I'm in the early stages of the lap band process. (saw surgeon for constult, met with pxych- will meet nutrition next, keeping diary, exerciseing...all in the lst month.)

A friend of mind is saying DO NOT do band - do sleeve. I've done some reading on differences (notmuch reading as yet) but my question is:

Why would a person want the lap band vs the sleeve?

Or

Why would a person want the sleeve vs the band?

Thank you.

~SaraLee~

For me, the answer was simple. I could not justified hacking off 3/4 of my healthy stomach without trying something less drastic first. I see it as the natural progression- try the reversible Lap Band first then go to the Sleeve if the band doesn't work for some reason.

For the record, I love my band. I've lost 140 pounds in 8 months and couldn't be happier.

Yep same reason for me. Why would I want to have an open surgery when I could do something less drastic and reversible.

I think one reason that people choose other surgeries over lap band is because in some cases they are faster. You don't have to wait for fills and all that. I also feel like the feeling is that the sleeve or bypass force weight loss.

I tend to disagree, if a person with the sleeve or bypass wants to sabotage their weight loss they can. Just like if I with my lapband am determined to eat junk I can do that.

Ultimately the choice is yours, you need to do the research on all surgeries and make a well informed decision on which is best for you.

I guess I'll take the pro sleeve angle

1. No real maintanance.(no fills/unfills)

2. No limits on what foods you can eat

3. No foreign bodies inside me

4. No tubes or bands to spring a leak

5. When the band fails the sleeve is he most popular revision

6. Much more rapid weight loss

7. Dramatic reduction of ghrelin (the hormone that causes hunger)

Cons of sleeve (why I chose band):

Stomach can be stretched over time and no adjustments can be made to it.

I can go back to eating a lot if I choose to on a cruise (do I, no, but before surgery I wanted to know I could if I wanted to)

No control over how much or little you can eat - band is more controlled

Less potential complications.

Also, losing slower is better or you and loose skin. Fast is worse.

I like the idea of restriction. With sleeve its often too late to tell when you are stuffed - you can eat fast. With band you can tell you are getting there("soft stop").

These questions would be best answered by yourself after conducting additional research and having a sincere discussion with your bariatric surgeon.

The band holds me more accountable for my weight loss...and yes, it's only a tool. I believe that there are ways for you to minimize complications with your band if you are motivated to follow the bandster rules and make those necessary adjustments to the lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise.

I've known more people who have failed with weight loss with other WLS than I've known to fail with a band.

Other's mileage may vary...Best wishes as you consider your options!

Cons of sleeve (why I chose band):

Stomach can be stretched over time and no adjustments can be made to it.

I can go back to eating a lot if I choose to on a cruise (do I, no, but before surgery I wanted to know I could if I wanted to)

No control over how much or little you can eat - band is more controlled

Less potential complications.

Also, losing slower is better or you and loose skin. Fast is worse.

I like the idea of restriction. With sleeve its often too late to tell when you are stuffed - you can eat fast. With band you can tell you are getting there("soft stop").

I'm still so consisted I want the sleeve but what will happen to my tummy 10 years from now. So I will go with the band but to me the risk are greater.

My loss was slower but time is flying. I can't believe how good my stomach looks. I've always heard that slower loss is more permanent. I was 268 and I'm down to 178 this morning. My goal is 154 for now. Wow 25 pounds to go I can't believe it and I still look in the mirror and see myself and a stranger who is thinner. I don't regret my band it is my life saver!

I got the band because it was less evasive and it was adjustable. Yes, it takes maintenance and lots of doctor followup visits, but that is something I need and want. The maintenance and doctor visits keep me accountable.

It is a personal choice, everyone will have their reasons for the wls they picked. The best advise is do your research and pick what is best for you. Good luck.

One small point to make- Lap Band doesn't necessarily mean slower than the Sleeve or Gastric Bypass.

I have a friend who had Gastric Bypass around the same time I had the Lap Band surgery 8 months ago. We both started off over 400 pounds. She's lost about 20 pounds so far, I've lost 141 pounds. The difference in our loss has nothing to do with which surgery we chose but the fact I changed my lifestyle and eating habits to healthy ones and she did not.

In the end, all WLS is just a tool not a magic fix. If you don't make the necessary lifestyle changes you'll fail regardless of which one you choose.

Cons of sleeve (why I chose band):

1. Stomach can be stretched over time and no adjustments can be made to it.

2. I can go back to eating a lot if I choose to on a cruise (do I' date=' no, but before surgery I wanted to know I could if I wanted to)

3. No control over how much or little you can eat - band is more controlled

3. Less potential complications.

4. Also, losing slower is better or you and loose skin. Fast is worse.

5. I like the idea of restriction. With sleeve its often too late to tell when you are stuffed - you can eat fast. With band you can tell you are getting there("soft stop").

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I took the liberty of numbering your points so that they might be more easily addressed.

1. This is a common misconception the sleeve does not stretch. It is nearly impossible to stretch a sleeve because it is made up of the muscular portion of the stomach unlike the pouch that is used in an RNY.

2. Quite true, the restriction with the sleeve is permanent. A fully healed sleeve is about 8oz(1/2c)

3. Not really sure what is meant here.... Portion control is the premise of all WLS.

4. Yes, rapid weight loss does make loose skin more apparent. But that is only for a period of time, as skin shrinks at a slower rate but will continue shrinking for up to 2years.

