Help Making the Right Choice

[tamarlarae 11]

I am semi new to the forum. About a year ago, I was gun-ho about having surgery. My husband and I wanted to try to have kids but after 2 miscarriages I just couldn't try again. Then, as I was scheduled to have a meeting with a surgeon about surgery, I chickened out and said I wanted to try on my own. Well, here I am a year later and have yoyo'd my weight. I have an appointment on the 29th again and I am stoked! However, I can not seem to make up my mind about lap band or VSG. I have done the research, believe me, a years worth. But there are many pros and cons to both, and can't seem to decide what would be better for ME. I need HELP!! What were some of your reasons for choosing the sleeve over the band? How long was your recovery time? What are/is the biggest restrictions?

[Kristina J. 581]

Oh dear, please, do NOT go with the band!!! :-/ I have had two of them now! Please take a minute and read my story on my profile. The band gave me some up front success but then nothing but problems and multiple surgeries on top of all the maintenance!! It's taken 10 years, but I am finally getting this thing out of me!

There are so many people with stories just like mine. I wish I had never messed with the lap band, and wish even more that after I did and had it taken out, that someone had told me about the sleeve before I tried it again (though it wasn't near as well known in 2006).

There's a board here called "Lap Band to Sleeve Revision" ... Go read up there and also on lapbandtalk.com under the complications section. There are definitely risks with either, but the long term (2+ years) complications of the band far outweigh that of the sleeve!

Good luck with your decision though. I know there's nothing easy about it. And I certainly understand the appeal of the band... but it's a trick

[sastexan4u@yahoo.com 43]

I can relate it took me 2yrs to do this I am 5 day post op I did they sleeve My Dr.doesn't do the lap band any more

everyone I know who had the lap band has to redo the surgery and did the sleeve but you and your Dr.can cover what is best for you Do your research!!! fine a support group in your home town...

I just talk to a lot of people in my home town support group and a lot of Band didn't keep the weight

off and take as much weight off as the sleeve will do.I read the book Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies great book...

Good LUCK!!!

[kakaw 33]

No band.I know so many who have major issues, lifetime issues. I am having a band to sleeve revision

[tamarlarae 11]

Thank you for your advice!! I am leaning towards the sleeve, but am just so nervous! I've actually met numerous people with the band and they love it. However, I would like to have kids and I'm not sure how the port site will do. BUT there are nutrient issues that come with the sleeve. I looked at the forum about pregnancy, but didn't find any answers. I am definitely going to talk to my surgeon on the 29th, I just don't want him to look at me like I'm an idiot because I still haven't been able to make up my mind for a year haha

[kakaw 33]

I cant see more nutrient issues with thesleeve than the band. I have waymore issues with the band whenI throw everything up constantly. Id rather go threw pregnany again with a sleeve vs how bad it was with my band. Good luck

[Kristina J. 581]

Thank you for your advice!! I am leaning towards the sleeve' date=' but am just so nervous! I've actually met numerous people with the band and they love it. However, I would like to have kids and I'm not sure how the port site will do. BUT there are nutrient issues that come with the sleeve. I looked at the forum about pregnancy, but didn't find any answers. I am definitely going to talk to my surgeon on the 29th, I just don't want him to look at me like I'm an idiot because I still haven't been able to make up my mind for a year haha[/quote']

That was actually my main reasoning in deciding on the band at the time. I was 18 and knew I wanted to have children still. But my band caused me problems through my pregnancy, and despite unfilling it ahead of time, we think my morning sickness is part of why my band slipped again. Talk to your surgeon. A lot of people have had successful pregnancies with VSG, though it is work. Don't be afraid to post on the pregnancy forum and ask sleevers how they dealt with pregnancy, and what special requirements they had because of their sleeve!!

[Linda 66 34]

I had the band for 7 yrs lost all my weight then started getting not feeling well for over a yr. had the band removed over 2 yrs. ago because it slipped without me knowing. I gained all my weight back an going 3/19 for the sleeve. I pray the sleeve helps me get healthy and keeps me that way, but I didn't have it yet so time will tell. I can only tell you about the band from experience. Good luck!

[sleeveconvert 55]

You are NOT going to get an unbiased discussion here. Just know that. I would recommend the sleeve for all the reasons the banders board would tell you not to--- its permenant, its a lifestyle change, its not reversible, it does take work. I would NOT recommend a band for all the reasons you've read here, the pro's--- temporary, slips, erosions, breakage, did I say expensive-- breaks and has high complication rate. I wish I had done sleeve first-- it just wasn't available to me when I had my band. My recovery was better/easier w sleeve--- it was less of a shock to me after having had a band--- your a virgin so get ready for the mental screwing of your life which ever way you go. You will find that your food relationship is warped and needs adjusted. Good luck !!

