Lap band or Sleeve
I so needed to hear (read) all your positive comments about the band... I had mine done 11/29/2012 and then was told about this website and started reading all the negative stuff on the band and thought oh geeze what did I do!!! I go for my first fill next week and looking forward to making this tool work for me!!! Thanks for your insite!
First you have to ask yourself, you are WILLING to get most of our stomach removed? Then you have to ask yourself, are you WILLING to see your surgeon often for NEEDED fills especially the first year, for many lap band fills are no problem, but others have had a hard time finding the sweet spot and lap band fills CAN get expensive, they can range from free with insurance and over $800 with no insurance so you will get different experiences based on financial status and available aftercare -- those with limited aftercare have more complications than those with great aftercare. Hence the lap band can be the best thing since sliced bread or it can be a disaster for others.
Also make sure you are a candidate to have a foreign object in your body, many people have problems with weaken esophagus or motility issues -- I've never had this problem in 8 years I've had my band. Also some surgeons don't know how to fill the band properly even if they install it right. Lap band fills ARE EXTREMELY important, so you may want to ask your surgeon about fills and aftercare.
Also have you fully researched your surgeon? If you are considering the lap band make sure your surgeon supports the band and has done over 500 lap bands -- this will be your first defense against complications. Also you need to know upfront the band is ONLY a tool. Meaning you must do your part of eating lean proteins and veggies and exercise.
The Biggest problem with the lap band is ABUSE, not saying everyone who have complications abuse it but MANY DO, with the Band YOU get to decide on tight your band gets. But with the Sleeve your Surgeon decides on your restriction and creates a bougie for you and there are different sizes.
My decision on picking the band over the Sleeve was this: The band is Adjustable and Reversible" and I was not willing to get my insides rearranged or stomach removed, and I can get the band removed if I have a problem with it and it can always be filled or unfilled. The Sleeve can't, and surgeons really don't know the long term effects of the Sleeve. Also I was NOT OK with removing my stomach and I may need it one day.
I've had a lap band inside my body going on 8 years, I am comfortable with the lap band, I have established a "Love/Hate" relationship with it. It's not perfect and I know how to deal with it, it has NOT damaged my body, I had a hiatal hernia BEFORE I got my first band and my first surgeon did not repair it, and I started having back and chest pains a few months ago, so I had it repaired and a new band put in at the same time. Now I feel awesome -- I feel the band is the safest surgery FOR ME and from reading the revision board lately there are too many people seeking a revision from the Sleeve and I DO NOT want to remove my stomach for nothing especially if I can't keep good tight restriction for long periods of time.
Many people who are bitter towards getting their band removed may tell you that their bands was not reversible -- BUT my band was, I had scar tissue but my surgeon was able to remove it. With ANY TYPE of surgery you will develop scar tissues, even with a C-section after child birth you develop scar tissue and some people have issues with this, some scar tissue is softer than others and some is extremely tough and this many cause pain and other issues. But the Band Basher will tell you in a heartbeat, that it is the lap band that caused their misery.
I don't consider the Band Bashers being totally truthful about their band experience, please do not make a life changing event based on strangers on the internet, you may live to regret it.
I would not change to any other surgery for nothing, read the revision board, you will see there are many Bypassers, Sleevers and lap banders asking for help, No weight loss surgery is perfect, you just have to pick the one you are willing to live with.
Good luck, from an honest long term bandster.
Many bandsters now have motility issues due to the band causing damage to the vagus nerve.
Even if you do not "abuse" your band, you have about a 60% chance of serious complications.
The band is removable NOT reversible. It's no longer adjustable once it's unfilled and your stomach/esophagus are so damaged by the band that they cannot tolerate fill.
My scar tissue from over a dozen surgeries prior to Lapband never caused me to be unable to eat, poop or at time drink water.
What would be the motivation for lying about our negative experience?
Please, don't make your life changing experience based on the opinions of complete strangers on the Internet, whether pro or anti band...
