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Band failed - do I go for a sleeve??

Caren

Love my sleeve!!
Oh I have a question...

With the band you had restriction however sometimes the band seemed to relax and you could get loads of food down if you were patient. Does this happen with the sleeve? Or if you are full you are full - no more food is going down? lol

Also is your sleeve fickle? My band would tighten up in different situations - when I was stressed, when I had a cold, or even time of the month. Do sleeves do this?

ta gilx
well i can only speak personally, but when my pouch is full, there aint nothing else going down lol twice ive tried to over eat and both times the excess has come back up, which im really pleased about, i just dont do it now lol.
And my sleeve is consistent :) x
 

thistlegirl

New Member
That sounds good - another tick on the pro side.

Well I'd better get to bed - working overtime tomorrow :-(

No doubt i'll be back online soon asking questions.

Night night gilx
 

Bellydancer57

New Member
Ditto as per Caren. My sleeve is very consistent.
 

Sharonimo

Sleeve to Bypass
Are there any long term sleevies out there? Over 5yrs?

There are but they are few and far between and difficult to find online.

Before my op I did loads of research trying to track down the longest term post op sleevers and I found one lady on an Australian sleeve surgery forum who was 7 years post op.

She was also a former bander who had struggled with her band, been converted to a sleeve and had managed to keep all the weight off. For *her* she said the sleeve was the best thing that had ever happened and made weight loss and weight management easy, something it had never been for her before.

However, that *is* just one's person's anecdotal experience, and might not be the case for all long term sleevers.

I cannot add a link to that (Ozzie) forum as it would be against the rules of this forum, but you can PM me if you want the details.
 
I had my sleeve done 23/9. I was terrified for the same reasons as you. But, here I am, in a week I have lost 11lbs. I was a little sore more than painful at first but nothing paracetamol couldn't kick in to touch. I to had depression but now realise most of that was due to trying to poison myself with junk food. I have never felt so good a week down the road. I can imagine that in 6 months time I will be back to my old self x
 

effemm

New Member
Thistlegirl, I'm in a similar position to you. I had a band fitted about 9 years ago, but it migrated (which is a nice way of saying it cut through my stomach and ended up inside it). Guy Slater at Chichester removed it for me but he is reluctant to repace the band as he said the chances of it migrating again are high. That was about a year ago and my weight is creeping back up, so I would really like to find an alternative. Is a sleeve a good option? I would really like another band but not sure if anyone would do it, even privately, as my BMI is about 29. Has anyone any advice on what I should do? Thanks.
 
I went for the sleeve as it sat between all the options. I would go for the same option if I had to again.
 

misselvis

New Member
I went for a sleeve. Originally wanted band but surgeon said it was not a good option for me. I also had high blood pressure & chronic sciatica which was almost making me immobile. I lost 8 stones in 6 months post sleeve was a size 30 now 18 going into some size 16s. I exercise regularly evening running now. Nothing phases me. No more back pain, no more high blood pressure. I can't believe it. I am a totally new woman & still loosing. Love my sleeve. Good luck.

well done

kay x
 

BlueDiamond

New Member
Hi guys, just looking for advice.

Quick bit of background -
2005 banded in Belgium (21st)
Got down to 15st within the next year. Fell in love and didn't care about losing anymore.
Stayed at 15st ish for a few years then weight crept up, suffered from reflux and I fell pregnant in 2009, band loosened.
Relationship ended and I ate like a maniac while pregnant - back to 21st!

Gave up all hope and have now got a big pouch so consultant says he has to operate.

He is offering to do a sleeve gastrectomy.

What would you do? I basically have an eating disorder and in the past have put on 6st in 6 months so am I entirely unsuitable for any kind of weight loss surgery?

I am on a waiting list to see a psychologist regarding my eating and depression.

I fought against the band for so long I am scared I'll try to outwit the sleeve as well but I need to do something. I'm 36 and have got aching joints already.

