Is VSG the next lapband?

I have a lapband and I'm currently researching revision options. I've had my band since 2009 and it hasn't been useful to me since about 8 months after surgery.

At first I was certain I wanted VSG. I was drawn to the fact that it's "safer" than RNY. That's why I chose lapband too. But the more I research, the more and more I see people revising to RNY due to complications, regain or struggling to lose. Mostly in Facebook groups.

At first when I saw the complication posts, or the overwhelming number of people who get down to 160-170 and never really reach goal, I found myself thinking, "That won't be me."

I thought that same thing when I had lapband surgery. I won't be the one whose band stops working. I won't be the one with no sweet spot/no restriction. I won't be the one with complications (thankfully I haven't had any serious band complications that I'm yet aware of).

The band was new. VSG is new as a stand-alone WLS.

Ultimately I think I've decided to have RNY. But I thought it would be interesting to see what others who've been on OH for a long time think. Sleeve seems to be the hot WLS right now. The safe/easy one. Like lapband was. Do you think they'll still be doing as many sleeves in 10 years?

I don't think I would call the sleeve a hot wls , nor would I say RNY is. Both surgeries are great and both have their cons. VSG has acid reflux issues, or it can. The statements of people not losing, or regaining I do not believe because the surgery has failed. People need to hold themselves accountable for their behaviors and their actions, simple as that. It is the same with any WLS.

I too have a lapband that,pretty much just makes me throw up, my new surgeon says on third of lapbanders are now coming back in for revisions, and many surgeons won't do lapbands,I am hoping to get the VSG, I knowpeople who have it and they couldn't be happier, now it's MY turn

You will not regret the revision. I wish you all the luck!

VSG has been around for quiet a while now-- but I do get the feel that people take it as the safer, less invasive option. And your are right there are a lot of revisions, but there is a lot of success too.

I'd easily assert that the mechanical failure that's lead to weight gain are few and very far between. Overwhelmingly, it's more probable that folks just got comfortable and returned to bad/old habits.

I fully expected to get an RNY as that is considered the "gold standard" in Ontario. However, I woke up with the sleeve (due to access issues.) I had always heard that with VSG you lose slower, lose less weight, and regain is easier, along with the GERD issues. I was really worried about all of that after surgery.

When I went for my one month follow up, both the nurse and the internist reassured me. While weight loss may be slower, long term results are within 5% overall between the two surgeries. They also told me that if you regain with the sleeve, you would regain with the RNY just as easily, because that is your behaviour, not the surgery.

My only concern left is fear of GERD. I will just have to see how that plays out.

What does your doc say?

If the band wasn't effective for you, I wouldn't expect much different from the sleeve. Don't fall for the easier and less invasive ploy again. Some of us just need more than a smaller stomach. Those more complicated procedures also give us an advantage that the restrictive-only procedures do not have, which is malabsorption. This changes the way that the body metabolizes the food consumed. RNY and Duodenal Switch have this one-two punch. With that comes a responsibility to keep up with nutritional health. It's a worthwhile trade-off to never need a revision.

Totally freakin' disagree with this comment, Valerie.

I'm going on 5 years post-op with the sleeve. Lost 100 pounds. Have maintained ALL my weight loss since then. Was actually 102.4 pounds down this morning from my highest pre-op weight.

IMHO, like other WLS and barring complications, patients' outcomes parallel their inputs.

I have certainly been told (by my surgeon) and many lapband patients that lapbands are problematic and are done much less frequently than they once were. But I've heard nothing like that yet about the sleeve.

Couldn't be happier with mine.

One woman's experience and opinion. :)

I'm with Valerie on this one. I had a band in 2006 and revised to RNY in 2013.

I did not think that I could be a success with another restriction only procedure and since I did not want to revise a third time I went with the best available surgery given my medical history. I lost all of my excess weight and then some within the first year and have been below goal for the past 4 years.

In the end it is about compliance and discipline. You have to work at maintenance for the rest of your life.