I am scheduled to start pre-op next week for a 9/27 surgery date. I have a very supported wife who has been with me through my weight struggled for almost 30 years. I was all set to be banded but I am now thinking about the sleeve. I have been told I am a good candidate for both. I know four banders, three with complications and one with none, all who have lost a significant amount of weight but did it in their 40's. I want to be done with my lifelong struggles with weight issue. I know either path has challenges and takes hard work. I want to lose without the stuck feeling and other complications.

Can a few of you tell me what tipped the scales for you for one procedure versus the other? I really need to break through this, because I am determined to take control of the rest of my life.

Aloha! Smart of you to do all your research now. Just speaking from my experience, I too was going to go for the band but when I had my consultation with the doctor (who is sort of known as the rock star of bariatric surgery in Germany) he told me I should not do the band, but to the sleeve. Reasons were that the band was not as successful, because I was over 50 and it's harder for your body to accept having something foreign in it, and the band is too much maintenance (and for me, I was traveling at the time and it would have been impossible). Also just reading the posts here on the band to sleeve revision group makes me so happy to have chosen the sleeve.

Good luck and hope you get all the information you need to make a good decision for you. And keep coming back to the forum; people here are very happy to help.

Queen of Crop

www.queenofcrop.com

I was banded in 2010. I ended up hating it! I'm 53, had back surgery in 2008 & now have bad knee problems. When banded, I went off my perscription anti-inflammatory & within about 5 months, I'd lost 30 lbs. However, I began exercising 3-4x a week on a treadmill which sent me back into agony knee wise. It was really frustrating as far as eating goes too because sometimes I could eat say toast, and the next time I ate it, I'd be pukeing it up. Read my story on my site to get a clearer picture. Overall, my opinion of the band is not good. My NUT told me that more & more docs are not doing the band because of it's fail rate. Yes, they take out part of your stomach with the sleeve so it's not reversable, but my opinion is the sleeve is still the way to go. I go in next Wed. to have my band removed & then hopefully will schedule the sleeve surgery very soon. Good luck!

I am the type of patient who goes into things heavily researched and informed. I like the benefits of the sleeve but hate the idea of losing so much stomach tissue. I also have awful reflux, I take prescription strength Prilosec daily, and hear it gets worse with the sleeve . I just want to make the right decision. I don't want to go the bypass route and I am no longer confident the band is for me. I guess I will make a decision after speaking to the doctor on Wednesday.

Just look at your friends. Three out of four are having problems with their band. Enough said....

I chose to be sleeved, hopefully in the next month, because i have heard more bad about the band than good. Too much maintenance, fills, slips erosion, slow weight loss, infections. It just seems too much mechanical maintenance. No wonder there is such a fail rate, your too busy worrying about the band, you don't have time to focus on diet and healthy habits. Just mho

Just look at your friends. Three out of four are having problems with their band. Enough said....

You are right. I guess it is my fear talking.

I changed to the sleeve because of all the complications that there is with the band, as well as the fact that you have to keep going in to have it filled and adjusted....I wanted to just go it, have it done and over with...alot of people decided on the band because it is reversable...well I dont want my weight loss to be reversable....I want it permenent....lol good luck!

I have no regrets about getting the sleeve. It is a lifetime change in eating patterns but I can still eat whatever I want, within reason. Getting this weight off and the feeling that it brings is just the best thing ever!

I am the type of patient who goes into things heavily researched and informed. I like the benefits of the sleeve but hate the idea of losing so much stomach tissue. I also have awful reflux, I take prescription strength Prilosec daily, and hear it gets worse with the sleeve . I just want to make the right decision. I don't want to go the bypass route and I am no longer confident the band is for me. I guess I will make a decision after speaking to the doctor on Wednesday.

as for the reflux, I used to get it everyday before the sleeve, since I had it I havent gotten reflux but 2 times....and the major thing that detracts from the reflux is that the pumps that create the acid in the stomach are almost all removed, so you have alot less acid preduced. I am soooo happy that I got this sleeve!

You are right about my friends. It is my fear trying to talk me out of such a drastic procedure. I will have enough challenges without dealing with band issues. I want success this time not 20 more years of weight struggles. You guys are so great in helping me get closer to making the right choice.

My surgeon is near giving up on the band completely due to the high complication rates. He does nearly (I'm told) as many band to sleeve revisions as he does bands alone.

I want to thank everyone who replied to my post. I have decided and will be getting the sleeve once I am approved by Aetna.

I want to thank everyone who replied to my post. I have decided and will be getting the sleeve once I am approved by Aetna.

Yeah !!! Good for you!!

How I wish I knew this was an option 10 years ago. But then again, the sleeve wasn't insurance approved 10 years ago. i probably would have gotten the ban, then would have been miserable

Buplee,

I also just decided today that I am going to go with the sleeve. The past 7 years I have wanted the band but after researching and chatting with some people on here and on the lap band site it really is a better choice. As long as everything goes well and you have a good doctor. I am in the process of having Dr. Alveraz as my doc in Mexico, since I'm self pay. He is very popular on this site. Good luck! It's just nerves. I'm right there with you. Lol! Take care.