Between the Band and Sleeve, I want the Sleeve...

[Infernored 5]

Hi, I have always weighed alot, and have always had a problem with will power when it comes to eating and exercise. Initially when I went to meet with my surgeon I was resolved to get the Lap-Band, and when I met with him he said that my insurance now covers the VSG and he thinks I should do my research on it since it would work well for me. I am currently 327.2 pounds, and my highest at new years was 344. I am working very hard at eating right (per South Beach) and increasing exercise, but my weight still fluctuates up and down 5 pounds. I need to be at least 322 by february 17 to get scheduled for surgery.

I told my husband 2 nights ago that I was researching it a bit and he flipped out. He thinks it's a very risky surgery and it sounds like the easy way out. We have been back and for the past 2 days, and I told him, I'm not an idiot, and it's my body. I told him that I will make a decision and I'd like him to support me. Well, even after going back on the Lap-band boards today, I'm still not satisfied. I really need to lose at least 150 pounds to be "healthy". My aunt had the lap band and she was in the same place as me starting, and she still hovers at 225-230 after 2 years. I wouldn't complain much about that, but I wouldn't be fully satisfied. Right now I am trying to get a hold of the counselor I had to go to as part of the application process and see if she does marital counseling. He needs to realize that it is my decision and I need to take care of myself, once and for all.

Heather

[TijuanaPlication 87]

Any surgery carries risk and VSG may carry a little more initial risk than the band, but in general the outcomes seem to be a lot better. Check out the revision boards on OH and you'll get to read about a lot of unhappy bandsters. Have a look at some of Tiffykins posts on here too as she has no love for the band. Most people seem to say (including the ones that had complications) say they'd do it again (check out Curtis Vlog on youtube).

Your husband is just concerned about you and you just need to do your best to re-assure him. Remaining obese carries risk too after all. Good luck with everything!

[Infernored 5]

Thanks for the reassurance. I know my husband is concerned about me, but I think he should be concerned about me not losing the weight either. I'm relatively healthy besides the weight. So I'm not really worried. I would really be upset if I chose the band and didn't lose properly and needed another surgery. I've been lurking on these boards for a couple weeks and I am happy with what I have seen so far.

Any surgery carries risk and VSG may carry a little more initial risk than the band, but in general the outcomes seem to be a lot better. Check out the revision boards on OH and you'll get to read about a lot of unhappy bandsters. Have a look at some of Tiffykins posts on here too as she has no love for the band. Most people seem to say (including the ones that had complications) say they'd do it again (check out Curtis Vlog on youtube).

Your husband is just concerned about you and you just need to do your best to re-assure him. Remaining obese carries risk too after all. Good luck with everything!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Hi, I have always weighed alot, and have always had a problem with will power when it comes to eating and exercise. Initially when I went to meet with my surgeon I was resolved to get the Lap-Band, and when I met with him he said that my insurance now covers the VSG and he thinks I should do my research on it since it would work well for me. I am currently 327.2 pounds, and my highest at new years was 344. I am working very hard at eating right (per South Beach) and increasing exercise, but my weight still fluctuates up and down 5 pounds. I need to be at least 322 by february 17 to get scheduled for surgery.

I told my husband 2 nights ago that I was researching it a bit and he flipped out. He thinks it's a very risky surgery and it sounds like the easy way out. We have been back and for the past 2 days, and I told him, I'm not an idiot, and it's my body. I told him that I will make a decision and I'd like him to support me. Well, even after going back on the Lap-band boards today, I'm still not satisfied. I really need to lose at least 150 pounds to be "healthy". My aunt had the lap band and she was in the same place as me starting, and she still hovers at 225-230 after 2 years. I wouldn't complain much about that, but I wouldn't be fully satisfied. Right now I am trying to get a hold of the counselor I had to go to as part of the application process and see if she does marital counseling. He needs to realize that it is my decision and I need to take care of myself, once and for all.

Heather

Hi Heather, welcome to VST!!!

Well, I have to tell you I'm one of the folk who was once Lap Banded and I had to have a second WLS to have it removed and start over again as I gained all my weight back. I was very disappointed in everything the Lap Band gave me as I got none of what was promised. So do... don't get me wrong - I was not one of them. I'm not sorry I went through with it though, because it gave me the courage to get what I really needed, and built a foundation to be successful with my sleeve.

