Why will this work?

I got my band removed publicly simply because I hated it and it wasn't working for me.  My initial surgeon refused to do it as he believed I hadn't given it long enough and I wasn't trying hard enough with the sleeve.  Stating I couldn't eat a salad or vegetables his response was, oh some people just blend it.

So I found another surgeon who happily removed it for me publicly.  I never used him for the sleeve, but just to let you know you should investigate it still.

Another reason, the standard wait time between the two surgeries is 3 months.  My gf's scarring was so bad, she had to wait 6 months, then combined with scheduling the surgery issues, it ended up being 8 months before she had the sleeve.  So me personally, I would be looking at getting that sucker ripped out as soon as I can, enjoy a double whopper with cheese thanks (with a coke zero of course LOL) knowing I will be having my sleeve as soon as the PHI kicks in :-)

Thanks so much, Tara :)  Unfortunately, no problems like that with the band.  No slippage, no erosion, just annoying lol.  I also haven't got a surgeon yet, was waiting until about 9 months into insurance.  I can wait to get it all done - gives me time to warm da man up to the idea of another surgery lol.

Hiya Mabrahmz,

Hopefully this will be of help to you ....

Some surgeons will put you on a Public Hospital waiting list to remove the band, especially if it is causing damage, problems or has slipped. (And if they have privileges in said hospital.)

That way you could possibly have it removed free prior to the 12 months and then pay Privately for your Sleeve.

Yeah I know, a LOT of "IF'S",  but maybe worth speaking with your surgeon about this on the off chance he can do it.

All the best,
Tara

So glad I came across this thread!  I start health insurance on Monday so still have 12 months ahead of me before I can get the band out.  (I spy a long road).  It really is helpful reading about the experiences of others going through this journey as well.  

With my band, I can chow down on cake, bread, pasta as much as I like and drink coke til the cows come home.  What I can't have is anything nutritious!  I'm thinking after the band is out, I'll be binging big time on salad! lol   Another thing I've noticed with the band, I can't go long periods with nothing in my stomach at all.  I feel really, really sick if I do, so I tend to drink a lot of liquids to keep something passing through.  Don't know how common that is with other bandsters.  I'm so looking forward to eventually getting a sleeve because it means I won't have to constantly be putting something in my stomach.  Roll on Monday, that's when the countdown really begins :D

14 January - you seriously won't know yourself once it is banished!

I'm quietly surprised just how healthy I have been eating since removal. Don't get me wrong, I don't have the perfect diet by any stretch of the imagination! but when I am eating meals, I am preferring just the same type of food that I had while banded (meat and vege, salads, etc) as opposed to gorging on crap.

I think one of the things that is keeping me on the straight and narrow is that I have had lots of dinners and lunches out, lots of parties and functions so I feel pretty full and gross from those, so when I do eat at home, I want healthier food.

Thanks for your comments about the weights  

It is something I have been doing on and off for around 10 years. I will be starting off from scratch again so I will be starting on much lighter, more 'normal' weights for the time being. I need to remember that I am back to the beginning again, fortunately it wont take me as long to get back up there. I seriously injured my back about 4 years ago doing a 120kg deadlift but didn't lift properly - I lifted from my back and not my legs...so my back went 'clunk'. I don't know if I want to get back to that stage, I think I will focus more on toning and sculpting, rather than building. I guess I will just have to wait and see how things pan out over time! It will also depend on whether I can afford a PT and if they have a PT who knows what they are doing for someone who wants to do body building/sculpting or power lifting.

It's better to do high intensity cardio for serious fat burning in any case and the advantage of that is it will allow us to recover MUCH faster from the anaesthetic!

The bastard band is coming out on Tuesday the 14th of Jan 2014! and I cant wait!!

I think you just have to be kind to yourself *hugs* and remember you have just had surgery.  Your giving yourself the time required to heal properly and fully.

Weight lifting wow!  The most I can lift is my chihuahua's who only average out at 2.5k lol!

Seriously it takes some dedication for power lifting!  I really admire you :)

xxx Wyld

wyldwitch wrote:

Kazbo I think you are handling the band loss extremely well!

