Band or sleeve...how do you decide?

[apw0 7]

Hi everyone......

My name is Annette, and I am new to this site. I am pre-op, but I hope to have a surgery date soon. I had my EGD yesterday, and I received a call today from my doc's office, telling me that they were ready to submit to my insurance company. All they needed was to know which surgery I wanted to have.

Of course, therein lies my problem. I know that I definitely don't want the RNY, but I'm torn between the Lapband and the sleeve. My BMI is 53.2, and I really only want to lose about 100-120 lbs.

I considered WLS several years ago, but I had such a bad experience with both doctors that I went to see, that I decided this probably wasn't for me. In 1997, I fell down the steps in my house, and after 2 years of therapy and drugs, I finally had a laminectomy. As you get older, you naturally put on more weight. I also decided that I needed to quit smoking. (It will all together in a minute, I promise) So Sept 1, 2010, I quit smoking. I have gained a whopping 35 lbs! With all of the extra weight, I am in constant pain with my back. I work from home, which is great, because if I didn't, I would have been fired long ago, for missing so much time, because of being in pain. I joined a gym in November, to try to get my weight down, but the pain has been so intense, I haven't been able to go. So, I turned to the only thing that I knew would help me. I have two beautiful grandchildren that live with me, and I want to be here to see them get married.

I am attending the Institute of Metabolic and Bariatric surgery of Abington Hospital, and they are an awesome group of docs. I am so impressed with their bedside manner, and their genuine concern for their patients. The doc that will be doing my surgery, is the one that performed my EGD yesterday, and he personally called me this morning, to find out how I was doing. Most of the physicians in the practice have received all kinds of awards and accolades.

But I'm just not sure which surgery will be best for me. I have been researching both, and that doesn't really help me. Tiffykins was kind enough to add me as a friend, so that I could read her blog. Thanks Tiffykins!! I'm hoping that some of you will share with me how you made your decision. And if you attend Abington Hospital, that would be an awesome bonus!!

Thank you so much, and I look forward to becoming a part of this family, as I begin my weight loss journey!

Annette

Edited January 14, 2011 by apw0

[Tiffykins 673]

Message LilMissDiva, OregonDaisy, and see if they can give you their band to sleeve story.

Also, check some of these links:

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/14-vertical-sleeve-gastrectomy-surgery-vsg-success-stories/

[Vford70 0]

Personally I have a couple of ladies I work with that had problems with the lap band. I also have issues with my body rejecting foreign objects. The sleeve was right for me b/c I am not having anymore kids and I want a permanant change. Don't have to worry about paying for fills.

[Eureka-C 20]

For the short version, here are some of my reasons.

1) no equipment lasts forever. I remember my mom needing knee replacement surgery in her early 30's and the doctors refused to do it because they only last about 20 years (at that time). No matter how long they are suppossed to last, it isn't long enough. I don't want it breaking down inside of me.

2) VSG gets rid of the stomach, and reduces the ghrelin. Less hormone = less hunger.

3) The sphincter is a natural muscle that closes and opens to let food in and out, it stretches and shrinks as our body needs. The gap that the lap band makes is one size. If it is too big, food slips through and you don't stay full. If it is too full, food gets stuck and even liquids make you sick. Its hard for many to find the "sweet spot".

4) when I am done with surgery, I want to be done.. no fills.

5) I can eat normal food, just smaller amounts. I am a volume eater. This is very important.

6) No malabsorption. - Except the intrinsic factor produced by the stomach that helps you absorb Vitamin B12.

7) I want a permanant solution.

8) There is little to no stretch in the stomach.

Anyway, that is the short of it. I like my banana stomach.

[treequeen 13]

I was the same way.. trying to decide which surgery, but after reading about all the complications and all the ppl who've had revisions... I would Never encourage anyone to get the band. It's sleeve or bust for me.

[apw0 7]

Thank you all so very, very much for sharing with me. I'm still on the fence, but I'm now leaning more towards the sleeve. It sounds like this is the best way to go, rather than the band.

Thanks again, and I will keep you all posted.

Annette

[myrori 55]

My reasons for the sleeve over band:

Band had slower, less weight loss

I did not like the idea of something inside me

I didn't like the idea of having to for fills

The idea of food flying out of my mouth from "Productive burping" was not something I was willing to live with

More and more people are having complications with the band and needing more surgeries.

