I'm new to all of this. Ive been researching about the sleeve and i think i am considering it, but i have my doubts. So my question is how did you decide to get the sleeve done over lap band?

Hi Meg

To me personally. I see the lap band as a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

My uncle got the lap band for 6 years and had to have it removed and he's back at his original weight.

I looked at the sleeve as a permanent aid to a healthy life.

Wish you the best with what ever you chose.

Lady at works daughter had lap band. Went from 300 to size 8. Her lap band fell apart. Now she still has the parts in her that she can still feel through the skin (port box feels like a pacemaker) and has to pay to have surgery to have it removed. She gained all the weight back. Did not want plastic parts in there but that is just me.

I've had both so I feel like I comment and tell you my experience, and with confidence can tell you that the problems with the band are not worth your time, energy, frustration, risks of complications, and pure hell.

I can say my band horror story with you, but don't want you to think that my experience is unique. It's very common, and more and more patients are seeking revisions or having to have their bands removed because of permanent damage.

This topic has a lot of good information:

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/23383-considering-lapband-read-this-first/page__pid__197846#entry197846

I will be more than happy to share with you the gory details of my experience, but here is some statistical information regarding the band. This information is from the makers of the band.

http://www.lapband.com/en/learn_about_lapband/safety_information/

Patients can experience complications after surgery. Most complications are not serious but some may require hospitalization and/or re-operation. In the United States clinical study, with 3-year follow-up reported, 88% of the 299 patients had one or more adverse events, ranging from mild, moderate, to severe. Nausea and vomiting (51%), gastroesophageal reflux (regurgitation) (34%), band slippage/pouch dilatation (24%) and stoma obstruction (stomach-band outlet blockage) (14%) were the most common post-operative complications. In the study, 25% of the patients had their band systems removed, two-thirds of which were following adverse events. Esophageal dilatation or dysmotility (poor esophageal function) occurred in 11% of patients, the long-term effects of which are currently unknown. Constipation, diarrhea and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) occurred in 9% of the patients. In 9% of the patients, a second surgery was needed to fix a problem with the band or initial surgery. In 9% of the patients, there was an additional procedure to fix a leaking or twisted access port. The access port design has been improved. Four out of 299 patients (1.3%) had their bands erode into their stomachs. These bands needed to be removed in a second operation. Surgical techniques have evolved to reduce slippage. Surgeons with more laparoscopic experience and more experience with these procedures report fewer complications.

Adverse events that were considered to be non-serious, and which occurred in less than 1% of the patients, included: esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), hiatal hernia (some stomach above the diaphragm), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), abdominal pain, hernia, incisional hernia, infection, redundant skin, dehydration, diarrhea (frequent semi-solid bowel movements), abnormal stools, constipation, flatulence (gas), dyspepsia (upset stomach), eructation (belching), cardiospasm (an obstruction of passage of food through the bottom of the esophagus), hematemsis (vomiting of blood), asthenia (fatigue), fever, chest pain, incision pain, contact dermatitis (rash), abnormal healing, edema (swelling), paresthesia (abnormal sensation of burning, prickly, or tingling), dysmenorrhea (difficult periods), hypochromic anemia (low oxygen carrying part of blood), band system leak, cholecystitis (gall stones), esophageal ulcer (sore), port displacement, port site pain, spleen injury, and wound infection. Be sure to ask your surgeon about these possible complications and any of these medical terms that you dont understand.

Back to Top What are the specific risks and possible complications?

Talk to your doctor about all of the following risks and complications:

• Ulceration
• Gastritis (irritated stomach tissue)
• Gastroesophageal reflux (regurgitation)
• Heartburn
• Gas bloat
• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
• Dehydration
• Constipation
• Weight regain
• Death

Laparoscopic surgery has its own set of possible problems. They include:

• Spleen or liver damage (sometimes requiring spleen removal)
• Damage to major blood vessels
• Lung problems
• Thrombosis (blood clots)
• Rupture of the wound
• Perforation of the stomach or esophagus during surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is not always possible. The surgeon may need to switch to an "open" method due to some of the reasons mentioned here. This happened in about 5% of the cases in the U.S. Clinical Study.

