Hi there, this is my very first post and I'm sorry if it is on the wrong forum!!!!! I've done a little research on VSG vs BAND and after alot of consideration I have opted for the sleeve. I am having the surgery on the NHS and had my referral done on Monday so I have quite a long wait before getting done. My jitters come because where I live, you have to attend 4 group sessions and everything was geared up to having a band, then on one of my one to one appointments the dietician told me that the sleeve is now available! I did my research and decided that the sleeve sounds best for me, but when my referral was done and dusted I emailed the dietician and she emailed back saying 'wow, our very first sleeve, you must keep us posted' !!! Now I'm feeling abit scared because I have no-one to go to for advice if I'm the first one. The treatment centre I'm having it done at have obviously done loads but I haven't had my first appointment with them yet and just feel a little nervous incase this surgery isn't as safe as I thought it was.........

Pip x

Hiya Pip,

I'm Angela and I'm still getting the hang of posting, they could be ending up anywhere at the minute LOL!

I'm in Yorkshire and also having my op done on the NHS, I've got a provisional date of Dec 7th at my local hospital.

I originally had the lapband in mind but, once I started my research, I saw all the things that can go wrong with it I dismissed it and would not consider it now under any circumstances.

My surgeon is an upper GI cancer specialist and has been performing gastrectomies on cancer patients for years now so I have every confidence in him.He actually performs VSG privately through the Spire Medical group, so I'm thankful to be able to receive funding for the op. The NHS team who have been helping me since my first appt last November have been brilliant. Every time I've gone to see them I've taken them loads of questions and they've answered all of them for me. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I found it easier to take notes as I thought of them between appts then print them off and to take with me so I didn't forget anything.

Do you have contact with an obesity nurse speciallist ? If you do I would give him / her a call and I'm sure you'll have your mind put at ease.

If you trawl your way through the posts on this site you will find a wealth of personal experiences and support from all the members who have been there and are now wearing the T shirt !! I have got so much help and reassurance through everyone on here, even though I only posted for the first time last week I have been lurking in the background since March.

Let me know how you get on, keep in touch

Best wishes Angela

Welcome and gratz on deciding on the sleeve. As far as your surgeon goes, he may not have done sleeves, but he is obviously an experienced surgeon. I email that nurse again and ask if your dr had done any bypass surgery or any duodenal switch surgery. If he has done bypass, he is an experienced bariatric surgeon. If he has done a DS, he knows how to make a sleeve.

If however you are really scared, see if you can change surgeons.

You can go to youtube and do a search for "vertical sleeve gastrectomy" and actually watch a short video of the procedure being done. It's a fairly simple procedure for an experienced surgeon.

Best of luck to you, keep us posted.

I agree that it can be un-nerving to hear that type of thing. My surgeon is extremely well-known and highly respected, and when I asked how many sleeves he has done, the answer came back at around 15. I have full confidence in him though, as he stated the sleeve is much easier to do than the over 2,000 bypasses he has done. He also does bands as well, so I know he is well-rounded. He is the creator of the Full-Bar (which he insists is not an answer for morbidly obese people) but rather a product for those who have less to loose, to help them curb their hunger.

I think most of my surgeon's materials, support, guides, etc. are set up for band or bypass, as the sleeve is "relatively" new as a stand-alone WLS. The are working on having more inclusion of the sleeve as it is becoming much more popular.

In the end, you have to do your research and do what is best for you. Always listen to that inner voice!

Thanks for that, it's good that this forum is available! I went for my final appt in Swindon on Monday and the referring Dr told me to go on the forums to get proper honest feedback from people, I'm so glad I listened to him. The research I've done has definately led me towards the sleeve and I really do think I've made the right decision but I don't know who my surgeon will be at this point as I haven't had my first appt in Bristol yet. They do all types of surgery there so I'm certain the surgeon will be experienced in doing the sleeve it just threw me when my dietician (who is lovely) said I was their first!!! It's because up until now, in Swindon they have only offered the band. Don't get me wrong, if I couldn't have the sleeve I'd still try the band but the sleeve really sounds like me.

Thanks for the replies, this seems to be a very supportive forum and I'm planning on being a regular!!!

Pip x