Sometimes the Lap-Band isn’t the right solution, however it does not mean that you can’t benefit from weight loss surgery. There are legitimate reasons that the Lap-Band may not have worked, or it worked initially, and over time became less of a tool for weight loss and more of a source of discomfort and weight gain.
Converting from Lap-Band to a gastric sleeve operation is one solution for sustainable weight loss. During this operation the band is removed, along with scar tissue around the band (often the source of the issues) and a portion of the stomach is removed.
Advantages of the gastric sleeve include
- You feel full with the sleeve
- Food doesn’t get “stuck” with the sleeve
- You can eat chicken, you can eat broccoli
- You can eat breakfast
- You can have a wide variety of foods, just eating less of them
Here is what some of my patients have said:
Wendy: “I did well with the Lap-Band but it became more of a pain as time went on. I couldn’t eat healthy foods, and everything became stuck. Then I had my band removed and did a gastric sleeve surgery. Now I can eat chicken, I can have eggs, and I lost weight. I get full with a small amount of food. I was amazed that I had a bit of ice cream after dinner and I was still losing weight.”
Joan: “I hated my band. I hated it. I had it removed and underwent gastric sleeve surgery and now I can eat things I couldn’t eat with the band. I lost my last 80 pounds, and am 120 pounds down. Diet isn’t in my vocabulary because being satisfied – sometimes stuffed – with a small amount of food means I can eat a bit of everything.”
Phillis: “I loved my lap-band. I initially lost a lot of weight with it and was sailing along then something happened. The band slipped and I could never get back to that sweet spot. After a couple of years of frustration Dr Simpson removed the band and I had a gastric sleeve and as much as I loved the band at first, I wished I would have had the sleeve done. I am back down to my normal weight, I can have meals with my family, I can eat out without worrying about things getting stuck.”
John: “I hated fills. I don’t like needles. The band worked for me, but I just couldn’t take the fills. Then the band slipped and nothing was right. So, I had the band removed. I regained my weight and came back in thinking I would get the band but Dr Simpson and I talked about the gastric sleeve and I did that. Within six months, I went from 300 pounds down to 220 pounds and at the end of the year I am at 180 pounds and I can eat whatever I want. But instead of a 12 ounce steak, I eat 4 ounces, and some vegetables and I am fine. I was able to get off the diabetic medication, no longer need my CPAP, and I found my penis and saw that my shoes needed shining. I was supposed to have a knee replacement, but now I don’t have that pain. Plus, no adjustments, no shots, and no more XXL shirts.”