I have a hard hard question and decision to make, I am 1 week away from my final nutritionalist visit and trying to figure out if I want to do either the Gastric Sleeve or Lap Band. I am approved for both at 100% and I my surgon does both but I am soooooooooooooooo lost. I have done so much reading and I see that the sleeve looses weight really fast and the band is slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I have a good friend that has has the band for almost a year and he eats more than I do!!!!! I am discouraged because of him because we are the same size and hasnt lost but 10lbs and I do better than he does with atkins. HELP, I will be down twice as long as lap band but the weight loss is twice as fast, It is not reversable and cannot go back, the hormone that produces hunger signals is gone...........Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM ABOUT TO PICK THE SLEEVE

Honestly, I would pick the sleeve since you have the choice. After much much research, it would be my first choice, but my insurance doesn't cover it. Well, it might if I fought them on it, but it already took two appeals just to be approved for lapband so I'm not gonna pursue it. But, if I ever have problem w/the lapband, I would go for the sleeve. My guess is that most insurance companies are gonna start covering it over the next year or two. My timing is just off given my insurance. But, since yours will cover it now, I'd go for it. I think it is the better choice. But, do your own research, definitely. The most important thing is that YOU are comfortable w/the surgery you choose. Personally, I would be happy to have ANY between lapband, RNY, and the sleeve because ANY of these will give you the help you need, but if given the choice, I think the sleeve is the best of the three.

I totally agree. I am approved for the lap band, so that's what I'll get, but I am sorely tempted to self pay in mexico to get the sleeve, a superior method. No appliances, no ridiculous fill maintenance. Plus I understand there's no pb'ing or sliming and you can eat in front of others without fear of losing your food.

I have mentally decided that I want the sleeve, after reading countless hours on what the side effect are of each one I really want to go with the sleeve. Problem is the amout of down time, I will have to wait a few extra months to save up enough time off to get it done but lapband I can get as soon as I get approved. I know there are wonderful things and a lot of happy bandsters, I saw a friend this weekend that had it done a couple years ago and she looks great. I know that the sleeve is a better than the band for maintanance reasons but in the end I have to be commited to what ever I decide to do, both my parents had bypass 10 years ago and they have put a lot of there weight back on. Thanks for listening to me!

My insurance would've paid for either. I chose the band. It was less invasive and the recovery time was shorter. Also, I know several people who've had the sleeve and all are having a problem with a lack of energy...maybe from losing weight so quickly?

I read up on both and it appears that statistically, while the sleeve people lose weight more rapidly, at the end of two years the weight loss evens out between those with the sleeve and those with the band. I vaguely remember reading that there is a higher incidence of gall bladder removal with the sleeve, most likely due to the quick weight loss aggravating the condition.

Elfie, how well are you doing with the band? Any major problems or vomiting issues I have read about? I just don't know, I don't want to go through the surgery and wish I had done the sleeve. I also don't want to wait for 3 months to get a fill and gain weight while I am waiting for one, but I think that I am hoping for fast weight loss with the sleeve and scared I am going to have to wait for weight to come off for a few months if I get banded, maybe I am wrong I dunno, I hear and read so many conflicting stories about the band and I am just having a hard time going that direction. I am doing my research on here about the band and it is very encouraging and makes me really want to give it a try. I will keep on reading, I still have to to decide

Elfie, how well are you doing with the band? Any major problems or vomiting issues I have read about? I just don't know, I don't want to go through the surgery and wish I had done the sleeve. I also don't want to wait for 3 months to get a fill and gain weight while I am waiting for one, but I think that I am hoping for fast weight loss with the sleeve and scared I am going to have to wait for weight to come off for a few months if I get banded, maybe I am wrong I dunno, I hear and read so many conflicting stories about the band and I am just having a hard time going that direction. I am doing my research on here about the band and it is very encouraging and makes me really want to give it a try. I will keep on reading, I still have to to decide

I haven't had any major problems at all. I went back to work for a couple hours the day after surgery (desk work) and have continued working since that day, although stuck to my doctor's recommendations regarding the amount I could lift. This week (third week), I'm back to normal regarding energy levels and what I can do.

I haven't had any vomiting and I've had some restriction since the surgery. I'm eating normal food but have noticed I have to chew more and put my fork down between bites to allow my food to 'settle'. Last night I had baked fish, steamed broccoli and rice pilaf.

My scales are slow moving, but I'm losing inches like crazy. Most of my clothes are hanging on me and everyone can see the weight loss even if my scales say I've only lost 2 lbs since surgery. Then again, I knew when I went from liquids to real food, there'd be an adjustment period where loss would be minimal if at all.

I'm getting my first fill next week (will be the 4 week mark from surgery) and my doc said I can have follow-up fills whenever *I* feel I need one...not some arbitrary schedule.

If you read the posts here, you'll find that when people have problems with 'sliming', vomiting or getting stuck, most are pretty honest that it's because they didn't chew their food enough, ate too much or too fast, or ate something they knew was going to be too difficult (e.g. steak at higher fill levels) for their level of fill.

Talk to your doctor. Ask them what their criteria is for filling. I think some doctors don't really understand the band and deep down inside believe it's just a placebo and should work even without a fill. Others, like my doc who also has a band by the way, knows that it is a tool and if the tool is not set properly, it's nothing more than a piece of rubber (or whatever it's made of).

I wish I would have gone with the Sleeve. Why? Because it is permanent and I am worried that my band will eventually fail and I will need to have another procedure anyway. I know several people who have the sleeve and love it. I like the idea of never feeling hunger again. I also like that there is no maintenance required like there is with the band. A couple of sleeved people I know were back to work in just a few days since they had a desk job.

Just my opinion,

Donna

Hey, Beedo. there's also a VerticalSleeveTalk website where you can read a thread comparing lap band to the sleeve.

Abbe thanks for the link, I have been on gastricsleevesupport.com and didn't know about the sleeve talk. I really appreciate all of the replys everyone here has given me, it is a life changing decisiuon and I do not want to choose the wrong one, either way I will have to do all I can to make it work. Thanks again to all for the support!