Another tidbit to share and something to think about

Gained weight back? Unfilled? Hate your Lap band? Think that the Sleeve may be your Savior? Think again....

I am a very logical person, and I am not bashing the Sleeve at all, but what makes Lap banders think the Sleeve WILL work better long term than the lap band? They are BOTH restrictive surgeries, the Sleeve will be tighter in the beginning for most, but that will soon fade....Many report that they had tighter restriction with the band than the Sleeve...

Some report oh I can eat better with the Sleeve, but if you loosen the band wouldn't that be the exact same thing? If you can't tolerate solid food, it's not rocket science your band is too tight or has slipped....

When my band is properly restricted, I can eat ALL foods, fruit, veggies, solid meat, etc, I could with my old smaller 4cc band and I can still eat all foods with my AP band. However, when my band was too tight I had issues eating most solid food.

I can understand a Band to Bypass/DS revision where you have EXTRA HELP with malabsorption, but for the life of me I cannot understand a Band to Sleeve revision...........

If you read the Sleeve board, most of the "successful" Sleevers are counting calories and "dieting like mad" and running daily weekly marathons ...so there is NOT magic there with the Sleeve especially long term

I can understand those who no longer want fills and just want the Sleeve to help with *some* weight loss after weight gain in the beginning by the fact they are removing the stomach, but you will end up doing MORE exercise and dieting long term with the Sleeve and you will no longer have that safety blanket with fills...

If you fear pouch dilation with your band and other long term issues...you can also dilate your Sleeve...so BEWARE.....

This surgeon is saying that the Sleeve IS NOT the answer to your weight gain and lap band woes....and most do not have success with band to sleeve revisions.....

Virgin Sleeves tend to do better....

Read more....

http://www.lapbanddoctors.com/weight-gain-gastric-sleeve.php

 

 

Gained weight back after 6 years? Should I get a gastric sleeve?

I have had the lapband for 6 yrs lost the
weight and now it is BACK!! I have not had a
swallow or anything to see if my pouch is dilated.
However I have had fills and with good restriction
(not throwing up). Should I ask for a swallow or
just let the doctors decide?

 

I don’t eat much and I try to watch what I eat
but the scales are not budging. I am considering
the gastric sleeve but if the lapband is not
working or I am not working, how do I know if
the sleeve is right for me? I feel like such a
failure. By the way I see a psychologist
regularly and we address emotional eating also.

Texarkana, TX

Answered by Dr. Ron Hekier
Texas Weight Loss Surgeon.

There are many factors to consider and if you
have have regained weight after having good
initial weight loss, you probably need to start
from scratch.

 

A swallow study, also known as an esophagram,
is a simple Xray procedure that will allow your
doctors to see the size of the stomach pouch
above the Lap Band as well as view the position
of the LapBand and the flow through it.
It might be helpful in your case, ask your doctor.

 

The first thing I would suggest is to keep a
meticulous food journal. Record everything
you eat for 10 days. Every single thing! We suggest
a computer and phone based app such as LoseIt, which
is a free app for smartphones and available to use
on the computer for free at www.loseit.com

Be meticulous and record everything you eat
for 10 days. I’m talking about being super
analytical about it. If you eat some chips, count
how many chips you ate or weigh them and enter it
in your online journal.

If you eat nuts, count them or weight them,
and then enter them on your calorie counting
app on your computer and/or phone.

You should invest in an electronic kitchen scale and
you can usually pick one up for about $20.

 

As you are recording your food intake,
review your intake, paying close attention to
the carbohydrates and the protein, aiming to eat more
protein than carbohydrates everyday.

 

Lastly, my personal opinion is that in most cases,
switching to a different bariatric procedure such as
the gastric sleeve will not necessarily yield any success.
You have to refocus your behavior with the
Lap Band to regain the success you had.

 

Nana, while some of what you say is very true, some of it isn't true for me and other people I know.

