Hi Everyone, I live in northern California. I am a 48 year old mom of two, a wife, and elementary school principal, and a lap band patient. My lap band has been unsuccessful and I want to revise to a sleeve. I created this group as a sub-support group for fellow bandsters who want to be or who have been sleeved. We can support each other and cheer each other on. Please join the discussion.

The main thing is to not give up and document literally everything that you have been throug with your band and don't be afraid to appeal a denial. I sent in evrything that had happened with my sleeve and then all my attempts to lose with weight with it - including even going to Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and exercise that I did. I even sent them copies of checks where I had paid these organizations ad gotten paperwork from each proving my visits. Anything that you can think of to support yourself will help including the Dr's notes. Also - if you need the sleeve because you cannot do "malabsorbtion " with the bypass - that also helps. I needed the sleeve because I have gastritis and take medication for it. Byass uses malabsorbtion as part of its weight loss.

I need to be able to absorb my meds. Hope this helps.

Hi! I am also on the road to sleeving from a band. My body rejected the port twice so my surgeon was forced to remove it this spring. I'm glad I'm not the only one who didnt have a successful experience with the Lap Band (both my husband & sister have lost over 100lbs with the band! I'm so jealous!)

I am having my band removed on December 9th ans the sleeve done the first week of February. So excited.

Ive had my band 4 yrs and the first 2 were great ,i even lost 100 lbs!!!!! Then got super sick and had emergency unfill and all downhill since, i still
get sick several times a week and i have major port pain! But since i had it done im MX no one in Missouri wants to help! Grrrr cant wait to make the change
And start on a new journey

Did anyone have the band removed and the sleeve done the same day??

Hi Kellyann,

No, I had my band removed, then one week later the same surgeon did my sleeve. Some surgeons will do both procedures the same day, but others believe it is best to give your stomach some time to "return to normal" around the band site.

I am one of those unsuccessful bandsters...other friends and family had it done and everyone lost weight but me....very frustrating for me....last week I had surgery where my band was removed and had the gastric sleeve done...extremely sore post op...was having regrets because of the pain...stayed in hosp extra days but I am doing so much better...each day gets better...I am ready to take on this new weight loss journey...

I will b having my band removed and the sleeve done in the same day on March 20 th...wish me luck!! Ive done my research and im feeling good about my descision!

Its been 29 days since my surgery....am on full liquid diet now. My dr had me on clear liquids for 21 days, now full liquids for 21 days...I am down 20 lbs...It feels great to lose this weight after my bad experience with my unsuccessful Lap Band surgery, I know being on the liquid diet is a big reason I have lost the 20 lbs...but it's a good feeling to see the scale go down & not up. I am still sore,but it's definitely better each day! I really feel I made the right decision with this surgery. I still get nauseated from time to time....and I'm either constipated or have diarrhea! I know this will all get better as time goes on....

Hello All,
It is good to see a grp for those of us that had a band. I had my band for 1 1/2 yr. All went well and I lost about 70 lbs then it all went to h--- in a handbasket. Couldn't swallow much of anything, constant acid reflux, band was emptied and still no relief. I had my surgery in Mex. due to no ins. so I had to scrape the $ up to go back and have band removed. They told me scar tissue had caused the band to become blocked. In spite of the prob. I loved the wt. loss and the way I felt after loosing the wt. It will be 1 1/2 yr since the band was removed when I have my surgery with Dr. Almanza in June. I am 62 and live in Mi. I have never considered that I am too old to have this procedure. I am sexy and beautiful and I just want to be more sexy and more beautiful. Age is all in your head anyway, so all of you out there that had this done or are going to get it done, love yourself for being so good to you and remember there is always a little pain with the pleasure.

I had my band removed and sleeve the same day. Turns out I had a hernia at my port site that my doctor nor I knew about. He said he did 4 surgeries for me at once: band removal, port removal, hernia repair, then sleeve. No wonder I was so sore! I never felt full with my band! But, I had lots of other complications--vomiting, choking, etc. It's been three weeks since my surgery and now I finally know what it feels like to feel full! Wish I hadn't wasted those 2 years with my band!

I was banded 7 years ago. It did good at first I lost 70 lbs but gained 40 lbs back in the course of 2 years. I never had a fill. I was unable to keep food down and vomited all the time. I was so miserable with the band. The port began to pull a couple of years ago, I didn't get it checked until 2 weeks ago. All of this was so frustrating to me. I went to see my doctor and he immediately stated I had to get the band out and he would convert to the sleeve. I had never heard of the sleeve. Well, I am 4 days out of surgery. I am in a lot of pain, he repaired a hernia, removed the band, did the sleeve all at the same time. I can't say for sure how I feel about eveything yet, my pain is still high, but I'm sure once I am farther post -op I should be able to talk about the sleeve.

My lapband revision to sleeve - 3 Sep...soon...

