Why Did You Choose The Sleeve Over The Others?

[mona777 12]

MY FIRST VISIT WAS AT A DOCTORS OFFICE THAT ONLY DID THE LAPBAND, BUT I DECIDED TO CALL ANOTHER DOCTOR, AND THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH ASKED ME IF I WANTED THE SLEEVE, I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE SLEEVE. SHE SAID I SHOULD DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT BEFORE I CAME IN BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE HAD THE LAPBAND REMOVED AND GOT THE SLEEVE AND SAID IT WAS SOOO MUCH BETTER. I'M SO GLAD I TALKED WITH HER BECAUSE I RESEARCHED AND WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE SLEEVE! I WOULD HATE TO GO GET FILLS WITH THE LAPBAND, AND I THINK MY BMI WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH FOR GASTRIC.

[Artsy 48]

4ALongerlife,

I'm glad to see you are still on this board posting your journey. Did you have a 2nd surgery because of the original leak? Did the nurse say your stomach would not constrict any longer as soon as you are able to eat solid foods? Thanks for keeping us posted on yor progress.

[4ALongerLife 329]

Well I DID regret it for a minute. I told my husband, at my worst, please take me home and leave me in a field to die. Ok that's a bit meladramatic right? I was really at my wits end (durn hospital wanted to put me in a nursing home for a half a second grrrr). But yes Artsy, I had a second surgery on 3/20 to restitch my pouch as a staple came loose due to my stomach skin not liking the staple in that place (essentially). (side note, where you been artsy???)

I'm watching my progression back through the foods - I'm on a soft diet right now. Last week I did pureed and I was having some feelings that weren't good in my tummy whenever I would eat. Best description that I can give you is that it felt like my tummy was a wash rag being rung out whenever I would eat.

The good news? I don't feel that way this week. Mind you, I've been eating a lot of cioppino Soup from whole foods (it's supposed to be fullll of Protein and lowfat as it's Tomato based, also is very tasty/full of flavor) and alot of other soft foods still ... but I had chicken breast (about 3 oz) at lunch for my second time in the last few days and no issues. So whomever prayed and got it to God, thank you. My tummy's making some weird sounds and it worries me, but I've decided I'm just going to use my energy to remain positive instead of worrying.

Sorry that was longer than intended btw, brittcherry, you are doing wonderfully! congrats, you loser!

[Amie 90]

Thank you all for your advice. I had pretty much decided I wanted to get the sleeve, but sitting here waiting for this 6 month doctor monitored diet. I have way to much time to worry I might make the wrong decision. Listening to everything you've had to say just reconfirms I'm making the right decision going with the sleeve. I can't waitl to get through all this red tape the insurance company is making me do. I just want to get it done so I can start my new life.

[vsgchichi 48]

I think everyone has pretty much said what I'm going to say. I went into the seminar thinking of getting the lap band never heard of vsg, surgeon was raving about vsg, came home did more research, but ultimately for me was during my visit with my surgeon who told me the benefit of vsg over lap band is, with the lap band their is restriction but u may still feel intense hunger but you can't eat, whereas with the vsg they remove the ghrelin producing portion of the stomach which minimizes the hunger pangs.

[tabbmarsha 13]

My intentions was to get the band at first. My doctor told me i did not have enough weight to lose to have the bypass. So i wanted the band but the more i researched the better the sleeve sounded for me. I know a few people who had the band and they all gained their weight back. My doctor said i would only lose 40 to 60 pounds with the band. He also said i would lose about 100 pounds with the sleeve. I also was not a fan of the objects in my body for life. He said with the sleeve i will never be able to eat enough to stretch my stomach back out to where it was presurgery. I am only 7 weeks out and am down 30 pounds. It has been an easy recovery, just minor issues here and there but all and all i am very happy and i know for me going with the sleeve was the best thing to do.

[MinaT 669]

Thank you all for your advice. I had pretty much decided I wanted to get the sleeve, but sitting here waiting for this 6 month doctor monitored diet. I have way to much time to worry I might make the wrong decision. Listening to everything you've had to say just reconfirms I'm making the right decision going with the sleeve. I can't waitl to get through all this red tape the insurance company is making me do. I just want to get it done so I can start my new life.

Amie, while the six month doctor monitored diet seems like forever...I actually joined once and quit within a month to join a year later, it is worth it. I lost over 60 pounds since I started the pre-op diet and I got approved yesterday, I have my first pre-op class (going over meds, what pre-op testing I might need) tomorrow and next wed. then I willf ind out surgery date and start the pre-op) liquid diet. The closer I get to the date, the more I'm getting nervous, excited, wondering if I am doing the right thing when I read stories of the pains, leaks, etc. the doubt of how I will handle two week liquid diet, how will I handle the recovery, but in the end, I go back to I need to do this, I can't go back to the way I was.

Good Luck to you and I hope the six months then approval period go as quick for you as it did me. If I can make it through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter while on a high Protein, low carb diet, I can make it through Memorial Day and 4th of July on liquids!

[Swimmer 199]

I have heard too many horror stories with the band. Plus I didn't want something foreign in me ort have to deal with the maintence. I didn't want dumping syndrome or dealing with rerouted intestines.

I am so thrilled with my choice.