I was 283 Lbs when I was first banded. I got down to 227 Lbs 5 months later, but that only lasted a few days. So many things were going wrong I think I just didn't want to try much anymore. I lost majority of that weight in SPITE OF the Lap Band.

Over time, I learned ways to get my calories in without having to vomit and slime everything back up. Of course this comes with a price - I ate all calorie dense type foods and of course this made me slowly gain all my weight back. Two years later I found myself back up to 281 Lbs. Only a tiny shift away from being back to my original surgery weight. My highest ever was 330 Lbs, and I swore to myself years ago that I'd never see a 3 in front of my weight again as long as I lived. I was getting very close to that again, so I knew it was time to swallow my pride.

I kept my promise and did everything I had to, to revise to a surgery I'd been reading and researching about for well over a year at that point.

Best. Thing. Ever.

My Surgeon Dr. Aceves in Mexicali, Mx put me on a pre-op diet. I lost 9 Lbs pretty quickly. I went from 281 down to 272 on surgery day. I was actually pretty surprised to see this!! It was nice.

Well, me today - I am 226 Lbs. I just surpassed my lowest ever Lap Band weight!!! I did it in a little over 4 months. Faster than my Lap Band!! The good thing is, it wasn't all me either. I've gotten such great help from my sleeve - I can't even begin to tell you how many times it has saved me from myself. I've never been happier or more sure the sleeve was the right decision for me.

I don't want to keep this post going on forever, but I just get so passionate when it comes to Lap Band vs. Sleeve. There really is no comparison and the Sleeve rocks it big time!!

I'd like to invite you to our Valentines Day Weight loss challenge. It's a few days before your deadline to schedule surgery. Maybe it will help to motivate you to lose those few pounds so you can get what you want!!! Good luck!!!

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/11895-valentines-day-what-will-you-weigh/page__st__120

[Rootman 1,101]

Infornored, when I first read your post the statement " He thinks it's a very risky surgery and it sounds like the easy way out.". The "easy" way out? Why yes it is, it seems to be far easier than the band - and permanent too, remember you are going to have to have a lap band removed at some point. Probably have a few adjustments and basically have a piece of plasic in your gut.

There are quite a few people around here that had a lap band and had to have it taken out and then had a sleeve. Have you roamed the sleeve forum? Read any comments about SLIMING with the sleeve? Nasty thick mucus comes up and literally streams and strings from your mouth. There too are problems with erosion, basically the band rubs a hole in your stomach. Slippage too. I looked into it and soon dismissed it. There are success stories but they seem to be overwhelmed with failures too.

It's not the be-all and end-all of WLS but it WORKS. As TijuanaPlacation points out above, all surgeries present a risk.

I wish you well, make the choice you can agree on, your marriage is important too.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

If you printed out some of the findings about the lap-ban vs Sleeve you can find here, would he read them? You can get some very good lists of why it makes more sense to get the sleeve. Check out Tiffikins, and search here... Sometimes a guy just has to read the facts.

[Infernored 5]

Hey everybody, thanks for replying. Yeah my husband printed up a comparison between the two and we talked about it. We've decided to take it to a counselor as an independent party. We are going on monday afternoon, and I'm really looking forward to it. I really have settled on the sleeve. I went back yesterday and tried to get excited about the band and found that, while it might get some of my weight off, it will be slow and I will not get everything off without having the troubles I have now. Not saying the sleeve is going to fix me overnight, but I believe it's the right choice for me. So until my appointment with my surgeon on feb 17th, I've been trying to follow the south beach diet he wants me on, and increase my exercise. It's at that appointment where if I have lost the 15 pounds the insurance people recommend that I tell him which surgery I want and we would schedule it.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Hi Infernored! Just a short note to let you know....I initially started out thinking I'd get 'banded' - until someone at Dr. Davidson's office suggested I research the sleeve. After I did and after I started 'trolling' these forums, my mind was made up. Plus, the thought of fills and un-fills from now on was NOT appealing to me at all. That was before I read about erosions and bands slippings. Just a side note, one of my friends, who wanted a sleeve after seeing my success but could not get one because of insurance......ended up getting a band in Oct. - she had to have it removed a six weeks later. She had nothing but problems. Now she is just waiting until her insurance company approves paying for VSG!!! Our fingers are crossed. I didn't have one problem. My husband was not 'for' me having surgery in the beginning, but once he saw I wanted to really do this, he was on board and has been supportive and my biggest cheerleader. He has fun seeing how much FUN I am having shopping etc. It's the best thing I've ever done, I feel great and had an easy time, thank goodness! I had NO health issues before, and hopefully now I won't have any in the future! Good luck!!

