23 year old thinking of getting lap band

Hello all! I am 23 years old, seriously considering lap band surgery. I've struggled with weight my entire life. My BMI is 40, so I have my appointments with the psychiatrist, EKG, etc. tomorrow. I am scared for the surgery and the limitations it will have on my life. I was also debating getting the sleeve. Any input would be appreciated. 

Please bear in mind that I am a very happy and very successful bandit now appriaching 9 years post-op. I do not regret my band, would do it all over again and if I ever have to have it removed, I would hope to have a replacement.

When I was banded in 2006, it was a miracle surgery. And for some people, who accept that they will still have to work hard, it is just that. It was and still is for me. But over the years it has become clear that serious complications necessitating further surgery are much more common than originally thought, some of these are avoidable by careful eating and by not keeping the band tight; unfortunately others are beyond our control.

We used to be warned about band slips, leaks and about ( very rare) erosion into the stomach tissue but it turns out that a build up of scar tissue round the band (causing it to tighten) is quite common. It can be very difficult to get the right level of restriction and some people are tempted to keep it tight enough to physically limit food, in fact it was once thought this was how it should be. But this causes food to back up into the oesophagus and that risks problems such as oesophageal dysmotility which may be irreversible. It can also damage the vagus nerve.

We still need lots of will power. The band makes it easier by dimming hunger, but it does nothing for head hunger and, contrary to popular opinion, it does not and should not physically stop us eating. If it does it is too tight!

Having said all that, I love my band, I know many successful long term bandits in real life. On this board, you will find more people who will put forward the case against the band than in favour of it and I do not for one second question their experiences. But my own experience has been good and so has that of almost all those I actually know and have met.

Thank you for that information about the scarring causing the band to tighten. I've noticed in the last year or so that my band seems much tighter (after a bought of bronchitis) and I vomit a lot more. I didn't realize that it may be scar tissue building up. I just thought I was being more careless than usual with my chewing or food choices, though even pills and beverages are more difficult now. I will seek treatment now.

Cutiecat, twice in my almost 9 years, I have had a tiny amount of saline removed because, it was assumed, of scar tissue build up. Each time just 0.1 cc was taken out and everything was fine. The iast time was over two years ago, 

Here's why I got the sleeve and why I wouldn't consider the lap band.  

The four WLS are - sleeve, gastric bypass (RNY), lapband, and duodenal switch. My insurance covers the first three, but not the DS.

I ruled out the lapband immediately because the only people I know who have had it are miserable or have needed it removed. The complication rate is atrocious and it only lasts for 10 years or so. It's billed as being a "reversible" surgery, but the damage it can cause, like from erosion into your esophagus, is permanent. So no lapband for me. Here's an article on that topic.

The choice really boiled down to RNY or VSG and I chose the sleeve for a number of reasons. (Even if DS had been an option, I would not have chosen it.)

1. I really like the simplicity of the sleeve. All it does is remove 85% of your stomach. That's it.
2. I dislike the idea of having my intestines rerouted.
3. The "good" malabsorption that the bypass gives (of fats) is a temporary thing that only lasts for a few years whereas the "bad" malabsorption (of vitamins and minerals) lasts for forever. That's not worth it to me.
4. The sleeve is restriction only, no malabsorption. This also means that I CAN eat anything at all. Fats and sugars won't screw up my bowels the way they can for the bypass. (Of course I still need to make healthy choices, but that's a choice, not something that my surgery requires.)
5. With the bypass, you're left with a remnant stomach that can't be scoped. That scares the crap out of me. First, the idea that I have this weirdly connected non-stomach but then to not be able to get it checked out with an endoscopy if there's a problem? Eek. Do not want.
6. My understanding is that complication rates with the bypass are significantly greater, especially longterm due to malabsorption. While I will be taking vitamins for the rest of my life, chances are that I won't end up in the hospital if I stop because the sleeve has no malabsorption involved.
7. For the most part (and there are exceptions) the people I know with the sleeve look and seem healthier than the people I know with the bypass. That's nothing scientific though.. just a gut feeling.
8. The sleeve leaves you with a fully functional pyloric valve at the bottom of your stomach whereas the bypass gives you a stoma which can stretch over time.

Thanks for your input! Definitely a lot to think about.

I'm going to ping pong off Gwen.. I had my very first consultation this morning with my surgeon. I at first wanted the band thinking its less invasive, which it is (no cutting of anything once inside), and after talking with him personally this morning in combination with this site I am so against the band and I am opting for the sleeve. My surgeon came right out and told me this monring the complications he has seen and that the band is crap and he would never do it or recommend it to a loved one. He does do them but he STRONGLY encourages patients not to. His father was a pioneer in the bariatric surgery field and he has followed in his foot steps. He is a US news top ranked bariatric surgeon as well so I trust this man not only with my life but with his advice. For me personally, (i'm 28 and have never had a surgery) I was terrified of being cut open and going under. After this morning, I have no fears of the VSG and cant wait to have it done. Just something for you to think about.

I'm one of those Kate spoke of, the first couple of years I liked my band and even tho I didn't lose a lot with it it did help me not suck up food like a Hoover vacuum cleaner but I never had a real full feeling. All I lost was 20 lbs the first year and no more until a few years ago when the band made me so sick I couldn't eat much of anything. I finally had it removed a year ago this week after developing horrid reflux that no med so far has been able to stop.

I'm scheduled tomorrow for a manometry test where they put a tube in my nose and while I lay on my side they measure things going on in my esophagus. Then to add a bit more fun to the day they are going to put another tube in my nose that is attatched to some monitor that will measure other things in my esophagus for 24 hrs. That should be extra fun because I'm on oxygen for unrelated issues, should be fun trying to breath with a tube in my nose!! This is just the beginning I'm afraid of the tests that will need to be done to try to figure out what is going on in my esophagus from the band.

I consider myself lucky because I know 2 people who have had to have their stomachs removed and 3 more who are looking at the very real possibility that they also may lose their stomachs, all because they tried to lose weight and get healthy with a lap band. Look up some of the Failed Lapband groups on social media. You will be astounded at the damage this little piece of plastic can cause. I wouldn't wish a lap band on satan himself it is a horrid device!

Well, I had the Lap done in 1996 when I was in 20's and worked in the beginning and I lost weight 40LB in 6 months but I did gain all the weight back in 2 years. It did not work with me and I were hungry all the time.

After 17 years with Lap and I were gaining too much weight (from 2006 to 2013 gained 70 LBS)  and my diabetes was getting worst, I decide to convert to VSG

The surgeon did not agree to do it in one procedure (remove the band first after 6-8 months do the VSG) He said this is the first time to remove very old LAP-band. 

My experience LAP did not work for me. 3 months now for VSG and It really limit the amount of food I can eat and do not feel hungry. 

LAP-band was easier to recover VSG was very hard recovery.