Sleeve or Lap Band? Scared of making wrong choice!

[losing_the_band 133]

Dkh, no matter which surgery you choose, you're going to need supplements for the rest of your life. With the sleeve, your stomach capacity is so small that it would be virtually impossible for you to get all the Vitamins and minerals that you need through diet alone. With bypass, it's debatable about how many supplements you'll take and how often (each doctor has their own requirements), but it isn't something that is exclusive to the bypass.

[Katie Loesch-Meyer 71]

Dkh, no matter which surgery you choose, you're going to need supplements for the rest of your life. With the sleeve, your stomach capacity is so small that it would be virtually impossible for you to get all the Vitamins and minerals that you need through diet alone. With bypass, it's debatable about how many supplements you'll take and how often (each doctor has their own requirements), but it isn't something that is exclusive to the bypass.

True, I picked up a copy of the Vitamin reccomendations from my surgeon today, and the only difference between RNY and Gastric sleeve is additional Iron.

[dkh 5]

Thanks for your response. I'm 60 years old and feel that the lifestyle change with the sleeve will be beneficial to me. I'm more than ready for my surgery.

Dkh, no matter which surgery you choose, you're going to need supplements for the rest of your life. With the sleeve, your stomach capacity is so small that it would be virtually impossible for you to get all the Vitamins and minerals that you need through diet alone. With bypass, it's debatable about how many supplements you'll take and how often (each doctor has their own requirements), but it isn't something that is exclusive to the bypass.

[MadelineD 3]

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME, EFFORT OR MONEY ON A LAP BAND!

[Aube 42]

Sleeve hands down and thumbs up. No regrets, no pain and feeling fine. This is keeping me weight loss legal and happy. SLEEVE :-)

[blondebomb 580]

I really hate to ask this and I'm not sure if it was addressed here..you mentioned the sugar addiction? Have you figured out for yourself how your going to deal with this issue? I know it all to well myself ???? i had to kick this issue myself it was part of my weight issue. Just asking bc it'll need to be avoided as much as possible (at least it was part of my protocol) and it also can cause dumping as with any of these..just asking..don't want to start no arguments. I was sleeved 8 months ago..it's been some journey I've had my struggles take day by day but I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Stick to your plan listen to your dr etc..do your part and it will work. You will get out what you put in..sleeve best thing i did! ????

[dkh 5]

Thanks for all the responses.

[drmeow 323]

Ultimately each person and their doctor has to decide which is the best procedure for their individual case. However, I wanted to point out a couple of myths I've seen here and there - many people seem to think the sleeve is less invasive than RNY. Both procedures are usually done laparoscopically now. In the sleeve, a large portion of your stomach is stapled off and then removed for good. it is not reversible for that reason. In RNY, yes, your small intestine is moved to connect at a different point, but the stomach is only stapled off, not removed. It is fully reversible if there are extreme complications that require it. I know we should all assume this is going to be our one surgery and hope that's all it takes; I just didn't want someone to have the idea that the sleeve is like "bypass lite"

[losing_the_band 133]

Ultimately each person and their doctor has to decide which is the best procedure for their individual case. However, I wanted to point out a couple of myths I've seen here and there - many people seem to think the sleeve is less invasive than RNY. Both procedures are usually done laparoscopically now. In the sleeve, a large portion of your stomach is stapled off and then removed for good. it is not reversible for that reason. In RNY, yes, your small intestine is moved to connect at a different point, but the stomach is only stapled off, not removed. It is fully reversible if there are extreme complications that require it. I know we should all assume this is going to be our one surgery and hope that's all it takes; I just didn't want someone to have the idea that the sleeve is like "bypass lite"

What bothers me is when people claim that the lap-band is less invasive. Yes, the initial procedure doesn't require the removal or rerouting of intestines, but that's about it. If everything works okay, you still have to have numerous "fill" appointments, which involve at the minimum injections to the port (which are preferably done under fluoroscopy and with a follow-up barium swallow so that the doctor/PA/nurse can exactly gauge your restriction level). If there are issues (which is really high percentage of patients, much higher than the other surgeries), you're almost guaranteed to need another surgery, whether it's re-positioning a flipped port, re-positioning a slipped band, removing the band, replacing the band with a different model, replacing a leaky port or tubing, etc., etc., etc. Every single time you get sick, you have to worry about vomiting and making the band slip. I'm super paranoid about getting the flu, to the point where I won't even get a flu vaccine for fear that it will give me a mild flu.

And then you have to worry about side effects that aren't well-known or common. I was having some pretty bad stomach issues, to the point where I had a few embarrassing accidents because an episode came on while I was driving and couldn't reach a toilet in time. I was almost guaranteed to urgently need a toilet within 20 minutes of having a meal, especially if I had eaten at a restaurant. I thought I'd just developed IBS from taking Accutane years ago or that the herniated disk in my back was causing muscle control issues. Well, after I had to have all the Fluid removed from the band after having a severe sliming/PB episode in January, I've had very few incidences. All I can figure is that the band was irritating the vagus nerve somehow.

[MEL0129 9]

Go with the sleeve. I had the band. Lost 65 lbs but had a slippage after the one year mark. I got to the point that I couldn't even keep Water down, so I had to get it removed. Feel like a failure and have gain all the weight back. Oh, the band involves adjustments, puking, belching, and painful trapped gas. The weird thing is that I still have the gas and bloating issues.

[Adrianabelle 4]

I'm going with bypass because of the higher chance of diabetes remission.