What is band removal recovery like?

Is it worse than have the band put in?  The doc told me that taking it out is easy so I wondered how you feel afterwards.

I'm considering a revision surgery and if so, would have to be done in 2 stages because my doc wants to let my stomach heal to avoid causing holes in it.

Thanks!

Karen, I had mine removed in an emergency surgery last year and my recovery was no big deal at all. I took pain meds for only the first day and was sore but not in pain the following day and beyond. I was so sick when they took it out that frankly, I felt a lot better after the removal surgery . Good luck to you!

I had my band out on the 18th and began feeling beter two days ago.  The band removed was nothing!  the port removal sucked!!!!!

Good luck!

Thank you both.  I'm still on the fence with what I want to do so I'm doing a supervised weight loss program until I make up my mind.  Thinking about the sleeve.  The worse part for me is going to be the time between band removal and the revision.  I am afraid to gain weight.

Thanks again.

Karen , may I suggest you find a Doctor that is a True revision Doctor while you decide which surgery that you want to proceed with. Some Surgeons just Don't LIKE to remove a band and then do the revision ALL IN ONE Surgery. NOT because it can't be done. It's been DONE allot. The first and foremost is that there is NO damage done to the stomach due to the band. It's actually SAFER to have the band removed AND revised at once.  ONE Surgery, going under Anesthesia ONCE, Meds once... I think you get the picture GOOD LUCK in whatever you decide

And yes, for MOST, removal of a band is allot easier then placement, in most cases as long as the damage is minimal the recovery is also minimal

Band removal was much easier for me than the initial banding surgery. 

I was so physically miserable while banded that my first thought after band removal was, "Oh my God, the pain is so diminished." I had forgotten what it was like to feel decent after years of misery. 

If you don't have tons of adhesions, the removal should be quite easy. Even with tons of adhesions (which I had,) I felt a million times better after band removal. 

Best of luck, Karen.