Sleeve or Lap Band? Scared of making wrong choice!

[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?

[gahannagal 31]

I am not a doctor, but when I was researching. My doctor said the band is slowly going away. I also learned that each time you have the band adjusted you might get charged an outpatient charge. In my case it as 200.00 an adjustment. At the beginning there are many adjustments. So if you don't think you will have the money you might want to look at another choice. I sure would hate to have surgery and then fail because I didn't have the money for the adjustments. My doctor suggested the RNY because of the amount of weight I had to lose. I am very happy with my RNY, Hope you find peace in the choice you make!

[Elode 8,093]

Sleeve! Only because I have it...that's all

[navywife1978 19]

I have the band now and I regret ever getting it. It's now slipped and caused a hernia, I lost 70 pounds but puked every step of the way. I get it out and converted to the sleeve on the 26th. I wish I had done this first .

[Truckerchic 171]

Depending on your health issues your surgeon may advise you to the better choice, I was on the fence between RNY and the sleeve, because I had Gerd and the history of the bypass he suggested it but the choice was still mine. The band was never an option for me because I felt it would be easier to cheat (food addict here another issue) also like gahannagal said the band is soon to be a thing of the past, my doctor won't touch a banded person and I also hear a lot of ppl that go from the band to the sleeve or bypass. Choice is ultimately yours though. Good luck

Edited March 6, 2015 by Truckerchic

[scr161990 10]

Sleeve!!!!

@@Navywife I had the same issue.... Getting sleeved in May!! Good luck to us!

[navywife1978 19]

Sleeve!!!!

@@Navywife I had the same issue.... Getting sleeved in May!! Good luck to us!

Yay!!! I'm excited and scared.... Start diet tomorrow ????!

[tebowfan 70]

Easy choice if these are the options, the sleeve!!

[B-52 7,113]

First, I know nothing about the sleeve....but let me say this...

I have been 100% successful with the band, and in my case, it was the easiest, most effortless thing I could have done.

What was difficult was the first 4-6 months, getting the band adjusted just right, and learning to modify my eating habits to match the bands demands.

A lot of people never do get to that "Magic" place....the band is adjustable, and individuals can choose how they want it adjusted. They can choose how and what they want to eat, buy how much Fluid is in the band.....There are so many variables to get it perfect, and because of that, it has been said the success rate is low. Least that's what I've heard.

My Dr. once told me I was one in a thousand as a band patient....just too many variables and peoples personalities, likes and dislikes, that he now will recommend the sleeve or RNY before the band.

The PA told me she is fed up with people coming in to have Fluid taken out of their bands so they can enjoy weddings, vacations, etc, etc.

You can't do that with the sleeve, and my Dr. understands that.

With the sleeve or RNY, It is what it is....you have to live with it..there is no adjusting.

So, after saying all that, IF I knew I would be as successful with such ease with the sleeve as I had with the band, I would have gone with the sleeve.

But again, I don't know, have no experience, as to how the sleeve actually performs with people, and how much work, or not, one needs to put into their success.

Would I have been as successful with the sleeve? I really cannot say. But the band has been nothing short of miraculous for me.

Edited March 6, 2015 by B-52

[ProjectMe 909]

I had the choice between sleeve and bypass. Military bases no longer perform the band due to the high number of complications. There seems to be a trend in that regard.

[Sharpie 3,306]

compare all surgeries.. Band requires the patient to actually participate in the process , eating slowly, no drinking while eating , etc. adjustments and follow up with your Dr. Sleeve, involves losing a big portion of your stomach, and yes the pouch will stretch if you abuse food. Bypass from what I understand involves re-routing and malabsorption. They all have drawbacks and benefits I have been banded 2 years and chose the band because it can re adjusted or even removed if necessary. I have a few sleeve and bypass patients in my support group, they all have issues with dumping or other things. It's not an easy decision but you have to know what you can do whether you will be able to be successful The band is not going away as some have suggested, my surgeon has done thousands and still does them daily,

[beachgurl84 456]

I chose the sleeve because it freaks me out to think about a foreign object hanging out in my body. And all the complication with the low success rate didn't make the band worth it to me. I know many people have been successful with it but I think there's a lot to consider when a site like this has an entire section dedicated to band revisions. I have had no trouble with my sleeve. Works like a charm. Dumping syndrome does not effect sleeve patients so we have to use our own will power to avoid sweets. I know some people have a lot of nausea but I haven't. I never considered the bypass cause re-routing of my internals freaked me out too. My doc told me the band is being phased out. Too much maintenance for too little result. Everyone is different though and you may see benefits to the band that others don't. Just make the decision based on what's right for you, and not other people. I understand your family wants to support you but only you know how much time & effort you want to put into this.

[imsoglad56 402]

compare all surgeries.. Band requires the patient to actually participate in the process , eating slowly, no drinking while eating , etc. adjustments and follow up with your Dr. Sleeve, involves losing a big portion of your stomach, and yes the pouch will stretch if you abuse food. Bypass from what I understand involves re-routing and malabsorption. They all have drawbacks and benefits I have been banded 2 years and chose the band because it can re adjusted or even removed if necessary. I have a few sleeve and bypass patients in my support group, they all have issues with dumping or other things. It's not an easy decision but you have to know what you can do whether you will be able to be successful The band is not going away as some have suggested, my surgeon has done thousands and still does them daily,

My sleeve (and, as far as I'm aware, all sleeves) requires almost the exact same participation you refer to for bands. I have to eat slowly, can't drink while eating, and have had 5 follow up appointments with my surgeon, with at least two more to come before I reach the one year process. Just FYI.

[NikkiDoc 312]

A friend of mine had the band 6 years ago. She was successful with it. She fluctuates a little. She is always withing 5 or 10 pounds of goal. However she would not recommend the band to anybody. She still has problems with things getting "stuck" and throwing up. This is even if she eats slowly and chews well. Sometimes she will have her chicken thigh for lunch on Monday and it is fine. The next day she can't eat the thigh. Same pack of chicken, cooked at the same time. Nope not happening.

Both her daughter and niece failed miserably with the band. The niece had the band removed.

Her surgeon no longer does bands. He is doing lots of band to sleeve conversions.

My surgeon will still perform bands but only if the patient absolutely insists on one. He prefers the sleeve.

The other surgeon at the same facility no longer does bands. Both surgeons have been exclusively bariatric surgeons for over 15 years each.

When I went in for my first surgeon appointment the intake PA asked what I was here about. I told her I was interested in the band or sleeve. Her immediate response was "You don't want the band".

The above is why I chose the sleeve over the band.

[KS123 31]

@@NikkiDoc THANK YOU for that feedback.