So..my Lap Band surgeon is talking about the Sleeve and options for me...

I got my results back from my endoscopy, lap band is fine, no erosion, my biopsy result came back benign, no problems with esophagus... BUT.....I have a pretty good size haital hernia (medium) which WILL affect me getting the tight restriction that I need to lose the weight I've regained.

I spoke with the nurse this morning and she says they want to meet with me next Thursday to discuss several options and one of them is to revise to the Sleeve. I am not sure what they want to do with my lap band or if I should keep it, since it has not slipped or eroded.

The last time I had it filled was over 7 weeks ago, that's when the burning started and it was pressing up against that pretty good size hernia - which was VERY PAINFUL, so I don't want to experience that again.

My band is not empty, I still have some restriction, but I would have to really diet to get weight off if I want to leave things as is.

I am very interested in what they have to say about my options, the last I talked to my surgeon regarding IF I had a hernia was that they could fix it and then I could resume back to my normal fills.

They've only been doing lap bands in the past so I wonder if they've started doing Sleeves, or if his partner is doing Sleeves now.

I've been a VERY STRONG supporter of the band, it's helped me shed lots of weight, and I am not  sure if I'd want most of my stomach removed, but I talked to my sister over the weekend and she told me that they had removed some of her stomach a few years back when she had ulcers and issues after she had a Stomach stapling weight loss surgery over 20 years ago, (I don't remember her telling me this in the past..but oh well.)

I have to be completely honest, I've done A WHOLE LOT of research on the Sleeve, and I am not sure if I'd want it, ( no offense to those who have it). Because I get mixed messages on whether folks dum*****t and whether or not I'd have the "tight" restriction that the band provides because I've talked to a couple of people and they've already told me that had more restriction with the band than with the Sleeve and I don't know if a revision would help.

Also, I don't like living with any type of "side effects" that would prevent me from eating what I want in moderation, and from what my friends tell me is that they can no longer eat certain foods with the Sleeve especially sweets, not saying that I should eat sweets, but I can't image myself 10 years from now not being able to enjoy a big piece of cake without dumping, honestly I don't mind dumping syndrome while losing weight, but I can't deal with that unpleasant experience when I am older and really don't give a rat's butt about being thin.

I guess I will have to wait and see what my surgeon has to say about keeping my band and other options. I guess I really need to make up my mind on the direction of where I want to go regarding weight loss surgery very soon.

 

Hi Nana,

First off, let me say that I am sorry that you are suffering a hernia. 

I wanted to share with you what MY experiences with the sleeve thus far, compared to the band. 

My band experience might have been different than yours is, but I really COULD not eat any bread, rice, pasta or raw veggies when restricted properly.  I had trouble with white meat chicken, and at times, eggs. 

When my band wasn't giving me trouble, I definitely got the STOP signals after a small amount of dense protein.  The "full" feeling I had with the band was almost a lump in my chest.  At times it was uncomfortable, but usually (when I wasn't have problems) it was just a lump that would gradually go away once the food passed through the stoma. 

I could eat sliders until my  heart's content, except when my body was having a reaction and I would have intermittent tightness and problems. 

With the sleeve, there are SOME people that have a dumping-like reaction to real fatty or sweet foods.  What I have read about that, it has to do with the pyloric valve.  Everyone's body is different, but it's most likely to happen if you eat these things on an empty stomach.  The pyloric valve shuts when you put some solid food in your tummy.  This allows your stomach time to digest the food as much as possible before passing it out in to the intestines. 

If you ingest liquids and slider-type foods, the pyloric valve stays partially open to allow these items to pass through, sihce there isn't too much digesting to be done.  I have a friend that had a revision a couple of years ago and she had dumping quite a bit the first year after getting her sleeve.  For myself, I have only had it happen twice.  I was early out from surgery and I was eating ice cream. 

I have since been able to eat ice cream with no problems.    It could be the smaller stomach learning how to do it's job.

If what you want is to be able to eat ANYTHING with moderation, then I can tell you, that is EXACTLY what the sleeve is for me!!   This has caused me to have examine my head issues with food.  With the band, I was so limited that I ate healthy when I could, turned to sliders when I wasn't able to eat much of anything else.  I got used to the lump in my chest and always smiled internally knowing my band was working for me. 

Now, I can eat anything I want.  Bread.  Rice.  Pasta.  Anything.  Granted, I can't have much of it....even less with those kind of fillers, but I can enjoy it.   When I stick to dense protein, I get full on 2-3 oz and don't have room for much else. 

I no longer have the lump in my chest.  I feel like I did pre-banding.  I eat, I get full.  My stomach feels normal, it just gets full on a smaller amount.  For the most part, I can't even pig out TOO much on cookies and chips, as my stomach will only hold a small amount at a time.  However, those kind of slider foods do not stay in the stomach long....so, if I wait 10- 15 minutes, I can eat some more sliders. 

