minimal wl w/band ..how is vs in comparison??

I am really researching between revision to the sleeve or ds.  The ds will cost me a lot of money and it is out of town.  I know it is the best surgery with overall results.
However, I need honest opinions about those who have had very little weight loss with the band and revised to the sleeve.
Did you lose more weight??
My surgeon doesn't think I will lose that much more weight.  He said is it worth it to maybe only lose 10-15 lbs more?
I would love to hear your stories.

It depends.  Did you lose with a working band?  If you did, a sleeve will help.  If you were NOT losing with your band because you had no restriction and it did not dim your hunger then a sleeve will work.  Do you still lose weight on a low caloried diet? Then a sleeve will work. If you are willing to work at your eating habits (good selections and not grazing throughout the day and having high caloried drinks) then a sleeve will work.  If you don't have an profound issue with your metabolic rate, then a sleeve will work.

One thing that I will get slammed for saying is if as a bandster, you (a general you, not you specifically) relied on pbing/purging to eliminate calories and then you can't do it with the sleeve then you won't lose weight.  The sleeve won't work!

Find a new doc, one who believes in you and will work with you having success.  You probably do not need a DS (I love that surgery when it is necessary).  We feel like great failures after even WLS fails us in our quest to be healthy.   You are okay.  It is the Band that ****** up.

Best,
Leila

What do you mean by "relied on "pbing" to eliminate calories"??

PB stands for productive burp, which is what happens when food gets stuck. We don't actually vomit because the food hasn't reached the stomach yet but it "returns" back up the esophagus. Usually is very painful and can last a long time before it comes back up.

Is burping normal for band patients?????   

It is for me!

 Have you looked at other health considerations long term with the DS?  There aren't any good long term studies that show what happens when you go with out that much of your gut for 20+ years.  This is worriesome to me and I have had surgeons tell me that they worry that the long term side effects could be pretty bad (FYI doesn't stop them from performing these pricey surgeries).  IMO the sleeve is an excellent tool but not for everyone.  So having said both of those things, I would base it on what your starting weight is and how much you need to lose.  

What area of the country are you in? 

If I had to choose I would say go with the Sleeve, less all around risk and still good sucess rates.

I work as a nurse in a Long Term Acute Care Hospital and previously on a surgical floor for a major WLS program.  In my expreince the more complicated surgeries like the DS can have severe complications.  I have had patients at the LTAC who've been in the hospital for months and months with WLS complcations related to bowel rerouting, none have been sleeve patients.  This is just my personal exprience though.

The very first DS patient (1988) is hale and hearty, in his mid-eighties.

My revision is scheduled for April 12th to remove the band and have the sleeve.  I spoke with my doctor about the DS and he said that it would not be good for me because I did not have enough weight to lose and if I were to have the DS I would loose too much weight.  IDK...also, there have been reports of liver damage and liver transplants with the DS.  Something to think about too. 

I had the normal band issues along with chronic pain from a flipped/migrated port. I lost 23ish pounds the first 3 months with the band, and gained back 16lbs waiting on my revision.

Revised to the sleeve after 8 months with the band. Dropped 115lbs in the first 6.5 months which got me to goal, and lost another 23-25lbs over another 4 months getting into maintenance. I've maintained my loss for a year with zero issues. I never get food stuck, never pb, never slime, and only had the "one last bite" puke up that one last bite thing happen early out with my sleeve, and it only happened a couple of times. I have zero medication or food restrictions, I do not have to eat ****pots of vitamins to ensure that I'm not deficient. You can eat around the sleeve just like any other WLS. You can choose to eat the "not so great choices", but the sleeve makes the decision-making process much easier. At least this is my experience.


Other than pregnancy bloa****er retention, and having to increase to my calories a bit, I've only gained about 2.5-3lbs in the last 9.5 weeks of my pregnancy.