Why did u choose sleeve not the band ?

[Suko75 10]

Need your advice why go with the sleeve not the band ?

[ribearty 544]

Hello Suko,

This forum may give you some answers.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/288108-lapband-vs-sleeve-vs-bypass-surgery/?hl=sleeve%20over%20band

There are several other posts out there.

I had a band and now have the sleeve. I am much happier with the sleeve vs. the band. When I lose 17 more pounds, I will have lost as much weight with my sleeve as I did for the entire 6 years I had my band. My band slipped, I had heartburn from the slip for over three years. None with the sleeve. No problems with food getting stuck or throwing up. This may also be due to I know how to chew my food well and did not have the learning curve most new weight loss surgery patients experience.

[macman 603]

I am currently pre op, but will be sleeved on Monday/ I think the choice of surgeries is one that you make in consultation with your surgeon. I have been in a six month program. I came into this thinking I would get the band. Probably because in my mind it was less invasive, could be reversed and did not require rerouting of my digestive system.

But along the way my opinion changed. As I talked with the surgeons and began to learn more about each type of surgery, the sleeve seemed the right choice for me. It appears to have the same results as the RNY Bypass, which is still the gold standard. But the rerouting was an issue for me, as were the absorption concerns. The surgeon agreed with my choice. In his opinion, RNY was reserved for high BMI patients. Mine was 45 entering the program and is now under 40.

At the Center of Excellence where my surgery will be done they are not recommending the band due to the high rate of complication and the amount of revisions that are done. For me, removing most of my stomach, but allowing the natural digestive process to occur was appealing.

There are plenty of people that are very satisfied with their type of surgery and can give you their rationale. It really is a personal choice, along with the advice of an expert in the field gastric surgery

Good Luck!!!

[1Day1Life4Now 882]

After 7 years of researching this surgery, I settled on the Sleeve because it best fit my needs. When I first started going to the seminars, the sleeve was not being offered and the RNY and band seemed so invasive that it scared me so I just waited. When I started reading about the sleeve and the success people were having, I knew it was for me. My surgeon has done all of the surgeries but just recently has become very reluctant to do the band. She stated that of all the surgeries she has done, only the band has offered complications and some of those were several years out. She really didn't say anything positive about the band in our meeting so I know she was steering me away from that particular surgery. Do your research and see what works for you, along with your Doctor's input. Everyone is different and so are their experiences. Good luck in what ever you choose. I've not had my surgery yet but will be in February. Can't wait to get my sleeve.

[bearman99 228]

Everything Macman said AND 85% tummy is removed. Less hunger possibly due to hormone production changing. Much less complication rate apparently than RNY. Complication and weight regain for lap-band was surprisingly high.

[JourneyToLife 119]

Like you, I had been researching the difference between the sleeve and the band. I have had the sleeve for 3 months now and it is a God's send!!! I cannot stuff myself like I used to before and if I do, I am very uncomfortable!!! I have stuffed myself a few more times since then but, I am getting better at understanding when I'm thirsty or hungry. Your stomach doesn't growl like it used to (at least mine doesn't) because that hormone Ghrelin is no longer there to tell you your hungry. It's a learning process but, one that gets better as time passes by...

[Jerzygurl 372]

I have a history of cancer, my oncologist and surgeon both agreed the sleeve was the best route for me because the band leaves a foreign object in the body and there can be slippage and erosion, etc. My surgeon no longer does lapbands, but he is doing many revisions. In addition, they both agreed gastric bypass was not suitable to my health due to the malabsorption issues.

So the sleeve it was..

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I did some reading before going to meet my surgeon and read too much stuff from people with bands who struggled to eat anything other than junk and didn't lose all their weight. Plus complications like slippage and erosion.

Then when I went to meet my surgeon he basically told me he would not do a band on me anyway as he thought I was too heavy to have meaningful success with the band plus he only does it for people who absolutely refuse any other kind of wls. He thinks it is the type of surgery least likely to be successful and the most likely to require more surgery later on to fix problems. It wasn't a big issue to me as my second choice for surgery would have been gastric bypass.

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I actually had the band recommended to me first but the more I looked into it on my own, the more sense the sleeve made for me. I'm not a fan of the port/filling cycle, and was worried about the reported complications. Honestly, I believe that any of the surgeries had the potential to be a game changer for me so I never got deeply into a debate about it. I just felt strongly after meeting with the surgeon and doing research on my own that this was the best option for me. I like the permanence!