There are also problems that can occur that are directly related to the LAP-BAND� System:

• The band can spontaneously deflate because of leakage. That leakage can come from the band, the reservoir, or the tubing that connects them.
• The band can slip
• There can be stomach slippage
• The stomach pouch can enlarge
• The stoma (stomach outlet) can be blocked
• The band can erode into the stomach

Obstruction of the stomach can be caused by:

• Food
• Swelling
• Improper placement of the band
• The band being over-inflated
• Band or stomach slippage
• Stomach pouch twisting
• Stomach pouch enlargement

There have been some reports that the esophagus has stretched or dilated in some patients. This could be caused by:

• Improper placement of the band
• The band being tightened too much
• Stoma obstruction
• Binge eating
• Excessive vomiting

Patients with a weaker esophagus may be more likely to have this problem. A weaker esophagus is one that is not good at pushing food through to your stomach. Tell your surgeon if you have difficulty swallowing. Then your surgeon can evaluate this.

Weight loss with the LAP-BAND� System is typically slower and more gradual than with some other weight loss surgeries. Tightening the band too fast or too much to try to speed up weight loss should be avoided. The stomach pouch and/or esophagus can become enlarged as a result. You need to learn how to use your band as a tool that can help you reduce the amount you eat.

Infection is possible. Also, the band can erode into the stomach. This can happen right after surgery or years later, although this rarely happens.

Complications can cause reduced weight loss. They can also cause weight gain. Other complications can result that require more surgery to remove, reposition, or replace the band.

Some patients have more nausea and vomiting than others. You should see your physician at once if vomiting persists.

Rapid weight loss may lead to symptoms of:

• Malnutrition
• Anemia
• Related complications

It is possible you may not lose much weight or any weight at all. You could also have complications related to obesity.

If any complications occur, you may need to stay in the hospital longer. You may also need to return to the hospital later. A number of less serious complications can also occur. These may have little effect on how long it takes you to recover from surgery.

If you have existing problems, such as diabetes, a large hiatal hernia (part of the stomach in the chest cavity), Barretts esophagus (severe, chronic inflammation of the lower esophagus), or emotional or psychological problems, you may have more complications. Your surgeon will consider how bad your symptoms are, and if you are a good candidate for the LAP-BAND� System surgery. You also have more risk of complications if you've had a surgery before in the same area. If the procedure is not done laparoscopically by an experienced surgeon, you may have more risk of complications.

Anti-inflammatory drugs that may irritate the stomach, such as aspirin and NSAIDs, should be used with caution.

Some people need folate and Vitamin B12 supplements to maintain normal homocycteine levels. Elevated homocycteine levels can increase risks to your heart and the risk of spinal birth defects.

You can develop gallstones after a rapid weight loss. This can make it necessary to remove your gallbladder.

There have been no reports of autoimmune disease with the use of the LAP-BAND� System. Autoimmune diseases and connective tissue disorders, though, have been reported after long-term implantation of other silicone devices. These problems can include systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma. At this time, there is no conclusive clinical evidence that supports a relationship between connective-tissue disorders and silicone implants. Long-term studies to further evaluate this possibility are still being done. You should know, though, that if autoimmune symptoms develop after the band is in place, you may need treatment. The band may also need to be removed. Talk with your surgeon about this possibility. Also, if you have symptoms of autoimmune disease now, the LAP-BAND� System may not be right for you.

Back to Top Removing the LAP-BAND� System

If the LAP-BAND� System has been placed laparoscopically, it may be possible to remove it the same way. This is an advantage of the LAP-BAND� System. However, an "open" procedure may be necessary to remove a band. In the U.S. Clinical Study, 60% of the bands that were removed were done laparoscopically. Surgeons report that after the band is removed, the stomach returns to essentially a normal state.

