Potential bander thinking of going with the sleeve

[Jensharley 9]

Hi I am in the fourth month of my doctor supervised diet trying to originally qualify for lapband. After seeing more and more horror stories about problems with the band I am contemplating having a sleeve instead. Are there any significant differences in the post op diet or possible side effects etc with the sleeve that you don't have with the band? I want to make sure I am completely informed when I make my final decision.

Thanks!

[ldydrgnkpr 49]

I was too going to get the band in the begining, but soon after I read post after post on the health hazzards I decided to go with the sleeve. So glad I did. I have no issues with my sleeve. I actually saw a picture in my surgeon's office of what band erosion looks like. Oh I'm so so glad I did the sleeve. That looked so awful and painful. He isn't doing as many bands now, but he is doing a lot of revisions. I researched the sleeve for several months ,I realized that it was the better choice of the options available. Research and discuss with your doctor the options available to you. Only you can make this discision for you. Good luck.

Deb

[Becca 108]

Please research the statistics on the lapband. You are pretty much going to have to have a second operation to fix the band, you won't lose weight, or if you do lose it, you will gain it back. It is is a foreign object being placed into your body. You have no control over how your body will react to it or if it will break or slip. I am saying this all from experience. The sleeve has very low risks and it works! I love my sleeve. I wish I had it first. Good luck with your decision.

[snowfie9 6]

I also researched the lapband before deciding on the sleeve.

From what I understand of the lap band is it's much higher maintenance, and any complicaitons can occur for as long as you have the band. It may work, it may not and the mixed results were part of the reason I reconsidered.

The vertical sleeve has a much longer recovery time, you'll actually have to spend a night or two in the hospital as opposed to a short outpatient proceedure with the band. But the complications of the sleeve tend to occur within the first few months of having it while you're stomach is healing and not years down the line like the band. There are no fills and far fewer obstacles after you get past that initial healing.

So with the band you have the potential for problems as long as you have it, for the sleeve you weather a few months of misery and you're pretty much in the clear. And the results of the sleeve are far more impressive and consistant than the lapband.

I haven't had either done yet, but that's been my impression.

[VSGandMe2011 (DisneyMomma) 20]

I also looked into the lap band because all I knew about was that and gastric bypass. Gastric bypass scared me because rerouting my intestines sounded like a bad idea and I have arthritis and knew I'd need to be able to take ibuprofen. Plus malabsorption scared the peediddly squat out of me! LOL! Then a friend had a friend who had the sleeve, so I started looking into it vs. lapband. I knew very shortly that VSG was for me! No fills to deal with or the band slipping or foods that can't be eaten! And it's done forever.....at first that worried me, but then I thought....why would I ever want my gigantic stomach back??!! LOL! GL deciding! I love my sleeve and I've only had it for 2 weeks!

[AutumnLily 77]

I originally wanted to get the band. I did a lot of research and the complications that kept on showing up scared the bejeezes outta me. Plus the slimming and being hungry just did not appeal to me. Then I came across topics on OH about vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I started researching and found this site. I was hooked. I lurked for a really long time on this site (well over a year). I tried one more diet and exercise attempt which failed miserably. I decided with all the success stories and the lower complication rate I was going to do the sleeve. Now I am 4 weeks post op and have no regrets.

You should definitly do your research and see the pro's and con's of both surgeries and make your informed decision that way.