Confused: Lapband or Sleeve

[Ellisa 6]

Hmmmm, I'm wondering if the successful lapband patients have different surgeons than the ones who have had so much touble. Seems odd that I know so many who don't have issues and most of you know so many who have had horror stories. Maybe there's a case for checking out your surgeon, no matter which surgery you decide upon. Get to know patients personally who have been to YOUR surgeon.

[Tiffykins 673]

Hmmmm, I'm wondering if the successful lapband patients have different surgeons than the ones who have had so much touble. Seems odd that I know so many who don't have issues and most of you know so many who have had horror stories. Maybe there's a case for checking out your surgeon, no matter which surgery you decide upon. Get to know patients personally who have been to YOUR surgeon.

Every person I know had highly reputable, and different surgeons in 6 different states so I'm not exactly sure what the case is.

[Tiffykins 673]

I'll add in there that when people ask my mom about her band she still tells people "she loves her band". But, I've seen her puke on oatmeal, and curse the effin band to hell. Also, my other friend down here that has it, avoids most decent food, but she sings it's praises, and tells people that she would never do anything as drastic as the sleeve. My reply to her was "really, but puking every 2-3 days with a silicone band wrapped around your stomach isn't drastic?" Ehhh, for me the stats from the actual band manufacturer speaks the truth. Personal experience is one thing, but numbers don't lie.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I have said this over and over. Put a rubber band around your finger for 5 years and then look at the end of your finger. What is so different about putting a band around your stomach?

[Ellisa 6]

WOW, I didn't start having those kinds of issues until about a year and 1/2 after my band was placed and then we finally found that my hiatal hernia had ripped out (worse than originally). It took so long mainly because I kept dragging my feet because I was afraid I'd lose my band, but unfilled it might as well have been gone anyway. My husband can count on one hand how many times he's puked since his surgery. My mother and sister don't either. Can't speak for the other people I know because I'm not that close. I assumed when they say they don't have problems they mean it. We've all accidently swallowed something not properly chewed and had some discomfort until it finally settled. There are foods that make my relatives and I uncomfortable like dry meat and white breads, white rice and other sticky things like that. But I was hoping that would continue to be a "problem" with the sleeve because I considered it a great tool to keep me on track eating healthier nutrition packed foods rather than calorie/carbs with little else of value.

I only know personally one person (who I forgot in my original count, so I guess that makes 10 now) who went out of state. Ohio many facilities that are reputable and have a lot of experience. The person who went out of state actually went out of the country about 4 years ago. Her port flipped and she's never had a fill because she could barely afford the first trip and has not had the money to go back to have it fixed and it will cost more to do it locally. I don't know who she went to in Mexico, but doctor in Ohio who tried to fill it didn't bad mouth her surgeon. I guess that's something that can happen anywhere, though it's rare.

I'm glad I'm sleeved, I don't have anything bad to say about it so far. But I hate to be overly praising it because I just don't feel we have the numbers of patients long term yet to know what the risks will be in a few years. I've seen the very people on another board who two years ago were practically "selling bands." Now because they had issues and they've been sleeved are acting as if ALL bands WILL fail and ALL sleeves will be successful. Heaven forbid if they have issues with their sleeves they will probably be badmouthing sleeves and "selling" whatever salvage surgery they end up with... until that has problems... I just don't think we know enough yet to think any weightloss surgery is THE one. It might be THE one for me, but not someone else.

In weighing the pros and cons, I will say that if someone were going a good distance for WLS surgery I would probably recommend the sleeve over the band simply because the follow up is less and it's often difficult to find someone who is willing to take over fills if your surgery wasn't done with them. My surgeon used to, but he has so many patients now he feels it's unfair for his patients to have to wait longer for fills.

I learned yesterday that I will have to take B-12 weekly because that is mainly absorbed in the stomach not the intestines. I just don't know if we know enough about what else the removed potion of the stomach does longterm. Time will tell.

[Tiffykins 673]

WOW, I didn't start having those kinds of issues until about a year and 1/2 after my band was placed and then we finally found that my hiatal hernia had ripped out (worse than originally). It took so long mainly because I kept dragging my feet because I was afraid I'd lose my band, but unfilled it might as well have been gone anyway. My husband can count on one hand how many times he's puked since his surgery. My mother and sister don't either. Can't speak for the other people I know because I'm not that close. I assumed when they say they don't have problems they mean it. We've all accidently swallowed something not properly chewed and had some discomfort until it finally settled. There are foods that make my relatives and I uncomfortable like dry meat and white breads, white rice and other sticky things like that. But I was hoping that would continue to be a "problem" with the sleeve because I considered it a great tool to keep me on track eating healthier nutrition packed foods rather than calorie/carbs with little else of value.

I only know personally one person (who I forgot in my original count, so I guess that makes 10 now) who went out of state. Ohio many facilities that are reputable and have a lot of experience. The person who went out of state actually went out of the country about 4 years ago. Her port flipped and she's never had a fill because she could barely afford the first trip and has not had the money to go back to have it fixed and it will cost more to do it locally. I don't know who she went to in Mexico, but doctor in Ohio who tried to fill it didn't bad mouth her surgeon. I guess that's something that can happen anywhere, though it's rare.