At this time, there are no known reasons to suggest that the band should be replaced or removed at some point unless a complication occurs or you do not lose weight. It is difficult, though, to say whether the band will stay in place for the rest of your life. It may need to be removed or replaced at some point. Removing the device requires a surgical procedure. That procedure will have all the related risks and possible complications that come with surgery. The risk of some complications, such as erosions and infection, increase with any added procedure.

Lap Band Failure

Are you looking for information on lap band surgery failure rates and long term success rates?

Lap Band surgery has only been in existence a relatively short time, approximately 10 years. Initial results with lap band were very positive with respect to weight loss and morbidity. Not many long term studies have been done. Here are the results on one eight year study. The study defines failure as losing less than 25% of excess weight. Average age of the patients was 38 years and included 50 men and 270 women.

Complication Percent affected General Complications 33.1%

Erosion 9.5% Slippage 6.3% Port Problems 7.6% Thirty three percent, fully one third of all patients developed complications such as erosion, slippage, catheter or port problems. Twenty two percent of the patients required reoperation to fix failures of the lap band.

Now for the disheartening results, only about 60% of those banded that don't have major complications maintain an acceptable excess weight loss in the long run. That means of those without complications only 4 in 10 are going to be successful. Did your doctor tell you that? Did you ask him?

In five years 40% of lap bands fail and only 43% have lost 50% of excess weight after seven years. The study concludes that LGB (Laporoscopic Gastric Band) should no longer be the surgery of choice until they figure out a way to either screen out those that have complications or eliminate the complications. The study indicates other longer lasting procedures should be used.

If you would like to read more about the study, here it is.

You can check my blog on here for sleeve research links, statistical information, and then make an informed decision.

No one could pay me to have or recommend a band. Not even to my worse enemy. It's not pleasant, and while it is advertised as reversible, what the surgeons(who still push the band) and the manufacturers neglect to tell you is that once the band is in place, it can be removed, or revised, but they never mention the amount of damage your stomach tissue may have after removal.

i would love to hear your story, if you dont mind. i know everyone goes through it differently. my friend had the lap band done a month ago and already she is seeing that she cant eat some foods she could before and it scares me. ive been with her the whole time going to her doc appts and it amazes me what she has to go through. people say that it just freaks them out that half there stomach will be gone but it doesnt bother me. i know that if i go through this that there is no turning back but i like the idea of not worrying so much as with the lap band.

I had a lap-band and it sucked. I did not have the bad complications most people do, but it didn't work and it hurt all the time. I couldn't eat healthy food. I was lucky to escape that situation with only scarring on my stomach and liver that was easily fixed in the hands of an exceptional surgeon. Did I mention that it sucked.?

The sleeve has been a tool that actually works for me :-)

Good luck--

i would love to hear your story, if you dont mind. i know everyone goes through it differently. my friend had the lap band done a month ago and already she is seeing that she cant eat some foods she could before and it scares me. ive been with her the whole time going to her doc appts and it amazes me what she has to go through. people say that it just freaks them out that half there stomach will be gone but it doesnt bother me. i know that if i go through this that there is no turning back but i like the idea of not worrying so much as with the lap band.

I'll try to cliffnote it for ya and anyone else reading:

Banded October 2008

Flipped port from very early on

Begged with surgeon to help, he ignored my complaints for 4 months all while I was enduring chronic pain, along with puking on Water some days, couldn't eat most meats, the pain got so bad and 4-4.5 months into my band experience, my port was no inaccessible and had migrated, this was causing it to tug/pull on my stomach.

Fired band surgeon started seeking revision to VSG (it was not available when I had my band)

I set everything up with our local bariatric surgeon on base (I am seen off base) a civilian surgeon placed my band

Fast forward to 8 months (June 2009) for my revision

Doc knew going in to NOT perform RNY under any circumstances.If he couldn't do the sleeve, he was to remove my band and leave me fat.