Is it worth going for this op??

thanks gilx


Hello I was just wondering what you meant by " band loosened" , was it not enough restriction or it had moved etc..??? The reason I asked because I read also that you said you had night time vomiting and reflux , hence why I asked about band being loosened because night time vomiting and reflux is normally a sign of a band being too tight,- I look forward to your reply. Wishing you all the best in what ever u decide - BD xxx
 

sleevedangel

New Member
Hi-
I know a few band to sleeve revisions and most of them are happy with it. One lady did mention to me that she had more restriction with the lap band than she did with the sleeve so her lap band must have been REALLY tight. One good thing they mention is that with the band they could not eat the healthy proteins like chicken and steak without it getting stuck a lot. With the sleeve you can eat healthy proteins usually with no problem after a couple of months. I know the protein first rule really helps with feeling full and satisfied. I am 8 months out from surgery now and I am very happy with the sleeve. My capacity hasn't increased very much. I think that first month or two I could only eat an ounce or an ounce and a half of food and now I can eat about 2.5-3 ounces of protein and a few bites of veggies and feel satisfied. I think that is a reasonable portion and I think that my sleeve is probably at "maximum capacity" at this point. I had a very small sleeve--the smallest they could make it I believe--and I think that's a good thing at least in my case. Anyway, there ARE some days I can eat 2 ounces of protein and be full or satisfied and there are other days I can eat 3 ounces of protein. So I do think that some days vary for some sleevers. However, the varying restriction really hasn't been a problem because even on days I can't eat much I can still eat enough to get my calories and nutrients in. I wish you all of the best sincerely
 

thistlegirl

New Member
Thanks again guys for replying. I've been so busy and had a stinky cold so just getting back online.

Thanks Sharonimo for your reply regarding the long term sleevies. I am surprised as I thought the sleeve method had been around before the rny.

Blue diamond - I got it loosened (fluid removed) as I was having reflux and was really stressed as my relationship broke down when I found out I was expecting. I think looking back my band had slipped before then as every time I got it tightened I had terrible acid & reflux so I always had to go back to get it emptied.

Sleeved angel that is encouraging to hear that someone prefers the sleeve to the band.
Incognito - sounds like you're off to a good start :)

Effemm I'm not sure what treatment you could be offered. I have a friend who has been very successful with the band (had it 7yrs) and it has sprung a leak so she is worried what they'll offer her as she still needs the restriction to maintain her weight loss. I read that US insurance companies will pay to have another operation even if you're at goal weight as they see it more risky & costly if you regain and then need another op in the future.

Wow this is complicated - although I think I will be going ahead with the sleeve. I need to do something about my weight - it is really getting me down.

gilx
 

girlygirl1

New Member
One simple piece of advice which,if it works for you,could change your life for the better.

Stop eating sugar. You can have sweet things, just not things sweetened with sugar. Cut back on carbs, in general - bread, cereal, rice, pasta, potatoes etc., but most of all cut sugar (and white flour goods, if possible) from your daily diet.

Try it for a few days or, preferably, a week or more. As an experiment! I think you'll find that your cravings, and your compulsion to binge, will quiet down and perhaps even cease entirely.

It works for me x
 

Sashie1977

New Member
I had a conversion from a band to a sleeve on the 20th of September this year.
In 2005 I went private for my band in the UK, it was awful from day 1. I had no support, no follow-ups with the surgeon and over 7 years I must have had it adjusted over 100 times (at £100 a go!) to find a "happy medium" according to the nurses. I was always being sick, couldn't keep much down at all, and I ruptured my windpipe with all the vomiting. My port always bothered me, I could never lie on my tummy as it was always painful.I was so fed up so I went for a second opinion at another private hospital in Edinburgh who did a barium swallow to discover my band had badly slipped. It was at a very awkward angle and my port had flipped completely. I was fuming! Sadly because my band-surgeon had warned me that the band may slip, I had no comeback. So I decided that the new surgeon removed the band and did the sleeve. Best desicion I have ever made, I just wish I had done this from the start. I have an amazing support through councellors, dieticians and nurses. Since the 20th of September, I have lost 20kg, I can lie on my tummy and I haven't been sick once! I know the band works wonders for many people, sadly mine didn't. The surgeon who did my sleeve no longer offers the band because of these types of problems.
I hope whatever you decide, it works for you
 

Fatass40

New Member
Hi, did your surgeon do the removal & sleeve in one operation? I've got a band (2008) and I've failed with it & want a sleeve or RNY x
 

Yvessa

Well-Known Member
Just be aware that if you have preexisting reflux issues a sleeve will be unsuitable as it will make reflux worse.
 

magicbeans

no longer obese!!
Really interesting thread

am failing big time with the band.
 

Luazai

New Member
I went for a sleeve. Originally wanted band but surgeon said it was not a good option for me. I also had high blood pressure & chronic sciatica which was almost making me immobile. I lost 8 stones in 6 months post sleeve was a size 30 now 18 going into some size 16s. I exercise regularly evening running now. Nothing phases me. No more back pain, no more high blood pressure. I can't believe it. I am a totally new woman & still loosing. Love my sleeve. Good luck.
That’s amazing x
 
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