from Lap Band to Vertical Sleeve

Hello everyone,

I've had the lap band for 6 months now I have not lost anymore weight since my surgery.  I have had 8 fills i believe I'm so frustrated a lot of things get stuck and I usually get sick but still no weight loss before my surgery after being on the liquid diet I was 217 now 6 months later I am 219.  I'm looking into getting the gastric sleeve.  Has anyone else has these issues have you done a reversal and tried the sleeve.  Please I'm looking for any help I can get I thought I'd at least be down 20 lbs by now and nothing

Feeling very hopeless for starting the new year

Please looking for advise

Thank you

Mercedes66693

Lots of people go from band-to-sleeve.

Search this forum; there's hundreds of posts.

Here one recent thread and another one from the past couple days.

Good luck.

might help to try and get filled by a different doctor , some are better than others and talk to your nut about your diet

if nothing else works many people get revicesed

What's an average day of food for you?  If you're getting stuck are you eating a bunch of slider food?  How's your water intake?  What are you doing for exercise? 

I had the band, did well with it, but after 4 years it slipped, and I also had an erosion, so out it came.  I had the sleeve 6 weeks ago.  Would've done the sleeve first if I had it to do over again.

I had a revision a couple weeks ago. I am already happier with the sleeve. Down 17 pounds and none of that horrible stuck feeling I dealt with for 4 years! I could never get my fills to a good level. Half the time it felt as if I had no restriction the other half the time I was throwing up everything I ate or drank. I was actually relieved to learn it had slipped and had to come out 

You need to do some things first, before considering revision.

1. Weigh and measure and log every thing you eat. 4-5 oz. of dense protein should come first. Use a sauce if you have trouble getting it down.

2. Get in all your fluids and then some more. Remember not to drink before meals and for around 45 min. after.

3. Plan to have 3 meals and 3 small protein snacks.

4. Stay away from all white carbs. Use whole grain.

5. Don't expect your band to stop you from eating or to make you feel full. That is not how they work. You should be able to eat 3-5 oz. of dense protein plus some veggies and a little whole grain bread if you can tolerate it. If that is your meal you should feel a lack of hunger for around 4 hours. Not full, just not hungry (true hunger).

I loved my band and did very well with it following those rules. Not everyone does.If you do all of that and still have problems get some fluid taken out, you are too tight. Contrary to what it would seem you won't gain weight with less fluid, but it frees you to eat quality foods that will help you lose. Commit to it and see how you do.

The reason I would like to see you try these things is that you only recently had surgery and another surgery would have additional risks. Frankly, other than the stuck episodes you will have to follow the same rules with a sleeve. Surgery is a big deal and nothing to rush in to.

While you are trying to work things out go over to the band board for encouragement. Work this tool the best you can then if you need to revise you will be more prepared to work another tool.

WLS is not magic. It will not cause the weight to disappear without effort. Many of us have gone into it with unrealistic expectations and we are sorely disappointed.

If in the end you have to revise the process isn't too bad, just different.