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.

Thank you very my Holly' date='

It is the support my family my vst forum friends that is helping through these times. I am still very weak, but getting better each day. I still have a long road ahead, but I was told this would prevent from being sleeved. Thanks you and I can't wait until my really day.[/quote']

I had the sleeve surgery than had to have multiple invasive procedures within a few weeks due to complications. I would highly suggest you do not (and hopefully your doc will make you wait) have the sleeve this same month. I know you want it, but having that much done to your body at once lifts your risk levels sky high for serious complications with surgery. You need to heal from one and not then have the second until that is complete. Yes this delays it a few months perhaps, but you don't want to experience even half of what I did in any form from any complications.

Your body is not invincible. You won't properly heal from the first surgery on a clear or full liquid diet. Or on the low level of calories you would be getting after the surgery. Use this time to heal, make sensible choices about the foods you eat (call this a pre diet phase) and get well. Then have the surgery when your body is strong again.

One last thought... I started really reducing my calories and replacing 1 meal a day while laid up before surgery. The last thing you need is to gain weight during this time. You'll feel more in control of your body if you can focus on your nutrition - reminding yourself you're doing everything you can to heal from back surgery to prepare for sleeve surgery. Yourbody does need to repair itself before you do this. Good luck, sweetie. You WILL do it!

Good morning everyone,

I successfully made it through spinal and neural surgery. I am now in the rehab phase of my surgery, which include 4 hours a day of physical and occupational therapy. I am now learning how to walk, stand on my own and do everyday tasks. It is amazing how many menial tasks we perform a day that we take for granted, which I must learn to do on my own again. Things like walking, getting dressed, getting things out of closets, and going to the bathroom by myself. Unfortunately this unexpected surgery has caused me to put off the sleeve surgery I desperately wanted, and I would have had tomorrow. I am now hoping to get out the hospital in the next two weeks and to get sleeved in November. I am still dealing with pain management on dilaudid and OxyContin. Pain is getting betting but I still need some help. I will continue with my goal of being sleeved this year and will continue to update you on my progress.

HI Buplee....thanks for checking in with us; we're all here pulling for you for a quick recovery so you can go on to your next step...remember everything you are doing you are doing to get healthier. One day at a time....so sorry you are in pain...time to find some good books or good comedies to watch! This time next year, you'll be in great shape!

I posted about this on an earlier thread, so I'm just going to copy and paste my thoughts from that here...

"Here's the info I was given when trying to decide between the two.

1/3 of the time the lap-band works exactly the way the recipient wants it to.

1/3 of the time the lap-band causes you to lose some weight and then no more.

1/3 of the time the lap-band does not work at all.

Those are shitty odds for this much money. I have a friend who has the band and is bitter she didn't get sleeved. She's lost 30 pounds out of the 100 she needed to. It's been several years now and it's the way it is. PLUS, I was not interested in the on-going maintenance (fills) the band needed.

That's what made me choose sleeve. I'm super glad I did and would do it again in a heartbeat. I just had reconstructive surgery to remove all the excess skin after all the weight loss. That's a nice problem to have."

HI Buplee....thanks for checking in with us; we're all here pulling for you for a quick recovery so you can go on to your next step...remember everything you are doing you are doing to get healthier. One day at a time....so sorry you are in pain...time to find some good books or good comedies to watch! This time next year' date=' you'll be in great shape![/quote']

Thank you Queen of Crop,

I am getting stronger but I am still a week or two from discharge. I can't wait to get sleeved, my wife said once I lose the weight, she said I'll need the energy and a good strong back. She is scaring me and exciting me at the same time. She wants to do our 25th anniversary vow renewal on a beach in the Caribbean wearing bathing suits next year. I'll post as much as possible with updates as I continue to recover. Thanks to everyone for their respective words of encouragement. I am so happy I joined this forum.

One last thought... I started really reducing my calories and replacing 1 meal a day while laid up before surgery. The last thing you need is to gain weight during this time. You'll feel more in control of your body if you can focus on your nutrition - reminding yourself you're doing everything you can to heal from back surgery to prepare for sleeve surgery. Yourbody does need to repair itself before you do this. Good luck' date=' sweetie. You WILL do it![/quote']

Thank you Holly,

My wife has been bringing me Protein shakes and specially prepared meals with the approval of my doctor and nutritionist. The meals I ate my first week did nothing for my weight loss. I have also been cutting the meals I do have in half to cut calories . The hospital has been also been giving me a special Protein Drink to help with healing and my protein intake. My orthopedic surgeon who did my knee replacement, told my spinal surgeon to get me sleeve ready. He had been trying to get me to have wls for two years. I was not ready then, but I am more than ready now.

buplee...somehow I missed this thread...glad to hear you are on the road to recovery and I am also glad that you came to the conclusion that having the sleeve surgery is the way to go for you.

When I first considered WLS I did want the band (not gastric bypass) but had never heard of the sleeve. When I was approved into the bariatric program for WLS, we were introduced to the 3 options (band, sleeve, or gastric bypass) and the benefits and difficulties associated with each (BTW, Kaiser no longer does the band due to difficulties and success rates) and it was suddenly and absolutely clear that the sleeve was the way to go. By now you know that one of the best reasons, is that your food is digested normally - in through an intact espophagus, and out through the pyloric valve which is untouched. You still absorb nutrients the same way you always did. There are no foreign bodies in your abdomen - no rejection - no adjustments required. A huge plus is the tissue removed is that which produces the hormone ghrelin, responsible for our feelings of hunger. This is an all star procedure with great results!

I hope that your rehab goes well, and that you are soon able to move forward with your sleeve surgery as you want to.

We will be here cheering you on!!

Hi all,

recovery has meant a lot slower than I expected and I am still using a walker to get around. I'm hoping to get sleeved in December at this point because I need to be more ambulatory before I can actually have the procedure done. Out of all the surgeries like that in the last six years, This has been the hardest surgery I have ever dealt with because I can't see the scar. With my knee there was this big bandage, that served as a reminder.

With this surgery I have this 5 inch scar on my back which I have only seen because my wife has been taking pictures of it through the various stages of healing. I never realized how hard spinal surgery could be. Please keep me in mind guys, I haven't posted much in the last month because I really had a hard time dealing with my recovery, but still I am thinking about all my post and pre-op sleevers and can't wait to become one of the thin crowd.

Thank you all for your support and I'll be posting soon