Well...this Person who is Regretting their Sleeve is not doing EXTREME dieting and she is...

This post is not at all bashing the Sleeve, but people REALLY need to be truthful and UPFRONT about a surgery before someone gets it and can't turn back. Does the Sleeve tend to work for *some* yes, does it work for ALL ...NO...does the lap band work for *some* yes, does it work for ALL...NO...

Why did I post this? Well because we have band bashers here EVERY single day blowing smoke up everyone nose and lying about the band, does the band has complications...absolutely, are they REALLY serious...not so much -- I've never known any one in intensive care from spitting up slime, reflux and heartburn.....UNLESS the patient NEVER follow up with the surgeon and the band gets so tight it damages the patients internal organs ...but again this type of complication is an option, people have a choice when their bands get too tight to follow up immediately or wait to get it removed in an urgent situation.

Can you have complications with the Sleeve...YES...can they be serious...YES....the SLeeve can send you to the ICU with a leak and other dangerous issues....I am just being truthful..

The reason I would NOT get the Sleeve as REVISION surgery is that I have NOT seen but a VERY SMALL few successful with it, and MANY told me in private that they had more restriction with the band and lost more with the band.

Can you be successful with the Band...YES...Can you be Successful with the Sleeve ....YES, BOTH require hard work and the Sleeve IS NOT THIS *WONDER SURGERY* as many portray it to be...many will not speak out about it because they fear back lash from the CULT....LOL...

Can the Lap band be annoying? YES...if you have a horrible surgical practice that will not fill the band properly, and have poor follow up the band can be a disaster.....especially if it gets too tight and you can't get it unfilled...

Kinda reminded of the band when it was new many people ignored people that had reflux, UNTIL EVERYONE who had a too tight band started to experience this nasty symptoms with the band and needed it removed....but one thing is you CANNOT remove the Sleeve if you have "buyers remorse' you will have to live with whatever comes your way.

NO weight loss surgery is a bed of roses and weight will just disappear without effort, they are ALL TOOLS and work differently.

Is losing weight with my band hard work YES? I have to either hit the treadmill or walk about 1 mile DAILY for the scale to move, is it worth it? YES....because the band keep my appetite under control and I get really full quickly and I get to cheat on the weekends with yummy food....but I surely can't have yummy foods at resturants every single day to keep the scale moving....and that is the truth

The Sleeve is not what this patient expected

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4633994/Regretting-my -surgery/

lets hear more about what you regret about your sleeve.  what's the stuff that's happening in everyday life? 

Not losing enough weight? Can't eat certain foods?  I'd like to know more about your struggles if possible. I have the band (with hiatal hernia dammmit) and am not quite ready to explore the sleeve but i have seen wildly good weight loss among some friends and of course, in order to maintain any loss - it's hard work which you mentioned above.

Care to share?

You may never hear the "truth" about the Sleeve until it's too late and you have your revision and learn you can't turn back, and will have to work just as HARD or HARDER with your Sleeve than with your lap band.

I've heard people say...OH I have horrible bile reflux -- but I still love my Sleeve

Oh...I have to run daily marathons to lose my weight...but I still love my Sleeve

Oh...I have gut wrenching nausea for months ...but I still love my Sleeve

Oh...I have dumping syndrome, the "the gottcha side effect of the Sleeve....but it's not that bad ..but I still love my Sleeve

Oh. I can't go over 1200 calories a day and I have to COUNT EVERY THING INCLUDING VITAMINS..BUT I STILL LOVE MY SLEEVE.

Oh....I've gained most of my weight back and I have reflux and B12 vitamin deficiency and the only way to get rid of the reflux is to get the bypass .....and will be revising to the Bypass..BUT I STILL LOVE MY SLEEVE....

Oh...I have reflux and heartburn with the band (the reason for band removal) ....but they still get reflux with the Sleeve ...BUT THEY STILL LOVE THEIR SLEEVE

It's like their brains has been programmed to say .they love their Sleeve...

.

Thought I would share my perspective.....I do love my sleeve (BTW, I loved my band too, until it stopped loving me and my body....). Here's the truth as I have experienced it.... 

I have had no reflux since revising to the sleeve.

I do not run marathons but I do workout 3x/week for 30 to 45 minutes - currently, I am doing the Cto5k program and maybe one day, I will be able to run a marathon.

I only had nausea for the first 48 hours after my sleeve surgery - that part was rough and I remember being quite miserable; but, it passed quickly.

I have never experienced dumping with my sleeve.

I don't "extreme diet". In fact, my diet is more balanced now because I can tolerate more types of foods (ie, eggs and chicken breast) and I never count my vitamins in my nutritional totals.

