Sleeve or Lap band? Scared of choosing wrong option!

[KS123 31]

I am nearly done with insurance required diet and will attend surgeon seminar on Monday. I've done LOTS of research and have read books and I believe I am educated on risks and benefits of each option. I'm leaning toward sleeve mainly because no foreign object inside me and no hassle with fills. My husband and my mom are convinced band is best since it can be adjusted and mom is not convinced I won't stretch out and regain long term with sleeve. Has anyone else agonized over choice of surgery to get? No doubt I need one or the other. I'm not on the fence to do this but a little confused my best option. Do most surgeons eventually try to help each person custom fit this decision for them?

[JamieLogical 8,727]

Technically speaking, you will have foreign objects inside you forever with sleeve as well. You will get hundreds of tiny staples that stay inside you.

Here are my reasons for choosing sleeve over band:

- I was terrified of erosion or slippage

- I didn't want the hassle and ongoing doctors visits for fills/unfills

- I didn't want a port poking out beneath my skin like a bone once I lost weight

- I was concerned about having the band and port inside me for decades (I'm only 35)

- I was concerned about going back to my old eating habits if I ever had the band removed

- I liked the idea of my stomach no longer producing ghrelin

As for your mother's concern about stretching, it is not nearly as much of an issue with sleeve as with RNY. With sleeve, the stretchy part of your stomach (the fundus) is removed. Here's a good article about stretching of the sleeve:

http://tinyurl.com/qxchkcv

In the end, you should definitely discuss the options with your surgeon and choose what is best for YOU and your specific needs.

Edited March 6, 2015 by JamieLogical

[KS123 31]

@JaimieLogical of course everything is true and what my research says also and my reasons for leaning toward sleeve are similar to yours. Thanks for article on stretching of sleeve. I think my mom is afraid of the unknown and she has a few friends with LB (each with limited success I might add) so she leans that way. But I'm a grown up and will do what my gut tells me is best for me ( no pun intended lol)

[CanyonBaby 1,852]

May I add that the sleeve, being permanent, will not allow you to change your mind, down the road, which is why I chose it. I know that if I follow the rules, I more than likely will not have re-gain, and I am committed to that. A good question to ask yourself is "how committed to this AM I?". After your informational seminar, you should be able to answer that without a doubt. Good luck to you!

[GEAUX SAINTS 143]

I had the lap-band put in in 2002. I did great with it until it started failing me. After 4 surgeries due to slippage, bad port, etc, it had to come out! If I had to all over again, I would choose the sleeve, hands down. Although I'm only a month out with the sleeve, and have been in the "dreaded 3 week stall" for two of those 4 weeks, it would be my first and only choice.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I am nearly done with insurance required diet and will attend surgeon seminar on Monday. I've done LOTS of research and have read books and I believe I am educated on risks and benefits of each option. I'm leaning toward sleeve mainly because no foreign object inside me and no hassle with fills. My husband and my mom are convinced band is best since it can be adjusted and mom is not convinced I won't stretch out and regain long term with sleeve. Has anyone else agonized over choice of surgery to get? No doubt I need one or the other. I'm not on the fence to do this but a little confused my best option. Do most surgeons eventually try to help each person custom fit this decision for them?

If I were you I would choose the sleeve. I had the band put in in 2008 and it never did one thing it was promoted as doing. I hate it. The lap band has fallen out of favor with bariatric surgeons and Allergan no longer makes them and never released any studies about their effectiveness. And for good reason. Most research shows that the band in the long run is not good for long term weigh loss and indeed many have had theirs taken out for a variety of reasons or complications.

But continue to do your research so that you can make an educated decision - which is yours and only yours to make.

[Chrystee 838]

I would definitely choose the sleeve over the lap band.. my Doctor's will not even do them anymore.

[giggleblue 64]

sleeve. band is a waste of time.

[JamieLogical 8,727]

sleeve. band is a waste of time.

That seems a bit harsh. Some people are very successful with the band.

[bikrchk 1,313]

Some people are very successful with the band, but knowing what I know now... the rate of failure, the rate of complications, slippage, rejection, etc and the difficulty most of my banded friends have with meat and other foods we're SUPPOSED to be favoring, I'd not have one. I also know a few folks who've had complications after the sleeve procedure, stricture, gallbladder, blood clots. The difference is, I don't know any sleeved person who's been damaged beyond repair after being sleeved. They've all recovered from their complications and would do it over again if given the choice. Unfortunately, I know a few folks who weren't so lucky with the band, having so much internal damage they needed revision to bypass or worse, or having continued problems after it was removed.

It's true, the sleeve is an "irreversible" surgery. That is scary, but for me, lap band complications... much scarier and more frequent.

[Shell88 157]

I have heard too many horror stories about the band. From slippage, constant vomiting, hemorrhaging, and pieces coming loose!!? I would rather know that a decision I am making is sticking for life and will help me, not hurt me. These surgeries are lifestyle changes - I don't think any one person who makes the decision to endure this journey would want to take it back and be heavier again. So the sleeve is worth a lifetime to me.

[CanyonBaby 1,852]

@@Shell88

Excellent way to put it "is worth a lifetime to me" - that's it in a nutshell!!!

[lmth16 6]

I would choose the sleeve. I have 4 friends who got the Band & all but one has had it removed. Too many complications!! Lots of time in the hospital after fills were done. 2 of the 3 that had it removed went on to then have the sleeve procedure done.

I'm sure you will make the best decision for you. Best of luck!!

[Chrystee 838]

I think the attraction of the band was that it could be "reversed" if needed.. RNY and Sleeve are non reversals.. But the % of people reverting to the sleeve or RNY from the band is what speaks volumes.

[JamieLogical 8,727]

I think the attraction of the band was that it could be "reversed" if needed.. RNY and Sleeve are non reversals.. But the % of people reverting to the sleeve or RNY from the band is what speaks volumes.

But the truth is, unless something goes really wrong with the band, they would never remove it. And if something DID go really wrong with it and you had to have it removed, then you are way worse off than if you'd had sleeve or RNY to begin with. So the "reversible" nature of it is really just an illusion.

Plus, even if you had a perfect band experience and nothing ever went wrong and you for some reason decided to have a second operation to remove it, then how well would you fair with no restriction? I can't imagine someone who has their band electively removed would then go on to actually maintain their weight loss and not regain. So again, what is the real value in it being "reversible"?