I see many of you have switched from the lap band to the sleeve. I was on the road to lap band for quite awhile and am almost done my my testing stage and ready to go. I switched surgeons just recently because my primary asked me to, due to his concerns about the surgeon. In doing so I saw an article about the sleeve and went to ANOTHER (my 4th) about the sleeve and this seems like such a better option. My surgeries are fully covered by Medicare so it is my choice. I have been on the band forum for months but just joined this today. What are your stories and why the switch. My primary does not like the foreign body thing about lap band and I don't like having to travel an hour to the city hospital for fills. I am joing a post op support group locally which seems to be the best idea for me.

So why the change from band to sleeve?:confused1:

As someone who had the band in me for 3-1/2 years I'm telling you DO NOT DO IT!!!! It was the worst decision I think I've ever made to get one. Yes, I lost weight. And no, I didn't have a slippage or erosion. But I had a very hard time eating, and there are so many healthy things you can't eat (salads, oranges, and many more fruits and veggies). I got to where I was eating a lot of empty calories of "soft" foods that would go down, gained a little weight back, and was very unhappy.

If you get the band it is NOT permanent. I feel most people will eventually have problems. My surgeon, who put in my band, actually told me most people start having problems with them 3-5 years out. I started having vague pains in my abdomen. I did have gall stones, but there was something else going on. On Jan. 8 of this year I had the band removed and was sleeved. During surgery they found a huge hiatal hernia in the area above my band. Then I got a very large hematoma in the area where my port had been (complications with that ensued, but that's another story!). I am SO glad to have that band out of my body. The port was huge and would get 'stuck' under my ribs, eating was a nightmare, and trying to find what they call the 'sweet spot' with fills never really happened.

I know. I am so glad I researched the sleeve because I love salad and oranges and asparagus and lots of other things that are no no. I am definately going for the sleeve.

Had the band for 8 months, it was nothing short of h*ll. I revised because my port flipped, and then caused the tubing to tug on my stomach. I was in chronic pain on a daily basis. That doesn't include all of the puking, food getting stuck, and slow weight loss. It's just bad news, and I don't miss my band at all.

I'm elated with my life with the sleeve.

thank you thank you thank you. I know I will be happy with my decision.