[onelessfatgirl 103]

I chose the sleeve over the band because my surgeon informed me that at my young age (29) I'd most certainly need additional surgeries down the road to replace a port, tubing, or reposition it all. Not to mention the posdibility od developing scar tissue. I didn't want to do the injection fills every couple of month nir did I want to have to go under again. Also, my sister has a band and you can feel her port under her skin and its kinda creepy.

I know there's risk with the sleeve and that there is less long term outcome research on it but, all things considered it was the better fit for me, my life style, my goals, etc.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

[kakaw 33]

I can not wait to not have a port. Its very annoying when my toddlerbumps it.

[tamarlarae 11]

I understand I am not going to get an unbiased opinion on here. But that's partially why I chose to post in this forum. I was curious as to people's thought, opinions, etc. with the band already had issues. Like I said, I've known more people with the band, but I know 2 with the sleeve and they do not seem to have many issues. Everyone on here seems to be saying the recovery time is a lot easier, how so? I am a teacher at a private day school that deals with kids that have behavioral and emotional disabilities. We often have to go hands on with them, so I definitely will need to make sure I have adequate healing time. I also can't seem to find if this is an inpatient or out patient surgery. Does this depend upon the person? I thought it was out because you can go home at the end of the day correct?

[NewKristen 356]

I was in your shoes 4 months ago when I started this WLS process. I went to a WLS seminar to kick the whole thing off, and I was 95% certain I wanted the Lapband. I didn't find this forum until after I had the surgery, so I will tell you how I made my decision.

At the seminar, the doctor covered the risks of each. I immediately decided against the gastric bypass, because in didn't want the malabsorption issues. For the sleeve, the risks were all up front. Right after surgery, there was a risk of leaks. Risk of strictures. For the lap band, the risks were for the lifetime of the device. There was eroding and slipping. The surgeon also addressed the fact that because a lap band is a foreign object, they expect to replace it in your lifetime - just like you would a breast implant. That was the first thing that made me think about the sleeve. I liked the idea of the risks being over at some point and feeling normal again. It seemed like the lap band was not going to work that way. Also didn't like the idea of having to go to the dr. every time to have them adjust the band. Also some insurance carriers cover the band and don't cover the adjustments.

The next part of my journey was my pre-op diet. My surgeon made it very clear that she would never push a patient one way or the other. Also they do both major brands of bands, and don't push one over the other. But she also wasn't more pro-sleeve, so I thought at the time. Really what she was doing was giving me the information to find my tool, and to really believe in my decision. I have since found that she would much rather do the sleeve. In that meeting with her, she went over what the averages were in losing excess weight. She said with lap band, they considered it successful if you lost 50% Of your excess weight. With the sleeve, officially it was successful if you lost 60% of your excess weight, but recent studies indicated that weight loss with the sleeve was more along the lines of gastric bypass - 80% of your excess weight.

After I met with my surgeon, I had to watch these interactive weight loss videos on the Internet. One for both procedures. The only new thing I learned was that people have less discomfort with the sleeve after surgery, than any other weight loss surgery.

I spent a little more time on the Internet seeking info, before I made my mind up to get the sleeve. All that info just supported what I already knew. I wanted to have a WLS surgery and move on with life. The sleeve was def the best option for me to do that!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I personally think the band is becoming irrelevant... it just does not work as well as other WLS. Many docs have stopped implanting them except in specific cases. I recommend that you ask about 5 and 10 year stats - forget about weight loss - I mean how many people have to have the dang thing removed.

I got the lapband in 2001 and found in my paperwork a statement that it was intended to be a "temporary" device. I had it removed in 2011 and mine lasted longer then most people I knew that had it.

I had to have all the Fluid removed in winter of 2002/2003 and immediately regained everything I had lost. I feel that one of the many disadvantages of the band is that it tends to drive you toward "slider" foods since it is very hard to eat dense Protein and remain comfortable. With the sleeve, I am very comfortable eating Protein and green veggies - the mainstay of my diet and how I lost 150+ pounds with the sleeve.

[Angelita33 2]

Do NOT do the band!! I've had issue after issue! The first year I love my band!! Then it was downhill...read my thread if u would like to hear my horror story with the band.....usually with any weight loss surgery doctors recommend you wait two years or so before getting pregnant...besides talking to your bariatric doctor, talk to your ob/gyn.