Lap-band revision surgery on Tuesday

Hi everyone,
I'm having my lap-band taken out and the sleeve done on Tuesday. I'm excited but nervous. I have had a little over 2 years of problems with my band. I was never able to find that "sweet spot" I was always too loose and could eat anything and everything or I was too tight and couldn't even keep down liquids and had terrible acid reflux. An adjustment of 0.2 would make the difference between night and day. I had so many fills and unfills that I stopped keeping track. My surgeon told me that he adjusted me more than all his lapband patients combined. He finally convinced me to consider the sleeve. I've been researching the sleeve for quite some time. As a matter of fact, I thought it sounded like a good surgery before I had my band. However, insurance wouldn't cover it back then. I liked the idea of the band because it was something I could always have removed if I had problems. Good thing - because I have had nothing but problems.
Now I am ready to have the sleeve and it scares me because it is not reversible. I'm afraid that I will have problems and then be stuck! I got to 1 pound from my goal weight with the band. I am up about 15# so the sleeve is more or less just to help me to keep the weight off. I have a lot of diabetes and heart disease in my family including my brother who is only 11months older than me. I don't want that for myself. That is why I'm choosing to have this surgery.
Any last minute encouragement or advice would be greatly appreciated. Especially from band to sleeve revision people.
Thanks,
Shelli

Your lap band journey sounds like mine. I've had the same problems. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. I'll be having surgery soon. I'll start pre op diet on Wednesday.

Sounds like we are all in the same boat with that darn band! I am having revision to vsg on 10/3. Really excited and very nervous. Worried about leaks, but my surgeon says he will staple and suture to try an avoid any leaks. Good luck to you I will be praying for you and hope to read about your journey!

I'm so lucky that I don't have to do the pre-op diet again. Because I am so close to goal weight, I don't have to do anything. Good luck to you as well. I think pretty soon they won't even be doing the lap-band from what my doctor says. Too many problems with them.
Shelli

I had the evil lap band removed and had the sleeve.  The sleeve recovery is more involved.  The first couple days are rough but I WOULD DO IT TEN MORE TIMES TO GET THESE RESULTS!  My highest lapband weight was 252.  I was 245 the day of sleeve surgery and a mere 8 months later I weight 150!!!

I live like a normal person and so will you.  I just eat less.  I am never hungry and I have no vomiting, relux or any other effects.  I LOVE the control the sleeve gives me.  good luck!

 After the first few weeks you'll feel fine.  I am at six months have no complcations and I can eat about what a toddler does. Couple tablespoons veggies and 2 or three oz's of meat.

The biggest adjustment was not being able to gulp liquid when I eat.

JB

I am ready to get this done. I weighed 307 before the band. I lost to 225......now I am at 250. The doctor said I would not lose anymore with the band. Now my insurance pays for the sleeve which I should have had done three years ago. The journey continues. Let's row this boat together!

Band vs. sleeve is night vs. day.

Best decision I ever made.

My number piece of advice is to follow the post-op dietary guidelines to a T . The recovery is typically more stringent, but it's for obvious reasons.

Also, I kind of feel like we(revisioners) have the 'eating' curve beat to an extent. If you measured your portions with your band, if you didn't overfill your pouch, then the sleeve works the same. Keeping portion size in check will do 2 things; 1) keep you from puking, or sliming, overeating 2) keep you within your prescribed dietary guidelines.

My biggest complaint during recovery is pain from where they removed my port. It took a good couple of months for the pain to subside in that area. I did have horrific scar tissue and adhesions in that area that was removed so it's not a surprise that I had significant pain. Grant it, the port was my source of issues, and that boogar caused most of my problems. I still get a faint pain if I hit that area just "right" on a corner of a counter, or if I overextend myself sometimes. It's especially painful right now with the pregnancy/baby bump.  

Hopeful revisioner here too.

Good luck and I hope everything goes very smoothly! 

Shelli,
Good luck I'm excited for you. I am 3 1/2years LapBand with problems and hoping to reverse to the sleeve. My appt for the consult is 10/27. My doctor already suggested removing the band. Now it's up to me to make up my mind. Keep us posted on your recovery.