Revised from LapBand to Gastric Sleeve on Monday

Its almost surreal.  I had my band for almost 6 years and am very happy with my decision.  I believe that the reasons I wasn't successful with the band will be resolved with the sleeve (i.e., my pouch never stretched, but I was constantly hungry.  The only way I could get full was for my food to fill up my normal tummy, not my pouch.)

In addition, I will not miss the days where I threw up 30 or 40 times.  I would go days where I couldn't eat anything, followed by days where I could eat everything.  I never found the right spot.

Anyway, for those of you considering revision, you and only you know if its the right decision.  Go with your instinct and hold your head high.

I too had my band for 6 years...the first year I lost loads of weight due to dieting hard and exercising harder....then like you I don't think I ever reached my sweet spot as the weight just yo-yoed from then on. In the end, I lost my band due to erosion (nearly killed me with the loss of blood I threw up). I so wanted a RNY bypass as I felt after 6 years restriction only that I needed the malabsorption aspect and my hubby has had his bypass and plasics done during a 2 year period (which was inside my 6 years banding state). Unfortunately the wonderfully "least invasive" procedure of the band has left my stomack so badly scarred and damaged (least invasive eh?) that when they tried to do the bypass, my tummy wouldn't hold a stitch (this was 6 months after my band was removed). So like you I have a Sleeve. Restriction only I am still very wary about but the op and recovery time was just amazing.

It's a case of watch this space I guess.....good luck with your sleeve...lets hope 2010 gets us to where we want to be x x x

My doctor's sleeve patients actually have better loss rates than his bypass patients in the first year, which surprised me.  I think my recovery was harder because of my band and the damage it did.  I agree - while they say it is less invasive, I think that they are completely off base when they talk about the complication rates and % of band removals or resurgery.  Perhaps the newer bands are better... I don't know.  I believe it helped me, but I'm really glad its gone!  Good luck to you - 2010 will be an awesome year for us :-)

I had my band for 3 1/2 yrs and had it removed and had RNY,,much better,,I wish you well and give u a thumbs up for revising into something better