Is this really better than band?

[Jachut 487]

Well, I think you have to do what is right for you and not what is right for your mother.

And I agree, theren are a lot of things that can go wrong with a band.

But there are ALSO people non here, not a lot, but some, who have had way more trouble with sleeves (reflux, not being able to tell when full, vomiting and foaming etc) than I have ever had with a band. It is possible to have a well functioning pain free trouble free band - well at least I'm talking five years down the track.

And the best bit about a band? Now I'm maintaining, have maintained for 2 and a half years, i dont need my band tight anymore. Its only filled a little, I can eat 2000 calories a day and I can eat in public, with others, normal, satisfying and well varied meals. I feel almost like I dont have a band at all anymore, except that it does still put paid to OVER eating, just not to normal eating.

I've actually probably vomited maybe 10 times in 5 years with the band and always due to eating too fast or a bit too much (those last few bites). This appears to be equally a problem with the sleeve.

But overall, this is a sleeve forum, and people are happy with their choice, so I wont go on too much. I think if you're going to consider any WLS, then you're going to have to decide to live with the effects of whatever you choose. Nothing is perfect.

[Stacy160 201]

I have this HUGE fear I will be the ONE person that this surgery doesn't work for. I fear I will lose 30lbs and that will be it and I will struggle to keep it off like so many times before.

Believe me, EVERYBODY has this fear, and I mean everybody. We've all failed and failed again at the weight-loss thing... that's why we ended up here, right? So I know, it is impossible to imagine or really let yourself believe that it'll work. I'm halfway to goal and I STILL occasionally have those feelings, especially during a slow week or two.... and then the next week, four or six more pounds might be gone, I'm down another size, things that I couldn't even think about wearing three months ago are now too big LOL... trust me, you'll see for yourself, this works and you feel so "normal" with it, it's awesome!!

[sam30204 0]

Believe me, EVERYBODY has this fear, and I mean everybody. We've all failed and failed again at the weight-loss thing... that's why we ended up here, right? So I know, it is impossible to imagine or really let yourself believe that it'll work. I'm halfway to goal and I STILL occasionally have those feelings, especially during a slow week or two.... and then the next week, four or six more pounds might be gone, I'm down another size, things that I couldn't even think about wearing three months ago are now too big LOL... trust me, you'll see for yourself, this works and you feel so "normal" with it, it's awesome!!

Yay! Thanks for that post, that always makes me feel better to hear someone else has felt this way. Congrats on your success

[lmmore 0]

Yes, this really is better than the band.

[ouroborous 519]

Thank again guys!

I guess her "points" were getting inside my head making me rethink myself.

I have this HUGE fear I will be the ONE person that this surgery doesn't work for. I fear I will lose 30lbs and that will be it and I will struggle to keep it off like so many times before. Thanks for everyone's help

The irony is that I think that every single person who's had the sleeve worries that they will be the ONE person that it doesn't work for. I know that I was having that fear this morning (11 days post-op) until I realized that I've been losing about 1 lb a day without feeling hungry or even working too hard at it! I feel like all I've been doing is snacking and grazing, and I'm still losing 1 lb a day.

Yes, it's irreversible. Yes, it's scary. But it's SO worth it.

I never had the band, but from what I read on here (and have heard first hand from folks at my weight loss surgery place, which does both band and sleeve), I wouldn't get a band if you paid me.

[ouroborous 519]

But there are ALSO people non here, not a lot, but some, who have had way more trouble with sleeves (reflux, not being able to tell when full, vomiting and foaming etc) than I have ever had with a band. It is possible to have a well functioning pain free trouble free band - well at least I'm talking five years down the track.

Yes, absolutely.

This is a sleeve forum, so you're likely to hear mostly pro-sleeve comments. HOWEVER, almost all of the band/sleeve comments I've heard here have been incredible relief at getting the band out and sleeve in. I've heard this at my weight loss surgery place, too. Again, not scientific results, but after a while it starts to stack up.

Also, some people do have SERIOUS complications with the sleeve. It's NOT a minor surgery (although for most people, it's smooth sailing). For those folks, the sleeve can be a nightmare -- although to be fair, that's more about surgical technique and just plain bad luck than anything else.

What really struck me about the sleeve vs. band when looking at the medical research is that for the sleeve, almost all of the complications are in the first month or so. Mostly post-op stuff.

For the band, the complications are life long. Meaning you can be going along fine and then BAM -- port flip, or adhesion, or something. With the sleeve, if you get over than initial hump of risk, you're likely smooth sailing.

So yeah, if you look hard enough, you will find happy banders and unhappy sleevers. But I chose the irreversible sleeve over the reversible band because the vast majority of patients do better with the sleeve, have better long-term results, and have fewer long-term complications. That's what sold me.

I'm not trying to bash the band, and I'm glad if it helps some people. As Jachut pointed out, the band works very well for some. However, reading everything I've read, and talking to the folks at my surgical center (which does both procedures, so has no financial incentive to bash one), the sleeve was the hands-down winner.

[lmmore 0]

Also, with the sleeve you absorb all your minerals and nutruients, which isn't so with the band and RNY. You have less chance of anything getting stuck in your stomach. The part of the stomach that has been removed, is where the Ghrelin hormone is produced, so without it, you have no or little hunger. And most importantly, you have an intact pyloric valve that works the same as it did before surgery.