totally confused

[katie35 0]

HI all so this is my first post ...I have no clue what i'm doing anymore ...I thought i knew what i was doing ...I was going for the lapband...i even have a surgery date in july .... then i start reading about what some of all yall have gone through with the band and how u've changed to the sleeve ...I don't know what to do ...I read about the sleeve and it's like i don't really mind having that part of my stomach taken out .... it's jus the fact of the staples and leaks that freak me out ... anyway i don't look forward to going through what ppl with the band do either ....although i know 2 of my cousins that have the band and they have like no problems have dropped at least 100 pds they are at goal and i just thought that's how it would be for me . so now i'm confused if you don't mind i want to ask a few questions like. I just thought that I would be able to eat normal food in smaller quantities and not eat junk really but like rice and baked potatoes or some Pasta wouldn't be on the No list... although i understand in moderation.

1) How do u know which surgery is best for u ? I mean how do i choose?

2) What types of food do u stay away from with the sleeve? i mean can't tolerate and if u don't what happends?

3) so is there always a chance of leaks I mean after surgery like a a few months post op or after?

4) I read a post on here where someone wrote that if she drank Water then she woudln't be able to eat or soemthing ? is it that small of an amount that u could get down?

5) is it the same as the band where you can't eat and drink at the same time?

6) can someone that has had the sleeve for more than 3 months let me know what a daily amount of food is i mean what u would have for all ur meals ?

sorry , but i really hope i get answeres i don't know what to do anymore..

thanks so much ahead of time

confusedmommy

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

HI all so this is my first post ...I have no clue what i'm doing anymore ...I thought i knew what i was doing ...I was going for the lapband...i even have a surgery date in july .... then i start reading about what some of all yall have gone through with the band and how u've changed to the sleeve ...I don't know what to do ...I read about the sleeve and it's like i don't really mind having that part of my stomach taken out .... it's jus the fact of the staples and leaks that freak me out ... anyway i don't look forward to going through what ppl with the band do either ....although i know 2 of my cousins that have the band and they have like no problems have dropped at least 100 pds they are at goal and i just thought that's how it would be for me . so now i'm confused if you don't mind i want to ask a few questions like. I just thought that I would be able to eat normal food in smaller quantities and not eat junk really but like rice and baked potatoes or some Pasta wouldn't be on the No list... although i understand in moderation.

1) How do u know which surgery is best for u ? I mean how do i choose?

2) What types of food do u stay away from with the sleeve? i mean can't tolerate and if u don't what happends?

3) so is there always a chance of leaks I mean after surgery like a a few months post op or after?

4) I read a post on here where someone wrote that if she drank Water then she woudln't be able to eat or soemthing ? is it that small of an amount that u could get down?

5) is it the same as the band where you can't eat and drink at the same time?

6) can someone that has had the sleeve for more than 3 months let me know what a daily amount of food is i mean what u would have for all ur meals ?

sorry , but i really hope i get answeres i don't know what to do anymore..

thanks so much ahead of time

confusedmommy

I have had the band and sleeve and I'd never get another band. Everyone likes their band at first, the scale is moving and life is good. The real problems hit at about the 2 year point. That's when people get to the point that the reflux is horrible, restriction is an issue, band intolerance kicks in, the works.

Consider this, I have been posting on message boards for 3 years now and I have never met anyone that was banded for 10 years or longer. We hear about them, we see studies about them but in three years I have never met one. The longest I have met anyone that had a band was 9 years and she was contacting me for information on a revision to a sleeve. She couldn't take it anymore.

First they had the mesh band, that didn't work. Then they had the non adjustable band, that didn't work. Then they had the small adjustable band, they said all the problems were because it was too small. So now they have the mega adjustable band and not only do they have the same long term problems with that but it's so big many are not getting any real restriction for 6-8 months.

Weight loss is slow and low with a band, it is the hardest procedure to lose weight. It requires a lifetime of after care.

I would suggest finding just 5 people that have been banded for 10 years and talk to them yourself. Not a friend of a friend who knows someone, but YOU talk to them. See how they like their bands now. Inamed has been selling bands to Mexico for 18 years and Mexico has been banding US citizens for 18 years. There should be plenty of them around, right? So where are they? I've never met one. But if you can find 5 people banded 10 years, go for it. I don't think you'll find them.

