Sleeve Vs Lap Band

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

OTR. I can tell in you face man. Good job so far. Just wait cause it gets way better. I noticed my ribs the other day and veins in my hands and the seperation between my bicep and tricep on the inside my arm. Little things but its those little things that count. I was in the mirror shaving my face and I said wtf is that "it was a bump inder my skin on my neck". I went and touched it and it was my adams apple. Hahaha. I never seen it before

Thanks so much for this. The one thing that stands out to me right now is my neck. I am so looking forward to not having a double or tripple chin.

[michelleooo513 245]

Hell.. im looking forward to having less rolls just about any/everywhere!

[Ima Loser 197]

I want to thank everyone for all the responces.. I am officially getting the SLEEVE! I called my drs office today to let them know. I just think I will see much better results and now im more excited than ever... Except I still have to wait another 3 months.. but OH WELL!!

I have to tell you, I could have written you original post 2 months ago.

In July I made the desicion that I wanted to get the LapBand. I scheduled the appointment with my surgeon for a consult. Luckily he goes over all 3 procedures. After leaving my cosult I was still pretty set on the LapBand but I was interested in the sleeve. The Surgeons office called my insurance to verify I was covered and I had to do a 3 month Medically supervised diet. Let me tell you it was the best news ever in hindsight. Before my first Nutritionist appointment I started to really start having second thoughts about the LapBand. I thought about how sick I was when I was pregnant wth my first son and I know for a fact I want another baby. One of the big risks my surgeon discussed with me was the risk of slipage from vomiting. I also started to think what if I get new insurance that doesnt cover fills... And do I really want this thing inside me for the rest of my life?!? So I started to research the Sleeve. I came on this site (was on lapbandtalk before) and really read what people had to say the good and the bad and at my first nutritionist appointment I made my descision to get the sleeve. I have my last NUT appoinment on Oct 22 then everything gets submitted to insurance and I wait for approval. I am already scheduled for my surgery for Dec 12. I am really excited! And I am actually really glad my insurance had me wait 3 months becuase had I been able to get approved right away I would have gotten the LapBand and I feel like that would not have been a good procedure for me!

[michelleooo513 245]

^{Im right with you there. I was set on the band. For the last 4 months i KNEW thats what I wanted then outa nowhere... and I mean nowhere I had doubts. Some lapbank talk forum girls and I started a facbook lapband talk and this other girl posted she changed her mind and was getting the sleeve. SHe also posted a video and I just feel the sleeve is right for me. The ONLY reason at the beginning that I didnt choose that route first was because its a lil riskier. My LPN even haas told me every drs appointment... guess what.. The sleeve has been approved. I think egging me to go that direction. Im not looking to loose 50...60.. or even 100 lbs. im looking to loose more. I dont think the band will give me those results and not only that... NO i havnt come across anyone who has had the band for more than 10 years. I dont want to be fat again.. not in 10 year 20 years or even when im 60... **** ima be old and sexy!! haha!!}

[want2bthin 93]

I really have not posted on VST for a while and have been meaning to start again; particularly in the Band Revision forum. You can read many more stories of people's experiences there, but I just wanted to throw in a few more points for consideration based on my own experience having a LapBand for six years:

Fills - They never hurt but I am so glad that I have never had to have them again. There was so much trial and error and second guessing involved. My Lapband surgeon was very conservative with fills so it took something like 6 or 8 of them to even begin feeling restriction and that in itself took a few months. It's a great money-maker for doctors and most insurances cover only some or none of them. Once my insurance stopped paying I ended up negotiating with the Dr. for him to accept $75 per fill vs. the $150 I would have had to pay. Still - that adds up.

I also could not tell for days whether it was effective; with the exception of when it was too tight which would take a day or so. So I walked out of the office feeling fine and happy that I thought I had finally found my 'sweet spot' only to wake up the next day to find I couldn't even keep Water down and to make an emergency appointment to get some of the fill taken out. Not fun.

Insurance - Most will only cover one WLS procedure so you want to make sure it's the right one for you. I had to appeal 3 times to have get my Sleeve approved. That in itself took 6 months. On the 2nd appeal the insurance Dr.'s expert opinion stated something to the effect of - 'she failed with the Lapband so she will fail with VSG"; Gee, thanks for that vote of confidence Dr., by the way have you ever met me, have you ever examined me? On what basis are you expressing your 'expert' opinion of me?" The only positive in that was that it was so absurd I used it as an argument in my 3rd appeal letter and finally won. As I already mentioned when I had the Lapband in 2006 (I think I wrote 2007 before which was incorrect, the only two options were Lapband and RNY. Be glad you have the Sleeve choice now - it has come a long way in the last few years and they predict it will be the #1 recommended surgery over RNY soon. In fact my own surgeon had RNY some 12 years ago and he states that if he were to do it again he would do the Sleeve (of course, not sure if he tells his RNY or Lapband patients that so I'll take it with a grain of salt Of course, many people don't even have insurance and had to self-pay for the Lapband and now a revision and VSG. No small chunk of change; I was fortunate that insurance paid for all of my surgeries.

Pre-Op Diet - I did not have to do any pre-op diet to get the Lapband so it was scheduled pretty quickly. Of course, at the time, I thought that was just great. As I mentioned since I had to do all these appeals I also started visiting my PCP monthly so that the insurance couldn't hang the 6 month requirement over my head if they denied me again. My VSG surgeon required a 2 week pre-op diet which was very regimented but relatively easy and I lost 10 lbs in that time. It really did help me get ready for the surgery mentally and I'm grateful that my surgeon required it.

This is a personal decision that only you can make and you should weigh your options carefully of course. I just thought it may be helpful to hear some more 'real world' experience from someone who has had both surgeries now.

All the best,

[michelleooo513 245]

That was great info and appreciated!!!

[hollirrose 249]

OMGGGGG!!!! I have to ask HOW did you loose so much so fast? I know since im so large and in charge that it till come off a little faster in the beginniing then say someone that is 75 lbs less than myself. But what are you doing, eating, any excersize? Share with me the goods. If i could loose that much that fast.. i would be the happiest non fat person in the world!!

[hollirrose 249]

OMGGGGG!!!! I have to ask HOW did you loose so much so fast? I know since im so large and in charge that it till come off a little faster in the beginniing then say someone that is 75 lbs less than myself. But what are you doing, eating, any excersize? Share with me the goods. If i could loose that much that fast.. i would be the happiest non fat person in the world!!

I follow the 600-800 calorie/less then 40 carbs/min of 60 grams of protein/min 64 oz of Water. I track every bite of food on myfitnesspal.com (hollirrose) and weigh everything on my kitchen scale. I also walk about 2-4 miles a week. I wish I would jump on the exercise bandwagon but I am just not there yet. Thats it...seems to simple right?? The sleeve is an amazing flippin' tool! I always look for people with my same stats so I can see what to expect. Everyone does lose at their own pace but hopefully you can see what is possible. *_* Hell maybe you will do even better!

[hollirrose 249]

That is incredible. Is all of the 121 since surgery? If not how much has been since you were sleeved?

I thought I was on the high side, losing 85lbs in 15 weeks. Unfortunately I've been stalled for about a month now.

I lost about 15ish pre op. I should have mentioned that. I have had stalls (or pauses) too but ususally they only last a week or two then a drop. I went on an 8 day cruise last month and ate on what I like to refer to as my "vacation" eating plan. I didnt gain anything but I sure didnt take anything off! I was a high bmi-er so I think I have taken off a good amount of weight and I hope it keeps on comming off. 85 lbs in 15 weeks is amazing! I will prey to the weightloss gods that your stall will end soon! :-)