I'm glad I'm sleeved, I don't have anything bad to say about it so far. But I hate to be overly praising it because I just don't feel we have the numbers of patients long term yet to know what the risks will be in a few years. I've seen the very people on another board who two years ago were practically "selling bands." Now because they had issues and they've been sleeved are acting as if ALL bands WILL fail and ALL sleeves will be successful. Heaven forbid if they have issues with their sleeves they will probably be badmouthing sleeves and "selling" whatever salvage surgery they end up with... until that has problems... I just don't think we know enough yet to think any weightloss surgery is THE one. It might be THE one for me, but not someone else.

In weighing the pros and cons, I will say that if someone were going a good distance for WLS surgery I would probably recommend the sleeve over the band simply because the follow up is less and it's often difficult to find someone who is willing to take over fills if your surgery wasn't done with them. My surgeon used to, but he has so many patients now he feels it's unfair for his patients to have to wait longer for fills.

I learned yesterday that I will have to take B-12 weekly because that is mainly absorbed in the stomach not the intestines. I just don't know if we know enough about what else the removed potion of the stomach does longterm. Time will tell.

I researched gastrectomies for other medical conditions such as stomach cancer, and ulcerative conditions. It's amazing that gastrectomies have been performed for decades upon decades, and when you analyze the data on those patients, there is little to zero long term complications. There are even people that live normal, fully functioning lives without a stomach.

I might have done this for weight loss, but there are long term studies, information, and data out on gastrectomies.

I take a sublingual B12 instead of doing the injections, and my labs are pulled every 6 months for a minimum of the first 3 years. In almost 14 months, I've never been close to deficient and I dropped over 140lbs in less than 10 months with the sleeve.

It only took 8 months for the band to destroy my stomach tissue. Was it in part because my band surgeon was a douchebag? Yes, but before it could be taken out and revised to the sleeve the damage was done, and couldn't be reversed. I am partial to the sleeve, but do not believe it's the end all be all to WLS. Every one of the WLS can be cheated. Hell, I know 2 people with DS that haven't made goal, and are miserably sick because of the Vitamin regimen, and huge amounts of fat that they have to eat everyday to keep their hair and finger and toenails from falling out and ripping and/or tearing nails.

I know some people have success with the band. But, if I can provide statistically information along with my personal experience that will give them another option to explore then I believe it's only fair. Like I said, the stats for the band are out, there is stats out for the VSG. Grant it those stats aren't 10 years plus, but by the law of large numbers, the sleeve is coming out with less complications, and reoperation rates.

[Ellisa 6]

I researched gastrectomies for other medical conditions such as stomach cancer, and ulcerative conditions. It's amazing that gastrectomies have been performed for decades upon decades, and when you analyze the data on those patients, there is little to zero long term complications. There are even people that live normal, fully functioning lives without a stomach.

I might have done this for weight loss, but there are long term studies, information, and data out on gastrectomies.

I take a sublingual B12 instead of doing the injections, and my labs are pulled every 6 months for a minimum of the first 3 years. In almost 14 months, I've never been close to deficient and I dropped over 140lbs in less than 10 months with the sleeve.

It only took 8 months for the band to destroy my stomach tissue. Was it in part because my band surgeon was a douchebag? Yes, but before it could be taken out and revised to the sleeve the damage was done, and couldn't be reversed. I am partial to the sleeve, but do not believe it's the end all be all to WLS. Every one of the WLS can be cheated. Hell, I know 2 people with DS that haven't made goal, and are miserably sick because of the Vitamin regimen, and huge amounts of fat that they have to eat everyday to keep their hair and finger and toenails from falling out and ripping and/or tearing nails.

I know some people have success with the band. But, if I can provide statistically information along with my personal experience that will give them another option to explore then I believe it's only fair. Like I said, the stats for the band are out, there is stats out for the VSG. Grant it those stats aren't 10 years plus, but by the law of large numbers, the sleeve is coming out with less complications, and reoperation rates.

I'm not pro band or pro sleeve or anti RNY. I do think that each is appropriate for certain patients. And each person needs to make the decision with their health care providers.

Dr. Trace Curry out of Cincinnati area is my surgeon. He's done over 300 sleeves, lapband is far and away his mainstay. When he did my band, he was the only surgeon in the state certified to teach other surgeons the procedure. I don't know the numbers on the RNYs but it's in the thousands. I actually learned about him through a RNY patients who by the way is 6 years out and doing very well.

Most of his staff, including his wife have been banded. I would think that with his vast experience he would have a good sense of the complication rates of each type of WLS. In addition, he was banded himself within the last year. It stands to reason to me that if a large portion of his patients (not to mention staff whom he sees everyday) were having such high rates of complications he would have gone to the best surgeon he could find to sleeve him. But he opted to be banded. That speaks volumns to me. My guess would be that he has access to very reliable statistics not only in his own practice but nationwide.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Ellisa
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[Ellisa 6]

By the way Tiffykins, I love your passion and can see you are a very caring person. I lurked here for a long time before posting. Your posts are always informative. I will be long gone very soon and probably won't even peek in for months at a time. You will still be here helping people through the process. (I was amazed by the people who were still posting on a daily basis on lapband.com and OH. I hadn't been there for 2 years and they were still faithfully encouraging others.)

Edited July 21, 2010 by Ellisa
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