Why Did You Choose The Sleeve?

[pebbles99 10]

Thank you all very much for your words. I feel much better now, but of course, still a bit nervous. I do believe this has confirmed my decision to do the sleeve - but I still have a couple of months to finalize it. Thanks again.

[legal loser 77]

My mom was banded in 2009 and my best friends mom in 2011. I went to the seminars thinking band and learned about the sleeve. Researched the heck out of it and decided it was for me. Like not having to do the fills (I will still have yearly follow ups at the bariatric center for life) and not having a foreign body in me. At 30, bypass was not an option because I found it too invasive and I didn't want my insides rearranged. My surgeon did all 3 procedures but was initially trained with bypass. At my pre-op I was 90% set on sleeve with a 10% reservation for band. Never once did he push bypass on me and we walked through the pros and cons of the band vs. sleeve and I made the decision to "own" the sleeve procedure. I think whichever procedure you select you have to "own" it to be successful. Good luck with whatever you select.

[Netgallegos 19]

Well i had been thinking about some kind of surgery for two years before. My husband met with Dr. Sassy in Reno Nevada and i was undecided with the procedure their were three. The compleat bi pass more advasive, the lap band, and the sleeve. Well having some one in our small town in oklahoma pass away from the bi pass i was very skeptical, also my cussin having complication eith her lap band had me concerned.

The Dr wanted me to do adk question so we did. My husband and i are both in the medical field so we asked questions. What were the complicatuions with all the procedures. What were the benifits. I almost went with the bi pass because it is reversible if we had complications. I knew i did not want the lap band because i would have to keep going back for adjustments. So i looked at the pro and cons. Of the bi pass and the sleeve

Bi pass : my hair. I would loose alot of it faster. I had to take lots of Vitamins everyday. And dumping. Weight falls off faster

The sleeve. Not reversible. I had to take Vitamins but not the amount that the bi pass required. No dumping. Weight comes off slowere. I will still have Hair loss but not as much.

I sat at a support group after and they let me ask them questions. Like did the tegret their decisions. What were their complications and so on. And i read a book that Dr. Sassy wrote on each procedure.

I went with the sleeve and i am happy i did your makeing a life changing choice and you don't have to just jump into your choice. Sit with your Dr. Mine let me sit with him for over 2 hours to aske all my questions.

I hope this helps. Good luck

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

hi

my DH an I went to a seminar - all set for me to talk about having the laptband done. I was so excited. Dr. did mention the sleeve, and vaguely talked about it, then some more in his offic.

All of a sudden the sleeve sounded better, one of main reasons was the fact that it had no malabsorption problems I take a lot of meds, so this is very imortant.

I'm so very glad the decision was to have the sleeve - it was the right choice for me

also realize there are so many VSG transfers to sleeve, that must say something.

kathy

[aznurse4u 17]

I was going to have the lap band' date='but the dr i was seeing,closedup shop and moved upto phx,and im not about making all those trips back andforth,so they sent my file to dr.Monash and Welle office here in tucson, the best thing that has ever happened to me! The 1st dr all he did was lap band,nothing else. I had gone to a support group help by Dr Monash and talked to him after the meeting,telling him I was going to his office and why(the other dr leaving) and he told to "keep my mind open" so when I saw my surgeon,and he explained all three peocedures,the down time was all the same(which was important to me) I chose the sleeve.and I am very happy that I did,and would do it again in a heartbeat.I guess its normal to be scared before an operation,I personally was never afraid,i knew the procedure ,backwards and forwards, what to expect and I fully trusted my surgeon,and I guess the rest is history[/quote']

I am so happy to have found someone else that has Dr Monash! I should have my surgery date in 2-3 days!

[gustavo52974 369]

Not to sound like a broken record here, but I decided to have the sleeve for the same reasons as the others. It seemed like a comfortable "middle ground" between lap band and bypass. I didn't like the idea of a foreign object inside me and I really didn't like the idea of having my insides rerouted. I kept asking what would happen to the stomach after bypass, since it seemed it would just sit there doing nothing. And no one really gave me a straight answer.

Good luck!

[Nate 292]

The Sleeve wasn't my choice. When i went in for surgery it was for the RNY Bypass.

When i woke up my Surgeon told me that due to a large liver and some massive scar tissue in my abdomen from a hernia I had repaired in 2005 he decided to give me the sleeve rather than opening me fully up and performing an open surgery. Now that i have my sleeve. have found this site, and done my research on it, I think it's the best thing he could have done for me.

