Band gone - Considering Sleeve

[luckeylimey]

I had my band in May 2005, and removed in April 2010. While I dropped from 420 to 232 - the pain and problems were pretty bad. I had to have the port removed 6 months post op due infection. I had 3 revision surgeries in the 4 years i had the band - due to infections. I then had the band catheter puncture my stomach, and the band completely erode into my stomach.

Here I am 2 years post removal and have gone from 232 to 310 - I have tried every diet in the book, and none with anything more than a little temporary success - I am interested in hearing individual stories for people like me, who have gone from band to sleeve. Any details would be great.

[swarizonaone]

I had band in 2006. NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, just like yours. December of 2011, I had band removed and had sleeve done. I feel like a normal person, who just eats like a toddler.
I have dropped 80 lbs, only since december. I can't stress enough how much I like this, because the band had me standing to eat, puking, etc etc.
none of that with this.
I'm at a whopping 167 lbs and live is FABULOUS. ..................do it! you will love it. With the sleeve, you are still able to absorb nutrients... it's good. I hated the first three months, but then it got (and is) so super great.

[luckeylimey]

Thanks for the feedback - did you get yours done in the US? Just found out today my insurance explicitly excludes any bariatric surgery. So i will be facing another self-pay.

[cowgirljane]

I was banded in 2001, I weighed 272 at the time. I lost about 70# in a year, but never got under 200#. I started having problems.. kept having to remove fluid etc etc. Finally, band was emptied in 2003 and I lived with an "empty" band until Sept 2011 when it was removed. I had gained all the way up - and weight 308# the day i started my pre op diet on Nov 30th. I was so hungry for those couple of months - even a band with no fluid seemed to help curb my appetite at least a little.

I think the sleeve is about 4 thousand times better then the band. I have lost almost 80# so far - no puking, no pain, no hassles. I can eat normal foods, although I still don't eat rice as I learned to hate rice with the band as it always caused me pain. I KNOW that I will be under 200# at my one year mark as i am currently in the 228-230 range (currently in a mini-stall). This probably sounds weird, but with the band I always felt strange having the device implanted. I was worried I would feel weird about having my stomach reduced, and I did at first, but now, I just feel like I have a small, but relatively normal stomach. I love not being hungry all the time, but I fear that won't be permanent.

[swarizonaone]

cowgirljane; reading your post, I thought it was one that I wrote! My life, exactly. I HATED MY BAND. I hated the vomiting, the hurt, the always feeling like I had someone standing on my chest feeling! I love my new sleeve. I fear too that I will stretch it. But I'm very very careful.

Dec 7 till now, 80# GONE.

[swarizonaone]

My insurance covered the band,.................all but $1500.
Then the VA (I'm a military veteran) covered the fix and the sleeve.............100%

[swarizonaone]

lots of people go to Mexico to have docs do it. Cheap, I hear.............but no afterwards help. That's ok though, that's why we are all here.......as moral support!

[Looking for Onederland]

It's been months since your post - what did you decide and how is it going?

[cowgirljane]

Okay, since this thread was revived I want to share that it has been a year and a couple of weeks (my surgery was 12/11/11) and I have lost a whopping 138!!!! I am WAY under 200# - I checked in at 169 this morning. People do not recognize me as the same person! The sleeve ROCKS!!!!

[theresaholley11]

TO: LUCKYLIMEY:
I wanted to address your comment about your insurance excludes Bariatric Surgeries. Let me tell you, ours did also. Oh my Gosh I hated Aetna. Being that we were with UHC (United Health Care) when I started my Pre-surgery requirements. Then the company my husband works for, changed at the tail of my requirement hoops. Then to come find out, Aetna says "no it is excluded". No way no how!!! I was furious to say the least. 7 months of UHC BS and now to be shot out of the water like this. NO, don't give up! Please, go to your HR Dept. and show them that their choice to exclude will only cost them for high blood pressure, sleep apnea, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, etc. Whatever the obesity affects are and CAN BE. Most likely they treat smoking (to quit), drug and alcohol dependency, and even treat other things. They pay for chemo for cancer, etc. This should be mandatory to be on all insurance. Dont give up! I didn't and I will tell you, I bugged the HELL out of the HR Dept. and didn't just want to contend and correspond with a peon with the HR. I dealt with the VP of HR. He then, said ok, ok. we will have a meeting and I will bring to the table what you have submitted. The decision was that they would add it as a benefit. YEA!!! Took two months to actually show up, but it was added and added during season and I didn't have to wait til "open season" to have the benefit on the policy. They can change it mid stream.... just a few clicks of a keypad.

Please Please don't give up. If I did, I wouldn't of got my sleeve. Fight!!! Your ARE SO WORTH IT!

[Kingpin55]

My insurance covered the band,.................all but $1500.
Then the VA (I'm a military veteran) covered the fix and the sleeve.............100%

I can't believe I have totally forgot the VA angle to pay for my procedure!?!..I am an honorably discharged veteran. How was your process through the VA? Thanks for the reminder...lol

[mia77]

@swarizonone congrats on your success! I also had the band and then had it removed to not beung able to eat or drink mostly anything and foods always getting stuck. I am now considering the sleeve but am so scared if i should go through with it or not. I see so many people say it's the best thing they ever did and that they love their sleeve but then i get nervous and panic...will it be just like the bane with food getting stuck? Do you ever get that feeling now with the sleeve? Can i forever handle not drimking while i eat or always for the rest of my life chewing my food 30 times before swallowing? Do you have to do this now with the sleeve? Did uou have any complications? Was it much more painful than the lapband? Any imput / advice would be extremely helpful! Many thanks!

[cowgirljane]

It is fun to see old posts revived.

Mia77 - I am here to testify that the sleeve and the band can't even be compared. I SUFFERED with the band and I live a great life now, at goal with the sleeve. I never vomit, I just get full faster. Yes, I have to "work it" but it is a good tool not a painful life in hell kind of experience.

[jactkb]

This post made me feel a lot better about my decision to go ahead with the sleeve. I had not even researched the band problems I have had, just assumed I had failed at another diet. My band has slipped now and is being removed in 3 days. I have had no fill in it for three weeks and that has helped some but really looking foward to getting it out.

[swarizonaone]

life is so much easier with sleeve. I'm having a little trouble with sleeve right now.... but it's me, not the sleeve... my body has secretly found ways to get calories in (cravings of whole chocolate milk-oh no~! and candy... these things go down no matter how full I am, and I have to be careful. I'm back on track watching what I'm eating, but I'm telling you no way would I ever do that band thing or recommend it to anyone. 0% success rate, as so I've found. terrible. Sleeve, the best option out there! I love mine, and you will love it too. (the first 6 months is toughest, I won't lie) but that is because you are conditioned to eat a certain way, at certain times and you will want to keep doing these things, even if you aren't hungry, out of habit, and you will learn to adapt. Your sleeve will rule YOU for the first 6-10 months... listen to it. obey. don't push it. and you will love it forever... good luck!
kris