[Momonanomo 534]

When I first considered wls, I didnt want bypass because of the rerouting of the intestines and because it leaves the entire stomach in you - called a blind stomach. I did not want the band because I didn't want something foreign inside of me...and still the entire stomach is there. I lived another 5 years obese and then I heard about the sleeve. The more I researched it, the more I knew it was the answer for me. When I learned about grehlin, the hunger hormone that is produced in the lining of the fundus ( the stretchy part of the stomach ), I realized that I probably over produce it. I am not an emotional eater - I just honestly was hungr ALL THE TIME. So when I learned the sleeve addresses this by removing the majority of the fundus, thereby reducing grehlin, well that sealed the deal for me. Now, 7 months post op and 92 lbs down, I feel like I have a normal appetite that is easily satiated. I am mindful of eating nutritiously and I feel healthy. I coild eat whatever I want to now, but just because I can doesnt mean I should, as they say

It may sound funny, but of all the wls options, I feel like the sleeve is the most natural. Everythign still functions the same way in the digestive system, there is nothing foreign inside me, I have the same parts Ive always had, just my stomach is smaller, less stretchy, and produces less grehlin.

Love it!

[joatsaint 2,814]

I passed on the band after seeing a friend get banded and then have complications from his body rejecting the band, plus he learned to eat around his band and gained back the 150lbs he had lost.

[sandisleeve 563]

I was heavily considering the band due to its reversible minimally invasive nature but like others concerns about foreign body, fill cycles, slips, erosions and conversions I didn't want to be bothered .. The sleeve scared me initially, I mean come on, a massive part of our stomachs are trashed forever! NO turning back .... Oy!! I'm 9 days out but still get nervous about it ... My friend even asked if I could put it back in one day, lol

I had over 80 lbs to lose and thought band wouldn't help me achieve that as fast or keep it off over time ... RNY still freaks me out (not judging anyone but there seems to be more serious complications with that one just out and overtime)

Search YouTube and you will find plenty who are perfectly happy with either of the 3 major WLSs.. To each his own

Sleeve it was for me! Missing food but still glad I didn't choose the other 2 options

[Ballermom 803]

For me the Sleeve was the easiest choice. First, I did not want a foreign object in me. I didn't have time for fills. And I began to see a lot of revisions to sleeve as well. Though many can be successful. I did not want the Gastric Bypass either for several reasons.

The Sleeve, I Love it!

I wanted a slight slower weight loss the the Bypass I did get my wish. Lol

[SuzanneB 0]

Need your advice why go with the sleeve not the band ?

I had the lap-band put in in January of 2009. I had great sucess for the first 6 months (lost 48 pounds) Then the reflux started. I had to have all of the Fluid removed from my band to get it to stop. We would try to step up the Fluid, but everytime we did the reflux would return. I finally told my doc to remove all fluid and I was going to go on my way. In May of 2013 I started to have severe pain. I thought it was my gallbladder going bad. Went to the ER and discovered that my stomach had come up through the band and within 2 hours I was in the OR having the band removed. The Doctors in my area will no longer do the band surgery. They are finding that over 3 out of 5 bands have to eventually be removed because of this type occurance. Most often on an emergency basis. Because I did not feel that I was at the end of my weight loss journey, I opted for a 2nd surgery an had the sleeve done on 12-9-13. I'm just shy of 10 pounds lost in 2 weeks and very optomistic I will be albe to reach my final goal weight with this surgery.

[SuzanneB 0]

I had the lap-band put in in January of 2009. I had great sucess for the first 6 months (lost 48 pounds) Then the reflux started. I had to have all of the Fluid removed from my band to get it to stop. We would try to step up the Fluid, but everytime we did the reflux would return. I finally told my doc to remove all fluid and I was going to go on my way. In May of 2013 I started to have severe pain. I thought it was my gallbladder going bad. Went to the ER and discovered that my stomach had come up through the band and within 2 hours I was in the OR having the band removed. The Doctors in my area will no longer do the band surgery. They are finding that over 3 out of 5 bands have to eventually be removed because of this type occurance. Most often on an emergency basis. Because I did not feel that I was at the end of my weight loss journey, I opted for a 2nd surgery an had the sleeve done on 12-9-13. I'm just shy of 10 pounds lost in 2 weeks and very optomistic I will be albe to reach my final goal weight with this surgery.