Anyone gone from the band to the sleeve?

I think I am in the works for a revision from the band (not doing well with it at all) and possibly going to the sleeve.  

Anyone gone from band to the sleeve?  Any comments or feedback would be so appreciated.

I thought that I would have been successful with the band and have not, therefore, i want to make sure I make the right decision with the revision surgery.

I was 400 pounds and am now 335. Most of my success was pre-banding but since banding have really struggled to eat properly and have  clearly established a maladaptive eating pattern ( smoothies, soups, etc...) due to contstant vomiting.

If anyone has any help they could offer, I would sure appreciate it. I would love to hear about all revisions .....successful or not. Whatever your story is ....I'd be happy to hear it.

thanks so much in advance.

krista

Many of us.  If you haven't already done so, you might want to cross-post to the sleeve forum.

At your weight, you probably will have an easier time getting your insurance to pay for the revision.  Mine paid for the band removal but not the sleeve itself. 

Sounds like you have a legitimate medical reason for the revision but the pre-authorization request your surgeon sends to your insurance needs to be very strongly written.  Don't be surprised if you need to do in two steps: first the band removal and, several months later, the revision to the sleeve.

Good luck.

Well you did better with the band than I did! I lost all of 20 lbs after all that working on it for 3 years. I then gave up but also got tighter and tighter with no fills it seems scar tissue is building up under the band so last year I had it emptied and I still have some restriction even empty.

I do hope to get a sleeve tho once I can get on medicare in a few years. My reasoning is I really don't want to go with a malabsorbtion surgery like the DS or RNY, just my personal feeling. I wouldn't mind losing a big chuck of stomach however because all it has done is let me eat too much! So I'm good with bye bye tummy. So in prep for hopefully getting the sleeve I spend alot of time on the sleeve board and it really sounds like something I can do and be successful at. Please don't blame yourself for the band not working, there are literally thousands of us the band didn't work for. In fact many surgeons won't even do them anymore so it is just not an effective surgery long or short term. Good luck to you!!

There are lots of folks *****vise from the band to sleeve (or other surgeries), and it's a great choice if you really can do well with a restriction only procedure, with they both are, but if you didn't do well on a restriction only procedure before, chances are you may not do well with another restriction only procedure.

The thing is, you have a fairly high bmi (if you're an average height woman at 5'5" tall and being 330lbs, your bmi is about 55, and even higher if you are shorter than that). You have better chances of getting to a healthy bmi with a restriction plus malabsorbtion surgery, like the DS. It has the best statistics for weight loss, weight maintenance, and resolution of co-morbidities, for every bmi, and especially those over 50 bmi.

The DS doesn't have the issues of RNY like dumping, reactive hypoglycemia, inability to take NSAIDs, and regain, but you DO have to take vitamin supplements with RNY or DS, and they aren't negotiable. 

You need to take an honest look at what contributed to your weight problems, and what may best address it. I highly recommend reading some studies and articles on weight loss and there are links to studies on all the surgeries at DSfacts.com.