I wanted to be able to take anit inflammatory and eat foods like salad and veggies.

[Was a humpty dumpty 35]

Last week in my Kaiser classes the nurse said they are now removing 9 out of the 10 bands . People are not losing the weight as hoped for with the band, and /or having complications.

[shaundra 5]

i am sitting here reading about all the people who are happy with the sleeve and iwish i was one of them. i have had the lap band a little over four years and i HATE it. i will be getting the sleeve soon and wish i knew then what i know now because i would have never chose the band. if you want to know more please send me a message, i will answer any questions you have. good luck!

[Becca 108]

I hope this will help...I HAD the band and within a year it had a leak and stopped working. Then the tubing broke (major hellish pain) and I had a slip (hurt to swallow). Not to mention sliming up at random times/ places and being hungry all the time. Now I have the sleeve. I LOVE it. I have restriction, I don't throw up, and I' m not hungry. I have lost 15 pounds in three weeks. Pretty easy decision!!!

[genepha 47]

Hi,

I currently have a band and am having it removed in February.

The main problems for me with the band, like others have stated are:

1. Fills and Unfills - for me they were expensive, and took a lot of time for me personally to get to the hospital to have one done

I've had probably 50 fills and unfills over the 9 years I've had my band.

2. Weight loss was slow which I actually liked because very few people knew about the band, however, I did

experience A LOT of reflux

3. Hernia surgery (which I might have had to have without the band anyway) and port replacement surgery

4. Long term I have not maintained my weight loss

The reason about a foreign object in your body is not true as people with sleeves DO have foreign objects in their bodies - they have a line of staples. As far as I know every type of WLS includes some kind of foreign object in your body.

Good luck to you in whichever surgery you decide to have.

genepha

Insurance approved band removal

Self pay plication

Feb. 7, 2011

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

If you get the band, you'll end up just getting a revision surgery to a sleeve sometime in the future. Just read the band to sleeve stories.

It's not easy to live with the band. Constant throwing up, never knowing if a food that you've eaten before is going

to make you throw up this time. Constant fills "oh that's too much" time for an unfill. Then If you're like me,

you start throwing up in your sleep and have to have all fill removed. An unfilled band does not work.

I am thrilled with my sleeve. Eating is effortless and life is so good.

[M2G 1,836]

The reason about a foreign object in your body is not true as people with sleeves DO have foreign objects in their bodies - they have a line of staples. As far as I know every type of WLS includes some kind of foreign object in your body.

I think equating a staple line to a band probably isn't quite an apples to apples comparison. In a band there is the actual band itself, the tubing, AND the port, all of which can fail or break. From what I understand the staples used in a VSG are put in place (and yes there is a risk of a leak but the risk diminishes with time) and once the staple line is healed, it is healed. I have not read stats on people who have the VSG and suddenly 5 or 10 years later their body rejects the staples. Maybe Tiff knows if that has happened or not because she is research junkie and she might have run accross something like that, but I haven't yet.

I just wouldn't call that a completely equal comparison.

My reason for VSG was a LOT of things that have already been mentioned, but my biggest reason by far is I can't stand to vomit (call it sliming or PBing or whatever you want, it is still food traveling in the WRONG direction) and I just don't deal well with that.

Good luck with whatever surgery you decide to do!

[apw0 7]

All of you have given me some awesome information, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate everyone's input. It sounds to me like the best thing I can do for myself, is to go with the sleeve. Like on of the other posters stated, I like the idea of being able to eat a cookie or two when I want, and not have to worry about it coming back. And I must say, the idea of "Productive Burping" doesn't seem like it's any fun at all. To tell you the truth, I only thought the band was the right way to go, because you lose it so slowly, which is what I wanted. And again, I really only want to lose about 120 lbs. But again, it sounds like the means doesn't justify the end, not one little bit!

So thank you all again, and I will be calling my doc in a few minutes, to give him my decision. Sleeve......HERE I COME!!!!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

My Dr will not install the band into people any more. Just too many problems. He does say the sleeve takes more control to use than RNY... but like you, no way am I getting RNY.