Sleeve vs Lap Band??

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Hi Everyone,

I'm scheduled for my sleeve on the 25th January and getting nervous now! I actually went to the clinic to talk about having a lap band as that was what I had decided on doing. However the surgeon spoke to me about the sleeve and it was the first i'd ever heard of it?!? The sleeve certainly sounded like less maintenance and probably more suited to my lifestyle. But becasue I hadn't done any research I told him I'd need to do my homework before deciding on which option to go with.

I'm 90% leaning towards the sleeve and think I'm doing the right thing, but its playing on my mind.

I was wondering if anyone else considered the band and what made them decide on the sleeve?

I like the idea of being able to control the band in terms of how much fill you put in. But then again I don't like the idea of a foreign object in my body and the complications that go with adjustments, re-surgery for slippages etc.

And does the surgeon tell you how much stomach you have left (eg capacity) after the surgery?? I should ask him actually!

Thanks for your help in advance!

Current weight 90kg's

When the band works it works well. but there is a big but, no matter how well your band is done, even by the BEST surgeon out there, and your band is done perfectly you can still have problems a month a year 5 years down the track. Also the band doesn't work for everybody. There are those that can never get the right restriction without reflux that is not controlled by medications which you can not live with long term. One in 4 to 5 bandits need follow up surgery at least once some many times more to fix slips erosion etc. this doesn't count the fact that like all things plastic it has to be replaced on a regular basis. The current thinking is 10-15 years. But nobody is 100% sure. Not all but quiet a few bandits have to follow diets that can be restrictive along with rituals on chewing and when they can eat. You also must remember that bit of plastic going into your body is a HUGE profit making think and thus promoted like crazy to make money. Along with the fact that any half competent hack can be taught to put one in with ALL the cost of training etc provided BY the manufactures of the lapband itself. Where sleeve surgeons need to be dedicated enough in their profession to go out and explore new options out of their own pocket and get their training that way. Even if I was going to have a band I KNOW I would choose a surgeon who can do sleeves as well and get a far more balanced view as band only surgeons tend to bag the sleeve.

the difference with the sleeve is IF you have a good surgeon and it all goes well it is pretty much unheard of to ever have a problem after that. sure pick a bad surgeon or have something go wrong during surgery that results in a leak and that is very serious stuff. But getting past the first few weeks with no problems pretty much means you are set for life. The volume of food you can eat is very restricted in the first few months but works its way up to about 250ml and once you can do that life is just fantastic and normal, with no food restrictions once your stomach has fully healed. I am not kidding when I say that a LOT of people find that first few months very frustrating and limiting in what they can eat but eventually you do get over it and life does become amazing :)

applesauce

There are a lot of people on here that have had the band. I had the band succesfully for 5 years but then it eroded (ate a hole in my stomach) and made me very sick. A year off work kind of sick. I gained half my weight back. If the sleeve had been around back then on offer I would have taken the sleeve option. To be blunt, a lap band is pretty much surgically implanted bulimia. I lived like that for 5 years... i was skinny but i was living on chocolate and junk because healthy foods would not stay down even unfilled, i got the thing out and still couldn't stop throwing up for months. It's no life for the long term. Short term though it's great.

Hi Everyone,

I'm scheduled for my sleeve on the 25th January and getting nervous now! I actually went to the clinic to talk about having a lap band as that was what I had decided on doing. However the surgeon spoke to me about the sleeve and it was the first i'd ever heard of it?!? The sleeve certainly sounded like less maintenance and probably more suited to my lifestyle. But becasue I hadn't done any research I told him I'd need to do my homework before deciding on which option to go with.

I'm 90% leaning towards the sleeve and think I'm doing the right thing, but its playing on my mind.

I was wondering if anyone else considered the band and what made them decide on the sleeve?

I like the idea of being able to control the band in terms of how much fill you put in. But then again I don't like the idea of a foreign object in my body and the complications that go with adjustments, re-surgery for slippages etc.

And does the surgeon tell you how much stomach you have left (eg capacity) after the surgery?? I should ask him actually!

Thanks for your help in advance!

Current weight 90kg's