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so undecided...



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Hi...I was pretty much set-up for the sleeve however now I'm scared about having most of my stomach removed so now I'm once again back to wanting the band instead. However, I've heard horror stories about the band, ie. slipping, erosion, etc...would love to hear the positive stories instead!! Thanks for sharing.

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I wrote a long post about this recently. Will try to find the link

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good luck finding a surgeon who'll do a lapband for you. Most have abandoned it in favor of the sleeve since there were so many problems with the lapband.

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Get the band if you want to have to do all this over again in about 10 years....and fight with it those ten years....I know that there are some real success stories with the band, but they are the exception rather than the rule. I wish I hadn't wasted 11 years with mine before it slipped, gave me a hiatal hernia and I had to have it removed and a revision to RNY.

Whatever you decide to do, it IS your decision, but do your homework. And whatever you decide, good luck! We are rooting for you.

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I wouldn’t tell you what to do, but there are a lot of people who had bands in the past having them removed or revised to another type of surgery. It is based solely on restriction (while the sleeve and bypass use restriction but also go further in that other factors such as gastric variables also come into play in assisting with weight loss).

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I worried about WLS too... but it was the best decision for me. Honestly, I think removing most of your stomach has less complications than lap band and is safer. And sleeve has a better outcome. And many people regain the weight as soon as they remove the lap band.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

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On 2/28/2020 at 1:50 PM, luvpenguins said:

Hi...I was pretty much set-up for the sleeve however now I'm scared about having most of my stomach removed so now I'm once again back to wanting the band instead. However, I've heard horror stories about the band, ie. slipping, erosion, etc...would love to hear the positive stories instead!! Thanks for sharing.

I had a lap band in 2009, and it went well for a while, minimum vomiting. Then the problems set in the tubing was hitting my vegas nerve to the heart and caused issues. I had it out a year ago and had the sleeve done. I too didn't want part of my stomach removed, but this is the best decision ever. in 7 months I've lost 90 pounds and I'm as low as I got with the band and I'm still losing. No discomfort from my port, it was placed at my waist and often my pants hit it. No going in for fills or adjustments which happen once a month. I feel great, follow the same menu as I did with the band and love my decision. The band is a constant reminder, and needs to be attended to this is one and done. Good luck with your decision, but I don't miss my stomach at all.

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I completely understand where you're coming from because I was of the same mind when I first went to see the bariatric doc. But in the end you have to ask yourself what has the biggest chance of actually WORKING, because do you want to have ANOTHER surgery in a year or four to fix any issues you get with the Lap-Band? The success rate with the Lap-Band isn't that great. 1 in 3 have serious issues with it and 60% have to have another surgery. That was the reason I decided to look at the other surgeries. I had originally decided on the Gastric Bypass, but after discussing it with my doctor and my bariatric support group I decided to do the Loop DS, which is what my surgeons office had originally recommended to me. I have to take NSAIDS and I couldn't take that with Gastric Bypass. Though right now I'm stuck taking Turmeric since the doc office wants me to avoid the NSAIDS for the first six months, but I have to have SOME kind of anti-inflammatory due to back issues...so Turmeric it is! Anyway, just think about it and do your research. It seems scary, but the sleeve is actually one part of my surgery and I haven't had any issues with it. I wish you the best!

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Gastric band - been there, done that. Stopped working and I never felt full. So last year after my weight went back up I decided to have the revision and get the sleeve but due to the build up of scar tissue (surgery was May 2010), surgeon ran out of time to do the VSG safely. So had to wait until 11/30/20 and finally all was completed. I was told he might have to do the bypass and I prayed so hard that didn't happen. I'm 65 and glad I did it.

Sent from my SM-J337V using BariatricPal mobile app

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
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    • Doughgurl

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      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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