I am confused.

First topic message reminder :

I am writing to get some advice from you ex bandits...I went to a specialist in adelaide that works in the Circle of Care at Flinders on Wednesday to ask about getting my band removed and talk about sleeve. He told be that he doesn't do sleeves after bands because of scar tissue that is left from band and the consern about leakes from scar tissue. His recomendation was to remove band...wait 3 months to heal and have a gastric bypass...I am really confused and scared because I feel gastric bypass is quite drastic....Help...

Nicky at first you wont be hungry for a month or two cos they dig and cut that sucker out so there is a bit of swelling etc which will give you restriction. However after that you will get your hunger back...go with it.. after 7 years with the band I am sure you could do with a good steak and a biiiig plate of salad.

Eventually when its out of your system you will get back with the program and pull it into gear.

The eating normal helps to 'unpleat' the tummy somewhat and regain its normal shape again.

Time enough and you will be on the post op diet and the sheer pleasure of the previous months will be a thing of the past.

Good luck hon

I saw my new bariatric surgeon's assistant (GP) today and she was very nice. She explained absolutely everything to me about the band being removed as well as the sleeve being done. She said that they like to wait 6 months between band removal and sleeve op. This is to minimise the risk of complications as a result of having previously had the band.
I was very lucky and actually get to see the surgeon tomorrow so will let you know more then.
I nearly died when I found out that I had to wait 6 months between ops. As much as the band has been a pain, it has also been my best friend for the last 7 years and to be without it is quite scary. Oh well if it has to be done well I'll have to deal with it.

Hi All
I am an ex bander had my band in 2001 first few years were great then port broke 4 times band replaced twice this year went pair shaped had band out in a emergency surgery on the 10th Jan and was sleeved on the 16th April................... best thing I have ever done

One month on not vomited once that was a daily practice for me, can eat every think i have tried just get that full satisfying feeling i never got with the band and what a joyous feeling that is to feel satisfied with a very small amount of food

have lost 14.2 kilos in that month life is on and upwards

Yes i had to wait 3 months to thats for all your insides to settle down from where they unstitch the band from your tummy........... first day was rough from the sleeve day 2 they took out the drain day 3 i came home and have never looked back

along with that the info you will get and the support you get from others on here is amazing and so inspiring every body has there own journey all willing to share one thing we all have in common is we all understand how it feels to suffer from obesity and how great it feels as we loose our weight with the help from MR SLEEVE....

My doctor who did my band the great Dr Stephen Watson also did my Sleeve i was lucky as head done all my other surgeries and new my insides very well....

There are allot of doctors that do the Sleeve to ex banders you just have to have a waiting period of 3 months do some research on here Im from Perth but you will see allot of ex banders and they have there surgeons listed

Kimmi

kity1_cat wrote:

I am writing to get some advice from you ex bandits...I went to a specialist in adelaide that works in the Circle of Care at Flinders on Wednesday to ask about getting my band removed and talk about sleeve. He told be that he doesn't do sleeves after bands because of scar tissue that is left from band and the consern about leakes from scar tissue. His recomendation was to remove band...wait 3 months to heal and have a gastric bypass...I am really confused and scared because I feel gastric bypass is quite drastic....Help...

Hi Kity1-cat,

My surgeon does the same as the one you have seen for exactly the same reasons, he said it is better to let everything settle down before doing the sleeve as it has less complications involved than when the sleeve is done imediately after the band is removed.

Basically the risks involved weren't worth it in his opinion so I too have to wait around 3-4mths before the sleeve op will be done.

It's a PITA having to wait but I guess at the end of the day if it makes the op that little bit safer and potentially a more successful outcome I guess a few extra months wait is worth it.

one thing my surgeon kept repeating - 1 in 100 .......... thats the odds for a bypass

1 in 1000 is for a sleeve, and 1 in 10,000 for a band

but you know it does depend on any other medical situations we are not hearing - there are a few bypassers here - think they have a lil link here that you can talk to the girls had it done.

definately go get another opinion!

