Hello!

I had LB and was very successful with it for years. Although, I had to get it opened in the spring and fall for a couple months each due to allergies/serious post nasal drip causing issues. I was very sick last year (unrelated) and ended up with a hernia etc. Long story short, LB was removed (not sure it should have been).

Due to all my issues, I am not sure I want the LB again bc I am frankly sick of being used and a pin cushion (again was not related to LB but was bad 8 months) and just hyper sensitive. Thus, I looked into as cleared to have GS.

I am so confused and frustrated. One side says LB is better bc can always be adjusted and that GS will lead to reflux and a whole slew of issues. Also argues that GS use in US has not been that long and it shows a high percentage that pouch will be stretched and then not effective.

The other side says LB not as effective and shows high percentage of eventual slippage/failure (plus constant fills/reduction issues as noted above). Further says that reflux can be addressed, likely not long term and not lead to other issues (Barrett's disease).

I do not know what to do. Any thoughts? Anyone out there who went from LB to LB or LB to GS?

Thanks. Any feedback greatly appreciated.

There's an entire forum in the sleeve forum just for folks who were band to sleeve patients.

My personal opinion? You're over interpreting the negative aspects of both WLS methods. There is no high failure rate with the band but it is higher than the other 3 WLS methods. From what I read, reflux does happen to a small percentage of sleevers but not a high percent.

The band requires a lot more cerebral attendance since so much of it is based on how you "feel" satiety and some patients never recognize the satiety feelings. You really have to pay attention to those soft signals or you may not lose a lot of weight. Band patients do lose less than sleeve pts.

You can't miss the full signals with the sleeve. Stretched pouches are rare and even then, not back to the old stomach size. jmo

tmf