omamilam

I concur on it being PRIVATE. If anyone asks me how I lost weight, I will just tell them with lots of hard work and dedication and I won't be telling a lie. It isn't their business and it is personal and private. Only my immediate family knows. Hubby, Kids and Mom because they deserve to know and I will need their support.

This is a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy message board, so you are going to get biased opinions pro sleeve here. Please, do your own research and come to your own decision.
Here are some helpful links of first hand stories you might find interesting:
Lap Band:
Main Webpages: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/
Pro's: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/forum/227-lap-band-success-stories/
Con's: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/forum/70-lap-band-complications/ -OR- http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/13-band-to-gastric-sleeve-revisions/'>http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/13-band-to-gastric-sleeve-revisions/
Vertical Sleeve:
Main Webpage: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/
Pro's: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/14-vertical-sleeve-gastrectomy-surgery-vsg-success-stories/
Con's: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/48-gastric-sleeve-surgery-vsg-complications-support-group/
HTH

Hi,
This is MY OPINION and is not intended to step on any bandsters toes and is a result of my personal research...............
I am also making the decision between LB or VSG and doing a lot of research. After being in the LB chat room for 3 weeks now, I have noticed that there are a lot of dr. visits to fill or unfill because of discomfort, or not losing, food getting stuck, emergency surgery because the band slipped etc. I became frustrated that there was never anyone in the VSG room to talk to about the sleeve. I had an epiphany one morning that is because no one has anything to complain about after they have healed from the surgery. That spoke volumes to me. Yes, it is more invasive, recovery is longer but leaks are rare and you do not have a foreign object in your body that you have to continually adjust. Yes, the LB is reversible but if you are not committed, why do either surgery? Are you really going to have the band removed? I have noticed that after you heal with VSG you are more normal and can eat whatever you want with no food restrictions to speak of with the band you can not have many of the foods you love EVER. I like the fact that your pouch is larger than with the band. You can actually go to a restaurant and eat a kids size meal, senior meal, or order off of the appetizer menu. With the band, one or two bites is all you can tolerate so you should just share a meal with someone else. Having a pouch the size of a golf ball (LB) as compared to a banana (VSG) and the hole to your stomach is normal size instead of restricted by a band so food can't go through easily, I have elected to be more "normal" and just have my stomach reduced to the size it should have been before I got fat and made it the size of a football. The part of your stomach that stretches is removed so you will not have any significant stretching and the part of your stomach that senses hunger is removed so you don't get hungry. I would rather go to the doctor every 3 months for a check up with VSG than every month with the band (if not more than that for problems.) Did I mention every fill with the LB is $150? Also, most people that have the band removed due to slipping end up with the VSG anyway. I also do not want to be stuck drinking protein powder the rest of my life 2 or 3 times a day just to get my protein requirements in because I can not consume enough food orally.
This is why I am choosing VSG over LB. Its a personal decision, do your homework and research. Continue to talk to Bandsters and VSG patients before you make your final decision. Good Luck

http://www.howmuchprotein.com/foods/

I concur on it being PRIVATE. If anyone asks me how I lost weight, I will just tell them with lots of hard work and dedication and I won't be telling a lie. It isn't their business and it is personal and private. Only my immediate family knows. Hubby, Kids and Mom because they deserve to know and I will need their support.

Most people of average weight do not understand because they haven't walked in your shoes. You do not owe them any explanation for your weight loss. In order not to be rude and answering their question of how you lost so much weight, just tell them this.....with lots of hard work and dedication...........and you won't be a liar.

Hi,
This is MY OPINION and is not intended to step on any bandsters toes and is a result of my personal research...............
I am also making the decision between LB or VSG and doing a lot of research. After being in the LB chat room for 3 weeks now, I have noticed that there are a lot of dr. visits to fill or unfill because of discomfort, or not losing, food getting stuck, emergency surgery because the band slipped etc. I became frustrated that there was never anyone in the VSG room to talk to about the sleeve. I had an epiphany one morning that is because no one has anything to complain about after they have healed from the surgery. That spoke volumes to me. Yes, it is more invasive, recovery is longer but leaks are rare and you do not have a foreign object in your body that you have to continually adjust. Yes, the LB is reversible but if you are not committed, why do either surgery? Are you really going to have the band removed? I have noticed that after you heal with VSG you are more normal and can eat whatever you want with no food restrictions to speak of with the band you can not have many of the foods you love EVER. I like the fact that your pouch is larger than with the band. You can actually go to a restaurant and eat a kids size meal, senior meal, or order off of the appetizer menu. With the band, one or two bites is all you can tolerate so you should just share a meal with someone else. Having a pouch the size of a golf ball (LB) as compared to a banana (VSG) and the hole to your stomach is normal size instead of restricted by a band so food can't go through easily, I have elected to be more "normal" and just have my stomach reduced to the size it should have been before I got fat and made it the size of a football. The part of your stomach that stretches is removed so you will not have any significant stretching and the part of your stomach that senses hunger is removed so you don't get hungry. I would rather go to the doctor every 3 months for a check up with VSG than every month with the band (if not more than that for problems.) Did I mention every fill with the LB is $150? Also, most people that have the band removed due to slipping end up with the VSG anyway. I also do not want to be stuck drinking protein powder the rest of my life 2 or 3 times a day just to get my protein requirements in because I can not consume enough food orally.
This is why I am choosing VSG over LB. Its a personal decision, do your homework and research. Continue to talk to Bandsters and VSG patients before you make your final decision. Good Luck

Here is my recipe for a fruit smoothie. You can add a half of a scoop of UN-flavored protein powder without it affecting the taste much at all. You can get the fruit prepackaged in the frozen section of the grocery store. You can make your own portion size bags also. Get the frozen whole strawberries and fresh bananas. Peel and cut the bananas in half then cut the halves into slices. Mix your strawberries and 1/2 banana in your portion size freezer bags and you are ready to freeze. To make your smoothie, just put the frozen fruit into your blender and cover with apple juice. No need for ice because the fruit is frozen. If you add some Rum you have an awesome Frozen Daiquiri too just leave out the protein powder :-)

Thanks, Island Girl, I will see if my insurance company has a form also. I don't want to lose time but it is probably inevitable.

Most people of average weight do not understand because they haven't walked in your shoes. You do not owe them any explanation for your weight loss. In order not to be rude and answering their question of how you lost so much weight, just tell them this.....with lots of hard work and dedication...........and you won't be a liar.

Most people of average weight do not understand because they haven't walked in your shoes. You do not owe them any explanation for your weight loss. In order not to be rude and answering their question of how you lost so much weight, just tell them this.....with lots of hard work and dedication...........and you won't be a liar.