I have a friend who went in today for a fill and was told "lap band" was still the way to go. That after two years or so with the sleeve you would gain all your weight back. Comments please.

I've seen several people on here who are two years or more out that haven't regained. From what I've seen people on here say, you have to try to gain back.

I have a friend who went in today for a fill and was told "lap band" was still the way to go. That after two years or so with the sleeve you would gain all your weight back. Comments please.

Seems counterintuitive. You have a permanent restriction on your stomach that while it may happen, you would have to work to gain it ALL back. Lap band just needs to not have fills and you can end up like people I know. Plus I know far more people with muffin tops and slipped bands who lost very little, than issues with the sleeve.

I think everyone's expirerence is different. I'm nearly two years out and I CAN eat a lot more than I used to. I weigh 5-6 more than my lowest weight. I'm thrilled with the results, could I gain my weight back? Absolutely. Will I? No! It does take some work after a few years, but it's so much easier post sleeve.

This was told to your friend by someone who makes a lot of money from maintaining lapbands?

I work for ALLERGAN. The pharmaceutical company that created the lap band. We are currently trying to sell it to another pharmaceutical company, it is a fading fad. That is all you need to know.

If you look at the statistics, people with the lapband are FAR more likely to have complications, not lose the weight they want, and gain back what weight they have lost. I have had two different doctors tell me that the lapband is a useless procedure that should be banned, especially because of all of the complications. On the other hand, so far, the sleeve has virtually the same success rate (including losing and long-term maintenance) as bypass. In my WLS support group, almost everyone goes sleeve or bypass - only a few people are choosing lapband. We are also seeing more people that have been revised from lapband to sleeve.

I have a friend who went in today for a fill and was told "lap band" was still the way to go. That after two years or so with the sleeve you would gain all your weight back. Comments please.

I'm three years out as of June 10, I haven't gained any weight back. I've been maintaining for 2.5 years. I think it all depends on the person. If there aren't changes made...for life, forever...then I suspect it's possible. There is no way the majority of us can have WLS, any of them, lap band, sleeve or RNY and expect to do nothing besides go under the knife. That is the easy part, afterwards we have to be diligent, we have to learn to make wiser choices, maybe give up a few things and resist when we need too. With sleeve surgery, and that is the ONLY one I can talk about first hand, I find it much easier to resist when I want to, and much easier to make good choices. Others may not agree, but this is the way it is for me personally.

My comment...tell your friend to find another doctor!

It never ceases to amaze me when I read some of these comments. I have a family member who had the lap band and gained all their weight back after they had to have it pulled due to massive complications. I myself have the sleeve and I think it's truly what you make of it. Too many people expect a quick fix and think this is a miracle cure. Let's all remember that all of these surgeries except the duodenal switch are just a tool and not the cure. So remember that all and everything worth having takes determination and consistency....and like one of the comments made above stated we all have to try and make it work

Sorry to break your heart, but the sleeve is f-ing amazing. the lapband... enough said.

Oh boy.

I think it's disgusting for doctors to lie just to sell more product. They're not supposed to be salespeople.

My doc told me yesterday about the ups nd downs of all 3. Gave stats for all 3. Stated that altho he thinks the gbs is better than the other two, its all what the patient makes of them, bc all they do is provide the surgery, we still have to work at it. He said, he gives me the facts nd its up to me to put the rest of the work in by makn life long changes. I knew I wanted the sleeve and told him so. And no matter my question, he provided answers for all 3 procedures. It was a gr8 first visit nd like the postops say, its a tool nd u have to b committed to the changes. I can't wait to be on the same road to being healthy nd lookn even more fab, just less of me:) gla!!

The lap band scares me. I don't want something left in my body with a port. But, on the other hand, the sleeve is what we make of it. If we go back to eating like before then yes the weight will come back. This is the time I want to get into a good exercise pattern, good eating habits and make it work. It's not magic ... we still have to do it.

Secretary at my kids school was saying she doesn't believe in the surgery because she had 2 family members do it and one gained back all her weight and the other is still doing ok. Immediately I asked why she gained her weight back and she said she went back to her old eating habits. /shrug

I'm going to take a guess that the gastric bypass patients do a bit better because of the dumping. LOL At least, in my mind, that's the reasoning. Who wants to throw up all the time?!

I'm confused when people talk about gaining weight back after being sleeved. How can you gain weight when you can only physically eat 1/2 cup or less of food at a meal? Do some eat only high calorie foods and eat every hour or so? I've only been sleeved 3 weeks, but it seems to me that you'd have to work hard to gain all your weight back ( or even part of it). Am I being naive?