Looking for LapBand to Sleeve Success Stories

Thanks for your input. Point well taken that each person's experience will be different. I think your recovery sounds awesome. Mine has not been as quick as yours. If potential VSG patients want the range of recovery stories, it's a good idea to watch the YouTube videos and search for the week you are post surgery. For instance I'm now going on week 4 so I  search YouTube for week 4 VSG post op, and dozens of videos come up, each with interesting topics to be mindful of. It's also neat to see the more recent videos and see the amazing progress people have made.....

Good Luck to all who make the decision for the VSG.
Mary


http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vsg+week+4+post+ op&oq=vsg+week+4+post+op&gs_l=youtube.3...3633.8002.0.8250.1 5.14.0.1.1.0.211.1827.3j10j1.14.0...0.0...1ac.4rTqe_SrC2c

Oh Mary, you are very early out.  Yes it is a sip, sip, sip, get your protein, vitamins kind of survival game.  I was obsessed with getting that right the first weeks/months out.  And yes, we have liquid poop because all we are consuming is liquids - that changes as we begin to incorporate solids into our diets.  I had lots of gut activity (intestinal noises, some gas - agh those protein drinks the smell would make me want to puke after awhile - I used LaBrada a lot and it was packed with fiber increasing the busy activity in my gut .  I posted a lot about that but  pinched my nose and got my protein in anyway agh!!!).

I am sorry, the first few weeks are difficult - they are.  I certainly wasn't attempting to  invalidate your experience at all.  I may not have read carefully and thought you were further out.  I believe most of those issues will resolve as you tiny stomach matures - even the simple carb/grease/sugar sensitivity. 

All best,
Leila

P.S. My Sleeve is awesome and I hope yours are too

The above points are TRUE for my DD and sister.  All but 1 as they ONLY got the sleeve after watching what I went thru with the band.
.
Zee is very lucky

Yeah, I am real lucky.  I followed my early instructions to a T(I was obsessed and routined - my lips did not touch sugar nor fat those first weeks out)  and I prayed every single day not to have a leak.  I was scared smart and spared early complications.  I feel extremely lucky and so thankful because truly anything could have happened.

All Best!

My recovery was very similar to yours. I did have a bit more pain, but I also had the band removed and the sleeve done, so I expected that. I can eat any food I want, just in small quantities. Other than the first few mnths, I have never had any problems with vomiting, diarrhea, gas, any of that stuff...The first probably 5-6 mths after surgery I had kind of a "dumping" syndrom with sugar, not fat, but it subsided and is completely gone now. I also have no heartburn at all, havent eaten any TUMS since 2010...LOL So happy that the band is gone! It was miserable! I wanted some broccoli so bad for 3 years,  but couldnt touch it without vomiting.....imagine, craving broccoli!!

Thank you for such helpful feedback, just when I need it.

Thanks for adding in your 2 cents. Did you have your band out and sleeve all in the same procedure? Maybe that's the difference? My dr wants to do them seperately.

I had my band unfilled for 6 months (so loose it was like I had no surgery at all - that was typical for me with the band  I was one whose band did not work without a fill) and then I had my band removed  6 months before I got sleeved.  So Band removed in December and then Sleeved in June.

I want to add to that my stomach is a little bigger.  I have to work at losing - still, it is so awesome to not be starvin' like Marvin all the time and to have an "end" to what I could eat - I can eat a decent , satisfying, normal amount and that is it.  Absolutely no regrets. I have a bottom and not the pit I was born with.  My doc said "now you are like the rest of your girlfriends"!  It is true, I am so normal!!!

Good luck to all you gonna be Sleevers!

I'm over 3 years out with my band to VSG revision.

Any specific questions I can answer, feel free to ask.

The cliffnotes version of my craptastic band experience to my wonderful sleeve experience:

Band October 2008 - problems started within 3 months, knew I would have to revise, flipped/migrated port, chronic stuck episodes, puking on water some days, nothing solid went down easily
June 2009 - Revised - had a complicated revision, including a leak, it was repaired, I survived, and I'm thriving.

Weight loss stats:

October 2008 Band weight 270lbs
Lost 23-25lbs first 3 months, started gaining due to having to eat sliders to get food down
June 2009 Revision weight - 263lbs

Achieved goal weight of 148lbs in 6.5 months with the sleeve, continued to lose another 25ish pounds over 4 months getting into maintenance. Total loss with VSG alone in 10.5 months is right around 137lbs.

From 270lbs to 125-130lb, size 22/24W pant to a size 2, I'm 5'2".

I'm over 3 years post-VSG, 7 months into my 2nd post-vsg pregnancy. Delivered a full term, beautiful, healthy, baby girl October 30, 2011, currently on track to delivery a handsome, wonderfully active and perfectly healthy little boy sometime during the second week of October 2012.

I gained 35lbs with my first post-VSG pregnancy. Lost 25lbs within 4-5 weeks, and 2 months later I was pregnant again. Thus far, 7 months in, I've gained 24lbs, however, I have not gained any weight in the last 6 weeks. My pregnancies have NOT been complicated by VSG, I'm able to eat enough food to support my body and the baby. My labs have remained stellar through both pregnancies, I take my same Celebrate multi vitamins in pregnancy, and eat between 1700-1800 calories a day for pregnancy.

Best wishes in your research. Every day I'm eternally grateful to be rid of the band, and to live the life I have had for the last 3 years. No regrets, best decision I ever made!

Ok - you are AMAZING! Thank you for sharing your inspiring story. I really needed to read this today. I am starting to freak out about my band removal surgery on this Weds. Did you have yours done all at once - band to sleeve?

I am 5'2" as well....I can't even imagine weighing 125 and wearing a size 2. Making it to a 12/14 was such a dream come true for me. Now, I am back at 16.....hoping to get to a normal BMI and maybe a size 8. WOW....is all I can say.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!!