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51 And Conflicted Between The Band And The Sleeve- Your Thoughts Wanted!

buplee

By buplee, in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums

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buplee    556

buplee
Posted

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.

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Queen of Crop    1,104

Queen of Crop
Posted

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

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tropicalgal    14

tropicalgal
Posted

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!

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buplee    556

buplee
Posted

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.

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KBT    35

KBT
Posted

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

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NDN_RN    527

NDN_RN
Posted

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

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buplee    556

buplee
Posted

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.

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Sassygirl06    962

Sassygirl06
Posted

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!

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KBT    35

KBT
Posted

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!

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Sassygirl06    962

Sassygirl06
Posted

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!

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buplee    556

buplee
Posted

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.

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geno5150    168

geno5150
Posted

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.

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buplee    556

buplee
Posted

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.

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NDN_RN    527

NDN_RN
Posted

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!!

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NDN_RN    527

NDN_RN
Posted

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

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Go To Topic Listing Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums

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    • LeighaTR

      LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 1 reply
      1. Selina333

        Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

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