Chickening Out!

[AdeptDreamer 104]

My mother went to a WLS seminar and told me she doesn't want me to get sleeved. She was saying the band is better and they fixed all the problems with it. I want the sleeve still but she was talking about leaks and how there aren't any long term results that can guarantee my safety down the road.

Leaks and my stomache expanding scares me. I'm 20 and have been trying to lose weight since I was very young. I feel like it would be best if I could lose the weight by myself but feel like I'm not very good at that and need the assistance of a sleeve. I did hypnosis at 11, weight watchers at 13, and diet pills 15-17!

Also I want to have children in the future and worry the sleeve will stop me. Im in a really dark place right now and extremely frustrated. I guess the surgery really scares me, and I'm more afraid of it being all my fault, that I'm going to be a forever fattie in my mind and it's going to be a constant struggle for the rest of my life :/ sorry if I sound like a whining brat.

Any advice is welcomed

[amberj 21]

In my opinion, the band is more to deal with. You have to worry about adjustments and slipping. I personally know 2 people who have the band and wish they would've went another route. I started with wanting the band but the more research that I did the more I realized that it just want right for me. I didn't want to have to deal with the maintenance of it. I have 2 kids and was in college. i couldn't be bothered with that. and i honestly don't like the idea of something being left inside me. to address what your mother said about all the kinks being worked out, there is always something that could possibly go wrong. no device is 100% fail free. . research research and research some more and then make your decision on what is best for you and your lifestyle.

[MonkeyNurse 26]

I originally wanted the band too until I did research. The two people I personally know that had bands both had to have them removed. One eroded badly into my friend's stomach. There are so many users here that had issues with the band that it was enough to convince me the band was not the way to go. I would also never do bypass due to the nutritional deficits. The hardest part for me to get my head around with the sleeve was that it was permanent. I'm almost 3 weeks out now and have no regrets. I'm looking forward to continued weight loss and increased health!

[justmest 3]

I got the sleeve because of all the complications that go along with the Band. I didn't like the idea of having to go for fills or de-fills, I didn't like the idea of a foreign object left in me either.

You can still have children with the sleeve, there are many that do, and go on to have happy healthy children. Look at the number of people that are getting the band to sleeve revision and maybe ask some of them why, and how they feel after. Do a little more research, your mom is concerned about you, and is likely just afraid of risks in surgery.

There are plenty of studies done on the long term effects of obesity, so I think that out weighs the lack of long term data on VSG patients. talk to the vets here, as well as other sites. There`s one called Obesity Help were there are plenty of people that have had the sleeve for several years, and are doing just fine.

[MyGastricSleeveLife 180]

Have you talked to a surgeon yet? If not, I would have your mom go with you to a consultation so she can ask questions to the surgeon too. Tell her to come here and search posts or even make an account and ask questions.

Leaks can happen, but are rare. The "stretchy" part of the stomach is what is removed. What is left will not stretch much. It will change over time, but if you don't push your limits, you'll be fine. Even if it does stretch somewhat, there is no way you'll be able to eat 6+ pieces of pizza at one time again. It doesn't stretch THAT much.

I've read plenty of stories here and other places about women who have had the sleeve and have had children down the road.

Although the sleeve isn't exactly the same thing, there have been people who have had gastrectomies to be treated for stomach cancer and other problems for a long time and have lived long lives afterward.

For me, there were more problems and issues and possible failure with the lap band & it just wasn't an option for me because of all the crap I've heard about it.

[thinmymind 107]

I see you are new here. After some time, you will see that a significant amount of people here are actually band to sleeve revisions. There seem to be more complications with the band.

Leaks are the exception and would happen early on. There are risks with any procedure, but it seems to me almost everyone has some complication with the band.

Also, look around at people that get pregnant with the band - I have no idea how common it is, but everyone I know with the band that got pregnant had it slip and had to have surgery again to fix it.

I would be willing to bet that a lot of people came to the decision of the sleeve AFTER they were convinced that they would be getting the lapband. Then they researched a little more and came upon the sleeve and decided the sleeve was the way to go.

Good luck with your decision and poke around this forum a lot, there is a wealth of information.

One last thing, maybe take your Mom to a sleeve seminar where she can learn more about it.

[MamaM 72]

I am a band to sleeve revision. I would NEVER normally tell any one what to do but I say it now in regards to the band. DON'T!

1. my surgeon actually doesn't even DO them anymore and he was all part of the initial whole band thing.

2. Out of about 30 people that I know, only a few are NOT having problems. The rest of us, mild to serious and a good many of us are having to have them out and those of us who can, are revising to the sleeve.

My band slipped and was riding up towards my esophagus. My surgeon told me on May 9th that it needed to come out and he advised me that the sleeve would be the best option for me. I had my removal/revision surgery on the 4th.

Do your research. Read everything you can, where ever you can find it. Good, bad, whatever. Be sure the sources are good tho. There's a lot of garbage out in the Wide World Web.

Your mom is worried. Understandable. Get her on board helping you find a surgeon and/or program. Attend some seminars and classes together. You are an adult and make the ultimate decision but it would be nice and helpful if she was on board w/your plans. Just makes things icky if she isn't or can't manage to be your advocate. Talk to her. Tell her your reasonings. The sleeve doesn't stop you from carrying on with your life. It helps you carry on with it!