5. Eating fast with he sleeve can cause you to over eat your capacity. This will end up with the sleeve rejecting anything over its capacity. As a sleever we learn to portion our meals before consuming them. Our goal is to try to not fill our sleeve but to stop shortly before that point.

One small point to make- Lap Band doesn't necessarily mean slower than the Sleeve or Gastric Bypass.

I have a friend who had Gastric Bypass around the same time I had the Lap Band surgery 8 months ago. We both started off over 400 pounds. She's lost about 20 pounds so far' date=' I've lost 141 pounds. The difference in our loss has nothing to do with which surgery we chose but the fact I changed my lifestyle and eating habits to healthy ones and she did not.

In the end, all WLS is just a tool not a magic fix. If you don't make the necessary lifestyle changes you'll fail regardless of which one you choose.[/quote']

I would definately agree that the person making the choices is by far the largest factor in this equation.

I took the liberty of numbering your points so that they might be more easily addressed.

1. This is a common misconception the sleeve does not stretch. It is nearly impossible to stretch a sleeve because it is made up of the muscular portion of the stomach unlike the pouch that is used in an RNY.

2. Quite true' date=' the restriction with the sleeve is permanent. A fully healed sleeve is about 8oz(1/2c)

3. Not really sure what is meant here.... Portion control is the premise of all WLS.

4. Yes, rapid weight loss does make loose skin more apparent. But that is only for a period of time, as skin shrinks at a slower rate but will continue shrinking for up to 2years.

5. Eating fast with he sleeve can cause you to over eat your capacity. This will end up with the sleeve rejecting anything over its capacity. As a sleever we learn to portion our meals before consuming them. Our goal is to try to not fill our sleeve but to stop shortly before that point.

[/quote']

So number 3: if I get a fill of .3 cc's I can basically eat 1/2 cup less every meal. For example, If I take up an intense exercise regimen, like some of those born again triathletes that had WLS, I might choose to have the capacity to eat more per meal. Sleeve is one size basically forever.

I have the band for almost 2 years. There was one time I got sick and had to open it up to let the nastiness go down. When I got better, I was like holy crap I can eat so much more. Sometimes you actually want to be able to eat again like a more normal person. But I filled her up again like 2 days later after I got it out of my system. My last fill was .05 cc's. That's how exacting you can be with restriction.

My mother was looking into WLS and I was actually convincing her to get the sleeve. She has like 200 lbs to lose and is in her 60s and I thought that she would have faster results and less effort exercise wise to lose with the sleeve. Her psychologist agreed with me. She went for that band. It's a personal choice. Ultimately we can all support each other regarding whatever WLS we got. We still have much in common.

The people in my family who have crappy metabolisms and got the band eventually stalled on weight loss because they tightened it as much as they could and still had a lot to lose but it isn't coming off. They need to exercise. My FIL got gastric and decided he will never exercise and lost 160+ but is in poor health and weak. He had complications. My surgeon says that when sleeve or gastric goes wrong there isn't much you can do about it. At least with band you can adjust or remove.

It's very much all based on the individual.

Good luck to you! To you all!

I would recommend asking a qualified surgeon about the differences and the believed pros/cons of each. We can all voice our opinions on here, but in the end, you need to work with a surgeon to decide which surgery is best for you. Some surgeries are better for different conditions. One example is that If you have type 2 diabetes, gastric bypass is recommended because it is viewed as a "cure" for diabetes. Make sure to go over all medical issues you currently experience to find which surgery will be best for your situation.

I chose the band over sleeve because:

1. The simple fact that I am young and could not rationalize such a drastic approach as removing or rerouting my inners for better weight loss. If I was not successful with the band, then I was willing to look into more drastic options.

2. I was not worried about losing weight rapidly, so that did not factor into my decision.

3. I also was told that a woman who wants to have children is less prone to nutritional deficiencies from band vs other WLS because the saline can be removed from the band if needed during pregnancy.

4. It appears that some people who get the sleeve do experience dumping, which is a reaction to sugar. Dumping is most commonly associated with RNY.

5. Much shorter recovery time. I was able to return to work within one week and was told I would need to take three to four weeks off for other WLS. Also, there are a very few percentage of sleeve and RNY patients who experience complications (leaks, etc) from surgery and they go through hell to heal. Obviously, the flip side is that some banded patients suffer slips, erosions, detached/flipped ports, and tubing punctures.

6. The band can be slowly tightened, so that if you feel you are going backwards or there is a stall in weight loss, you have something that can be done to get you started again. This means more maintenance, which is a con to some and a reason to choose the sleeve. The sleeve and bypass or more one stop shop surgeries.

On an interesting side note, my surgeon wanted me to get the sleeve, but did not say anything negative about my choice. You need to find a surgeon who stands behind you and supports your surgery choice, whatever that may be.

I would recommend asking a qualified surgeon about the differences and the believed pros/cons of each.

Very good idea, this is what Dr. Alvarez from Endobariatric says about Lapband vs Sleeve. He is one of the most respected bariatric surgeons in North America he has and does perform both surgeries, but I will say, he is does have his preference.