Hello, Im a lapband patient and so far im happy and no complications at all . Im still very early in the process and hungry , but im hoping it gets better.

My question is .. I have a friend who is thinking about the sleeve over the Lapband.

So I told her I would ask on here the pros and cons of the sleeve if any one can help ?

What mad you pick Lapband over the sleeve?

Do you know anyone who had the sleeve? If so are they happy ?

Thanks for the feedback in advance. I will be copying all feed back for her.

I picked lap band BC I had no desire to be cut and rerouted. Ive also known several people with gastric that list weight very quickly, stayed sick and ended up gaining it all back. I know with lap band you can be unsuccessful but I liked the fact its manageable and reversable.

O and its non invasive and recovery time is alot quicker. I believe gastric bypass and sleeve patients need 4-6 weeks.

The sleeve removes a part of your stomach and cannot be reversible and is a Newer procedure. Lap Band just seemed to be a safer procedure from the two. I am not banded yet (surgery date January 11) so I am not an experienced bandster. But this is why I chose Lap Band!

This has been raised many times in the past.

As this is a band board most of the replies that you get will be proband.

If you asked the same question on the sleeve board most of the replies will be prosleeve.

A lot of the decision comes down to whether or not you are committed to constant follow up visits to the Dr. If you are happy to do that then you will probably be successful with the band, if you are not then you are probably better off with the sleeve.

As far as I am aware both surgeries are successful although the sleeve as a stand alone procedure has only been around for a couple of years so really long term results are not available. The sleeve has a higher risk of complications initially - the band has them later on.

Both surgeries have a "honeymoon"period where it is easier to lose weight. The further out from surgery you are the easier it becomes to "cheat" and regain what you have lost.

Is your friend thinking of the sleeve or the more invasive gastric bypass ?, the sleeve just removes a section of your stomach to leave u with a sleeve shaped stomach, bypass will actually re-route intestines and reduce the size of your stomach. This type of surgery is obviously a lot more invasive and complications can be more devastating. I recently saw a tv programme where the bypass patient actually died of starvation, through malabsorbtion of food.

Personally I chose the band as i feel in control still, i certainly wasnt happy to have major surgery which is not reversible.

Because of my starting weight i was an ideal candidate for bypass surgery but i just didnt feel it was right for me.

There are horror stories and failures for all types of WLS so it really is just getting all the info you can and making an informed decision that you can commit to

I think of it that sleeve and GB are for people who cant do a significant amount of behavior change and are willing to take a higher risk because of it. The band is hard work, you have to change your ways, but its a brief and easy surgery with less risk.

I love my band, so I'm pro-band, but want to point out that the band requires a lot more bariatric aftercare than the other WLS procedures. If your friend is self-pay or has limited insurance coverage, the sleeve might be the better choice because once it's done, it's done. The band requires fills and unfills that can add up fast in terms of time (travel time, time off from work) and money (fill fees, travel expense, lost wages).

O and its non invasive and recovery time is alot quicker. I believe gastric bypass and sleeve patients need 4-6 weeks.

Any surgery that involves a surgeon cutting holes in an anesthetized patient and clamping a medical device around the stomach and a sticking in a port somewhere nearby is pretty danged invasive.

According to a few sleeved pals of mine, typical recovery time for sleeve patients is the same as for the band (1-2 weeks), and RNY isn't all that much longer (2-3 weeks) provided no complications arise.

I think of it that sleeve and GB are for people who cant do a significant amount of behavior change and are willing to take a higher risk because of it. The band is hard work, you have to change your ways, but its a brief and easy surgery with less risk.

Amen to that! A bariatric dietitian I know once said, "Band patients have to make lifestyle changes immediately. Bypass patients have to make the same changes sooner or later, usually starting at 12 months post-op."

I guess it's a pay-me-now or pay-me-later deal...sooner or later, you gotta pay!

I also want to mention that the idea that the band is reversible, while other procedures are not, is often misunderstood. The sleeve is not reversible because part of the stomach is removed forever (not necessarily a piece of stomach you really truly needed, but anyway, it's gone), but it can be revised to a different procedure like duodenal switch or even (gasp) the band. The band is reversible in theory in that the band and port can be removed and the patient, if need be, can revise to a different WLS procedure. But that doesn't mean that it's easy to remove the band without damaging the stomach or esophagus. The band is meant to be a lifetime deal. It isn't like dying your hair a different color, deciding you don't like it, and going back to your original color. There's going to be scar tissue left behind that can make other abdominal surgeries (like hernia repair, gall bladder removal, hysterectomy, etc.) more difficult.

I have the band and I would never recommend the band to my worst enemy. Never have I wasted so much money before. I might as well have just flushed that $15,000 down the toilet.

I have never known of anyone who has not lost weight with VSG. The band...........I know lots that have not lost any, or have lost no significant weight. Then there are the slips, erosions, leaks, port problems, esophageal dysmotility, etc. You get the picture.

One thing to remember is that a good many ppl NEVER reach restriction. Most Drs./band ;mills will not tell patients that prior to getting the band. If they did...........there wouldn't be anywhere near as many ppl getting banded!

Had I known then what I know now............I NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THIS POS!!!

I have the band and I would never recommend the band to my worst enemy. Never have I wasted so much money before. I might as well have just flushed that $15,000 down the toilet.

I have never known of anyone who has not lost weight with VSG. The band...........I know lots that have not lost any, or have lost no significant weight. Then there are the slips, erosions, leaks, port problems, esophageal dysmotility, etc. You get the picture.

One thing to remember is that a good many ppl NEVER reach restriction. Most Drs./band ;mills will not tell patients that prior to getting the band. If they did...........there wouldn't be anywhere near as many ppl getting banded!

Had I known then what I know now............I NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THIS POS!!!

So your not happy with your "POS" So I would imagine you had it removed then , correct?

So your not happy with your "POS" So I would imagine you had it removed then , correct?

No that's not correct. After wasting all that money on the band I can't afford to have it removed. So it's just in there doing nothing. I am hoping to get it removed before I start having more serious complications like most of the other bandsters.

Well I for one lost all my weight and more. I am thrilled with what my band has done for me and proud of what I have done to get here. it was a long learning process but these days its pretty easy! LOVE my band and would and do recommend it!

I did consider the sleeve for a while because my original doctor thought I would be more successful with the bypass. I thought if I was going to do something that involved cutting my stomach I would go with the sleeve because it kept the rest of the digestive intact. I ultamately knew the sleeve wasn't for me when one of the things I wanted to find out was if I could stretch it back out.

In my research I also found out about sleeve plication which creates a sleeve by sutures not cutting. Plication for weight loss is relatively new but a form of the procedure has been around for about 40 years. Although plication alone can be a stand alone procedure, it's mostly being done along with the band and is covered by insurance (that is if your insurance covers the band)

The benefit of combining the procedures is that they serve as a backup to each other and they help to minimize the other's complications and drawbacks.