Hello, I had the sleeve done 3 weeks ago. I just had a friend get the lap band this week. Can anyone tell me the difference in recovery? Is it faster or less painful at all? I worry because I took 3 weeks off and she is only taking 3 days. I just want to be able to give her advise if she asks but don't want to "baby" her.

I had the band in 07 and took 2 weeks off. I had the sleeve on Dec 9, one week ago, and am hoping to return to work after my post surgical check up on the 17th, 8 days after surgery. While still recuperating from the sleeve, I think the lap band recovery was worse. .

There's no way of pre planning what to expect. I had the lapband and recovery sucked and with the sleeve it was as I hadn't had surgery. My daughter had lap band and it was nothing, but she's having a tough time with sleeve post op.

My band surgery (2009) was easy peasy compared to my sleeve revision (5 mths ago). I don't work so I'm not much help there but with my band I guess I could gone back to a desk job in maybe a week. Now if I were returning to work as say, an RN (my past lifetime) I'd have been ready in mayb 2-3 weeks.

Now with my revision, they had to spend an extra 30 mins digging my band outa my stomach, making me sore than anticipated. I would've had to wait at least a month for either job. Recovery from my sleeve sucked, big time. regretted it for a while. But as my husband reminded me I had to have my band out anyway. What a little more pain in addition to the pain of taking it out?

So there's ur answer...

I had the band in 2009 and took a week off afterwards. I was very sore after and felt like I had been beat up.

I had the sleeve done in 2012 and felt great the next day! I took a month off of work but mainly because I work in a group home dealing with physical behaviors. I guess I attribute quick recover(as far as pain goes) to being in a lot better shape prior to surgery this time around.

I had my lap band in 2010 and the recovery from it was lengthy and miserable. I had the sleeve on December 20th and was home the next day feeling as if I had only done a few sit ups. The sleeve was easy breezy. I took five days off of work only because I work in a very low stress office job. I would suspect that my recovery was easier due to the fact I am healthier this go round. Good Luck to you!

I had the band on Friday, went out with friends Saturday night and back to work Monday. I had my band removed, hiatal hernia repair and sleeve done on a Friday and was back to work Tuesday.