Hello all,

So my consultation is this Monday (09/21/09) and I am debating between the Lapband and Sleeve:crying:. I've done tons of reaserch on the Band but not so much on the sleeve. I know the band is a much safer surgery. The sleeve coming in second. But what are the statistics? Death rate? complications? I am so frightened of surgery on its own. I have had 2 c-sections and came out really well and was on my feet and doing everything I normally do within 1 week. Is it the same with this type of surgery?:biggrin0: I think its mainly the anasthesia that really freaks me out. How long where most of you out of work. I am a single mom who needs to go back to work pretty quickly. I do administrative work, so its mostly sedentary. I would like to hear your thoughts and experiences. I am so scared. I need to be OK for my kiddos. I MUST be ok for my kiddos. They are the reason I am doing this. They need a healthy mom for a VERY long time. I don't want to become diabetic .. as of now I am healthy, but am pre-diabetic now. Any and all suggestions and help would be much appreciated. I am doing this through Kaiser Harbor City in Los Angeles. :redface1:

Go into lap band talk and read all the complications. In the long run, the sleeve is a much safer long term option. I don't know anyone who has had their band long term. Everyone loves it in the beginning, until all the complications start showing up. This might not happen for a couple of years, but you'll end up getting your band removed down the road.

I was sleeved on a Wed and went back to work that next monday. I was not even off work a week.

Feel free to ask me anything. I can tell you one thing, living with the sleeve is 1000 times better than living with the band.

I had a band for 8 months. Had to revise to the sleeve due to complications. Mainly a flipped port, and the band was actually tugging on my stomach. The band is NOT reversible. Once all the swelling goes down, you will quit losing until you get a good fill (which could take months), lots of appointments, slow weight loss, and frustrations with some days food not going down, some days being able to eat too much. You still feel hungry especially if you don't have restriction. Then, there's always the lovely too tight fills, and have to have some taken out.

The sleeve has been amazing for me. I've enjoyed the immediate restrictions. I did complications including a leak due to the damage the band did to my stomach. I only had my band for 8 months. I lost 25-27 pounds the first 3 months, lost restriction (because my stomach healed and couldn't get restriction), gained back about 15-16 pounds over the next 5 months. Was in miserable pain (6-8 pain scale wise) daily, and couldn't even bend over my washing machine, couldn't lift anything over 5lbs, my quality of life was miserable.

The sleeve and band are like night and day. I love that I do not have to worry about fills. My labwork has been perfect every month. I am able to eat whatever I want and do not have to worry about things getting stuck, or vomiting because something isn't settling "right" with me that day.

Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate any and all info on this surgery. I am on Lapbandtalk.com. I have been a member for over a year. My main goal was to get the band. But now that I am getting closer to my consultation I am really re-thinking the idea of having the band and thinking more and more about the Sleeve. I am so scared though. They are actually cutting into me. I' m SOOOOOOOO scared and it feels so good to read all of your stories. The make me feel better and make me feel like I can actually do this. MORE STORIES PLEASE .. LOL ... and again ... THANK YOU for all of the detailed information. :thumbup:

Have you read all of the band to sleeve revision posts? We would not all have gone through a second surgery if we were happy with the band.

There are also some stories of why people had their bands taken out in the tell your story section.

They are not really cutting in to you - like a C-section - you will have 5 small incisions - it is done laprascopically. It really isn't painful at all -- I had surgery on Friday and was back to work by the following Friday - I could have gone back on Wed/Thur if not for some intestinal issues. I never had the band; however, after reading all the psots here from those who have had revisions, I thank God that I learned about the sleeve before deciding to go through with the band. With the sleeve, you don't have any foreign objects in your body and the follow-up is minimal.

Thank you all for all of the information. I tend to be a hypochondriac (SP?) so I am scared. I know that after the inital consultation it will go pretty fast from here on end. That is what I was told. Thinking maybe the surgery will be scheduled for October. Might be later if the H. Pylori hasnt cleared from my system. They found it on routine labs before my consultation ... arrgghhhhh! :cursing:

I just want to get it over with and be on my way to healing and becoming the NEW me. I am so tired of being Fat and on yo-yo diets.

Thanks again everyone ... you have helped immensley (SP?):party4:

I debated between a band & VSG. After reading the many reports of complications & second surgeries with the band, I decided VSG was a better option for me. I was self pay b/c I didn't qualify through my insurance company & I knew I couldn't afford the fills, unfills, or another surgery if needed.