[Sexymary 7]

Choosing the sleeve was best for me because I have a bad back and this allowed me to still be able to take my meds for my bad back. Also, I don't have diabetes, or any other serious health issues other than my BMI being 30. Well now 26. The recovery seems quicker. My friend had the gastric bypass and it took them six weeks to get back to normal and I only took me two weeks. I don't know.

[aznurse4u 17]

I watched a lot of YouTube video diaries and found that to be extremely helpful in helping me decide to go with the sleeve instead of the band.

[smb 75]

[quote=Lisa ] I love the new life I'm living and ill be doing my first triathlon in 4 weeks!!

How much weight did you lose before you could train for a triathlon? Until I lose weight I can 't even think about running.

But my goal one day is to RUN a 5K.

[JenniJune 79]

I chose the sleeve because, for me, it made the most sense.

I didn't want to have to return to the doctor over and over again for "fills".

I didn't want to be limited on what I can and can't eat.

I didn't want major invasive surgery to re route my entire gastric system.

Also, my mother and several friends have the band and have had MANY issues with it from slippage to not eating enough to eating too much. I have also heard of the pouch on both the band and the bypass becoming stretched out. With the sleeve the possibility of your stomach ever stretching out THAT much is slim.

I also have friends that have had the bypass and have stated that they now wish they could go back and do the sleeve instead because of all the problems they're having.

Bottom line is, whichever surgery you chose it's a personal decision. Of course here on the sleeve forum, we're all a bit biased so we'll tell you all the praises about the sleeve and all the downfalls of the other surgeries. My advice to you is this: DO YOUR RESEARCH. Visit web sites, talk to people, learn the good, the bad, and the ugly on every possibility out there.

I do have one question, though: you said you're already scheduled for the sleeve in August, but want to know which surgery to go with? Are you having doubts and second thoughts? You should not be forced into any procedure, so be sure you are going with what is right for you!

Good luck!

[Silly Phylly 20]

I am a former nurse now teaching jr high and high school. Just based upon what I know as a nurse and an

anatomy teacher, the sleeve just makes more sense in that it allows the alimentary canal to stay intact the way God intended. Therefore complications short term and long term should be much less likely. All the resectioning etc... with the other procedures is concerning. I can see that blockages would be an issue and possible scar tissue formation. As far as lap band goes, there are too many complications, foriegn body inside the body cavity, access port that could introduce infection etc... Besides, the lap band is not going to correct my bad habits of overeating longterm or help my hunger. I must render food powerless over me and get rid of this growling monster in my belly!

[CelticHarpist 26]

I chose the sleeve because I didn't want re-routing of digestive tract.

Hi, I chose the sleeve due to reading ahead and finding it had less complications. I too didn't want the digestive nutritional issues of a RNY or the left stomach inside. I like that the hormonal producing area would be gone. I was terrified prior to surgery due to some offhand remarks of my surgeon and his only having experience doing maybe 1/2 a dozen. So terrified, I had some breathing problems in the recovery area due to my high anxiety. But I knew he was used to stomach surgeries as he is a digestive tract surgeon and had done lots of stomach cancer removals etc. I did the surgery mainly for improved health reasons overall, with the side effect of good weight loss. It turned out fine. I have only had a couple of bouts of Constipation for 2 days each time, and I am out a little over a month. It is "newer" due to it being used recently as a primary weight loss procedure but has been around a looooong while as a pre surgery before RNY for extremely large folks. Recent medscape articles are saying the lap band is being less and less used in Europe and mainly only being done in USA now. There have been complications with the lapband. Lapbands are contraindicated for diabetics due to erosion issues. I didn't like the look of them or the idea of something that large, needing adjustments, using a port under the skin which needs a large needle insertion, inside of me. This has been a pleasure (the sleeve). I am looking forward to working with it as a good tool in health.Celtic

[iggychic 1,405]

I chose this after seeing the long term issues with the band as well. In addition I am a wine collector and after I meet my goals, I will be able to drink wine again. It's a big part of our life (we are thinking of producing a Pinot noir) and it does not fit in well with the more extreme surgeries. I also am not heavy enough for the other version in my docs opinion. (less than 100 to lose).

I like the long term solution this offers. I have a six year old who has medical issues and needs his mommy. This was the best option to keep me around for his benefit (though I advise trying to get some help built into your budget for the first two weeks after surgery if your kids are small).