band (failure) to sleeve q's

 Banded in 2008 and only lost about 20 pounds. I had it removed in 2012 after having it unfilled since 2010 because I couldn't swallow anything. Even with the complete un fill I very frequently threw up and depended oN mushies because of what went down easily.

 

I was a self pay in total failure and my husband has not let me forget it anytime I bring up a revision surgery. I am absolutely terrified of making the wrong choice and getting a sleeve and being a failure again. One of my biggest concerns is with the band I was still just as hungry. Because of the pouch being fUll I never got the same Sensation of my tummy being full. with the sleeve do you feel the normal tummy fullness from eating just a tiny bit? I've also heard mixed reviews from people about the honeymoon period. I've heard they are not hungry for the first 6 months and from other people I've heard they come out of surgery hungry.thoughts and suggestions Are much appreciated.

You may want to post this on the sleeve forum too to get more answers, good luck to you!

Hi there. I have had a similar experience with the lapband. I felt like I was chasing that magical sweet spot everyone talked about on fills and never got there. I'm getting ready to go through revision surgery to have the band taken out and a sleeve constructed. From the information I've been able to find, everyone is different in how they may feel post-op about hunger. My surgeon told me that true physiological hunger is rare post-op for several months because the mechanism that signals true hunger is in part of the stomach that is removed. He said most patients have to put themselves on a eating schedule b/c they don't feel hungry, but head hunger (emotional eating) may be a problem. I just finished reading a really good book I downloaded to my Kindle based on a recommendation from a bariatric patient 1 year post-op called "The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery" by Cynthia Alexander. I wish I'd had this information when my band was new. Having WLS is a mechanism to assist you in weight loss but most of battle is in your mind. She gives very good strategies to deal with stressors and situations that may come up in your weight loss journey after surgery. I too fear that the sleeve might fail, but I think that is a natural fear after what we have been through with the band.

Please don't let your hubby beat you up!! I was a self pay for 2 bands and my revision to have band removed and RNY. Just do your research to determine which WLS is right for you. I am over the moon happy with results from RNY. I lived with bands for too long and never thought I could eat, drink and feel normal again. Loving RNY and now no reflux. Best of luck to you. BTW- I told my hubby that I would continue to self pay and do anything I could to create a healthier weight and lifestyle, and he agreed.
My brother had sleeve about 20 months ago and he's doing great, but sleeve wasn't an option for me due to my acid reflux. So just do your research.

If you couldn't lose with LapBand, then I wouldn't expect much different results with the sleeve since like the band, it's restriction-only.  It sounds like your body needs to have the metabolism kicked in the butt with something like the RNY or DS

Valerie there are many of us Ex-banders doing great on the VSG boards with the sleeve.  It has to do with the mechanical valve and full size stomach verses the natural pyloric valve and the small stomach.

I was banded in 2008 and lost about 60 with the pre-op process and trying hard with the band but, only for a week.  30/40 was my actual lost and I was higher than surgery weight 9 months before I got it out.  They spent the last month taking fill out and as I could eat solid protein I would start to lose, than I would tighten back up and this went on for 9 months until I was totally unfilled.  During this time and doing the 6 month supervised diet again trying to get approved for revision.

With the band I was always still hungry, just either in pain or not in pain but always hungry.  

I was sleeved 1/22/13 and it the best thing to ever happen for me.  Yes, you can still have to deal with head hunger.  That is a reason I still see my therapist.  But I don't have much "real" hunger.  When I do a little food satisfies me.  With the band I got down to 199 for a couple days when my brother died.  For the most part I was around 210/220 and the center considered me a success and "perfect" band patient.

Now 1.5 years with the sleeve, I can eat a small amount of anything.  A little bite of bread fills me up and sugar can make me sick to my stomach.  Other than that I can eat a few bits of what others are eating.  The best part is I am now "normal" bmi and for the FIRST time in my life I am wear mostly size 8.  Pretty good when I started on the band at 26/28 and never getting out of the 20's.