I've had 4 c-sections & recovered quickly from all of them. I have a very high tolerance for pain. The recovery from VSG was nothing like the c-sections. I was able to move around much eaiser. The worst pains I had were from gas. I was sore & tired, but that was about it.

UPDATE:

So I went to my consultation yesterday (09-21-09) and I got a date. The surgery date is 10/09/09. I'm so excited. I am definitly getting the VSG. He wanted to schedule me as soon as 10/02/09, but I am having a Halloween bday party for my lil girls on 10/03/09. I cant believe its happening so quickly. I am still in shock. My surgeon eased and calmed my fears. Dr. Zane @ the Kaiser in Harbor City rocks. I asked if anyone had ever died on him during this procedure .. he said no and kind of laughed at me... LOL .. he said almost all of his pts who have sedentary positions go back to work within 1-2 weeks. I asked about leaks. He said that as long as I do exactly what he tells me that I should be 100% :thumbup:in no time. He said that the one pt who ended with a leak was a pt that upon discharge, went to KFC to eat .. I was like WTH??? Needless to say she busted a staple and had a leak. Well guys/gals this is my update. I am so excited. Not so scared anymore. Cant wait for the 9th:thumbup:. More stories on your hospital stay and feeling while getting the band are appreciated:biggrin0:

Toodles :lol0:

That is such great news! ! !

You've made the right decision. Believe me, living with the band was a night mare you don't want.

UPDATE:

So I went to my consultation yesterday (09-21-09) and I got a date. The surgery date is 10/09/09. I'm so excited. I am definitly getting the VSG. He wanted to schedule me as soon as 10/02/09, but I am having a Halloween bday party for my lil girls on 10/03/09. I cant believe its happening so quickly. I am still in shock. My surgeon eased and calmed my fears. Dr. Zane @ the Kaiser in Harbor City rocks. I asked if anyone had ever died on him during this procedure .. he said no and kind of laughed at me... LOL .. he said almost all of his pts who have sedentary positions go back to work within 1-2 weeks. I asked about leaks. He said that as long as I do exactly what he tells me that I should be 100% :thumbup:in no time. He said that the one pt who ended with a leak was a pt that upon discharge, went to KFC to eat .. I was like WTH???:svengo: Needless to say she busted a staple and had a leak. Well guys/gals this is my update. I am so excited. Not so scared anymore. Cant wait for the 9th:thumbup:. More stories on your hospital stay and feeling while getting the band are appreciated:biggrin0:

Toodles :scared0:

I wonder if Kaiser where you are is the same down here. Kikiphiasmom how long did you have to wait to get to this point? What did you have to do? I am down in san diego and my doctor said I could have a Baratric Evaluation. I called and made the appointment yesterday and the guy told me they would be sending me a questionare to bring with me. They have these meetings every monday and im going on this monday.

Im really worried that Im gonna get turned down, or that they dont offer the sleeve.

I wonder if Kaiser where you are is the same down here. Kikiphiasmom how long did you have to wait to get to this point? What did you have to do? I am down in san diego and my doctor said I could have a Baratric Evaluation. I called and made the appointment yesterday and the guy told me they would be sending me a questionare to bring with me. They have these meetings every monday and im going on this monday.

Im really worried that Im gonna get turned down, or that they dont offer the sleeve.

Hello Chargers56,

Ok so this is how it all began. This time last year I had made up my mind that I needed the lapband. I made an appointment with my PCP to get a referral. When I started this (Sept 2008) you had to have a BMI of 50 or lower with 2 co-morbidities (diabetes/high blood pressure/sleep apnea ..ext) I only qualified because while I was pregnant with my 2 daughters I became diabetic and have a very LARGE possibility of becoming diabetic. My BMI at the time was somewhere in the 40's. My PCP sent a referral to the OPTIONS bariatric program. In October 2008 I got a call to go to the orientation in November 2008 (they sent me that packet too). At that point when you go to orientation make sure your packet is complete. Then you wait for the classes to start. I had to wait until January 2009. These classes are 6 month classes you go once a week. I think they have changed them so now instead of going to 24 classes you only go to 20. You HAVE to take these classes. There is no way around it. They are VERY beneficial. Anyway ... after you are done with the classes ( I was done June 2009 ) they ask you what surgery you want. They offer RNY/SLEEVE/LAPBAND. They HATE doing the band. Kaiser surgeons will talk you out of getting one. They are taking more out then putting them in. When I finished my classes I was told there would be a 6 month wait to get the band ... again ... here I was having to wait.. BUT to my surprise ... I get a call in August from Kaiser Harbor City that they had openings to get consults. My consult date was Sept 21, 2009. I went and spoke with my surgeon Dr. Zane and he talked about all of the WLS and by this time I had already changed my mind and decided on the sleeve. He was happy with my decision as he thought that this was the best surgery for me. Right then and there he gave me a surgery date October 2 ... I couldnt do it that date so he changed it to October 9, 2009. So there you go. This has been my ordeal ... but I wouldnt change a thing .. if I would have gotten the surgery sooner I would have been stuck with the band, and after hearing all of these stories ... im glad I had to wait. Hope this helps you out. Any more questions on Kaiser ... ask away ... oh and btw .. Kaiser Harbor City is getting the pts from Kaiser San Diego ... :svengo:

