Hi,

I was banded in February 2008 with a start weight of 220. My lowest weight was 180 and I never lost more than that.

Due to other problems with the band, like food getting stuck and vomiting, the Dr. suggested the sleeve.

So I am seriously considering it.

My concern is that I failed with the band. It did not erode or slip like I see so often.

I just didn't lose the weight and I ate around the band.

So I'm seriously wondering if I will succeed with the sleeve.

I would like to think that part of it is the band in that the food got stuck and I never

felt full. But it would be comforting to me if I heard from someone who didn't lose a lot

of weight with the band but did with the sleeve.

Thoughts?

Huge difference between the sleeve and the band is that they cut out the part of the stomach that generates the homone ghrelin which stimulates hunger. Between the restriction of having only 15% of your stomach and not having that hormone, you will probably not feel much hunger. With the band, you still have your full stomach and full production of ghrelin, so it's no wonder that you were never really satisfied with food. I think it is a lot easier to make good choices for food when you are not hungry. You also will not be able to eat around your sleeve, unless you intentionally are choosing sliders like milkshakes etc. Again, when you are not feeling hungry, it's a lot easier to resist stuff like that. If you look at the success rates and percent of body fat loss between the band and the sleeve, you will see that you are much more likely to reach goal and in a much shorter period of time. My surgeon told me the band is more like hiring a personal trainer and was honest that he has seen a much higher success rate among his sleeve and bypass patients than his lap band patients. In my opinion, you should not judge the potential of your future success with the sleeve based on your past experience with the band since you are comparing apples to oranges with long and short term success rates. Good luck with your decision. I hope you get some answers from people who have been there. I think I saw a thread where someone posted a link of band to sleeve revision stories. I will see if I can find it and post it here.

Well duh...I see you posted in the forum on this site of which I spoke! I saw your post in recent topics so didn't realize you already knew that. Try doing a search in that forum for success stories. I bet you will find all kinds of information and inspiration!

I lost 70# with the band in about a year. I felt like a failure, that is for sure. I got down to about 200# through dieting and alot of exercise.

I lost about 100# with the sleeve in 6 months. I started out heavier this time, so still, am around 200#, but still losing.

They are completely different experiences - night and day. The band was a nightmare, living with the sleeve feels pretty normal, pretty good.

I don't think being sleeved is a guarantee of success, and I read on forums about people who seem to have poor results. I am not there with them, I don't know why, but I am guessing that they either didn't get good instructions or don't follow the "rules." I met some ladies in a face to face support group who had lost about 50# in 6 months, still had a lot to lose and I guess i felt that was not great results, but they talked about all the crap they eat... and well.... WLS is no guarantee of excellent results. You still have to work it! You could say the same thing of the band I guess, but, it is much easier to "comply" when you are NOT starving and in pain - which was pretty much my experiences with the band anyway.

I was wondering the same thing.. I had the band done dec 13th 2010 and have lost 70 lbs in the 18 months i was happy 70 lbs thinner but now i am slimming after everything i eat i choke and vomit. they gave me a total unfill 2 months ago and i have gained 10 lbs and still coke slime and vomit i go sept 5th to get my sleeve date

There is a lady in my support group that had the band for a year and didn't lose very much. She revised to a sleeve and after 15 months, she is 25 lbs away from her goal, but she freely admits that she would be at goal if she tried, but has decided she likes where she is.

Hope this helps

My band was a waste of time and the sleeve has been amazing!

17 months since surgery and I am maintaining around my goal weight. I am up or down a couple pounds here and there, but I hover around 135.

I was going for the Lap Band in the beginning till my first appt with my Weight Loss surgeon and the nurse who took my vitals was telling me that she had the "Band" and all of the problems she had with it, slippage, pain, infection etc. She wound up going for the "sleeve" and she said compared with the "Band" the sleeve was absolutely no problem and she lost way more weight and quicker than she did with the whole year she had the "Band", I took her advisement, I usually don't do that with someone I don't know but I had a good feeling about it and I had the "sleeve" done and it is working perfectly! I am very grateful to her.

