Thinking of revisung from realize band to sleeve. any thoughts advice or experiances,/

Hi My name is Amanda and I had the realize band put in july of 2010. I have lost 60 lbs and am very greatful. I have had some issues though. I have not found great rstricton. either too much or too little. I had to have surgury in march b/c of severe adheasions. I couldnt get anyhitng down and that was with a complete unfill. It seems to be happening again I couldnt get food down so I had a complete unfil and I still have issues getting some foods down. I also have stomach pains and just cant seem to get it right with this band.mI just wanted to hear some of your experiances as to why you revised and how you are doing with the sleeve. I have about 40 to 50 more lbs I want to lose.
Amanda

I revised from band to VSG 29 months ago. Best decision I ever made. No food getting stuck, immediate/constant restriction, and amazing weight loss.

I maintained my 137lbs loss for  a year until I got pregnant, and I just delivered a perfectly healthy, full term 7lb 4.9oz baby girl on Sunday, October 3oth. I gained 35lbs in the pregnancy, and at 6 days post-delivery, I've already lost 10lbs. There's some other medical issues I have that are preventing me from losing more weight, but not related to VSG.

Anyways, VSG and the band are like night and day. There really is no comparison when it comes to the 2 procedures and life post-op.  I have zero food or medication intolerances. I followed my losing plan to the letter until I got to goal and then incorporated other foods, and found a life of moderation to be the key to my success. 

My biggest advice is to follow your post-op plan to the T no b.s. no cheating.

Go to an experienced revision surgeon. Your risk for leaks and other complications are quadrupled because of your band issues. It's just the nature of the revision beast, get your surgeon's complication stats for revisions.

I revised due to a flipped/migrated port which caused the tubing to pull on my band and caused chronic pain every day of my life, I puked on water some days, couldn't eat solid foods for the most part. I did have a complicated revision that included a leak, and extensive recovery, but I would do it all over again to live the life I have today. Seriously, zero regrets. I eat anything and everything I want, I had zero issues supporting myself and another developing human thorugh the pregnancy, and I'm exclusively breastfeeding at this point. So, VSG has given me everything I ever wanted, and life is pretty phenomenal.

 Tiff...I am SO SO delighted to see that at this point you are exclusivley breastfeeding!! AMAZING!!!!!! I am so glad to know that the power of our sleeve allows this as well! (and I am sure a lot of determination and and work on your end as well!!)  WAY TO GO MOMMA!!!!!!

Hey Amanda,

I am also a band to sleeve revision. I had issues with random tightening and would go from being able to eat everything under the sun one day with my band to not being able to drink water the next. I lost about 65 lbs the first year with my band, but then after my complications started, I spent the next nearly 2 years gaining that all back.

I agree with everything USAF Wife has said and would encourage you to take her advice to heart.

I love my sleeve and have lost 120 lbs since December. I'm just 4 lbs away from a normal BMI. I've had much better success with my sleeve and I feel eating is much more normal. I have not vomited once since my sleeve.

Best of luck...keep us updated,
Lindsey

I am 3 months out from a band to sleeve revision. It has been the biggest mistake of my life. I had issues with the band but I am now throwing up 20 times a day every day since the sleeve. I have had 5 dilations done been hospitalized 12 times for dehydration. I am told this is all due to scar tissue left by the band. At this point I have been to another doctor they dont know how to help me they are thinkin revisisng to a bypass not what I want to do. So please know that you may end up happy like some people and you can end up like me vomiting my life away behind now in school and sick everyday all day. this is not reversable so lease think about it. I thought I did a lot of research but heard only wonderful things I had no idea this was a possibility. So I have made it my goal to let people know what there reality could be.