Hello Chargers56,

Ok so this is how it all began. This time last year I had made up my mind that I needed the lapband. I made an appointment with my PCP to get a referral. When I started this (Sept 2008) you had to have a BMI of 50 or lower with 2 co-morbidities (diabetes/high blood pressure/sleep apnea ..ext) I only qualified because while I was pregnant with my 2 daughters I became diabetic and have a very LARGE possibility of becoming diabetic. My BMI at the time was somewhere in the 40's. My PCP sent a referral to the OPTIONS bariatric program. In October 2008 I got a call to go to the orientation in November 2008 (they sent me that packet too). At that point when you go to orientation make sure your packet is complete. Then you wait for the classes to start. I had to wait until January 2009. These classes are 6 month classes you go once a week. I think they have changed them so now instead of going to 24 classes you only go to 20. You HAVE to take these classes. There is no way around it. They are VERY beneficial. Anyway ... after you are done with the classes ( I was done June 2009 ) they ask you what surgery you want. They offer RNY/SLEEVE/LAPBAND. They HATE doing the band. Kaiser surgeons will talk you out of getting one. They are taking more out then putting them in. When I finished my classes I was told there would be a 6 month wait to get the band ... again ... here I was having to wait.. BUT to my surprise ... I get a call in August from Kaiser Harbor City that they had openings to get consults. My consult date was Sept 21, 2009. I went and spoke with my surgeon Dr. Zane and he talked about all of the WLS and by this time I had already changed my mind and decided on the sleeve. He was happy with my decision as he thought that this was the best surgery for me. Right then and there he gave me a surgery date October 2 ... I couldnt do it that date so he changed it to October 9, 2009. So there you go. This has been my ordeal ... but I wouldnt change a thing .. if I would have gotten the surgery sooner I would have been stuck with the band, and after hearing all of these stories ... im glad I had to wait. Hope this helps you out. Any more questions on Kaiser ... ask away ... oh and btw .. Kaiser Harbor City is getting the pts from Kaiser San Diego ... :svengo:

This is encouraging, you have actually heard of San Diego patients being send north to harbor city? My BMI is 38, i have hypertension, high cholesterol, depression from being overweight, its all i think about all the time.

I am hoping after my consult they will accept me. At what point did you find out you could get this done? Do they run you through the classes then tell you after? Do you get to meet with a surgeon any time before then? Im afraid to go 6 months then be told no. Goodness this is very confusing.

I'm in the 6 mos of classes right now, and as long as you lose your required 10% weight during the 6 mos, you'll pretty much be able to get the surgery...although the final determination is from the surgeon. You won't even get referred to the surgeon until almost to the end. You'll see another bariatric doctor where you take the classes, and he will be the one referring you to the surgeon.

It's a very long process, but I'm glad, because I've gone back and forth many times between the Lapband and Sleeve, and at this point since I've been able to lose 28 lbs on my own, I may not even get the surgery after all, I'm still on the fence about it.

Go to the orientation and just be patient, you'll be on your way in no time. Good luck!

since I've been able to lose 28 lbs on my own, I may not even get the surgery after all

Which is exactly why they make you do it. Of course, statistics say you'll just gain it back again. When I was going through this, I asked myself "what about this time makes it different from all the other times I lost weight and gained it back?" and my honest answer was: nothing.

The way I look at it is: I didn't get WLS to lose weight. I've always been able to lose weight just fine. I got it because I wanted to keep it off. I've never been able to do that before. And now, with my sleeve, I've got a prayer of maintaining because I'm not hungry all the time. That never happened to me when I lost weight via diet & exercise alone.

Btw, in CA, you don't *have* to do 6 months of classes or lose 10% of your weight. You can appeal to the DMHC and have those requirements waived. That's because there is no clinical data supporting these practices and showing they lead to better outcomes.