Did FOREVER scare you?

No band here.... but 6 years out VSG and still have fear of forever.

To tell you the truth I think fear is a good thing...... fear=awareness.

I had/have more fear of eventual obesity related issues.

The last 6 years have been better than the previous 20.

Choose a surgeon that has the highest success rate with the lowest complication rate as not all VSG's are the same.

frisco

I am from a different surgery, but there are several things that I believe greatly helped me.

My surgeon did a micro-pouch. So I started out with much less capacity than most RNYers. When my surgeon does a sleeve he does it very small. He has had much success with his smaller sleeves.

Our practice does not allow people who did not have their surgery through the practice to attend support meetings. We have a set of rules for after surgery and allowing outsiders in just caused them to want to argue about and bend the rules we have.

My surgeon also severs the vagus nerve as part of his surgeries. That nerve is responsible for sending hunger signals from the stomach to the brain. With that nerve severed I have never been hungry again after surgery. I could not imagine how much harder this would be if I still experienced physical hunger.

I would advise you to talk to your surgeon about sleeve size and about cutting the vagus nerve.

With the right surgeon and right guidance for post surgery lifestyle, your sleeve will do what the lapband was supposed to do.

I so hope the sleeve does what that torture device was supposed to do!!!!! I do know the surgeon is going to do my sleeve a little differently because of the band. I will ask him to be specific when I see him next time. I am so nervous, but equally hopeful! I can't wait to start my new life. Confession: I love dressing up for Halloween but bc of my weight, I never do. I have already been looking for costumes for next year....I am so excited. I have a son and daughter so I am thinking THE INCREDIBLES...LOL

CJ

CJ - what do you mean by do your sleeve different because of the band?  

I ask because my surgeon said he may make it a little bigger to compensate for the area where the band is.  I am afraid if he makes it too big it's not going to help.  But, I was reading on another site and they say the difference in size is minimal and not to worry.  I guess I just have to stop worrying right now because when they put me to sleep I have no control and have to trust in my doc.  

He is going to make it bigger, but I'm not sure how much.  It will all be ok.  ANYTHING is better than the band!!!!

CJ

Wow!!!! You perfectly summed up my exact sentiments! My story/journey is so similar to yours. I am FINALLY switching my medical coverage this week in hopes of finally reuniting with the surgeon who originally did my band surgery waaaay back in 2005! I've had opportunities to have other surgeons remove my band and/or revise me, but I just never felt comfortable; something in the back of my mind kept nagging at me not go that route. So...I'm now hoping to see my OG surgeon early next year to see what his take is on removing my band, which is broken in two places, and whether or not I should be revised, and if so, which surgery would be best for me. I'm absolutely terrified when I think about revision surgery! Can't imagine re-starting everything all over again after having gone through it so long ago. I was excited and prepared as well as determined back then. Now, I'm not so sure I feel the same way, not to mention the permanence of the sleeve FREAKS me out as well!!! Once it's done, there's no going back,  even if complicafions come about. Yikes! ;)

The band has a way of breaking a person!!!!  I have prayed, cried, researched, researched, researched, and asked tons of questions.  I have concluded that the sleeve is what the band was SUPPOSED to be;  restriction without torment.  I am coming around to the thinking that this is the surgery for me.

CJ

I just went for pre-op testing today and found out the results of my upper GI several weeks ago.  My "pouch" dilated when I was drinking the barium so it was cause enough to take out the band.  Now I'm fighting through the pre-op diet.  Boy is it hard!  Headaches and hunger    :(  My doc removed my fill today in preparation for 11/24.

Are you having band removal and sleeve revison the same day?

CJ

Yes, that's the plan now.  If he thinks the sleeve isn't right at that time, he won't do it.  I may end up staying 2 days in the hospital though.  Without a fill I feel so much better.  I can eat veggies now without gagging on them!  Yes...I am excited, haven't enjoyed a fresh vegetable as much as I am now.