Hi Everyone,

I am really so confused. I've spent days on this site and learned a tremendous amount from your posts. I guess my biggest question is what made you decide to go with the sleeve rather than the lap-band?

Thank you for any responses.

I started out planning for the band, although I did think it was kind of strange putting something foreign in my body. After much research I went with the sleeve. At my induction with my surgeon he said that there is such a large percentage of people having the band removed after 5 years he really didn't believe it anymore. I'm loving my sleeve. I can eat anything, just not a large qty of it. Food no longer rules my life!

I have the band I'm getting it out on Monday and getting the sleeve. I hated the band,biggest mistake....never lost one pound even with all the vomiting.

My boss had the lap band about three months ago. He initially lost 15 pounds, but was vomiting all the time. He is very busy and hasn't had time to go back and get his port filled, so now he has gained back all that 15 pounds plus some. He said he wanted to be able to "redo" his band. I don't want to "redo" this, it's a lifetime commitment for me!

I also researched the band but heard so many negative things about it and in my area there was no where to go to be the band adjusted. I went with the sleeve and don't regret it for a minute and don't have to go anywhere to get it adjusted! It has only been 16 days for me but I already know I made the best decision of my life - down 22 lbs. in 14 days!

I am one of those who got the band back in 2005. The sleeve was not even offered at that time. The band was sold to you as the CURE for obesity ( I'm a nurse and I believed it) it was told to me that it was a life time thing, yes you have to have fills, but it can stay in you for a lifetime...WOW what a wonderful thing, I can have this put in and get/be skinny for a lifetime....NOT

Last year I had the worst pain in my lifetime that lasted what seemed to be forever, but when it was over I discovered I had no restriction, I was sore for about a week but that was it..before I new it I had gained all my weight back, but also I knew I didn't feel all that well anymore. I started to look at getting it out but I had gone to Mexico to have it put in because of my low bmi. Through all of this I discovered the VSG and said HEY thats for me... so simple...get this thing out of me and get the sleeve, so after 6 months of research on June 26th that's what I did...BUT... when I woke up I only had the band removed because my band had eroded...sigh...I was devastated!!! What happened to the LIFE TIME BAND???? I have to say I can not believe they still put those things in people here in the USA?

everyone I know who has it has nothing but trouble/damage from that d$*m thing.

Not all is lost because on Oct 22 I am going to be the proud owner of my new stomach called Chiquita!!!

I am going to beg you to not get the band its a waste of money and when you have to have it removed...yes I said when YOU have to have it removed...you will remember my post and say why didn't I listen to everyone who tried to WARN ME...WARN ME........WARN ME.......WARN ME.......WARN ME..........,WARN ME...........WARN ME.....

DebinAZ,

I know your post is very sincere and serious, but you did make me laugh. Thank you for that!

Thank you to everyone who posted. I couldn't have asked for quicker, more helpful responses. I have a lot of thinking and praying to do about this.

Your welcome Anne..I hope you do listen to my warning...with a lighter heart

Hi

I have neither the sleeve or the band, but after much research and consideration I will be getting sleeved in January (I will be self pay going to Mexico) I have 2 friends (that I know of) that have been banded, 1 of them 5 years ago, one of them 3 years ago. They both seem and claim to be 'successful' with it - certainly, my 5 year friend has done well, has just gone for a tummy tuck, to my knowledge suffers with no more than reflux which she had before the surgery. My 3 year friend also claims success - certainly she looks great, has lost a lot of weight, but it seems every time I go out with her she is heading off to the bathroom to vomit after a portion of her meal. She goes every few months for a fill or an infill, and suffers from heartburn worse than before surgery. They both claim to live their band, but I can feel it on them and I cannot imagine having that inside of mr - they say you get used to it and I suppose you do, but I don't think I could live with it. And they both have a list of things they cannot eat because it gets 'stuck' and they have to vomit it up. I don't think I could live that way fore er.