1) How do you choose the surgery, you read everything you can get your hands on. You ask people that have had their surgery for at least a year how they like it. Everyone likes their surgery the first six months. Talk to those who have had it for a year or longer. Ask if they have any regrets. Know every surgery type out there and know why you want one specific surgery and why you do not want the other surgery types.

2) I can eat anything with my sleeve. Haven't found anything yet that I do not tolerate in the way of food. Calcium tablets... I hate. Food, no problem.

3) Leaks are a risk for the first month for the most part. Until your stomach heals. It is critical that you follow the post op diet.

4) Jut like the band, you don't want to eat and drink at the same time. Your stomach only holds so much food, don't waste that room with Water. I drink up to the point that I will eat and then I wait an hour or so after eating to drink. Eating and drinking together is a learned behavior, we can unlearn it as well. ;o)

5) See #4

6) You really want to ask people 6 months out what they can eat, that is when their stomach is the largest. I can eat less than 1/2 cup of food at a time depending on what it is. About 1/4 cup of solid Protein or up to 3/4 cup of soft foods and I am one year post op.

[Lisa B 0]

HI all so this is my first post ...I have no clue what i'm doing anymore ...I thought i knew what i was doing ...I was going for the lapband...i even have a surgery date in july .... then i start reading about what some of all yall have gone through with the band and how u've changed to the sleeve ...I don't know what to do ...I read about the sleeve and it's like i don't really mind having that part of my stomach taken out .... it's jus the fact of the staples and leaks that freak me out ... anyway i don't look forward to going through what ppl with the band do either ....although i know 2 of my cousins that have the band and they have like no problems have dropped at least 100 pds they are at goal and i just thought that's how it would be for me . so now i'm confused if you don't mind i want to ask a few questions like. I just thought that I would be able to eat normal food in smaller quantities and not eat junk really but like rice and baked potatoes or some Pasta wouldn't be on the No list... although i understand in moderation.

1) How do u know which surgery is best for u ? I mean how do i choose?

Research your options. Do the homework and go with your gut instinct. Not everyone has problems. But others do. It's all different circumstances - Everyone's sugery is different. Too bad we can't go racing through time to see what our procedure would be like and how successful we would be. For me, I chose the band- I read about the problems but I was very optimistic about it and I knew that I would be successful. Fast forward 4 years- I'm down 50 pounds and had a 100 to lose. I consider my band journey just that. I did not fail the band- the band failed me. So I'm choosing a different route to continue with my success. :redface1:

2) What types of food do u stay away from with the sleeve? i mean can't tolerate and if u don't what happends?

I'm not sure- I still have my band. but I can say from being a banded patient that everyone reacts differently from certain foods- Trial and error so to speak. You will get to know your body and what you can eat. Of course you should always make good healthy choices.:laugh:

3) so is there always a chance of leaks I mean after surgery like a a few months post op or after?

From what I've read.... There can be chances of a leak. But- Do your homework on the doctor that you choose and is the surgery done in a clinic or a hospital? Best to verify if they do Leak checks before leaving the OR- :thumbup1:

4) I read a post on here where someone wrote that if she drank Water then she woudln't be able to eat or soemthing ? is it that small of an amount that u could get down?

Remember your sleeve is small and narrow - and when newly sleeved you will be limited on the amounts that you can take in. You should not drink during your meals either- Like I said, Read up and make yourself aware of everything. The more you know the better off you are :thumbup:

5) is it the same as the band where you can't eat and drink at the same time? I believe it is!

6) can someone that has had the sleeve for more than 3 months let me know what a daily amount of food is i mean what u would have for all ur meals ?

sorry , but i really hope i get answeres i don't know what to do anymore..

thanks so much ahead of time

confusedmommy

Good Luck on your Journey and the decision of having the band or the Sleeve. I can tell you that the new Realize band is supposed to be much better than the Lap band. It's wider and holds more liquid and you can find the "sweet" Spot much easier than the old one.

[Jachut 487]

I chose a band because that's all they really do here. Sleeves are *starting* to be done, but many bariatric centres dont do them.

