Your thoughts

I was thinking about the band for 3 years and I went to try for it this year and my weight loss doctor who isn't a surgeon and has no agenda asked me to do my research. He told me that if you look at the numbers there is an average of about 70-80% excess weight loss with the sleeve and about 40-50% excess with the band and more complications in the long run. He also told me to look at the source. I too had that issue, I was being steered toward the band, but figured out that their interest was in me using their facility and their aftercare program for the fills, made sense because otherwise all they get is the kick back from the surgeon for the referral after I get the sleeve. Just do your homework.

My doctor doesn't recommend the lap band anymore. Too many people had to have the adjustments.

I think the lap band comes with so many complications, it's only a matter of time before all doctors stop using it. And insurance companies stop approving it...

My doctor doesn't recommend the lap band anymore. Too many people had to have the adjustments.

Actually, adjustments, or fills as is the terminology, is what makes the band the band. You are able to have fills and unfills to meet your intake needs.

The problem is, many people are having problems with the bands eroding into their stomachs, or the band slips. The slip involves additional surgery to fix it, but can cause you all kinds of problems with eating until it is diagnosed. The eroded band is even worse, and can cause serious health problems. Mine slipped twice. Then, it eroded. I went for months without being able to eat anything, even with no fill in my band. I literally lived on ice cream, because that was the only thing I could eat and not immediately vomit back up.

I have known many people who have had problems with the band, then again, I know just as many who have had great success with it. If I had it to do over again, I would have definitely chosen the sleeve first.

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I though about it too but I went for the sleeve bc:

1. It 's a foreign item in your body.

2. It will eventually deteriorate and need to come out and/or be replaced.

3. Visits required to get fills.

4. Most insurance won't cover fills. Or they make it part of your deductible.

5. More time consuming with weekly or monthly visits until band is filled appropriately.

6. Weight loss is slower and alot less compared to the sleeve.

almost got one in 2005, went through with everything up to last minute. I like that I have sleeve better because low maintanence with no fills, better absorbtion and no complication such as food getting stuck, they had told me, no bananas, no bread amongst what sticks in it.

I had a lap band until a few days ago. It is very high maintenance and it is a foreign object in your body. I don't know how stable the area you live in is but I have had times in the 2 years I had the band that there was no bariatric doctor to monitor it or perform fills for hours. Then the doctors that opened practice here aren't for the band and do not have the fluoro equipment that is needed to monitor a band. Insurance will not cover barrium swallows for band placement so you basically are left to either travel somewhere that has the machine in their office (air faire, hotel, and dr visit costs) or just get adjustments without the band being visualized. It is also common to get an adjustment and it was to much so you have to go get some taken out ( that is another trip and cost). My stomach ended up prolapsing through my band (which is not a slip) and caused my stomach lining to bleed out. I was literally living on popsicles because that was all I could get down without vomiting it up and pain. I haven't had the sleeve long enough to know what problems I may have but I constantly had problems with the band. Even when my band was functioning at its best I had very few foods that did not get stuck. I could only eat a few bites of baked chicken and that was all the meat I could get down. I could not eat any bread, pasta, salad, most meats, most vegetables, anything with a skin or a seed so basically no fruits. If you like the liquid diet then the band is for you because that is what you spend most of your time on. That doesn't even begin to talk about the reflux! It was constant and would wake me up at night and often I would immediately have to vomit upon waking up because of the reflux. I know all WLS has their downfalls but I felt like it was medically induced bellemia. I would definately encourage you to do your research and the bariatric doctors in my area are not even putting bands in anymore so if you think about the future will you be able to get care for your band?

I've never known anyone with a lap band that lost weight or is happy with it! I considered one too and ran the other way!

My surgeon has seen so many problems with lap bands he won't do them any more. He only does removals and conversions from band to sleeve or bypass. He said the band is a nightmare. Being as that was the advice of an expert and not some stranger on the internet, it was enough to help make my mind up. I'd say ask your doctor.

My primary DR. First recommended the band for me, so when I was just starting

the process I had it in my head that that was the way I was going cause

I didn't want to have Gastric Bypass, cause I didn't want my intestines

rerouted. Through Kaiser

You have to go through a lot of classes and education before you even

get to the surgeon. I didn't even know there was Gastric Sleeve. But after all

the education they gave me and the pros & cons, it made much better sense

to go with the sleeve. My Dr. hasn't even done a band in 2 years! Like

everyone else said just do your homework. I know some people go to other

countries to have this done, so some might not get all the education

they need. I am glad I had Kaiser for this or I would have been lost.

When I started thinking about WLS I thought about doing the band too. After talking to my doctor, I decided on the sleeve. For one, the amount of work you have to do to make it work, plus all of the complications make it not worth it. And I've heard of so many people who ended up getting a reversion to get the sleeve. And something else my doctor told me that really swayed me against the band - other doctors are very leary of working w/ band patients. So if you move, need to change practices, or move, you have a hard time finding another bariatric practice willing to take you on. You don't have that probem w/ the sleeve. Hope that helps!

I was thinking about the band for 3 years and I went to try for it this year and my weight loss doctor who isn't a surgeon and has no agenda asked me to do my research. He told me that if you look at the numbers there is an average of about 70-80% excess weight loss with the sleeve and about 40-50% excess with the band and more complications in the long run. He also told me to look at the source. I too had that issue' date=' I was being steered toward the band, but figured out that their interest was in me using their facility and their aftercare program for the fills, made sense because otherwise all they get is the kick back from the surgeon for the referral after I get the sleeve. Just do your homework.[/quote']

I was thinking the same thing