Thanks for the reassurance. I know my husband is concerned about me, but I think he should be concerned about me not losing the weight either. I'm relatively healthy besides the weight. So I'm not really worried. I would really be upset if I chose the band and didn't lose properly and needed another surgery. I've been lurking on these boards for a couple weeks and I am happy with what I have seen so far.

[Infernored 5]

My husband, Tim, and I went to a counselor for an outside opinion on monday. She is a very good listener and I like her. I had to go to her for my pre-surgery psych consult. (I'm sane apparently!). Anyway, she said we're just going to have to agree, to disagree. He will support me, but he's not happy about it. I think he'll feel better when it's done and I start feeling alot better. I have my next appointment on february 17 with my surgeon. I have to lose another 3 pounds by then, and it sounds easy, but I keep hitting 325 and then I bounce around a few pounds above it, and go back. I am aiming for at least 5 more off since doctor's scales are wacky.

[klus263 9]

When I first started my journey, I was planning the lap band. My husband was supportive of this. Then when I met the surgeon and he suggest the sleeve as my insurance now covered it, so after doing my research, I switched to the sleeve. My husband let me make the final decision but I shared the information I found to support my decision. Just before my surgery (he was planning to control his with diet and exersice) he realized he needed surgery also so he is currently in his process for getting insurance approval for his sleeve. He has been very excited seeing how I have changed both physically and mentally after surgery. I would have never had the success that I have had in the past 2 months with a band. Good Luck.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

My husband, Tim, and I went to a counselor for an outside opinion on monday. She is a very good listener and I like her. I had to go to her for my pre-surgery psych consult. (I'm sane apparently!). Anyway, she said we're just going to have to agree, to disagree. He will support me, but he's not happy about it. I think he'll feel better when it's done and I start feeling alot better. I have my next appointment on february 17 with my surgeon. I have to lose another 3 pounds by then, and it sounds easy, but I keep hitting 325 and then I bounce around a few pounds above it, and go back. I am aiming for at least 5 more off since doctor's scales are wacky.

He really feel much better once you have the surgery, you are ok and he'll see how much happier you are. It's very normal for our spouses to feel a little intimidated by all of this. Hang in there.

[Infernored 5]

Yeah, I can totally see how he is out of his element. He is 6 feet tall and 175-180ish. My gram calls him a "tall drink of water" or something like that! I'm just going to stay motivated and keep forward. I'm still working on losing my 5% before the surgery is scheduled. I have to be about 320 on the doctor's scale, and I went up over the holidays. But I'm doing better than ever now.

[educationrulz 18]

Yeah, I can totally see how he is out of his element. He is 6 feet tall and 175-180ish. My gram calls him a "tall drink of water" or something like that! I'm just going to stay motivated and keep forward. I'm still working on losing my 5% before the surgery is scheduled. I have to be about 320 on the doctor's scale, and I went up over the holidays. But I'm doing better than ever now.

Heather,

I'm glad to hear that things seem to be less heated between you and your hubby about your choice of surgery. Ultimately, you have to make the best choice for yourself. Why not pick what many think is the better surgery since your insurance will cover it? So many people don't have that luxury. I was so thankful that I "discovered" the sleeve in the process of researching the band. Big save... :clap2:

I think you're definitely going to be able to make your preop weight loss goal. I needed to lose 12 pounds before my surgery - not because my surgeon required the loss, but because that's how much my sorry butt needed to lose to get back to my initial consult weight. I started my 2 week preop diet a few days early and ended up loosing 15 pounds!!! It was totally low/no carbs. Other than carbs, I ate what I wanted. No counting calories, fat grams, etc... I couldn't have kept it up long term but it was doable for a couple of week. I'm not sure if you're still doing South Beach or something else but be sure you're not getting too FEW calories. Even the postop sleevers here can attest to how that will stall your weight loss. Focus on ditching the carbs and you'll be scheduling your surgery before you know it!

