Sleeve or Lap Band?

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I personally chose sleeve over bypass as I had a ballpark of 100 pounds to lose. No more and high blood sugar, but not full blown diabetes. I was looking to avoid complications more commons to bypass patients like Vitamin deficiencies and dumping. The band was not even a consideration as I have too many friends who've had major issues from poor weight loss results to the inability to eat dense Protein, outright failure, prolapse, rejection and damage to their stomach. Plus, the idea of having the thing filled for the rest of my like... ewww.

I have 130-140lbs that I need to lose. I didn't like the fact that I would have to get fills and all that PLUS I'm insulin resistant with having PCOS and I know the Lap Band isn't the best for that which is why my last surgeon switched me to gastric bypass but I didn't feel comfortable with that. I got July 10th to the first seminar. I'm nervous because of all the complications that can happen but I've had 10 surgeries so far that also had complications but I never had a second thought of having them done. I just need to keep my anxiety at bay

You can meet that goal with the sleeve OR bypass. If my surgeon had told me it's bypass or nothing, (and he DID for a friend of mine, safer procedure given his size) I'd have jumped on that train in a hot minute. We've both had fabulous results with our different procedures and no complications. Be a compliant patient. Follow your team's instructions. Complication rates are low. Take a breath and enjoy the ride!

Well what makes me mad is they never mention the sleeve at all. They said "we no longer do lap band because it has low success rates so we've put you in the gastric bypass group." when I asked if there were any other procedures, they literally walked out the door and left it at that. This time around Im going to be more forceful for answers on everything. Last time I just went with everything instead of being my own advacate

To be fair, that was three years ago. The sleeve is much newer and many insurance carriers have only fairly recently started covering it. When I first starting even beginning to be willing to contemplate surgery, my insurance would have had me do bypass. I only started seriously considering it when I learned about the sleeve.

[Cody's mom 247]

Love, love, love my sleeve. Just saying! Never had a single moment of regret or a single problem. Went to Mexico on my own, had it done, didn't skip a beat. I'm 53 years old, and my only regret is not doing it sooner! Did I mention I LOVE MY SLEEVE!

[AvalonNeeCee 127]

My sleeve is July 14th. Start pre surgery diet on tuesday

[Wendyfm 494]

I also had a sleeve and heartily recommend it. I feel good, no major dumping. I have had three bouts of vomiting because I ate a dense Protein and didn't wait long enough afterward to drink and too much chocolate gives me a stomach ache, so I avoid those two things am and fine., but otherwise easy to live with and I think less complicated then the bypass.

[Krystyneh 55]

I also had a sleeve and heartily recommend it. I feel good, no major dumping. I have had three bouts of vomiting because I ate a dense Protein and didn't wait long enough afterward to drink and too much chocolate gives me a stomach ache, so I avoid those two things am and fine., but otherwise easy to live with and I think less complicated then the bypass.

That's good to know about chocolate because I do love to eat it but really need to stay away. I see that you live in VT. Where abouts and where did you have your surgery? I live in East Dorset and I'm going through Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, NH

[Wendyfm 494]

I also went to DHMC. I had doctor Laycock, who I would recommend and I have had good follow up care.

Oh, and I live in Bradford, vt.

[hockeyfan7 249]

I had lap band in 2012. I didn't lose as much weight as I wanted and then last year I started throwing up everything I ate that I was supposed to be eating. I ended up eating stuff I shouldn't be just to keep anything down. We tried for six months to adjust the band and finally took out all the fill in April.

I had the band removed and a sleeve done on June 1st. I am much happier with the sleeve. I can eat chicken again. I can eat any lean Protein and non-starchy veggies. I'm not throwing up at all. I eat in the 700 to 1000 calorie range depending on what I choose Protein wise for the day.

I chose the sleeve over the bypass because I didn't want the malabsorption issues and I didn't like the idea of messing around with my intestines.

[Krystyneh 55]

I also went to DHMC. I had doctor Laycock, who I would recommend and I have had good follow up care.

Oh, and I live in Bradford, vt.

Okay that's who I was going to go through. When I went for Gastric Bypass (canceled my appointment a few days before my surgery date due to me not feeling comfortable with having bypass done), I was going to have Dr. Trus and he just rubbed me the wrong way. He never answered any questions that I had which made me very mad. I've heard great things about Dr. Laycock

[Krystyneh 55]

I had lap band in 2012. I didn't lose as much weight as I wanted and then last year I started throwing up everything I ate that I was supposed to be eating. I ended up eating stuff I shouldn't be just to keep anything down. We tried for six months to adjust the band and finally took out all the fill in April.

I had the band removed and a sleeve done on June 1st. I am much happier with the sleeve. I can eat chicken again. I can eat any lean Protein and non-starchy veggies. I'm not throwing up at all. I eat in the 700 to 1000 calorie range depending on what I choose Protein wise for the day.

I chose the sleeve over the bypass because I didn't want the malabsorption issues and I didn't like the idea of messing around with my intestines.

Thank you for telling me all of this. My mother-in-law has had issues with her lap band and so has her friend but they constantly tell me "oh no it's not the band it's my body" blah blah blah they want me to get the lap band but after hearing from a lot of people that went from lap band to sleeve, I'm definitely going for the sleeve ????

[Malagal 6]

I got the sleeve for the same reasons as inner surfer girl. Less drastic than bypass, less maintenance than lapband. I hated the idea of having to do the fills with the lapband, plus my surgeon isn't really doing much lapband anymore because he says the sleeve is more effective for most people. I'm two months out and the sleeve is doing what it's supposed to do (helping me be satisfied with less volume of food). It's also come with some unexpected benefits... it's so much easier for me to avoid bad crap now (such as the donuts my helpful coworkers bring to work constantly, LOL). My recovery was quick and uneventful (your mileage may vary). Best of luck!!

[Krystyneh 55]

I got the sleeve for the same reasons as inner surfer girl. Less drastic than bypass, less maintenance than lapband. I hated the idea of having to do the fills with the lapband, plus my surgeon isn't really doing much lapband anymore because he says the sleeve is more effective for most people. I'm two months out and the sleeve is doing what it's supposed to do (helping me be satisfied with less volume of food). It's also come with some unexpected benefits... it's so much easier for me to avoid bad crap now (such as the donuts my helpful coworkers bring to work constantly, LOL). My recovery was quick and uneventful (your mileage may vary). Best of luck!!

Thank you so much for telling me how you decided. I am going for the Sleeve ???? the hospital that I'm going through has 3 surgeons and NONE of them will do Lap Band!!! I'm so excited to have the Sleeve done. I'm still nervous BUT I know everything will be okay.

[AvalonNeeCee 127]

You will be fine. Glad you made a choice. Lots of good wishes to you for your success

[Krystyneh 55]

I also went to DHMC. I had doctor Laycock, who I would recommend and I have had good follow up care.

Oh, and I live in Bradford, vt.

I just for my info for surgery from DHMC and Dr. Laycock is no longer with them ???? that makes me upset

[AvalonNeeCee 127]

Don't be upset. Lots of great Dr's out there. Research then like you did and you will be fine. . Is he at another practice you could go to?

[texasdude 15]

I have had the band for about nine years. It literally saved my life as I have lost over 100 lbs. However, I have thrown up a lot during those 10 years. I have a revision to gastric sleeve tomorrow, good luck to you.