Band or sleeve?

 I'm 2.5 years out, and 225 lbs lighter.. very close to goal.   I'm really glad I don't have to make the choice.. but I THINK I would still chose the band.  I like that the band is adjustable..  but essentially the band and sleeve are very similar in mechanism (how they work).

I think sleevers are allowed to take NSAIDs.. (someone correct me if I'm wrong) so that might be a consideration for you.

Good luck with whichever you choose.

Never in a million years would I choose the band again. It damaged me more than I can describe.

I guess I'd choose the sleeve, but to tell the truth, I'm at a point where that scares me, too.

If I could do it again, I'd go with the sleeve from the start.

The band was a lot of trouble for not a lot of weight lost and then when it stopped working, my big ole stomach was still in there waiting to be fed so regain was super easy....just the same as pre-op.

If I had cancer, I'd want it excised. If my appendix burst, I'd want it removed. If my stomach is too big and holds way too much food killing me slowly via morbid obesity, well then, let's cut that sucker down to size. But maybe thats just me...

Personal stories shouldn't be your only research, but since you asked...here is a picture of me in December 2010 and then one from October 2011. Keep in mind that the before pictures is after nearly 3 years with the band.




Best,
Lindsey

Knowing now what I didn't know back then I would NEVER, EVER get a band, mine has done nothing but cause me pain and miniscule weight loss. I would go for a sleeve in a hearbeat if I could find a way to afford it! I agree you should put this on the VSG forum too because there are many, many revisions there from bandsters and i believe they are all much happier with the sleeve.

 
Had I known then what I know now I NEVER would have gotten the band. I would not wish the band on my worst enemy. As mentioned already, you might want to ask about this on the VSG forum. You should ask about the band on the RNY and DS forum too b/c you will find a lot of former bandsters on there as well. If the band were that great.............you wouldn't see so many revising FROM the band to other WLS's now would you???

Choose your WLS wisely!!!

First let me say, I am not sorry I got the band. It worked very well for me and was very easy to work with- I wasn't one who had a lot of problems with restriction or getting stuck.
But.... unfortunately my band eroded into my stomach after two years and I had to have it removed. So now all I have is my willpower (ha) and better eating habits. Ironically, if I had not lost weight with the band I could have had a revision, but since I'm not fat anymore I can't.
I can't help thinking that if I had had the sleeve, I would STILL have the sleeve,  instead of being without a tool.

If the sleeve was covered and available for me in 2007 when I got my band I would've picked the sleeve. I am regretting my band big time. No fills work. Pain constantly in my stomach when eating. The port kills me too at 4 years out. Seems with the band cannot get the good protein in without getting stuck same with raw veggies. Now this is just my experience. I am so happy for all that are having success with band. I'm in the process right now waiting for my approval papers to have my band removed and sleeve done.
Plus the after care is nuts my surgeon's office is an hr away. So to get fills I have to pretty much take the day off from work to get it done. And sometimes the fill doesn't take and have to return w/in a month. So the financial loss isn't worth it either.
Again my opinion. So to answer your question I would have chosen the sleeve :)