Yes, you are right...I will be doing more reading and also asking people who have had both done...please let us know what the outcome of your Dr's visit is...I would love to know.

If your Dr says that bypass is a better option for you maybe it is. Do as much research as you can and ask questions. It still wouldn't hurt to get another Dr's opinion but at the end of the day you are the one that has to feel comfortable with your decision. I'm seeing my new Dr tomorrow so will be interesting to see what they recommend.

I went back to surgeoon and had a chat about Gastric Bypass Operation...and why he would rather that for me. He said that the gastric bypass is actually less drastic because you don't cut into stomach...they leave stomach inside. Sleeve they have to cut through stomach. Because I am a country patient...he feels this would be a better option to consider. I am actually doing my homework and I thing that Gastric Bypass would be the way to go for me...

Kity

I've had my band for 7 years so I know exactly how you feel as I am now considering a gastric sleeve. I recently had my access port relocated but I am having problems with the position of the port and associated pain. My body has been trying to reject my port since I had a tummy tuck last year. I am so over the band.
I have an appt on Tues with a new surgeon to discuss my situation. Definitely get another opinion as gastric bypass is a lot more complex surgery. There are several surgeons in Adelaide that do band to sleeve surgeries, though you may need to wait 3 months between ops.

Good luck

Nicky

you will be just fine sweetpea. The band does our head in and I was so terrified and unsure of the future prior to this operation and in truth to some extent I still am.

But it is so much easier than banded life. even at this 5 weeks out that I am I dont suffer the pain, discomfort or embarrassment that the band caused. I am struggling with weightloss at the moment but I am not gaining like I was so rapidly with the band out and it was my choice to halt the return to my 135 plus weight by doing the sleeve

There are a lot of us here who will understand your decision and the path you are choosing, the band makes it a little different for us to process but with the support of the amazing people here we can get through it.

Good luck!

Yes I am going to get another opinion...i have read many people have had bands and then sleeve....Back to GP for another referal....

Kity that is a load of crap your surgeon is peddling. I had a band as did many many others here. We get the band our wait 3 months then are sleeved. Seriously get another opinion!

Kity - It's called a Gastroscope to check to see if the sleeve is viable.

Hi Kity

I know my surgeon does do sleeves after bands, his preference to remove the band and do the sleeving in one operation as then he can see and work with any scar tissue. Others like to remove the band and wait 3-6 months for the stomach to go back to normal before they Sleeve. There are many ex banders having Sleeves on this forum.

Perhaps you need to get a second opinion?

What Tash said, and can I add, his is just ONE opinion!

There are plenty of surgeons who do sleeves after bands! Yours is the first surgeon in here that I have heard say THAT to a patient! But saying that, a bypass may suit you, depending on your history. Research, and perhaps talk to another surgeon before YOU, not the surgeon, makes the decision!

Hi Kity1
Welcome to the forum. Well just wanted to say that I have read some posts from ex banders that say that their Surgeon did some kind of test to see the extent of scarring before making a decision as to whether his patient could have a sleeve or not. Look around the threads for it. Just saying maybe another surgeon could do some tests before ruling out the sleeve. There is now also a new procedure called the mini sleeve but it is not widely available yet. A NZer had it and a Dr in the US who has since moved to Europe is doing it. There may well be others that we are not aware of. Anyway to ask around and read more threads before making a decision.
Best of Luck with it all.
Cheers Tash

I am writing to get some advice from you ex bandits...I went to a specialist in adelaide that works in the Circle of Care at Flinders on Wednesday to ask about getting my band removed and talk about sleeve. He told be that he doesn't do sleeves after bands because of scar tissue that is left from band and the consern about leakes from scar tissue. His recomendation was to remove band...wait 3 months to heal and have a gastric bypass...I am really confused and scared because I feel gastric bypass is quite drastic....Help...