Any regrets?

any regrets after getting lap band?  ever thought about the sleeve?

Definatly regret it! If I had it to do over I would go with VSG...........RNY.......or even DS! Anything BUT the band!

I agree with Maria what a waste of time and money!

If I had it to do over I would want DS (but my insurance wouldn't cover that) so I would have had RNY. 

I am doing ok with my band but it's painfully slow.  People who had surery the sametime I did but got RNY have lost most of their weight.  I still have half my wieght to lose.  It's also so much work.  The band helps about 20% of the time but most of the time it's my own will power and exercise that gets me to lose weight. 

I would say if you have more than 100 pounds to lose than go with a different surgery.

 

Lets see .. down 195 .. off all my meds .. regained my life .. health's never been better .. NOT ONE SINGLE REGRET !!

If I had to do it again, I would do the band again in a second. However if I could not do the band, the sleeve would be my next choice. HOWEVER my only concern is - of all the operation it's the one that is NON-REVERSIBLE.

No matter what you chose, know (A) it will be the correct decision because YOU MADE IT (B) I am here if you need.

 
Your surgery type isn't reversible either, it's removable.  The damage to your stomach is forever.

Why don't you want permanent weight loss?  Why would you want reversible?  Me?  i waned to lose it and I wanted that permanent.  What diet did you ever go on where you wanted to make sure you could regain 100% of your excess weight?

 

You are correct in stating a BAND patient's procedure is REMOVABLE. However, a BYPASS patient's procedure can be REVERSIBLE - and maybe I should have made that clearer.

As I stated, if I couldn't do a band anymore I would want a sleeve - however my concern is .. GOD FORBID I get some sort of (rare) disease, or super rare sleeve complication (the never-before known dreaded staple infection – please know I made that up, and there is no such a thing), as far as I know there is no way of reattaching (or doing a transplant) of that missing piece. While all the other operations (ok, MOST of them) can be reversed/removed/revised back to a ‘normal’ stomach,  a sleeve cannot – and that’s my concern. Again, it probably wouldn’t stop me – but would make me ponder and research further.

 

I applauded you for your decision, and I admire and congratulate you on your success. I hope I am allowed to contact you if (A) I have any other (B) folks I know have any - sleeve questions.

 

Bottom line – we all get to the same goal!!

 
Did you know that families with a long and extensive history of stomach cancer actually opt to have total gastrectomies done to prevent problems?  They have their entire stomach removed to prevent stomach cancer.  Google it, you'll be surprised at just how many of them are out there.

Let's say you did get... what do you call it? ;o)  The dreaded staple infection, (heh) so what?  You can live quite well with no stomach at all.  Besides, your risks for stomach issues such as ulcers and cancer are less with a sleeve vs. a whole stomach.

With the sleeve the fundus portion of the stomach is removed.  The fundus has two main jobs, one is to over-produce Ghrelin, the hunger causing chemical and the other job is to stretch to hold more food.  I view the fundus of my stomach to be like a diseased appendix or gallbladder, it hasn't done me any favors thus far!  If you had a diseased appendix would you worry that you might need it someday and not remove it?  As you can see, I am just making a point.

I almost canceled surgery three days before my revision because I was thinking exactly like you. It was creepy, the thought of removing my stomach.  But you know what?  Post op it is such a non issue.  It's no big deal.  It is quite literally safer than banding long term.

I want verrrrrry much for people to get to goal and stay there.  Banding stats are not good at all. When someone doesn't do well with any WLS they feel like dog pooh, they believe they are so hopeless that even WLS can't fix them.  I don't want to see that happen to anyone and when someone is choosing a surgery type that quite frankly, has a low success rate and a high complication rate, I have no ethical choice but to speak up.  I never slam dunk someone who is already banded, I don't chastise someone for being banded and when someone else does do this behavior I jump in and defend the banded person.  But... for those doing research, I do speak up.

I was lucky, I got to goal in spite of the darn band.  Not everyone is as lucky as me.

Thank you soooooo much for the education. That's why I LOVE THESE BOARDS SO MUCH - people sharing information (ok, we all also need to be careful because many people share MISinformation).

Know if I have a sleeve question I will be coming to you first. Hope you don't mind.

CONGRATS and GOOD LUCK on your journey!!

Tom

No regrets from me. There is no way I would have lost 65 lbs. on my own. I have more to lose but feel great and renewed. Getting weight off my joints definitely help my rheumatoid arthritis. I chose this surgery because it was the least invasive and I needed to avoid the more complex surgeries due to scar tissue from several other surgeries. I'm almost 1 year out and no regrets at all. Good luck on your decision and I wish you much success!