That is my dilema.  Now that I CAN eat pretty normal, my food demons have been unleashed once again.  It's a head issue, not a sleeve issue.  I am currently working on the mental aspects and will get a grip on this. 

I do not have any regrets with the sleeve.  I truly don't.  I am thankful that I can eat again without ever sliming or PBing.  I am grateful that a small amount of food will do me.  Once I master my addict brain, I will see better results than I have thus, far.  20 lbs in 6 months is a measely amount to lose, but I only have 20 more to go....so, I know I will get there. 

The band has been better to you than it has a lot of people....if you decide to get the sleeve, I am sure you will be very happy with it and successful!

I no longer see an option to go in and edit a post, so I am writing this additional post. 

I started rambling and didn't get to my point about dumping.  LOL 

Since the pyloric valve is partially open when eating sugary and fatty foods that are sliders.....that fat and sugar hit the small intestines all at once, causing a reaction.  Not everyone's body is going to have the same reaction, so not everyone will have dumping symptoms if they eat full on sugar with an empty stomach.

The best way to help ensure this doesn't happen is to make sure you have a bit of dense protein or other solid food in your stomach before eating some sweets.  An added bonus is you won't have much room for the sweets, anyway....but won't feel deprived.    Good luck!

Thanks sweetie for honestly telling me about your Sleeve experience. This entire thing with my band just happened ALL OF A SUDDEN. Although I started having some shortness of breath last November when I got most of the saline removed from my band (I am sure my band was pressing up against that hernia at that time and I did not know what was going on). But after that I had no problem, and started to get it filled up again after a long period of time.

I am not sure what my lap band surgeon will discuss when I meet with him next week, but I am surely scared. I have to admit, I see so much success with the Sleeve and how gorgeous every one looks after getting it done, but I still have my fears and concerns about it "Mainly the potential for dumping" and I am scary cat, so anything out of the norm.

My older sister has experienced dumping with her stomach stapling, but it's not scary like RNY dumping, like fainting, she just feels rapid heartbeat, dizzy, clammy nausea and have to sit down.

I really don't know what all they are going to discuss with me, they may even discuss keeping my band, but I am sure they may think keeping the band WITH a hernia may not be a very good idea, since repairing a hernia does not guarantee it will not get big again.

This whole thing has threw me for a loop and I just don't know what to do.

Nana,
In the future, should you decide to revise to the sleeve...I strongly caution you to allow at least 6-12 months healing time between band removal and revision to sleeve surgery. I know many of us have had removal plus revision surgeries all in one surgery, but it is not something I personally recommend.

I didn't have that choice, as you may or may not be aware of. I went under anesthesia thinking I was only having my band removed, but I woke up in recovery with a " Surprise Sleeve. " All my pre-op tests "showed" a perfectly positioned band, when in reality, my band had eroded.

Whichever way you choose to go...make sure YOUR wishes are clearly known to your husband, so he can advocate on your behalf.

Lisa

Thank Lisa for giving me advice, you've been through a lot and I trust your wisdom. I will have to wait to talk to my surgeon to see what they recommend and all my options.

 I thought the band was perfect??  The band was the best???  The band doesn't fail???

Ha.

 Sorry Jill, the band only fails if you keep it too tight for too long, stuff your pouch , don't chew or drink carbonated beverages, sheesh, where've you been?

I've NEVER said the band does not fail or was perfect, if you've truly READ my posts over the years, you'll see that I've always SAID no weight loss surgery is perfect INCLUDING the lap band.

Even if I have to get my band removed, I will not be a band basher and come here daily and harrass people, I am better than that, my situation and problems are unique to ME and my medical cir****tances, everyone does not have a hernia nor develops one.

All that said, my lap band IS STILL FUNCTIONING, no slippage or erosion, vomiting or reflux, I am having issues with my HERNIA which IMPACTS the lap band, IF I want tight restriction. I can leave every thing as IS...and maybe hope that my inflamed hernia will resolve.
 
The thing is I've always CLARIFIED my issues and many others don't. I've had issues with my band the first year, it ALMOST slipped, I've talked about that over the years too  many many times, but I was able to heal and move on with prompt medication attention from my surgeon.

This right now is NOT about my lap band, it's about my hernia and affecting my ability to maybe get tight restriction, again, I have not talked to my surgeon yet, so keeping my band is not off the table yet.

Hi Naomi. Thanks for sharing without bashing. I honestly appreciat it. Everyone has their own unique experiences. I had a hernia as well and my surgeon repaired it before placing the band.

I pray everything works out for you.