Best wishes!!!

[DuranFan1969 119]

It sounds like your mom might be scared on your behalf and worried that this is such a drastic procedure and the band would be way easier. I considered the band myself for a while - was all set on it, especially since it's the least invasive but like someone said above, I did more research and talked to a couple doctors and found that the sleeve is a considerably better option. I agree with one of the above posters that you should take your mom with you to talk to a surgeon and get questions answered. The problem with the open seminars is that while informative, they don't give you the doctor's opinion of what is best for you personally, and that you can only get from meeting with him.

[SleeveDreamer 383]

I have heard nothing but horror stories about the band. I heard they may outlaw them here in California because of so many that have slipped and embedded in stomach tissue. (I am not saying that there are not any that aren't successful). I personally would not want something left insdie me like that. With the sleeve, part of your stomach us cut off, so nothing foreign is in your body. If you follow your doctros' instructions you should be fine. I never had one complication from my surgery, or no nausea or pain. I am so much more healthier since befing sleeved, and my cholesterol and triglycerides have gone down so much. You will be so much healthier, I doubt that being sleeved would hinder your ability to conceive. I don't know how overweight you are, but you will be doing yourself and your health a favor with the sleeve and you would not have to worry about comolications with the band.

[emily_0192010 168]

Hello First off, whichever surgery you decide to chose has to be the best on FOR YOU! If you are not sure and confident with your facts then I highly suggest that you go to an information session yourself. And then another, and another, and another, etc, until you get to a point where you are secure and confident in your choice. You also need to be secure and confident with the surgeon you choose.

I also wanted to share that I had my surgery when I was 20. I'm 21 now (8 months post op) and I've lost 120 lbs so far (80 since surgery, 40 pre-surgery). I was also worried about having a healthy pregnancy post-op. My surgeon (along with my NUT and weight loss counselor) assured me that I would be absolutely fine. There are quite a few people on this board who have had successful pregnancy's, and I believe even a couple people who became pregnant not long after having their surgery.

The chance of a leak is very minimal. Yes, it can happen. But look at the facts. Ask your surgeon directly if he's had leaks and if he has why, and how you can work together on preventing them!

As for the longevity of the sleeve, you're right that there isn't very much info out there... but that is true about the band as well. The sleeve will be with you much longer than the band will! So many people have to have it removed and it can leave behind horrible scar tissue and damage to your stomach.

If you have any specific questions or just want someone to bounce your thoughts off of, feel free to PM me anytime!

Good luck!

[Back~To~Amy 307]

The band is only initially lower risk. Once your stomach has healed from the VSG (about 12 weeks), there is virtually no risk. The risks with the band begin and continue while it is in your body. I was initially against VSG because they were cutting and removing the majority of my stomach. During the similar, the doctor said something that struck a chord. He said that VSG is relatively new but they have been cutting and removing portions of stomachs for medical issues such as cancer amd ulcers and other stuff since the early 1900's. That statement was the beginning of my research on the VSG and I never looked back. The band is very high maintenance and seems to have a lot of complications. Why don't you make a post here that you can show your Mom asking people to post about their band experience. There are a bunch here who are revision from band to VSG. Or, better yet, have your Mom come here and ask questions.

Good luck to hoh in making your decision and in your journey.

[shangefan 193]

AdeptDreamer,

As others have said, I would encourage you to conduct as much research as possible to make the right decision for you. There is an entire band to sleevers forum that you might want to check out.

I have a band and am revising to a sleeve. I can hardly wait for my surgery on July 9. There certainly are people who have experienced success with the band. I lost about 60 pounds in the first year that I had it, but it was a challenge. I never got even close to goal.

I hated the way the band would tighten for no reason and you wouldn't be able to get things down. I hated that even though food would stop in my chest and my pouch would be full, I would still be hungry. I hated the constant fills and unfills trying to get go my sweet spot, which I never did, and I hated the expense of all of that. I hated the sliming when least expected.

If you feel the band is right for you, get as much information as you can. But I regret that I put this foreign body inside me and pray each day that when the doctor goes in to revise it, there won't be any damage.

[alp50 18]

Get the sleeve. That's going all the way.The Band is cumbersome, I had a friend who had it. Hers slipped into her chest. After cardiac cath and a whole cardiac work up she had it removed. Sheis an Emergency Room physician...She's still morbidly obese!

[petal 11]

Band to sleeve for me.. definatly no regrets and 1000% happier 10kg loss is 4 wks yipp yip but defintaly do your research and do whats best for yourself and what will make you happy ..best of luck with it all x

[carbgrl 119]

I had the band because I was to scared to get the sleeve. At first I lost 80 lbs but then I started to gain it all back. There were so many things I couldnt eat, veggies, salad, chicken, turkey... I was vomiting & slimming multiple times a day. I couldnt wait to get it out and I didnt have have any major complications but knew it was just a matter of time. Having the band first put me at a higher risk for leaks. The band eas a huge waste of time & money. Check ou lapband talk site & check out cinplications there. I finally feel normal again. Good luck and ((hugs)) to you.