He got in there was able to do the sleeve with the band removal. The band was encased with scar tissue around my stomach, the tubing was wrapped around tissue in my abdominal tissue. My stomach tissue was horribly damaged, but he had to proceed with the sleeve because he couldn't salvage a portion of my stomach. 2 days post-revision on my final leak test, I swallowed the stuff, felt intense, double me over, pain in my abdomen, I knew I had a leak.

Rushed back into surgery for a leak repair. My stomach could not be salvaged where the band had been placed, and was sewn back together from 2 separate pieces. I had anesthesia complication which landed me on a ventilator, and in ICU for 5 days. Upon waking up, I had drains placed, and then another 6-7 days in the hospital, I was then sent home with a pic line (it's a big catheter that is placed in my arm and led to my heart, and was fed TPN (total nutrition) via that line. I came home with home healthcare nurse to take vitals, change dressings and take blood every couple of days. That was for 2 a little, over 2 weeks that I lived life that way.

After 22 days, of nothing by mouth, no water, no ice chips, NOTHING, the TPN was decreased, my drains were removed, and the leak had healed and I could start Clear liquids. I did those for 17 days, progressed to full liquids for a full week, and then mushies.

I was then hospitalized around 7 weeks out due to abscesses in my abdomen and pelvic cavity. Microscopic bacteria hid out after the leak repair (even on antibiotic therapy, my body had been so weakened and could not fight it off) and then formed abscesses, hospitalized for another week, 2 more drains were placed, heavy antibiotic therapy, along with pain meds. I can't remember how long those drains stayed in, maybe 2-3 weeks.

I was finally released for regular activity at 3.5 months post-revision. I was able to eat regular food, but I had to stick to mushy/puree/extremely soft Proteins until the 3 month mark because my stomach just could not tolerate food.

My husband was deployed to Afghanistan during this entire time, not allowed to come home. I struggled not only physically, but mentally, BUT I can tell you I would do it all over again to live the life I have today.

As of this past January, I had lived fairly complication/issue free. I lost weight, hit goal in 6.5 months, have no food intolerances etc etc. I would have random food issues, but nothing to cause alarm, it's just life post removing a large portion of a severely damaged stomach. Oh I had my gallbladder removed at 8 months post-op.

However, in January, I had a bad case of gastritis, and recovered from that issue. As the pregnancy has progressed, I have obviously gained weight, I have another human taking up space in my body, and pushing things around, and for the last 4 months (out of 7 months of pregnancy) I have random true stomach pain(not abdominal, but actual stomach pain) with eating. After testing, and further investigation by my ob's and surgeon, it appears that I have permanent nerve damage from the band to my abdominal wall and possible diaphragm which causes these random pains to occur and the pain radiates from my stomach, to my rib area all the way up to my shoulders and through my neck. This pain is often called "referred shoulder pain". A lot of bandsters deal with it, and some blow it off, but it's nothing to play with, and it's often a sign of other issues.

I don't miss my stomach at all. I don't miss the horrific fills and unfills, I don't miss puking on water. I don't miss not being able to eat good foods. I love not being hungry. I was starved with the band, I'd eat the "right" foods, the food would move through the banded area, and I'd be starving again.

I have zero regrets. Even my band situation made me realize a lot about myself, my challenges and what I wanted out of a surgery.

Is there really anything else to say after reading Tiffykins. I was planning on the lap band as my insurane did not cover the sleeve when I first started this journey. Two months before I had surgery, my surgeon recommended the sleeve over the band and my insurance had recently added it as an option for weight loss surgery. Once I looked and compared complications, I never looked back. My husband who had a different doctor will no longer even do the band and his PA told us even the maker of the band no longer does them. I do not miss my stomach and have never regretted doing the sleeve over the band. Good luck in making your decision but my vote is the sleeve!