6-7-13 band removed. No revision. Facebook Failed Lapbands and Realize Bands group and WLS-Support for Regain and Revision Group
You can read my whole reasoning that I reposted a couple of days ago:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4596450/Why-I-Chose-the-Band-repost-from-the-archives/
I still have no doubt that *I* made the right decision for ME. However, YOUR decision needs to be based on what YOU need, what YOU can live with on a day-to-day basis, and what YOU hope to gain (or rather, lose) with WLS. Read and evaluate all the opinions you get online - here and elsewhere - but do not base your decision solely on anyone else's opinion on experience, Yours is guaranteed to be different.
Banded 10 years & maintaining my weight loss!! Any questions, message me.
I have been banded for almost seven years and still love my band. For me it was the right decision. I know I may not have it forever and if I lose it, I am very unlikely to get any other surgery.
I believe the sleeve is very effective for most people and also very safe. It is not for me because of personal feelings. Just as some find the idea of an implant off-putting, so do I find the idea of the removal of part of my stomach wrong for me. I emphasise FOR ME.
There are complications with all surgeries. This board tends to concentrate of the problems with the band, other boards are more positive.
Research as much as you can. Whatever you do is going to involve a lifestyle change so you must be comfortable with your decision
kate
Highest 290, Banded - 248 Lowest 139 (too thin!). Comfort zone 155-165.
Happily banded since May 2006. Regain of 28lbs 2013-14. ALL GONE!
But some has returned! Up to 175, argh! Off we go again,
I had the band for almost 4 years. The band did stop the gaining I was doing and I lost 60 pounds the first year. But, I had issues starting at 8 months on my first year anniversary I spent it unfilled and stayed that way for 2 months. They refilled it very slowly and I never had it refilled back to what it had been. At 2 years I was once again unfilled for the same medical issue that it caused. I spent another year and a half trying to work with it until I couldn't take the waking up at night drowning in acid. Waking up at night with night cough and not to mention the pain. I got to the point that they couldn't access my port because it would hurt so bad when they tipped it. I couldn't lift anything without the port hurting. Even just the motion of my arms stroking when I swam.
When they removed the band I had adhesions on the liver and stomach and the port was incased in scare tissue that had to be cut out.
When my sister and DD watched me go thru what I had to they both gave up on their choice of being banded and got the sleeve. They are now 1.5 and 2.5 years out and our doing great. I will be getting my sleeve 1/22/13. So you can see I prefer the sleeve.
Do your research and cut once. Check out here, the VSG boards. I would also check out the revision board and the failed lap band group. http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/failed_lap_bands/
Good luck with what ever you choose!
I've been banded since 2001 and revised again in 2011.
I had initial weight loss with the first band then have gained weight,
My diet in the past 12 years has been incredibly unhealthy unless my band was unfilled. I have had problems with the band since day one.
I am not trying to have a revision to a sleeve.
While I considered myself a successful band patient for almost 5 years, I am happy that it is gone and I am looking forward to my sleeve surgery in 2 weeks. The band can cause a lot of silent damage, not to mention that it is unpredictable, and it is more difficult to be successful with the band. If I had to do it all again, I would have started with the sleeve.
The band may be adjustable but it is NOT reversible. My body will always have the scars left by my band on the inside. I, too, bought into the notion of the band being reversible.....but, I was misguided. I am just so grateful that my doctor caught the problem early and that I have another option.
Good luck with your journey....it is not an easy decision. I will add, though, that the medical industry looks to be phasing out the band. I have read several articles recently in medical journals that demonstrate that the possible damage and lack success makes the band a less than ideal choice.
HW - 287 (12/2007); GW - 165; CW - 164....proudly wearing a size 8!On my journey from LapBand to VSG.....LapBand on 12/19/07, LapBand removal on 8/8/12 and sleeve on1/23/13! Consider joining me at Band2Sleeve!( http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/Band2Sleeve/) Friend me on MyFitnessPal too! I'm gorditabonita74.
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