All in all, the sleeve has been a really good experience for me.  

I just saw my surgeon for my 1 year follow-up on Friday.  My labs came back GREAT.  My B12, D and everything else was way up.  My weight loss has been slow, but that has been mainly my fault.  Carb addict.....but, I have been doing so much better the last few months.  I am very sensitive to all refined carbs.

I can eat ANYTHING with my sleeve.  I feel like a normal person that can only eat a small portion of food.  I never dump.....I overdosed on some sf ice cream once, and suffered the consequences of too many sugar alcohols, but that was it. 

My surgeon told me that his virgin sleeve patients lose quite rapidly and have a better experience than his LapBand patients.  The revisions from the band to the sleeve seem to struggle more.  We discussed it.  He thinks it is because many of the revisions have already lost quite a bit with the band (like me).  I told him that I feel the difference in experiences are that the newness of WLS, and the drive most of us have when we got our bands is long gone.  I was 4 years out from WLS when I got my revision.  I was very tried of trying to lose weight and counting everything by then. 

The downside of the sleeve FOR ME is appetite control.  I really did have better appetite loss with my band than I have with my sleeve.  Other than that, I truly do love my sleeve......just as much as I loved my band when it was working properly. 

Melly, you and I are alike we are honest about our journeys...when I had band issues...I scream about them, I did not lash out at the world...I just changed surgeons...I wanted to sue my old surgeon for all those darn fills...probably the reason my hernia got inflamed with old band..lol....

But I honestly wish you do very well with your Sleeve, I like those who are honest about their journeys....I've always been honest about my band journey... right now..I have perfect restriction and I hope it lasts ...lol...

Like you and I know ..that neither the Sleeve or the Band is a magic wand they both require discipline and exercise to see the scale move....but thankfully I can eat all foods with my band, just small amounts, I think if I had a horrible journey with my old band, I would not have gotten re-banded, but I am happy you are at a happy place with your Sleeve.

I've learned my lesson from my old band....

Thanks, Nana.  Hopefully we both are very successful and stay that way.  It's been way too much of a struggle to just blow it all off and go back to all of our unhealthy habits.

By the way...I had my hiatal hernia repaired old band removed, new band placed and I am VERY HAPPY...no more reflux, heartburn, I have perfect restriction, I am very happy I gave the band another chance.

My first surgeon did not repair my hiatal hernia when he placed my first band...many surgeons were not routinely repairing hernia 8 years ago.....

But I had to search for a very good surgeon that is band-friendly and had done over 500 bands, with great aftercare....I had to change surgeons to get happy with my band.

Good luck

Honestly, I don't have any regrets. I am 5 months out from VSG and I have lost 64 pounds. I don't have reflux any more and I have never experienced dumping. My recovery period was pretty uneventful and rather easy (I did get pnuemonia from the intubation - but, that can happen with any surgery in which there is anesthesia).

I really love the restriction with my sleeve - it is constant, no fluctuations with time of day, time of month, stress, etc. I never feel hungry or deprived. I eat approximately 750 calories/day and 40 carbs/day. These days, I feel full after about 3oz of food - usually a balanced mixture of lean proteins and a few small bites of veggies or fruit. I have one protein shake per day, in the morning. 

Please note, though, I had to wait 6 months between having my band removed and the sleeve surgery. My dr believes that allowing the body to heal in between the surgeries is critical in minimizing complications and maximizing success.

The only part of this entire sleeve process that was rough for me was the 2-week liquid pre-op diet (Optifast was the brand - yuck!!!) and the 14 days of Lovenox shots to prevent blood clots. Other than that....it's been a breeze. I don't feel as if I am on any "extreme diet" and I certainly don't live off liquids only. In fact, I struggle to get my 8 oz in per day because I have to wait 30 minutes after I eat anything - there is just not room. I should also add that I work out 3x/week and try to keep moving as much as possible.

If you want me to compare numbers to numbers, my weight loss rate with the band (1-2lbs/week) is half my weight loss weight with the sleeve (3-4lbs/week). And, no more fills - no more back and forth until I reach my sweet spot.

My honest experience - I don't have reflux; my labs are just fine (I take 2 multis and calcium supplements); in 2 1/2 years, I haven't met a food I can't eat, and I can eat it any time of the day.  I never did extreme low carb, averaging around 100g a day. I stopped tracking calories about a year ago.  I can eat 8-12oz of food, depending on what it is.  I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, if I'm being good, and I certainly don't do anything extreme.  I exercise for health, not weight loss or maintenance.  I maintained a 150lb loss for a year, and lost another 10 after plastics.

As for the link you posted, the poster is 2 1/2 months post-op.  She's still figuring it out.