Band to Sleeve conversion Post and Pre op

Thanks Gail

I will learn in time i suppose,anything is better than the dreadful pain of a blockage with the band....i can eat slowly,not a problem.

Cheers Lauren.

Hi Lauren

I think the chew, chew, chew routine helps even with the sleeve as you are more aware of what/how much you are eating.

For me I measure out 25gms of oats for breakfast add milk (don't measure that though) and then take at least 20 mins to eat it.

One of my main problems is remembering to eat slowly, I still tend to want to eat quickly. Just ask Caz, we had lunch today and gobbled something down too quickly. Didn't have to go running for the bathroom like I would have with the band, but definitely knew I had to slow down if I wanted to enjoy the rest of the meal.

Dinner tonight was a 1/3 cup of lasagne at work which took me about 15 minutes and now I'm topping things off with a protein shake (not opti but GNC's unflavoured powder with low fat milk) and this is taking me another 20 mins or so to drinnk.

Cheers
Gail

Thanks Rosie

Sounds a lot better than the band...

Hi Lauren

I have gone from band to sleeve and in my opinion don't have to chew as much.

I still eat slowly and chew well (to help eat slower) but the sleeve is more about stomach volume not stomach opening. With a band if you can get it through the narrow opening you really don't have that much restriction (ie icecream)

I eat about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of porridge for Brekky and deliberately take about 15 minutes. Others, I'm sure are different but I don't want to find out the hard way that I've had too much. I did eat a banana in 5 mins the other day and probably take 20/30 mins for lunch and dinner.

It's such a relief not the throw up and have that pain in my chest after attempting to eat anymore. Good luck with everything....

ok thanks for clarifying that....

when u say,u do have to eat slower...how slow to be precise??? for example at breakfast time eating cereal..

i have a lot of last minute questions,that i like to ask before hand instead of finding out the hard way,like when i had the band lol.


Lauren.

You do need to chew and eat slowly. But when I forget (depending on what I am eating) it usually isn't a huge problem.

The main problem I have is remembering to put my knife/fork down and not just keeping on eating.

I had my band removed in march this year and am having the sleeve done on the 13th june this year also....

I completely couldn't handle having a band,constand throwing food back up and constant pain and non stop fills and fill removal was exausting.

What i'm curious about though that i haven't heard anything about so far is,wheather or not you have to chew chew chew with the sleeve like i did with the band????
and if so,to the degree like with the band or not as much??

Cheers Lauren.

Hey Scott I had my band removed in October 08 after almost a year of pain and vomiting none stop. I was sleeved onthe 16th of Jan this year and have no regret at all. Perhaps just one regret I didn't have the sleeve done earlier. I'm now 8 weeks out from the operation and have lost 15kgs. I love the freedom of being able to eat almost anything i want just much smaller portions now. Good luck with your decision and you will get all the help and advice you need on this forum

Hi Scott,
I had my band removed in late January this year and I see my surgeon again at the end of April to book surgery for the sleeve. I would have liked to have the band removed and sleeve put in all in one go, but my surgeon would not be in it. He likes to wait at least 3 months for the adhesions and tissue to settle down. I had my gallbladder out at the same time as the band and he said that he had set things up so that the sleeve could be done later. Don't quite know what this means but trust him implicitly.
There are a couple of ladies on here who had the band removed and sleeving done in one op.
It seems to be a personal choice between surgeons.
Hope things go alright for you and you don't put on too much weight between surgeries. This is the bit problem because having no restriction is a pain!!! Though it is a joy to eat without fear of blockages. LOL.

Take care,

Janey

I also have gone from a band to a sleeve. I had to wait 3 months before I could get the sleeve, as I needed the swelling from my band to go down before my tummy could be touched again. The sleeve is the best decsion I have made, I wasnt so sure about it when I first knew I was having my band removed, but then I decided to just go for it. I have found that with the sleeve I lost the weight SO much faster than when I had the band, and that it is just so much easier in general. I found the sleeve alot more painful than the band while in hospital, but once I got out 4 days later, I was fine, and the recovery was very fast. Everyone is different in the pain and recovery aspect though.

I hope it works out for you!

Bee

Hi Scott

I'm also another conversion from band to sleeve. I actually didn't have much success with my band, having only lost around 9kgs in 11 months with it. The choice to have it removed was made for me as it slipped last September requiring emergency surgery to remove it.

I had my sleeve op on 6 Feb this year and, like Cindy, wish I'd done it in the first place when offered. I've now lost almost as much in 5 weeks as I did in 11 months with the band. But I'm also aware that the weightloss may be slower than some as this is my second WLS procedure.

Again like Cindy I had very little post op pain and stopped using the PCA as it was making me very sick every time I took a shot and being sick so soon after the op wasn't pleasant. I was even able to sleep on my side in hospital and was back tummy sleeping the night I got home (I just didn't tell my chiropractor this LOL!!)

Whereabouts in NSW are you? Will you be using the same surgeon who did your band?

Cheers
Gail

Hi Scott

I have just done what you are thinking. I had huge problems with my band and decided to have it removed in Nov 08. I had the sleeve done on 8th January. Not quite the 3 mths my Dr likes to wait but I had a job lined up that I needed to be ready for.

the sleeve operation was really easy for me, very minimal pain. In fact I was told off for not using the PCA enough several times. My biggest problem was not breathing enough, i was on oxygen for 2 1/2 days. But other than that, the recovery was a dream compared to the band!

I am now 2 months post op and feel great. the weight is coming off nicely although the scales did stay the same for some time which nearly drove me nuts lol.

My only regret is that I didnt get this done sooner! Good luck and if you have anymore questions please ask! There are a few of us on here who have had the same journey.

Cheers Cindy

Sounds like a plan to me Scott.

Hi Scott.

I haven't had a band, so I can't comment on that. But you do need to remember that when going from a band to a sleeve, the weight loss is a lot slower than people who have the sleeve only.

Good luck,
Kaili.

Hi all, I have a band and have had it in for nearly 2 years ( I have lost 30Kgs and have put 10 back on)I have now decided to convert to a sleeve.
I am interested in any stories of Bandsters converting to Sleeve.

I was losing good weight until I had a little fluid out for an overseas trip, I did not get the Band refilled to the level prior to the trip as I it was so tight it took me 20 minutes to drink a glass of water and only tolerated the tightness as I knew I was going to get a bit of fluid out before the trip and wanted to lose as much weight as possible before the trip. Unfortunately I have put on 10Kg in the past 3 months.
I could lose the 10Kgs if I had the Band re filled, then struggle every day to eat OR get a Sleeve.
My Son had the Sleeve last November and he is enjoying rapid weight lose and does not suffer like I do 2 years post op and he is only 3 months post op and he had complications after surgery!
I have decided to have two operations 3 – 6 months apart, first to remove the band and the second op for the Sleeve after the tissue has returned to normal.
What are your thoughts?
Scott