Well bust my bubble

I had my first visit today with my surgeon. Man he was pushing the sleeve surgery. He said I wouldnt be able to get to my goal weight having the lapband and that 1 in 5 of his patients didnt lose the weight. So 20% failure, I was thinking that was 80% success. He said he would do the lapband but wanted me to think about it. I want to use this surgeon because he is very good and did the first lapband surgery in Houston.  I was just expecting a pep talk and some positive words :(

He's right.

Banding provides the slowest weight loss, the least weight loss, the highest regain (think 5 years) and the most mechanical problems.

Sleeves are safer and more effective. Your surgeon is looking out for your best interests, good for him!

I don't know what your BMI is but the higher your BMI the less success you will have, statistically speaking.

Bottom line, the sleeve is safer long term, weight loss is better, fewer revisions, no maintenance.

The confusing part is, I personally know 5 people that had gastric bypass and have gained much of it back, I know 4 people that had lapband and they are keeping it off and I dont know anyone that had the sleeve.  I like the fact that the lapband surgery doesnt cut your stomach.  My BMI is on the lower side.  Just confused

Both procedures are restrictive.

One cuts approx 80% of your stomach out taking ghrelin hormone with it.
The other introduces a mechanical device and creates a pouch.

Here is my take. I got the band because I wasn't comfortable getting my "innards" re-arranged.
Now... I would get the sleeve in a heartbeat. I was self pay and I have had a complication. Slow leak... then weight re-gain... and now a port replacement. My $10,500 lap band has cost me well over $15,000 at this point.

IF I were to choose right now I would choose the sleeve. I am sick of the maintenance cost and dealing with a finicky pouch.

IF I was making the decision again 3 years ago, I would have probably still went with the band because I didn't feel my co-morbidities were severe enough to re-arrange my innards.

If you don't have an aversion to cutting out 80% of your stomach... or making permanent anatomical changes... then get the sleeve. I don't think you will regret that decision. Go talk with people over at the sleeve board. They are very helpful.

It really comes down to YOUR comfort level and the tool that YOU want to work with. Spend time on both boards. Don't feel bubble burst. Your surgeon is giving you another option. Mine really pushed RNY and I said no way. No how. NOT the tool I wanted. Doesn't mean RNY is not the right procedure for someone else.

Good luck!! There is TONS of support here.

There is a newer technique called something like sleeve plication, or something like that. I hear it's gotten some very good stats, and is less invasive than regular sleeve. I'm not very knowledgable about it, but I've read an article or 2 SINCE I had my lap band. I think we will be hearing more about bariatric techniques in the upcoming years.

In a hurry so just agreeing with everything Evil Twin aid. Except I am only 4 1/2 years out not 6!

Kate

 I am sorry to hear that your surgeon does not  believe in you, but I do agree that you will probably lose faster with the Sleeve, I have a lot of friends in my support group that have the Sleeve and most of them lost faster than I did in the beginning and it was mainly because most of them could not eat anything and they were very sick and had a very hard recovery and 3 of my friends had a stricture and had to be hospitalized to have their esophagus stretched this is very common with Sleeve, but if you read the Sleeve board they make it appear that every thing is bells and roses and to me this is a disservice to people that are thinking about getting it because IF my friends knew that they would dump on food and get sick on some carbs they never would have gotten the Sleeve, they did not even know this happens with the Sleeve they thought it was only RNY that you get sick and have vitamin deficiencies and have dumping, they ALL got very ill with their Sleeve and this is why they lost quicker than me.

Fast forward over 2 years all of them have started to gain weight back and they still get sick on carbs and some sweets, they no longer have the tight restriction and they are all scared of gaining their weight back and they don't want the DS, they just thought they would have restriction for a very long time.

If you have a surgeon that don't like the band then you will not be successful with it and the band requires surgeon that believes in it and help you get to your sweet spot quickly, my surgeon only does bands and I am very happy about that, the band will work but you must exercise and follow the diet rules most of the time, it was not that hard for me to get to goal because I always had good restriction and I exercise and I lost weight quickly.

I am almost 2 years out with the band.. was a high BMI and have lost 180 lbs so far.  I'm still losing.

I think you can lose as much as you want with the band, but it is more work than some of the other surgeries.

There are LOTS of bariatric surgeons in Houston, why not try another one?  I was at TABS (Texas Association for Bariatric Surgery) WLS conference this past weekend and met two from Houston that I was impressed with.

I don't know if I can mention names on this board and I don't have the time now to go check the rules.. but if you'd like you can email me off list and I'll give you their names and my thoughts on them.

Do your research, stand your ground and get the surgery you want.  And make SURE that the practice you use is very supportive of whatever your choice is.

I love this forum.  I also agree that each of the procedures has its problems.  I dont really care if I lose quickly, I just want to lose and maintain.  I'm concerned because I have read and personally seen people regain with gastric bypass and the sleeve and also the band, the difference is the band can be adjusted.  Pretty sure I'm going with the band.  I just have to make sure I get the proper support at my surgeons office.