[myrori 55]

Hi, I have always weighed alot, and have always had a problem with will power when it comes to eating and exercise. Initially when I went to meet with my surgeon I was resolved to get the Lap-Band, and when I met with him he said that my insurance now covers the VSG and he thinks I should do my research on it since it would work well for me. I am currently 327.2 pounds, and my highest at new years was 344. I am working very hard at eating right (per South Beach) and increasing exercise, but my weight still fluctuates up and down 5 pounds. I need to be at least 322 by february 17 to get scheduled for surgery.

I told my husband 2 nights ago that I was researching it a bit and he flipped out. He thinks it's a very risky surgery and it sounds like the easy way out. We have been back and for the past 2 days, and I told him, I'm not an idiot, and it's my body. I told him that I will make a decision and I'd like him to support me. Well, even after going back on the Lap-band boards today, I'm still not satisfied. I really need to lose at least 150 pounds to be "healthy". My aunt had the lap band and she was in the same place as me starting, and she still hovers at 225-230 after 2 years. I wouldn't complain much about that, but I wouldn't be fully satisfied. Right now I am trying to get a hold of the counselor I had to go to as part of the application process and see if she does marital counseling. He needs to realize that it is my decision and I need to take care of myself, once and for all.

Heather

First off let me tell NOTHING about this is easy! It is very hard work to get ready for surgery and make it work after surgery. I have been overweight all my life, I have a lifetime of failed diets. Part of it is will power, however I really firmly believe that there is more to obesity than is known. Why could I eat the same things as "normal" person and still be fat? Why can a bean pole of person pack away the food in epic proportions , never exercise and never gain a pound? All I know is the sleeve has given me the ability to control my portions and NOT BE CONSTANTLY HUNGRY or thinking about my next meal. For reasons we don't know yet some of us need the extra help.

The surgeon told me that the sleeve is actually a very simple operation, only about 40 minutes long. The risks for the sleeve are far less than the complications from the lap band complications long term ( erosion and scar tissue, need for re surgery and low weight loss)and far less risky than gastric bypass both at surgery and long term with nutritional deficiencies and strictures developing.

Husbands tend to be more scared of the change in you than the actual surgery. They get all paranoid that they will somehow not be good enough for you if you get skinny. I had to tell my husband over and over that this was about my health and longevity than about being skinny and attractive.

Have him read some of the posts here and present him with figures of risk from your doctor and reassure him you want to do this to LIVE!

[Jo Jo 2]

Hey Heather, I am kinda in the same boat. I went for the band because my husband felt like it wasn't as serious as the others, but then I found out they will not do the band because I have alot of gerd and the band will make it worst. I went back today and asked about the sleeve because I have been reading a lot about it. They seem to think this might work for me. I have found out that I have been listening to too many people and getting their opinions and all it does is confuse me. What I have learned is I am tired of being unheathly and obviously I need more help then what I can do myself. My best friend had the band done and lost 75pounds and ended up in the hospital for 25days with an infection or ulcer. I know the sleeve and gastric sounds so drastic but I keep telling myself that I have had my gallbladder and appendix out what's the difference if they take a piece of my stomach. lol Make a decesion with your Doctors and what u feel is best for you. Others in our lives including our husbands can not totally understand unless they are in our shoes. Good Luck. If they okay the sleeve I am going for it.

Hi, I have always weighed alot, and have always had a problem with will power when it comes to eating and exercise. Initially when I went to meet with my surgeon I was resolved to get the Lap-Band, and when I met with him he said that my insurance now covers the VSG and he thinks I should do my research on it since it would work well for me. I am currently 327.2 pounds, and my highest at new years was 344. I am working very hard at eating right (per South Beach) and increasing exercise, but my weight still fluctuates up and down 5 pounds. I need to be at least 322 by february 17 to get scheduled for surgery.

I told my husband 2 nights ago that I was researching it a bit and he flipped out. He thinks it's a very risky surgery and it sounds like the easy way out. We have been back and for the past 2 days, and I told him, I'm not an idiot, and it's my body. I told him that I will make a decision and I'd like him to support me. Well, even after going back on the Lap-band boards today, I'm still not satisfied. I really need to lose at least 150 pounds to be "healthy". My aunt had the lap band and she was in the same place as me starting, and she still hovers at 225-230 after 2 years. I wouldn't complain much about that, but I wouldn't be fully satisfied. Right now I am trying to get a hold of the counselor I had to go to as part of the application process and see if she does marital counseling. He needs to realize that it is my decision and I need to take care of myself, once and for all.

Heather