Wondering if a sleeve can be banded...

    Hey!  Im a newbie here and this board has been a wealth of info,  thank you all for that !!    I had the vertical sleeve done about 4 years ago and have recently (this year) gained more weight than I started at before the VBS !!   I am wondering if lapband can be done after the sleeve.   Thanks 

I had a lapband done a year ago this August. Had  the sleeve done 04/07.  Started gaining weight back, got approval from my insurance to repair a hernia and to put a band around my sleeve.  It did help me to lose weight the first few months.  Had good restriction the first few months.  Today I have 7cc in my band and have little restriction.  My biggest problem is sticking to the lapband/sleeve food restrictions.  Eating protein first etc.  I donot blame the lapband or sleeve for my regain.  I am making poor choices and the carb monster is back in force.  Can't get my mind back to making good choices again.  Like many members have said here lapband / sleeve is a tool and you need to work it to be successful.

I think there are many in your predicament but too shy to post..lol, since many band bashers have mentioned how the Sleeve is so much better than the band regarding restriction. I never believed it for one minute. Now that being said, the lap band has been a very good salvage tool when the RNY no longer works and when many who have the Sleeve stretches out long term.

Now I am 7 years post op with my lap band, with no problems or complications -- but I do keep my band adjusted properly too, the first few years were the hardest trying to find the right restriction level, but I am at a good spot right now, so I doubt I will need any more fills since I am at a comfortable weight  (size 10) , unless I want one.

You probably need to consult with a surgeon that only does lap bands ideally with a center of excellence and who have done revisions. I still have my  original lap band which is 4cc 10ml band, and I have about 2.6cc in my band and it is still holding strong, and I love my band, good luck to you.

Now tell her about how it took you like 70 fills to get restriction Niaomi/Nanna! LMAO!

It can be done, but I do suspect that some of the issues that people who experience regain after banding or after the sleeve can be the same: the novelty of restriction/volume limitation wears off (psychologically). Regarless of whether one is going band to sleeve or sleeve to band, if the root cause of the regain is related to learning to eat around your restrictive tool, then the best thing you can do for yourself before getting another surgery is to try to address WHY you eat around it and how you can get back on track. I'm not saying this is your issue, I'm just saying that I think this is a common issue related to the volume restriction component of all WLS that I don't see many people addressing.

   Thanks ya'll.     My first two years with the sleeve were great,   I lost weight and I was looking good.    But then in Jan 08 I went thru a VERY dirty divorce that was just finalized May of this year (2011).    I started snacking on chips,  cheese its,   cookies,   drinking coke.... just did not do what I should have been doing.    But Im a big stress eater and home alot so I did this to myself.   However,   I am now 42 yrs old and single and I want to get myself back in shape and looking good again.    I have 3 friends that did the lap band by Dr Thomas in Covington,  La and they have lost so much weight and love their bands!!!    If I were bigger (and richer ha)  I would definitely go for the DS after all I have heard about it !!    I also agree,   I dont think Im the only one that has gained weight back after the Gastric Sleeve !!  I know the stomach stretches back out some,  Im living proof of that !!   lol     But most importantly I was eating the WRONG foods !!   

I'm sure your not the only person who gained weight with the sleeve for the amount ...I'm glad you posted and were honest about your situation... we get boggled down in surgery wars at time but we fail to remember we are actually ALL fighting the battle of the bulge and we have that common thread amoung us ... I think the opinions above are correct... we go through this honeymoon phase we are great WLS paitents and then the novelty wears off .... the factors that got us to the size we were comfort in food rears its ugly ahead again.

Your divorce.. me losing my dad I did the exact same thing.. chip coma... cracker coma...and cookie coma anything that I new wouldn't be difficult for me to consume huge amounts of. I lost some of my 20 pound weight gain but I've been maintaining for awhile so I recently joined Jenny Craig.. I'm hoping to lose 20 with Jenny then go back to my own... sometimes we need help and its good to admit it and ask for it... Speak to your doctor .. I really don't know much about band over sleeve.. but continue to come here for support...

You might want to start logging your food again sometime seeing it helps you make better choices.. like logging a cupcake and seeing that number is like yikes won't eat that again for awhile.. I like myfitnesspall

 Here is the problem, all the foods you listed I could eat in bulk with the band. They are total sliders with a sleeve or with a band. Since I have had both, I will tell you honestly that before you put yourself though another surgical procedure go back to the basics, b/c that is exactly what you will have to do when you get a band. 

      I have a consultation with Dr Clark Warden on Oct 7th so I guess Ill find out then which revision he thinks will be best.    I remember after my gastric sleeve surgery ,   Dr Bellanger told me that he did not cut me as small as he does most patients because I was only 180 lbs and didnt have as much to lose.    That disappointed me when he said that because I wanted to be able to eat as little as possible to KEEP the weight off.    I can now eat two pieces of pizza,  a whole burger and fries,  and for the first year I couldnt eat but half a sandwich and not even a whole piece of pizza etc.   Im not sure if i will get the sleeve done a little smaller or get the lap band.     Dosent matter to me as long as I get this weight off and keep it off this time !!!    

 That was the other thing I was going to ask you, how tight your sleeve was to start with. 4 years ago they used larger sleeves thinking it lowerd the risk of complications, now they do them much smaller and much tighter, so having your existing sleeve made smaller might be something you would want to look into vs. having a lap band. Good luck with what every decision you make.