New to VSG option after gastric band

 Hi - I recently had a gastric band but may have to have it removed due to extreme dizzy spells that may be from vagal nerve stimulation??????  Has anyone gone to VSG after band?  What has been your experience?  Complications?  Regrets?  Success (sp?).  Just looking to see if I should consider this as an option.  I'm concerned if I had complications from the band I might have complications from this and it's not reversable.  Thanks

There are MANY band to VSGers, I know someone will pop in any second.  But I just wanted to welcome you :)

T :)

edited to correct bang to band :)

Hi Deborah!

My hand is up - I had the worst possible complications with the lap band and now six months out from having the sleeve - I have not had one complication, nor one regret, and as for the success - I am at my lowest weight in 30 years (I am 58) and still losing, my energy levels are amazing and I am wearing clothes that I never dreamed I would get in to.   But the best thing of all is knowing that with the sleeve surgery I never have to worry about what could go wrong.   When I had my revision I was told there was a possibility that with the damage caused by the band erosion, it might not be possible to have the sleeve, in which case my surgeon would have put in another band.   When I was in recovery after the surgery and was told the sleeve surgery was successful - the weight just lifted from me and I have had peace of mind ever since!  

Just do it - all the best!.............Marion

Hi
Welcome to the site. I am not sure about the band but I know that there are alot of people on this site that has had it done.
I am so glad to have had the VSG done. I am about 6mo out and have lost 71 pounds. If you choose to do this please come on this site everyone is very helpful and can help with what ever issues that you may have.
Good Luck on your discussion
D

This is another reason why I wish this site had a search feature.

There are a number of people here that had the band, and had to have it removed.  They all have really loved their sleeve.

I can tell you that there are very few possible complications with the sleeve.  You do NOT need regular visits with your doctor to adjust anything; you do not need to limit your medications (once you have fully healed), you will not have to worry about stretching your remaining stomach (unless you REALLY force in food); and once you hit goal, you can literally eat anything you want to eat, just in much smaller quantities that you could in the past.

I am 65 years old, and find the sleeve to be easy to live with.  Recovery was a snap (mostly just a lack of energy for me) and the only problems I have had were because I either ate too much or ate too fast.

I researched all forms of weight loss surgery for 5 years before i had it done.  I was worried about possible complications, especially long term ones.  That just doesn't happen with the sleeve.

Good luck to you.

I had a band that was removed due to infection.  We decided to do a sleeve this time around because they felt my body would reject another band and because I had never had "great" results with the band.

So far I'm really liking my sleeve.  Aside from low energy (which is starting to return at almost 2 months out), I'm feeling great!  My weight loss has been a little slow, but definitely steady (2-3 lbs a week).  I can eat pretty much what I want, albeit in very small portions.  I personally don't particularly watch carbs, but a lot of VSGers do.

What I would ask, however, is if they can do the band removal/VSG in one surgery.  I don't think my doctor was "prepared" to remove my band when they went in to look at it, so we never even discussed a revision, so I had to have two separate surgeries.  But it was all worth it.

Good luck, and feel welcome to PM me if you have any specific questions or anything.

Cheers!

~Katherine