Help!

[Tweets 0]

I am beginning my journey into the possibility of having WLS and I am trying to decide which one to have. I know that I don't want the RNY - for sure! I am torn between the band and the sleeve. I like the idea of having the band incase something goes wrong and I can have it "reversed", but am not excited about all of the trips to have the injections, etc. What scares me about the sleeve is that is it "un-reversable", and wonder if something happens. (I'm a 'what if' kinda girl)

Can someone please helpo me with comparisions of the two, i.e. pre-op diet, follow-up appts., etc.

Thanks in advance for your help! :001_tongue:

[Tiffykins 673]

I had a band, and I truly believe the idea of a band being "reversible" is overstated, and absolutely absurd. The band being there changes your anatomy, adhesions and scar tissue, it isn't as "reversible" as everyone likes to claim. I had mine for 8 months, and revised to the sleeve. The band was such a pain, and I felt mentally and emotionally exhausted because of the lack of restriction. I never knew what I could eat one day, and couldn't eat the next. Some days everything would go down, the next, I was lucky if liquids didn't make me slime and be uncomfortable.

I had the same pre-op diet for both procedures. Low carb, low fat, higher Protein. All surgeons are different on their pre-op diet requirements.

Follow up appointments with the band were a pain. Getting fills was not fun, plus I had a flipped port that caused all of my complications.

Trying to compare the two is like night and day. I have had restriction since surgery unlike the band. I had restriction due to swelling, but once that wore off (6 weeks), I didn't have any restriction for the next 6.5 months, and even though I did everything correctly, I was pretty much dieting and didn't lose any weight. I was in constant, chronic pain every day from my port being flipped, and the tubing was tugging on my stomach.

I learned a lot with the band, but I am so grateful I was able to revise to the sleeve.

[Tweets 0]

Thank you for your quick reply. I have other questions too, if you don't mind?

How long will I have to wait to go back to work? I am a secretary, so not much moving, lifting, etc. I was hoping that I could have the surgery on a Thursday and be back to work on Monday. I've had all kinds of lap surgeries and I'm hoping this will compare to them.

Pre-op and post-op diets are pretty much just liquids?

What kind of follow-up to you have with the sleeve?

Has anybody experienced any leaks where the incision in your stomach was made? (not the lap holes but the actual stomach)

Sorry to be asking so many questions, but I am trying to figure out all I can. I have my first visit to see the Nurse Practitioner, Dietitian and have the pysch eval on the 25th.

[Tiffykins 673]

There are phases for the diet post-op, each program is different. For the band, I was on Clear Liquids (anything I could see through including sugar free jello) for 7 days, then full liquids (sf pudding, custards, fruit free yogurt, super thin cream of wheat, etc) for 7 days, then mushies for 7 days, then proceed to regular food very slowly. With my band everything had to be "moist", meat could never be microwaved, I lived on Condiments such as ketchup, A1 steak sauce, Ranch dressing.

With the sleeve, I did have a leak because of the damage the band had done to my stomach. My stomach looked like hamburger meat when they removed my band and found adhesions all along the tubing from the band to the port. I was on Clear Liquids after the leak repair for 14 days, then transitioned to full liquids, and mushies simultaneously for a week. I will say that leaks are three times more likely with a revision. Find out your surgeon's leak stats, how many staple lines does has your surgeon performed, complication rate, how many sleeves have they completed?

You have to learn to eat completely differently with both procedures. I returned to work the Monday after my band surgery on a Wednesday. I did not return to work after my revision because I had complications. I resigned from my position because technically, I didn't have to work, my husband is deployed, and I needed to focus on my recovery and not worry about my job. I am not the "normal" case, but there are risk with both surgeries. Research, research, and research more.

[Tweets 0]

I'm so glad you are doing better! Thank you for all your help. The more I find out the more I am considering the sleeve.

Dr. Thomas Lavin is my surgeon and he is one of the more experienced ones in my area. He certifies other surgeons to perform the surgeries. He spoke at a seminar I went to last week and says that they do 3 rows of staples and then sutures on top of that.

Thanks again for your help and I hope your sleeve continues to work for you!

[Malaika 50]

Tweets -- welcome to the forum.

I have a desk job (paralegal) that doesn't require any heavy lifting, etc. I had my surgery on a Friday, came home on a Monday and went back to work on a Friday. I planned to go back on Thursday; however, I was having diarrhea so decided to stay at home an extra day. I was very tired for about 2-3 weeks after returning to work and working all day; however, I had no trouble working. I know others have returned sooner, so I guess it's really up to you, your doctor and how your body is feeling.

As for the sleeve being non-reversible, that is true; however, it is also true that there are people who live entirely with out a stomach (due to stomach surgery, etc.) -- so you can live without a stomach if you have too.