I've just been given a date to get mine out which I am so excited about and hoped to be sleeved late April 14 :)

xxx Wyld

that's awesome! when is it coming out?

Thank you! I don't feel like I'm doing well, just doing the best that I can. I went to the GP today because my biggest wound has been stinging like buggary. He assured me it was healing and not infected, but it is so uncomfortable and sore. He said it was most likely the internal stitches and nerve endings all sorting themselves out.

He told me no lifting anything over 1-2 kgs for another couple of weeks because the 'holes' in the muscles won't have knitted back together. This means no vacuuming or carrying washing baskets or pushing shopping trolleys (YAY!) but it means no weights work at the gym (BOO).

I used to do body building/power lifting so he knows what I mean when I ask for clearance for the gym :) still have to stick to cardio machines for now :(

Kazbo I think you are handling the band loss extremely well!

I've just been given a date to get mine out which I am so excited about and hoped to be sleeved late April 14 :)

xxx Wyld

you are taking the words right out of my mouth!!

I have gained around 2.5 kgs since removal but it feels like a ton! I had to take my rings off yesterday under running water(!!), my shoes are getting too tight, my boobs are starting to spill over the top of my bra cup and even my undies are getting too tight...it's so depressing!

I am hungry but I don't seem to have been hit too hard with the extreme hunger I was expecting (or experienced the night after my surgery where I could have eaten the horse and chased the rider as well. Like you I have been trying to eat good, wholesome food and it is the sheer quantities that I now need that are really not helping...that combined with the silly season, lots of dinners and social events and it is a recipe for a weightloss or maintenance disaster! I feel like a big, fat, giant, pregnant heffalump...and I'm waddling!! 

I had McDonalds 2 weeks ago (I tried a double cheeseburger and a Big Mac - my previous poison of choice) and I ate half the cheeseburger and it was so gross and disgusting I threw it away, then I ate about half the Big Mac and couldn't do that either...it just tasted AWFUL and I felt so sick afterwards. My fast food of choice these days is Subway and I could eat it while banded and I am really enjoying it now (the flat bread is my favourite). I have Subway once a week.

Aside from that, what I am craving for and bingeing on I the most least expected food item that I can think of...of all the things in all the world I am craving for...salad sandwiches!! you know, the big, fat giant salad sandwiches, crammed full of lettuce, tomato, etc...I get mine with turkey or ham or chicken and mashed egg. I figure if that is the worst thing I can binge on then it isn't such a bad thing.

I'm also looking forward to enjoying my last 'proper' Christmas day...the last 3 have been okay but a little weird because I couldn't eat much so didn't really bother too much. This year we are going out for Christmas lunch so that will be nice.

I really hope I don't get too much fatter before March because I can't afford to buy new clothes for this summer!!

I start with the gym next week once I have clearance from the surgeon so that should hopefully assist me to keep my weight in check!

I have put on a few kg since the band was removed and also having some real back pain but am now really anxious to get it over with, so I can attack it head on.

As I thought my appetite has really come back with force and I am able to get heaps down again.

It's actually confirmed to me that the portion size issue is the biggest one for me. When unable to fill up on good food, one tends to find anything. I am hoping the sleeve will help with that.

I have had the odd junk binge but nothing like before. I think you are right about the tastes changing.

Bring on January 7, it really cannot come quickly enough, although I am kinda glad I am able to enjoy Xmas day one last time! 2014 is a big year.

how are things going Gus?

I had my band removed on 7 November and am booked for a sleeve 5 March...it can't come quick enough.

I have found that my tastes have changed...sliders that I craved with banding don't really do it for me now...I used to crave chocolate and ice cream. I still like it but it doesn't have the same pleasure for me anymore.

I am bingeing on sandwiches at the moment! I get one sandwich for lunch - meat, mashed egg, piles of salad...you know, one of those giant ones with heaps of veges? yeah, that's my poison at the moment so I take that as a good thing to binge on. It sure beats greasy food, etc!!