My body seems to swell at the drop of a hat.  PMS, allergies, being upset, full moon,.....ha ha you get the picture.  So, with my band, (after my new surgeon placed it correctly) if I had it at just the right restriction, I could eat anything. My hunger was controlled nicely and I loved my band.  However, without notice, my band would tighten up.  I would go from having a slightly loose and comfortable band, to one that wouldn't let me eat anything but sliders and cream soups.  Protein shakes could be a problem, at times, since they are cold. 

So, the only way to help relieve this issue would be to have even less saline.  When I went that route, I would be very hungry much of the time, and trying to lose weight on my own, with any assistance from the band.  Obviously, that didn't work out for me before WLS, so why would I want to do it, afterwards? 

My surgeon's request to my insurance for the revision explained that the restriction came and went so often, it wouldn't be feasible to keep having fills and unfills and my weight would be too hard to manage.  My surgeon is located 4 hours away from me, so believe me, I didn't have many fills and unfills.  I just tried to stick with a slightly loose band, which ended up choking me, more often than not. 

I never have this issue with my sleeve. EVERYONE will have less restriction with their sleeve a few months out.  That just means all of the swelling is gone from the surgery, etc.  The stretchiest part of the stomach is cut away, so there is minimal actual stretching, unless you abuse your small stomach constantly. 

Beyond these facts, my sleeve gives me constant restriction.  I can eat in the morning, when the band never let me eat any solid food until around 11 or so.  I can eat during my period, and can eat when I am upset.  My restriction stays the same every day, and I love it! 

I gottcha Melly.....the band is not a good fit for everyone, I know which buttons to push with my band and I know how to eat where I don't have any stuck feeling and sliming...the more saline in my band the more careful I have to be, it's a tradeoff. If I ever get tired of restriction and have lost the weight I want to lose, I will simply ask my surgeon to remove some saline.

My point was I don't see a benefit for revising to the Sleeve when the lap band can actually be tighten up more or loosen up. The only benefit I see is if someone don't want to bother with fills or live too far from their surgeon. Remember ALL restrictive surgeries INCLUDING the Sleeve and Bypass will have tighter days and looser days, that's just the nature of the beast, I've always been able to eat breakfast with my band, even if it was a few bites of something like yogurt, piece of sausage, bacon, but I can't eat much of it, which is the whole purpose of the band anyway.

Also my fear of getting the Sleeve is I will not be able to lose any weight with it than with lap band, since they are both restrictive.

 

Yep, I am the first to say, the sleeve is not a magic weight loss tool. If so, I would magically be a size 5 aleady

Hey Melly you know this is why I love you, we both keep it real with both surgeries, I keep it real about the Lap band, I don't brush things under the rug, the band requires discipline, motivation and hard work and I am sure the Sleeve requires the same thing.

None are perfect we just have to find the best way for us to be successful....

Yes, you are exactly right!  I scoff at anyone that thinks we took the easy way out!!

PS: the doctor you quoted only lists bands as an option, not really an "unbiased" opinion.

I have the one day tight one day fine issue. I"ve been going over a week now with ridiculous. I can't even drink OJ in the morning and I can only eat sliders between 2 and 6 and after 6pm, I can eat a tiny bit of chunky mashed. Can't eat any meat but fish. Needless to say, I've been eating horrible, iced coffees and shakes, creamy soups just to feel satisfied. My stomach growls and I'm so hungry but can't eat much of anything. I'm down to 1/2 cup of peach green tea in the morning. Can't do anything cold. Going to see my Sx tomorrow. He is 3 hours away and I probably needed this unfill a long time ago but the trip is daunting. I'm 5 years post op. I have a hiatal hernia and horrible GERD. (on nexium)
My weight is maintaining, but I have been going to the gym 4times a week since November. I think if I could actually eat food and stop the shakes and soft stuff, I may start to lose, but that fear of being able to eat too much sits in the back of my mind.

This surgeon is saying that the Sleeve IS NOT the answer to your weight gain and lap band woes....and most do not have success with band to sleeve revisions.....

Virgin Sleeves tend to do better....

Yes and that's why we should choose the right WLS first, rather than as a revision!

If you eat nuts, count them or weight them,

WeighT them...hmmm