Good luck on your choice.!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

You should go to the section of the board where people tell their stories. There are so many of us who have had revision surgery because there is no other way to put it. The band sucks. There is nothing good about it.

Feel free to ask me anything.

[attitudefree 2]

I also looked into WLS with the idea of getting the band. Once I started researching everything it was not a difficult decision to know the sleeve is the right way to go! Now it is the only surgery available that truely makes sense in my mind. I suggest you read all you can.

Wishing you peace of mind in your decision

[MacMadame 81]

There are good reasons to get a band, but I don't think the "reservable" aspect is one of them. First of all, you have to go into this with the idea that it's permanent. Bands have to stay in forever if you want to keep your weight off. Plus, they can make permanent changes to your anatomy, in terms of scar tissue and such.

But also, the only reason people remove their bands is that their bands turn on them. (Slippage, erosion, esophageal problems.) It's not like with RnY where you get mysterious illnesses that are probably related to the surgery but no one can say for sure. That just doesn't happen with the band, that I've seen. That's a by-product of malabsorption and not getting some micronutrient that we don't know enough about yet to even know you need it.

In terms of the sleeve, the idea of cutting off most of your stomach is freaky for many at first. It sure was for me. But our stomachs are much bigger than they need to be and people live with partial gastrectomies all the time with little to no side-effects. You can even live without a stomach, if you need to.

[Tweets 0]

Thank you all for your input. I didn't mean to sound as if I wanted the band to be "reversible", but sometimes it seems to me "if it's gonna happen, it will happen to me", and I was thinking that if something did happen atleast that could be reversed.

Like most of you have said, you have to have the state of mind that it is FOREVER, and that is my outlook. I have begun to think that the sleeve is the surgery for me, but I guess that will be left up to my insurance company. I am not sure if they will approve any and all WLS procedures.

I am interested in specific items that have been on your "pre-op" diets, and if it would be wise if I try to start that early? Or will I be sick of it by the time the Surgeon tells me to begin it? Is it high Protein, low calorie? And is it only liquids? I just want to be as prepared as I can be.

Thanks again!

[MacMadame 81]

I started getting ready for surgery months beforehand. I started out just tracking my food, then drinking more Water, then increasing my Protein and lowering my carbs, then limiting my portion sizes, then taking the Vitamins I would need to take post-op.

These are all things (except the journalling) that you need to do post-op and you need to for the rest of your life and you might as well get in the habit now.

[I Can and I Will 29]

Hey Tweets,

I am 12 days post-op with verticle sleeve and today was my first day back to work (surgery on a Wednesday, hospital on Thursday & Friday then home for a week)

I felt good enough to go back to work physically by the following Monday; however, changing my eating habits and getting on a rhythm is what I was looking for...I'm glad I did:thumbup1:.

In relation to scar/incision...I'm lucky, my surgeon only went in through my belly buttom so other than looking deeply into my belly button, it's all good:blushing: but pre-operative diet is key to shrink liver etc...

My mom has lap band and is not being compliant. My cousin had it and wished she had the sleeve and as you read through this board, many people have switched over. I'm still a newbie; however, the concept of having something foreign in my body or "irrevisible" was an easy choice because I want to be successful. The odds of something happening with the lap-bad are greater in my opinion; however, it is just my opinion.

If I may offer, don't over think it and freak yourself out...read the literature, make your decision and then don't play "what if" and torture yourself:blush:...either way, both procedures are tools and it's more about what you make up to do in your mind. I hope this help....

Finally, what ever decision you make, you will have the folk and information on this site. People are awesome and in the same boat...lots of support. By the way...I see you live in Diamondhead MS...that is were my cousin lives;-) Fun little community!!!

Caro

Edited August 17, 2009 by Caro
addition to information

[Tweets 0]

Thank you all for your help! I do have a habit of "over thinking" things. I just want to know all that I can.

Diamondhead (anywhere in Hancock County, by the way) is a great place to live!

I'm wondering if anyone has used the Surgical Specialist of Louisiana, and if so which physician did they use? What were your experiences with the group/staff?

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I always over think things too. To me, this is a no brainer though. If you go to lapbandtalk.com go and read the complications section of that board.

If you get a band, in the beginning it may work great for you. You won't have restriction at first, and many people complain that they wouldn't have had the surgery if they knew they would have to wait so long to get the fills right so they weren't hungry all the time.

Most people love the band at first, if and that's a big IF, they are losing weight. Then the acid reflux starts up, and they have to go in for an unfill, then they are hungry again, and start gaining weight back. If you get a band, you are looking at spending plenty of time going back and forth to the doctor for fills, unfills, and tests to find out what's wrong.

[Tweets 0]

The added expense and the travel time of the fills/refill/unfills are what have me thinking that is way too much trouble. Not to mention that I'm not that crazy about the needles, slippage and complications that go along with the band.:smile1: