Sleeve or Lapband?

[Stephanie Celeste 8]

Why did you choose the sleeve over the lapband, or vice versa?

My doctor performs both and said to reserch both to see which is best for me. But so far, they both seem good!

Please discuss your reasoning for your choice, as well as describe your success/hardships

Thank you

[kayleena_journey2014 37]

I am choosing the lap band because it is reversible and it cost less than the sleeves and I won't have any other problems.

I believe the band is much safer, I live with a Labaron person and she is been very successful for five years and had no slippage or anything and I think it's just great. i'm not too much knowledgeable about the sleeve but I don't think it's reversible.

i'm having the lap band put in June 28 the total cost is about 4800. My Phyllis here in Portland are about 170 per fill.

I think the Benelbie a very successful because I'm already a restrictive eater and I think it's much safer you don't have to worry about loose skin him long run and you can kind of tone and still loose the weight and be successful.

[knitlil09 91]

I am choosing the lap band because it is reversible and it cost less than the sleeves and I won't have any other problems.

I believe the band is much safer, I live with a Labaron person and she is been very successful for five years and had no slippage or anything and I think it's just great. i'm not too much knowledgeable about the sleeve but I don't think it's reversible.

i'm having the lap band put in June 28 the total cost is about 4800. My Phyllis here in Portland are about 170 per fill.

I think the Benelbie a very successful because I'm already a restrictive eater and I think it's much safer you don't have to worry about loose skin him long run and you can kind of tone and still loose the weight and be successful.

I am certainly not trying to change your mind, it's a very personal decision, but I do feel I need to chime in on a few of the things you have said here.

I had a lap band in the past, had it removed a few years ago, and now have a sleeve.

I personally wouldn't decide on a surgery just because it's cheeper. That doesn't mean it's the best option. Plus, if you add up all the money you're going to spend on fills (and it will be a LOT in the first year) your cost isn't going to be that far off from the sleeve depending on where you get it done.

Just because the person you live with has not had any complications doesn't mean you won't. In fact, studies have shown that about half of lap band patients have complications and need to have them removed eventually. Which leads me to you saying that you like that it's reversible. Why would you want something that's reversible? You want your weight loss to be permanent, not temporary. If you have to have it removed, which there is a high likelihood of, then you will most likely regain all the weight.

I'm sorry, I don't understand your statement about the loose skin. It would happen with any surgery just depending on how much you lose.

Like I said, I am not attempting to change your mind, clearly you have already made it up, but I think you may have some of your facts wrong. Good luck with your surgery and I hope you are successful.

[odesa 90]

I went with the sleeve because diets are temporary and 23 years of failure was enough for me. I wanted something permanent and I know myself well enough to know that I didn't want to compromise on this issue. I was lucky in that my op was paid for by my insurance so cost was not a factor. Best of luck to you either way you decide.

[carstanger 346]

My surgeon doesn't do lap bands any more. I went either sleeve because I knew that a smaller stomach would be an asset for me. Didn't was the gastric bypass even though it would have been covered. 67 and am now below goal. Wish I had it done earlier.

[kayleena_journey2014 37]

Yeah I have a great deal on this since I work I. The medical field without being stamped as a number by my medical insurance. It's cheaper because I work for a huge company. I like the lap band and my roommate has no Loose skin and she lost over 200 lbs. I don't think I will have nay problems. I am choosing this because I don't want them to take anything out or having a sleeve and being irreversible I think it's much safer in the long run and I have the money for fills. I am not worried about it. I like my physician who has been doing this for over 40 years. The lap band was originally designed to help cancer patients and there treatment but later found out they were loosing weight so USA decided to patten the lap band as a weight loss procedure.

I wouldn't like the sleeve due to I am only doing this my weight and getting rid I my diabetes and having a kid down the road.

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

When I first met with my surgeon, he asked me, before saying anything else, which procedure I was interested in. When I told him that I was looking into VSG, I could tell by his reaction that he thought I had made the best choice. He may not have tried to influence me too much if I had said the lapband, but he was very enthusiastic about the sleeve. This gave me confidence that I had chosen the right procedure.

Before you decide, do some research on the short term and long term outcomes of both procedures, and then let those findings guide you.

I hope you are successful, however you decide.

[butterflybefree 39]

I originally had thought of the lapband. I never thought about the others, but I looked into it more with a lot of research. I was starting to go between lapband and sleeve. When I went for the seminar my surgeon gives before you can even go see him, he explained all the surgeries. He said the band is being preformed less now. Not that it's not being done, just the sleeve is more popular and less problems. Every surgery has it's risk. I have now decided with my surgeon agreeing on the sleeve. My insurance covers it, so that's what I am doing as long as the insurance approves it.

[Susan-031314 179]

I chose the sleeve. I considered the band, but didn't like the idea of an implanted item in my body that would be there for life and require tying myself to a Dr for fills and maintenance. I knew either would help me lose weight, and I've done that numerous times in the past. I look at my sleeve as a tool to help me succeed where I've failed in the past which is weight maintenance. To that end, I will work it to the best of my ability to not stretch it and let it help me with my long-term goal.

[kayleena_journey2014 37]

Many doctors are going for the sleeved due to the medical cost in the long tun and it's only covered by insurance. I work for a medical billing and coding place and I have seen this done several times. You should take to a physician in San Diego California dr Lopez corvola he's amazing and can tell you all about the banding insurance vs the sleeve and what one you should choose and not based on cost. Eveyone is different and banding isn't accept by most insurance groups anymore because the new procedure are better for medical hospital cost. The longer you stay the more they get. Check your insurance eligibility of benefits.

I wish you the best luck with your Journey and I am sure you will decide what's best for you and your body. You will be successful no matter what.

Kayleena

[lylabelle 257]

I don't want a lap band. I didn't want to worry about maintenance and another surgery on the future. Half the people in the hospital when I was being sleeved were there for a lap band removal and sleeve revision. That certainly told me I chose the right one. I'm so over worrying about diets and didn't want a future surgery.

[kayleena_journey2014 37]

That's because there physician didn't put the band in right or the right banding size. My physician is seeing it into place creating no gaps for slippage. I have had 8300 success stories about the band with dr corvola in San Diego who's been doing this for 40 years.

It's what you eat and what you do to be successful. It's all a tool and you have to have the right mind set. I'm a restrictive eater and super healthy. I'm just fat due to other personal reasons. like poly cystic ovarys and diabetes.

Good luck with everything

[HypnotizingHazel 39]

I was leaning toward the band when I first visited my surgeon. She explained that studies show that up until three years, weight loss and mantainance are very comparable. At five years, however, the sleeve patients are maintaining the loss. I had my surgery done in April 2013. I've lost 129lbs and I'm thrilled with my results!

[Emily2097tt 1]

I had the band in 2008. Had Many adjustments. Never worked for me. My doctor told me when I went in to ask about having it removed an having a sleeve that he is no longer doing bands because he has many patients with the same success I had. (NONE) He says he is doing up to four band removals a month. He feels the sleeve is a very good fit for weight loss. I will be having my surgery very soon I hope. The sleve.

[playlikeworldchamps 595]

I thought lap band at first but my PC doc said that she had patients with issues with that but bypass was successful (she didn't know about sleeve). I thought lap band because reversible because I had breast cancer and maybe I would need it out. but then I saw my oncologist and she also told me not to do lapband. so I did the sleeve. everyone is different. but I see so many doctors and I didn't want to have more visits for adjustments. that was a big driver for me. I also didn't want to have future surgeries and lab band usually have to come out at some point and get revised. like maybe 10 years my surgical office said.

good luck whatever you choose. after all is said and done it's your choice and his you work it that will decide success. lapband may need a bit more work and maintenance but as seem on here many are successful.