Band vs Sleeve

yes, I know...you still don't know what it is like to live with the sleeve or the band...my quality of life is just fine, thank you.

He is NOT the voice of DSers. First, he's too newly post op to speak for us DS veterens and second he keeps telling people that they won't dump or have RH if they save their pyloric valve by having the DS.

I am a DSer. I also dump and I also have RH. ****** me off when he tries to invalidate my whole freakin life by spreading that **** It's quite insulting. My PV is just fine TYVM. I'm just a surgery freak of nature. (which also kinda insulting too. LOL)

Not all DSers are crazy or arrogant. For the most part anyway.

xox
Tammy

 Tammy:

I don't think all DSers are crazy or arrogant.

Fortunately, there are some like you who can provide rational DS experience. It's nice that there are some people I can refer someone to if they ask me about DS.

I initially chose the band because I had my head in the sand about the high rate of post-op complications. I also bought the "less invasive" line.

I was wrong. After my first year with the band, I began to have complications and regain. I was vomiting frequently and had a million fills and unfills. Restriction was never consistent. One day I could eat anything in sight much like pre-op and then the next day I would be unable to drink water. I was miserable.

I then revised to the sleeve and it is so much better. I've already lost more weight in 6 months than I did in my first year with the band. My restriction is consistent, doesn't hurt, and I have never vomited.

I would recommend you post this on the sleeve board. There are several band to sleeve revision folks over there.

Best of luck,
Lindsey

I chose the band (twice)  for the same reasons as the other readers.  If continued to have problems so on the 16th I had the band removed and the VSG.  I don't remember having the option of the VSG ong the Gastric bypass which I didn't want.  I like not having fills and having a functional stomach.  Good luck with your decision.

I've had both and I would go with the sleeve.  The complications I experienced with the Lap-Band were a nightmare.  When I had the Lap-Band surgery I always thought that if something went wrong I could always have it unfilled and it would be like going back to square one.  I was wrong, even completely unfilled my band kept getting tighter and tighter until I was only sleeping 20 minutes at a time before having severe reflux.  Towards the end of my band I was going INSANE because of the lack of sleep. At this point I, personally, would never recommend a band.

I do know quite a few people on here who were successful with the band and I wish them many more years of continued success and health, but I wouldn't risk the complications to revise back to a band.  If you want a better clue as to what it is like with success and failure with the band you can always look at the revision boards because most of the people getting a second surgery are moving AWAY from the band either because of complications (like me) or inadequate weight loss.

I would never want to put a foreign object in my body, and have a port. That just sounds....undesirable. I've read way too many stories of the band damaging the actual stomach, so as far as less invasive goes, I think not.

Consistent restriction with the sleeve - sure
Multiple doctor's visits for fills in my already busy life - no thanks
High rate of failure with the lap band - I'll pass


I was honestly turned off from the band just because of all the billboards. Stupid reason, but I found it obnoxious, and even more so when I looked into the success rates of the band.

I too thought I wanted the band (less down time) but went to several support groups and heard basically what you are hearing hear, the sleeve was the way to go. I got the sleeve on April 28th and was back to work in a week, have never thrown up, feel great. I would do it over again in a heart beat. Good luck what ever you decide.

Having had a band for over 3 yrs now and having had a difficult to access port (I've been stuck well over 9 times in one Dr's visit to try to access the port for a fill) and then having a flipped port requiring a 2nd surgery I'd opt for the Sleeve-no mechanical parts for failure.

I chose the sleeve because I could not see having a piece of plastic in my body for years.  And then there is the cost of the fills.  But, the main thing that told me the bad was not for me was the fact that so many people have had so much serious trouble with their bands. 

I would like to think that some of us would listen to the dozens and dozens of people on this forum who tell us how badly the band worked for them.  I know there are people that it does seem to work for, but it just was not worth the risk for me.