I had my band removed and had the sleeve done the same day... it was great! I have had no complications. If your doctor will do it, I say go for it...

uggg i do have a huge question... but is anyone having trouble with diarrhea??? I have it all the time now... I HATE IT!!!!

15 days out from Lap Band to Sleeve. Best operation I ever had. I only started on solids yesterday and love the portions and control without having to "progressivly burp" (puke).
Slipping band, too much fluid, too tight, too little fluid and hunger pains, constant noise and rumbling in stomach and out of controll appetite....
I am a happy sleevster!!

Hello old bandsters, new sleevers. My weight loss is moving slow. I have only lost 8 lbs since surgery. How r u guys doing

I am now almost 11 mos out and have lost about 45 lbs. it is a slow process and well depending on how much you have to loose and if you do your part. I lost most of it the first 2 months then it really slows down. have to really exercise a lot and watch my carbs and sugars if I want to loose more and faster.

Hi. I am also a band revision to sleeve. My weight loss is moving extremely slow. But I am glad the band is out

Hi,
I live in CA and CO... confusing and a long story. I had a lapband in MX with amazing results.... lost 100+ pounds. About 2 years ago started regaining weight and discovered that my band had failed somewhere along the way. I had my band removed and a sleeve created on the same day (10/26/12) at UCSF. I'm seeing a common thread with very slow weight loss compared to the lab band. I'm a month out and down 16#.... I find its a bit too easy to cheat so I know that I'm going to have be very diligent with this new 'tool'.

Great to see that what I am going thru is Mormon. Weight loss is extremely slow. But I have loss inches. Glad that band s out. I am about 6weeks out from revision

I am hoping for a March resection the Wed. before Easter. I just need the insurance company's final approval. They have gotten tougher over the years. I have jumped through every hoop...much the same as when I got the band...psych, nutrition classes, tests, ZUMBA for exercise etc. My BMI is just under 40 (I am 5'2" and about 220 pounds and that may put the kabosh on it. I have been diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, plaque in the arteries, osteoarthritis, and diabetes runs in my family (as does obesity). Wish me luck please. I am SOOOO ready for this I will even give up chocolate Easter eggs. : )

Anyine here had onky 40 poundds to liose

Hi everyone ...I have had my band since 10/09. At first I did good with it til last year. Now I can no longer lose weight and gaining instead. Over the past week I seem to get real bad burning at the top of my stomach as soon as I start to eat any type of food. I did ask my band Dr. on my last visit about revising to sleeve, but he wanted me to try yet to lose weight within the time of my next visit. So far not happening. It is hard because of the knee problems I have it makes exercising hard. But I do get walks in at least . I am gonna call the doc later today to see what we can possibly do about this burning though....it is driving me crazy. I do hope he tells me we can start the process to have the revision to sleeve done.

I am trying to decide on which surgery to get, and I'd really like what I hear about the sleeve, but concerned about diarrhea and dumping, does anyone know about these issues? 47 yr old teacher - 215 now.... thanks, Kris

Hi All. After a bittersweet relationship with the band for 7 years, I have decided to get the gastric sleeve out of pocket - in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. My insurance won't cover it in the States because I'm "only" a BMI of 35 (vs. a 40) and my new doctor won't even try to fight for me. I vented my frustrations to him that I can't stop eating because my restriction is gone. I gained a whopping 25 lbs. in only 6 weeks after he emptied the band so I could have an endoscopy which revealed 2 small ulcers on my esophagus. His response was, "You're not mentally prepared for surgery. You should see a Nutritionist." He knew before he emptied the band that the insurance wouldn't cover the surgery. He waited to tell me that after the fact. I was tired of having the band anyway. It's not normal to feel like there's food stuck in your throat! And the frequent vomiting tightens the band around your esophagus which eventually causes the ulcers and/or erosion. Very few doctors are putting in the bands for this reason.

About the dumping/diarrhea syndrome, that usually occurs in patients who don't follow their bariatric diet. It's a normal bodily response and should deter you from eating the wrong foods. I rarely experienced that with the band, but wish I did. I frequently ate sweets with the band and not enough protein. Still, I managed to lose 70 lbs. This time around, I should be a much healthier person.

Had band fitted in Belgium in 2008. Lost 10lbs first month and that was pretty much it! Healthy food stuck I vomited 2/3 times a day and only the ice cream and 'bad' foods stayed down. I did a vlcd diet and lost 50lbs in six months. Finished that a year ago and since May this year have gained 55-70lbs in total. I want a doctor in Prague, Dr Hruby to operate but the guidelines state that I can only have sleeve if BMI of 40 or
r over 35 with comorbidities. So off to doc in UK to confirm venous stasis

Question: why go for sleeve instead of the bypass having had the band fail?

Must say the sleeve feels so much different than the band - just happy I will not have to locate toilets every where I go - just in case

I have started the process of having my band removed as well. I lost 170 lbs with my band but in the past year started getting sick all of the time and even had to have it unfilled (.5). I am so ready to be able to eat and not have to run to the bathroom.