Such a huge difference between the band and sleeve. I had band removed asnd am sleeved as of June 27th 2012. Lost 40lbs to date and have not thrown up a single time. I hated the band and love the sleeve. The feeling of full with the sleeve is so different from misery full with band!. Don't hesitate to become sleeved! It is fabulous!!!!!

My friend lost 200lbs with the band! Amazing & I was considering it, BUT she suffered a massive infection at yr 6 & it HAD to be removed ! Something called erosion she was in terrible shape! Apparently this is common and around 50% of bankers have some infection or erosion problem. She had a sleeve the year after and has been ok. The problems she had with the band put me off surgery totally (for a while anyway) finally I did take the plunge and spoke to a surgeon I talked about my concerns and he said that the biggest part of his work now is band revision surgery, where the band either does not work or erodes! I have chosen the sleeve, smaller chance if infection & complications. 5 weeks to go!

I had the band for 3 years and i was able to eat anything i wanted. I love my sleeve, it surely is in control. I only lost a total about 26lbs in the beginning with the band and now, 41/2 months sleeved, ive lost 69lbs! I absolutely love my sleeve! dont hesitate!

I don't know about 50% infection rate, i don't believe that is accurate. Erosion is actually quite uncommon, but is one of the more serious band complications.

Truth of the matter is that most people eventually have to have it removed - reflux, slippage, just didn' work - those seem like the most common ones.

My friend lost 200lbs with the band! Amazing & I was considering it, BUT she suffered a massive infection at yr 6 & it HAD to be removed ! Something called erosion she was in terrible shape! Apparently this is common and around 50% of bankers have some infection or erosion problem. She had a sleeve the year after and has been ok. The problems she had with the band put me off surgery totally (for a while anyway) finally I did take the plunge and spoke to a surgeon I talked about my concerns and he said that the biggest part of his work now is band revision surgery, where the band either does not work or erodes! I have chosen the sleeve, smaller chance if infection & complications. 5 weeks to go!

I was revised to sleeve May10th 2012. Since surgery to date I lost 28 lb which does not seem alot but I am a slow loser and thats how much total weight that I previously lost with the band in 1st 6 months n then gained it all back cuz I could eat around my band. just like u no major complications but only acid reflux , food getting stuck n vomitting etc whenever I would get a fill to give me some restriction. I had the band put in in 2007 and no weight loss after April, 2008, only gaining untill i gained it all back. I was so nervous about the sleeve cuz I was afraid of failing it too, but I knew that I m not comfortable with bypass surgery so that leave me only one option and after thinking about it for 1 year, i finally did it and I am liking it cuz u m not that crazy hungary n when i eat i get full so soon. i can decide responsibly about my food choices . i also noticed that if i munch on slider food all day i dont lose but if i m sticking to rules I do loose weight, slowly but i do loose weight.

My body rejected the band due to auto immune problems- I never had problems with the acutal band HOWEVER after being sleeved I wish I would have NEVER had the band and just done the sleeve in it's place a loooong time ago- I Love my sleeve and wouldnt go back/trade it for anything....

Also with the band- everything got stuck and the weight loss was not consistant. WIth the sleeve- I eat whatever I want within reason of course- and dont have to worry about getting stuck, getting fills etc... it's so low maintenance...

I have such GREAT news my doc's office called me and moved my appointment up to aug 28th to meet with my surgeon to set a date for the band removal and sleeve !! I am soooo excited today i have vomited everything I ate and so there for drinking tea is NOT so filling

I failed miserably with the band and have had great success so far with the sleeve. I'm 5 months out and have lost 72 lbs. The most I had ever lost with the band was 30lbs and I gained all of that back plus friends. Food always got stuck and I vomited all the time with the band. Now I can eat anything. I only wish I had done this procedure in 2009 rather than the band. You will not be disappointed.