONDERFUL. At least the way Dr. Almanza did it. Some docs don't do them as tight as he does. I occasionally get a craving for chocolate, but a few bites or a few m&ms will take care of it - rather than the bag i would eat before, some days have to remind myself to eat. for the first few months had to work hard at getting in 500 calories a day. now eat 700 to 1000 cal a day. But having worked a Bariatric surgery unit and watching my own sister stretch her post of stomach out have been very conscious to keep the portions small. I eat every 2 hours to keep the portions small and not to stretch the stomach.

Thank you all so much for the input! I have just been beating myself up about this, feeling like such a loser, actually non-loser, that 1) I can't do this myself and 2) failed one surgery already! I keep trying to get on track with a weight loss program, then give up and gain it all back plus a few more. It just seems like such an obscenity to be having surgery for this when there's so many more important issues others must deal with. The more I stress about it, the lower my self esteem goes. Have any of you experienced any of these feelings? What do you do with them?!

I am new to the Board and thinking of revising from Band to Sleeve. My story sounds so similar. Banded in December 2010 and lost 42 lbs in the first few months and since then has been a big struggle and I feel like a failure. Scared to fail again. I am now down about 25 from my pre-banded weight.

Hello Everyone! I recently found this site while I was researching anything that I could find on going from the Band to the Sleeve. I was banded in June of 2013 so it's still pretty new for me but I'm thinking that I made a really big mistake and wish I would have just went with the sleeve in the first place! I have lost in between 40 and 43 lbs. so far with all of that being in the first three months after surgery. I haven't really lost anything since around the beginning of October. I have maintained the 40 - 43lbs. that I have lost so far but recently I have been feeling like I may be having some kind of reaction to my band. I have been vomiting even if I only eat one bite of food and this is happening way to often. It is very painful and I just can't take it anymore! I have also been having a ripping or tearing sensation around the port area that also feels like it is burning. Then I also have pain across my whole upper abdomen and stomach area. It is sooo uncomfortable. I haven't had a fill since September because of the vomiting, I have been to afraid to get another one. I also have not been back to see the doctor since then some of the reason being that I feel like a failure and am embarrassed that I haven't lost any weight since then I have been contemplating having the band removed and going for the sleeve. Has anyone had any of these issues with the band? I'm not sure if I'm having a reaction or not but I'm really tired of feeling so crappy all the time! I am going to be making a doctors appointment soon and I'm really hoping that my insurance will cover the removal and then having the sleeve. I don't know if it's too soon for the insurance to cover it or if because there seems to be complications maybe they will just go ahead and cover it?! Anyway, I just want to see what everyone's opinion was on going from the band to the sleeve. Was it an easy transition? Do you feel better now then you did with the band? Do you feel more normal now? Any input is appreciated!

Hello! I just joined the forum and this group. I had a band placed in 2007. Lost between 30-40lbs. Gained it all back. Band became more about what I could get down and keep down rather than what was healthy (even with the band unfilled). So of course all slippery foods were unhealthy high calorie so I gained all the weight back. On top of that acid reflux was terrible and the port would hurt if I bent over too far. I also read this last summer if you are prone to auto immune disease, the band was not the choice for WLS. I have had arthritis since I was 2 that comes and goes. So I had my revision to sleeve on 12/30/13 all in one procedure. Sooooo excited to have the band gone and to start using my new tool to actually lose weight and eat healthy. For the last week I have been having a sharp pain on my right side above the incision where they removed stomach. Seems like it started when I turned to look when backing out of parking lot. I was worried I pulled some staples or stitches or something. Dr. asst said it was just a deep muscle bruise and to work thru it....On this forum I found some others who were experiencing same pain and I feel better that it seems to subside around 5-6 weeks. That some dr. stitch the muscle to the fat layer (or something) and that is what is hurting. It feels like a hot poker stabbing me when ever I sit up, laugh, sneeze and today just walking or standing. I have been putting a heating pad on it (as dr. asst suggested) but that doesn't seem to do a thing. I also am kinda bummed that I don't seem to be losing very fast. Starting weight was 296. After pre-op diet/Surgery wt: 278. 3 weeks post-op: 270

I too have the band, Aug 2011 and trying to get approved for revision to sleeve. BCBS is making me wait 6 months and visit my new dr. each month. My insurance changed in 2012 to one that didn't have baractric so I didn't go the whole year for tweeks with the band. I spent the whole year throwing up every day. My insurance is back to one that covers baractric so the first thing I did was have all the fluid removed. What a relief to not throw up every time I eat, but I have gained about 18 lbs since Sept putting me almost back to where I began before the band. I only lost about 23 with the band. New dr. says he doesn't think I will lose weight with the sleeve. I just don't want a by pass. I have one more visit with dr. before going back to insurance. Dr. says he doesn't think insurance will grant me another surgery without a fight. I'm in NC. He says BCBS will be hard to get another WLS. I don't want to give up. I think I will be successful with the sleeve. I have bad knees made worst by added weight. I just ordered some resistance bands and a video to do at home. Gotta start back somewhere. I'll let you know what BCBS says in Feb. I hope it's good. But to answer your question...first dr. wanted to remove band and then do another surgery for sleeve. New dr. does both procedures at one surgery. Was told first dr. did not have enough experience to do both at one time. Good to know.