Hi I am new here but wanted to share my experience. I hope that people who are considering the LP versus the sleeve see this and keep in mind my experience when making their decision.,

My experience with the LB has been bad and now I am having to wait for my stomach to heal before I can get the sleeve. It seems like most people that I know that have had the band also had serious erosion into their stomach as well. I am just so thankful that I had Dr. Alvarez take it out and am waiting for my table date to arrive. In disbelief we found that my band never functioned as the doctor who put it in sliced the tubing and as a result the fills were always leaking into my stomach since 2004.

As a footnote, I had my LB put in by a renowned Florida doctor who had done thousands of these surgeries. It just shows you that the tendency of the extremely efficient surgeons could get lazy after time and forget the details.

Here are pictures of my Lap Band after it was taken out.

SO IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING WHAT OPTION TO TAKE......PLEASE DO THE SLEEVE!

Wow. Thanks for sharing this. When I started my research into WLS I knew off the bat that Lap band was not for me. Besides having friends with experiences similar to yours, I just felt weirded out about having a foreign body inside of me that needed upkeep. It really weirded me out.

Also the sleeve just makes the most sense. I'm so sorry you're having to go through yet a 3rd invasive procedure. That has to be a little frustrating to say the least!

Bless you!

I hope you heal quick and get your sleeve surgery date soon. Thank you for posting that. I am sure it will help others with their decision. Originally I had planned to do lap band. There are constant commercials for it here and it sounded so great. I thought, less invasive, no cutting out parts, no re-routing my intestines, reversible if necessary. But the average weight loss seemed a lot less, and the constant maintenace made me rethink. You just confirmed my reasons for questioning. I am so sorry you had to go through that. Best of luck to you on the next phase. I will keep you in my prayers.

I had Lapband surgery in 2002. It stopped working in 2005. I couldn't find a doctor to help me figure out why it wasn't working and how to fix it. Finally in April 2012, I found one. I got an X-ray that showed the port separated from the tubing. I had surgery last Friday to remove the Lapband and convert to the sleeve. My doctor said when he removed my band, there was too much scar tissue to proceed. While operating, my stomach tore and he was forced to go forward with the sleeve conversion. I had to wear the drain for a week (it's usually removed before you leave the hospital), and I'm very sore due to the complications. I am finally feeling a bit better and I am very grateful things turned out the way they did. I'm glad I didn't have to wait for my sleeve conversion. I have lost 12.5 lbs since my surgery last Friday.

When I first considered weight loss surgery the lap band seemed to be the obvious choice. Then I kept on reading stories like these over and over. Not that there can't be problems with the sleeve, because we all know there can be, but the amount of issue just appears to be less. Thanks to everyone for sharing. More information on personal experiences is always helpful.

Wow..that is incredible..so glad I chose the sleeve!

I was getting the lapband- surgery scheduled and all== then I found this forum and switched. SOOOOOO GLAD :-)

I also had the lapband put in last year and removed this last february and sleeved in march. I only waited one month to get the sleeve done. I went on the lapband talk forum and told everyone that the sleeve was well worth it but my comments weren't welcome haha. They basically were upset that I'd even bring it up that lap bands were a failure.

DH and i went to seminar about different WLS. I was all set for the LB. My PCP recommended the LB

after listening to the seminar i changed my mind and went with the sleeve 7 1/2 months ago. so relieved i did go with the sleeve - no complications, problems ever - great recovery too

hear many ***htmares pertaining to the LB

i always think why would such a "good" surgery like the LB have so many conversions to the sleeve? hhhmmmmm

aren't lapbands slowly becoming extince? dr. doesn't want to perform?

kathy

I just had my lap-band removed yesterday. The first two years were great - nearly 200 lbs lost. Then a slip, leak, and another slip.

It did such damage to my stomach that I have to wait four months to revise. Scar tissue and it pulled my fundus up through my diaphragm.

The wait will be worth it, and I don't totally regret the band. I don't know if I would be brave enough to do something as invasive as sleeve had I not done the band first. The most painful part is I am self-pay for all of this! It's getting quite expensive. But totally worth it.

While I have not had any co plications per se with the lap band, I have not been successful with it. I'm sorry but I don't count losing less tha. 20kgs, gaining back nearly half and maintaining at that for 3.5 years a success story. To be fair, I knew from the word go it wasn't what I should be doing--I originally went in asking for a RNY, but was talked into the band. Big mistake on my part, huge! Should have stood my ground.

Now here I am 4 years out from the band and still morbidly obese. I no longer want a RNY, and am revising to a sleeve (which to be honest is the second procedure in a 3 stage DS surgery......hoping I will not have to follow through with the DS next year).

When I hear of anyone looking into the lap band, I offer them my experience and tell them to look at all the options carefully before making a decision. For some the band will be a god send, but from what I'm reading, it's usually a nightmare.

:-)

I here you I am self pay band to sleeve revision also!

Like Isb, I went to the doc believing I would get the lap band but after the information meeting and then doing oodles of research I am going with the sleeve. I do not want to go through all this and not have the best shot at being successful! Have not gotten my date yet but all my pre testing is done and I am ready to move forward!!!