Hello all I am new to the site.. I just wanted to introduce myself. I am Crystal and I am on the journey of WLS. I started my journey in Jan. of this year and just found out that it was submitted to insurance on Friday for pre-approval. I am sooooo nervous. My BMI is a little below where they want it to be which is 40 but I hope that isn't an issue. I have a long list of family histry medical issues, as well as my own medical issues that are starting. So everyone please send good jue jue my way. Just out of curiousity.. because I seem to be siding more with a sleeve than the band but why did everyone go with a sleeve as apposed to a band?

I was actually thinking about the band, but didn't know too much about it. After education myself & finding out that I may need to go back for periodic adjustments & then I actually saw the device. read up on the complications If i didn't go back for the required adjustments. i'm such a procrastinator sometimes, so went for the sleeve.

I've also encountered folks that each had different procedures and spoke with them about their experiences.

I was leaning more and more towards the sleeve. Once doc made recommendations based on medical conditions, I choose the sleeve. Best thing ever!!!

SENDING GOOD JUE JUE YOUR WAY!!!!

Thanks so much! I think that I am leaning more towards it.. just the thought of having something in my body that isn't suppose to be in there kinda weirds me out..

Welcome to the boards!

I also considered the band a few years ago when a colleague of mine lost a great deal of weight with a lapband. Since then, I've done a good amount of research and self-education. For me, having a piece of hardware installled just freaked me out. I can barely remember to get my car's oil and filters changed on time, and there are so many people whose bands slip, cause scarring, or flat-out fail that I sort of shied away from that idea. On top of which, my colleague gained back a lot of the weight she lost, so I had a real-life reference for bands not doing the job very well.

When I went to my first informational seminar, the lead surgeon at my local Bariatric Center of Excellence was very up-front about lapbands. He told the audience that he discourages people from getting them, due to the issues that often come up. He did say that he would install one if his patient insisted, but he was pretty clear that his practice is trying to get away from them. One of his nurses told me that she expects the sleeve to become the new "gold standard" for weight loss surgery in the next few years.

I'm really happy with my choice--and my surgery is just over a week away. I hope you find the choice that is best for you! Good luck on your weight loss journey, and welcome to the forums. (We're a wacky bunch, but it's never dull!)

I chose the sleeve because of all the people I read about switching to the sleeve from the band. I hope to be more active one day and don't want to worry about the darn thing shifting.

I didn't want to say it, but when I saw the actual lap band device, I got a little freaked out too.

Yeah.. all the pictures that I have seen of it are creepy.. I have been doing a lot of reading since I am a bucket of nerves waiting on insurance to approve me.. and they are only good for about 10 years if that.. and most of those people had to go back and have additonal surgery.. I don't want to have to do that.. I want to have it done then use the tools to start getting healthier not constantly having to go back under the knife...

That's what made me choose the sleeve. Yeah, it's not reversible. That wigged me out a little at first, then I stopped and thought about it. What I've been doing all these years has NOT WORKED. The dieting, the crazy grazing on everything in sight, hating myself for overeating, going back on diets, and always, ALWAYS gaining back the weight I lost, plus more.

Yes, the sleeve is permanent. And that is exactly what I need to finally be successful. This problem is bigger than me (and that's saying a LOT), and if I have the ability to reverse it, I know I'd be right back at morbid obesity.

Why would I ever want to reverse that??

It's a permanent change, but so is puberty--and I never want to go backwards on that one either!

I don't know I am 28.. and I have hit the fast forward button on puberty and to not have that as an issue anymore is the best thing EVER.. so now if I can get this under control I would be square!! :-D

Sending the good jue jue your way as requested!

I chose the band ....6 years later I choose the sleeve .... Oh and if it freaks you out to see the band now, it probably won't get better if you have it put in.

I could tell you my whole story but it is long but I am having that darn foreign object taken out Tuesday and revising to he sleeve. I am relieved.

But please do your research and if you don't have a surgeon yet, try to find one that does multiple surgeries. The surgeon can help you decide based on your needs. My first surgeon was band only so he couldn't have recommended another surgery. Best thing I did for myself was find my new surgeon!

I have a surgeon.. and we have talked about it just a little.. haven't got to the nitty gritty yet! Guess they wanted to wait for insurance (?) But the more that I talk to you all and the more that I read.. I think that I am going with the sleeve.. Now just waiting on the darn insurance.. please please please..

Sorry, never mind about the surgeon part, I had already forgotten you were waiting on approval. I'm a wack job at the moment with surgery Tuesday. I hope you get approved!

No worries.. I am a bucket of nerves myself.. hope all goes well for you on Tuesday!!

Hi Crystal! I was also considering the band but have decided on the sleeve instead. I did not like the idea of a foreign object in me and I've been reading so many of the stories of band issues and those having the sleeve revision, I feel the sleeve is right for me. I also was submitted to insurance on Friday and now I'm *trying* to be patient waiting to hear back lol....good luck to you on your journey!!

I have a lap band and I have hated every single minute of it. slipped a week ago so this Friday I'm getting it out and converted to a sleeve. My surgeon thinks we will be seeing attorney commericals for class action lawsuits against lap band soon. It will not at all what I was led to believe about it. First it is about as reversible as leaving a tourniquet on your arm for 5 years and expecting it to be ok. Its not. Second the limitations of what you can eat without getting stuck or slimeing lead to unfortunate choices of soft foods that slide down easier. The port accessing hurts and sometimes it shocks me when I'm walking. It always makes its presence known. Cannot ever forget its there. It requires so much maintence and follow up. And doctors are really reluctant to touch another surgeons work. Most people I know hate their band. I know I do. Absolute nightmare.

Sorry you had to experience all that! It's stories like yours that had me start researching the sleeve. Let us know how your revision goes...good luck to you!