Choice of changing from Lapband to Sleeve

[LeanMeanFightinMachine 38]

I have just completed day of education at the hospital and had a chat with my surgeon about the sleeve being a better option for me. I feel a little uncomfortable with the idea of the band. I worry about slippage, the fact that it is a foreign body and the complications around that. I originally planned for band because it seemed less invasive and reversible. However, researching the sleeve it has its own side effects that are concerning heartburn, dumping,etc but the surgeon thinks I am an excellent candidate for it. I guess I need to look more into why that is. Any feedback to quash my hesitations?

[ribearty 544]

I have just completed day of education at the hospital and had a chat with my surgeon about the sleeve being a better option for me. I feel a little uncomfortable with the idea of the band. I worry about slippage, the fact that it is a foreign body and the complications around that. I originally planned for band because it seemed less invasive and reversible. However, researching the sleeve it has its own side effects that are concerning heartburn, dumping,etc but the surgeon thinks I am an excellent candidate for it. I guess I need to look more into why that is. Any feedback to quash my hesitations?

LeanMeanFightinMachine,

Go with the sleeve. I currently have a band in and am waiting to have the sleeve performed. I have had my band since July '07. I was successful by lap band criteria as I lost 50% of my excess weight.

• For the last three years + I have been on prescription medicine for heart burn. I did not have this condition before I had my band. I had to have an endoscopy performed before the band and there was no irritation of my esophagus.
  
• I have experienced esophageal dilation of my pouch from my band being too full
  
• my band has prolapsed
  
• I have esophageal motility issues from my band that can only be fixed by the band being taken out.
  
• I had blisters inside my esophagus from irritation of the band due to heartburn
  
• I have thrown up more times in my life during this time period than I have for the other 40+ years
  
• I have even thrown up on Water
  

My issues are not as severe as several who have posted here.

I saw my doctor on Monday, August 19th, and asked him if I would be at a higher risk of heartburn from the sleeve since I currently experience it, and his reply was that "about 5% of his patients experience heart burn post sleeve."

You do not lose as much weight as quickly with the band. Another factor to consider is, does your insurance company has one weight loss surgery criteria? If so, if you have problems later with the band, you might run into problems on getting approval for revision surgery. You want to make sure you choose the best option for yourself.

Good luck with your decision and weight loss journey.

[stefaniwg 172]

Please go with the sleeve! I am 3 months post op from revising from the band to sleeve. It was the best decision I have ever made and have already lost 50% of my excess weight.

First of all with the band you do not have immediate restriction. You have to go in every month for fills which was a pain for me since my dr was an hour away. So for the first year or so the weightloss was all me. There is a very fine line in between the "sweet" spot and too much fill. Once you are over filled life then becomes misery! I could no longer eat any kind of meat or fibrous veggie without throwing up. I had gotten to the point that I was throwing up at every meal every day until I started turning to slider foods. Which is junk! All junk when down with ease! Which resorted to me gaining back 20 of the 60 pounds I had lost over the course of 3 years. Yup it took me that long to lose 60 pounds!

Now lets talk about how unsafe the band is and all the severe issues that the band can and will likely cause.

Prolapse, acid reflux, slippage, erosion into your tummy, port flips, erosion and protruding. Another thing is when you have too much of a fill for too long. They have to empty your band and you start all over filling it up again. I have also recently heard that the band is not meant to last forever and needs to be replaced every 10 years!!!

Yes the band is less invasive of a procedure but look at all the health issues you could be facing with it. Is it worth it? Not to me.

Yes the band is reversible but so will your weightloss. I only know 1 person out of the 15 people that I know who have had the band ever get to their goal weight. Had I been aware of the sleeve prior to me getting the band there is no way I would have ever chose the band.

Good luck with whatever decision you make!

[stefaniwg 172]

Please go with the sleeve! I am 3 months post op from revising from the band to sleeve. It was the best decision I have ever made and have already lost 50% of my excess weight.

First of all with the band you do not have immediate restriction. You have to go in every month for fills which was a pain for me since my dr was an hour away. So for the first year or so the weightloss was all me. There is a very fine line in between the "sweet" spot and too much fill. Once you are over filled life then becomes misery! I could no longer eat any kind of meat or fibrous veggie without throwing up. I had gotten to the point that I was throwing up at every meal every day until I started turning to slider foods. Which is junk! All junk when down with ease! Which resorted to me gaining back 20 of the 60 pounds I had lost over the course of 3 years. Yup it took me that long to lose 60 pounds!

Now lets talk about how unsafe the band is and all the severe issues that the band can and will likely cause.

Prolapse' date=' acid reflux, slippage, erosion into your tummy, port flips, erosion and protruding. Another thing is when you have too much of a fill for too long. They have to empty your band and you start all over filling it up again. I have also recently heard that the band is not meant to last forever and needs to be replaced every 10 years!!!

Yes the band is less invasive of a procedure but look at all the health issues you could be facing with it. Is it worth it? Not to me.

Yes the band is reversible but so will your weightloss. I only know 1 person out of the 15 people that I know who have had the band ever get to their goal weight. Had I been aware of the sleeve prior to me getting the band there is no way I would have ever chose the band.

Good luck with whatever decision you make![/quote']

My sleeve life is a cake walk in comparison to my band life. Dumping happens when you have too much of something you shouldn't like sweets. As long as you don't over indulge dumping is very unlikely at least that is in my case. I had more of a sour stomach immediately post op rather than acid reflux but Prilosec did the trick. With the sleeve they take the side of the stomach with the most of the hormone that makes you hungry out. I can only eat about 1/2 cup of food at a time and NO MORE! My recovery for the sleeve vs the band was actually easier. When I woke up I felt good and was ready to go!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

[marfar7 1,533]

I 4th that sentiment! I had my band for almost 4 yrs. it slipped at year 3 and I had severe nightime reflux. 5 weeks ago I had a revision and no more reflux. now I have more mild heartburn but nothing that my PPI can't handle. You get immediate restriction, where it took 3 fills (4 mths) for me to feel anything with the band. I threw up about 4-6x a week. Not once with the sleeve.

I have a friend in VA who goes to a dr who does only bands (never heard of such a dr) and she is contemplating getting it. I can't stress enuf to her that more than 50% of people have some kind of complication. If that was a standard surgery (and not wls), they would probly eliminate it right away. My dr does still do band if people insist, but he tries to talk them out of it.

I think the band was a fad, like Phen-Fen in the 90's. I don't think anyone will be doing them 10 yrs from now. Thats what I'm afraid of the sleeve, since it's only got 5 yrs of studies behind it vs over 30 for the RNY. But I'll take my chances. My band had to come out and I knew I'd gain back all of the 100 lbs I had lost.

Good luck with ur decision. There's a Band to Sleeve forum on this board. Check it out. There's lots of us there!