I had maccas the other week and it made me so ill I decided that I would steer clear of it. The main issue I have is that there are so many parties and functions, dinners and lunches to attend that it is those events that are doing my expanding waistline no favours.

That's all I have ever wanted. To be able to eat a small bowl of great food (veges etc) and be full and satisfied.

I am determined to be one of the real success stories here, have set myself a goal of 50kg to lose.

Thank you Tara, your words have helped.

Hiya Gus,

Please don't sh*t yourself.
I felt the same when making the decision to kill the band and get the sleeve.
I thought what if the band really was as good as it gets ...

The sleeve is NOTHING like the Band. It's awesome.

As long as you are mindful of putting in good, healthy foods first and just having the odd treat you'll be right.

At first it is a little difficult as the band teaches you sooooooooo many bad habits regarding slider foods.

But honestly, all the good stuff goes down. I love living off salads and fruits and vegies now.

You will too.  Embrace the change, you are gunna love it !!!!

Cheers
Tara

All booked in for Tuesday January 7. Sh*tting myself already! Just petrified of it not working.

It has been very handy observing my wife go through it (sleeved in JUly 2013) and I am confident I can overcome any obstacles that come up.

Onwards and upwards!

Hi Gus,

Would love to know your thoughts on what the surgeon tells you :)

I am booked in with Dr Padovan on the 4th December to see him about taking my band out and having the sleeve, so am really interested in following the bandits to sleevers experiences.

Good luck!

xxx Wyld

Meeting with the surgeon in 90 minutes to possibly book a date to get the sleeve done *GULP*

HI All

I have recently joined this group to get some information and to get to know others stories and gain some support. I had my first lapband inserted in December 2008 and slowly lost weight with exercise. All this time I had absolutely no feeling of restriction. I kept saying this to my Dr but I felt like he was just blaming me for being a bit of a failure. I was 93kgs to start with and got down to 83kg. Then the weight started to come up a bit and he discovered my band or port was leaking. In early 2011 I think they changed the port and then again no change in weight or restrictions. Finally they decided it was the band itself so I had a third surgery to put a complete new band in September 2011.

I stop seeing my Dr as I don't feel I ever really got any support and now I am back up to 93kgs and feeling like a complete failure. I have an appointment with SIOS in Ashfield and I am hoping to see if they can help me. I am wondering if a sleeve would help as I have struggled with my weight my whole life.

Can anyone else give me your experiences on SIOS or what your experiences have been from band to sleeve. I have read the other posts here but would love to hear more stories.

Lucy

I have officially started the ball rolling with my surgeon to get things moving. After talking to many people (and reading plenty on here), I am convinced it will be the best thing for me long term. My wife being sleeved a few months also is a big factor.

Hoping for a January sleeving. More updates to come!

Gus, yes you'll will need to work on how you feel about fear of failure. Time flies, I waited over 18mths but it was worth it

Still thinking about this a lot and my biggest fear is still that it won't work. It's inevitable that I will have to get it done and it kinda scares me.

If I get the sleeve done, it is January before I can get it done.

Going to be a LOOOOONG few months :(

Gus do you have to wait long for sleeve?
I am having such a battle physically and emotionally.
goodluck!

I hear you! Even though I'm eating better than I was last week, I still feel like I've been gorging myself :(

Here's hoping your sleeve lets you lose the gained weight quickly and lets you get on with your life.

I hear that most band to sleevers have a slower weight loss than virgin sleevers, has that been the case for you?

Hi Gus

I had the same feeling when I had the band taken out... I was like - OMG I can eat and boy did I eat! I had to wait 12 months before getting the sleeve done as I didn't have hospital cover - but by the time I got the sleeve done (9 August 2013) I was weighing in the same as I was before I had the band done at all... My doctor had told me that he thought I would be able to maintain my weight without the band or having the sleeve done... yeah right! - that didn't happen for me...

I hope you can train yourself to still eat little meals... Good Luck!!!

xxx

Going well, just REALLY hating the feeling of being hungry.

I have a feeling that the sleeve is going to be inevitable, and that really both frightens and disappoints me.