For what its worth, my band has been entirely problem free, I've lost 100lb, I've never ever had to be unfilled due to issues, I've not had so much as a whisker of heartburn and I was out walking 3kms the day after surgery. I love my band and when it works, it works well. The adjustability of it has also been an advantage to me, I like mine loose as I am tall, active and dont really ahve a slow metabolism. I suspect with a sleeve, I would have an awful lot of trouble avoiding getting TOO thin (is there such a thing, lol) becuase I need about 2000 calories a day to maintain my weight. Which means I must have eaten an helluva lot before.

However, it IS a problematic procedure and can cause an awful lot of everyday annoyances and discomforts - or worse and those problems are conveniently ignored as if slips and erosions are all that ever go wrong.

I suspect, adjustability aside, if both options were equally available here and something happens to my band in the future - which seems a lLOT more likely than the 1 to 2% figure you find everywhere, I would consider going for a sleeve. I have to be completely honest, with all the issues that have become apparent over the past couple of years, although the official message is all positive, I do feel like I have a ticking time bomb in me. I never ever have issues but every single day I am aware that I might. I would love to have a sleeve that I never thought about in that way again.

However, all weight loss surgeries will cause you discomforts and even health issues if you dont work WITH them. I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure that with a sleeve, just like a band, if you dont follow the post op diet, if you persist in trying to eat large volumes etc then you're in for trouble.

Edited June 25, 2009 by Jachut

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I am not going to repeat what everyone else has said but I can tell you that the most common foods people can't eat with a band are chicken breast, bread, and there's a lot of different fruits and vegetables that are hard to eat with the band.

With the sleeve you can eat anything, just in small quantities

Edited June 25, 2009 by Oregondaisy

[katie35 0]

thanks all for answering back .... i guess really i think i am going to try and find a surgeon that will do the sleeve here in florida... i think i'm just going to cancel my band surgery... my surgeon only does lap band so i guess i need to start all over again ... I really appreciate everyones replies...they really were helpful. The only surgeon that i have come across that does the sleeve here has only done 20 and that makes me uncomfortable... so i guess i need to research... for those of you who have had it done in Mexico what happends after the initial surgery? do u have to go back for rechecks or how does that work? anyone know or heard of any surgeons in central florida? or any ideas of how to find good ones? all info will be greatly appreciated:) thanks all and good luck to everyone:)

[Malaika 50]

thanks all for answering back .... i guess really i think i am going to try and find a surgeon that will do the sleeve here in florida... i think i'm just going to cancel my band surgery... my surgeon only does lap band so i guess i need to start all over again ... I really appreciate everyones replies...they really were helpful. The only surgeon that i have come across that does the sleeve here has only done 20 and that makes me uncomfortable... so i guess i need to research... for those of you who have had it done in Mexico what happends after the initial surgery? do u have to go back for rechecks or how does that work? anyone know or heard of any surgeons in central florida? or any ideas of how to find good ones? all info will be greatly appreciated:) thanks all and good luck to everyone:)

You need to have a GI and bloodwork done in 3 months -- you can go back to Dr. Aceves, or you can have your PCP take care of it. I may go back; however my PCP has agreed to any follow-up that might be needed.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

thanks all for answering back .... i guess really i think i am going to try and find a surgeon that will do the sleeve here in florida... i think i'm just going to cancel my band surgery... my surgeon only does lap band so i guess i need to start all over again ... I really appreciate everyones replies...they really were helpful. The only surgeon that i have come across that does the sleeve here has only done 20 and that makes me uncomfortable... so i guess i need to research... for those of you who have had it done in Mexico what happends after the initial surgery? do u have to go back for rechecks or how does that work? anyone know or heard of any surgeons in central florida? or any ideas of how to find good ones? all info will be greatly appreciated:) thanks all and good luck to everyone:)

Doctors in Mexico have been doing the sleeve and band longer than most US doctors. They have the experience you are looking for.

Please, read my sig link. There is a lot of information there for research purposes.

Have you checked to see if your insurance covers the sleeve? If it does obviously you'll want to stay in the US. But if you are self pay Mexico is a great option!