After just a short time at this site I'm rethinking my decision to be banded. I'm very glad I did not mail my nonrefundable $500 deposit!

I've been to quite a few seminars and none of them do the sleeve. Based on the information I was hearing, I'd decided on the band. But now that I've read the details here, this sounds exactly like what I want.

Basically, I just want a fighting chance. I know that without my stomach being made smaller in some way, I can lose the weight but will always gain it back. The gastric bypass is just too harsh in terms of robbing your body of nutrients. (my opinion) The band has a lot of maintenance and I really worry that I'll lose my insurance and not be able to afford it.

So now I'm learning about this sleeve and it sounds like what I've been looking for all along. I kept wondering why they couldn't just reduce the size of the stomach and allow for the same digestive process. Well boy howdy am I excited. I've found a semi-local place and will be going to yet another seminar next week. I hate that I've lost a couple of months time but it may be a lucky two months to have lost.

My only concern sitting here on a Sunday is reading that this is not considered mainstream yet. So I'll find out tomorrow if my insurance will cover this particular surgery. Fingers crossed! :lol0:

Thanks in advance to those who kindly answer my questions and best wishes to all in this battle!

After just a short time at this site I'm rethinking my decision to be banded. I'm very glad I did not mail my nonrefundable $500 deposit!

I've been to quite a few seminars and none of them do the sleeve. Based on the information I was hearing, I'd decided on the band. But now that I've read the details here, this sounds exactly like what I want.

Basically, I just want a fighting chance. I know that without my stomach being made smaller in some way, I can lose the weight but will always gain it back. The gastric bypass is just too harsh in terms of robbing your body of nutrients. (my opinion) The band has a lot of maintenance and I really worry that I'll lose my insurance and not be able to afford it.

So now I'm learning about this sleeve and it sounds like what I've been looking for all along. I kept wondering why they couldn't just reduce the size of the stomach and allow for the same digestive process. Well boy howdy am I excited. I've found a semi-local place and will be going to yet another seminar next week. I hate that I've lost a couple of months time but it may be a lucky two months to have lost.

My only concern sitting here on a Sunday is reading that this is not considered mainstream yet. So I'll find out tomorrow if my insurance will cover this particular surgery. Fingers crossed! :lol0:

Thanks in advance to those who kindly answer my questions and best wishes to all in this battle!

Welcome to the forum!

I have had a band and a sleeve and you couldn't pay me to have another band. It's a great way to lose half your excess weight short term. It's hard being banded. You know, WLS is hard anyway but the band just makes it 100x harder. The puking, sliming, foaming, getting stuck, not being able to eat fibrous veggies, etc. Banding just makes something that is already hard, harder.

I think you'll find quite a few band to sleeve folks here. Don't rush into anything, get the right surgery type for you to begin with.

I agree with you about malabsorption. I view it like I do chemo, it's a necessary evil for some. Nobody wants it, many need it. (

Enjoy the forum!

Good luck tomorrow with the insurance company. As the success of the VSG procedure becomes more "known", insurance companies will have to step up to the plate and cover it more.

Like WASa, I had the band (3 years of misery) and wish I would have know about the sleeve back then. I definitely got my life back when the band left my body and I revised to a sleeve. Keep us posted on what you decide.

another band to sleeve revision person here. I am so glad to be rid of that band. I wish I had known about the sleeve from the beginning, but I am so glad I finally did find out about it .I love the sleeve and I love never being hungry.

Hi wishinghoping,

Just wanted to say that I am banded right now and going to the Sleeve. My surgery is not set yet, but should be on the books next week for a month or so out. My band has been with me for 4 years and most of these four years have been misery for me. I've been sick most of these four years- meaning that I choke a lot at night when sleeping and I'm constantly going in for fills and un fills at 200.00 a pop- I'm a self pay as my insurance has excluded any obesity type issues - The band is VERY high maintenance. I do want to say that a lot of people I know with the band has had GREAT success - I on the other hand falls in that small percentage of Failed banders- I did not fail the band... the band failed me.l This has been detrimental to me because I paid $15,000.00 to place my band and thousands of dollars over the last four years to cover the office visits , fills and unfills, and the xrays etc- The new Realize band seems to be better than the inamed lap band- this band is a 4cc band and the Realize band is a 10cc band.

At any rate, good luck with your decision. It can be difficult to decide, but if Insurance will pay for one and not the other... then you will have your answer. Just wanted to stop in and say hello and welcome!

I really think it's just a matter of time before anyone who has the band starts having problems. They may not be having problems at this time, but it is my feeling that they will eventually.

I have a friend who has had the band for 7 years. She sleeps sitting up with a bowl next to her bed every night in case she throws up in her sleep. She seems to think this is just fine. She will do anything to keep her band.

I had that same problem, and I knew I could not live like that any longer. I didn't have any problems in the day time, but I was really worried about what this was doing to my stomach,inside where I could not see.