LAP BAND VS VERTICAL SLEEVE
Hi everyone! It's been a long journey for me. I got banded 7/14/08 and have lost only around 10 lbs due to different problems. Last month they found a leak in my band and "fixed it", and since I'm still loosing all restriction my dr recommended revision surgery to a VSG. My first reaction was to say no and that I wanted my band fixed, but the more I think about it the more I want to learn about it.
Can you give me some insight? Have you heard any failed VSG stories? What is the average weight loss rate with VSG? Possible complications? What can you/can't you eat. etcc...
I know I need to talk to my dr about this, and I will, if I ever manage to get a hold of him - but I want to hear from some real people that are actually going through this before making a decision.
I'm quite desperate, very frustrated, and very depressed about the whole situation, especially since, honeslty... my doctor even said he would help me "IF HE HAS THE TIME". I feel very alone, it took about 5 months to convince them that there was a leak in my band and i'm uncertain about giving in to any more surgeries. my husband and sister in law had the bands done also and are doing quite well. but i don't feel i'm being treated by the doctors or their staff as i was when i was "fresh meat" if you know what i mean.
help please? they did offer me a discount from 9900 dlls to 4400 for the revision so it is a good opportunity to get the revision since my insurance won't cover it.
thanks for reading my "vent"
Honestly, I would go for the VSG. If you read back on these boards there are so many band to sleeve conversions, I am sure some will add to this post soon. I have just heard of way too many problems with the band.....my surgeon actually rather discouraged me from having it as that was my origional plan...so glad I got the sleeve! Good Luck!
My surgeon tried to persuade me to get the sleeve from the beginning, but since it was going to be both me and my husband we couldn't afford an additonal 8K to get sleeves instead, so we both went with the bands. Its working great for dh, he's lost 50 lbs already, slowly but surely the weight is coming off. Mine is not sadly. I think I will go for it. Thanks! :o)
HI and Welcome.
Yes Andrea is correct there are several here that have had revision and had much success I am sure they will chime in.
I personally love my sleeve and have lost 60lbs in 6 months. There are no real food that I can not eat but there are foods that I chose to no longer eat, Like white breads, sugar, and steak.
I can eat them only very small amounts but I just make different choices now and I do not really feel hungry that is another plus of VSG they remove the part of the stomach where the grehlin hunger hormone comes from so hunger goes away for most.
Basically you are normal in function just a much smaller stomach so there are no real ffod restrictions they do ask that you do not drink any carbonated drinks but that is it.
Good luck in your research.
Best Wishes
MO
Yes Andrea is correct there are several here that have had revision and had much success I am sure they will chime in.
I personally love my sleeve and have lost 60lbs in 6 months. There are no real food that I can not eat but there are foods that I chose to no longer eat, Like white breads, sugar, and steak.
I can eat them only very small amounts but I just make different choices now and I do not really feel hungry that is another plus of VSG they remove the part of the stomach where the grehlin hunger hormone comes from so hunger goes away for most.
Basically you are normal in function just a much smaller stomach so there are no real ffod restrictions they do ask that you do not drink any carbonated drinks but that is it.
Good luck in your research.
Best Wishes
MO
SW - 223 CW- 130 GW- 140 Start Sz 18 Current Sz 4 Ht. 5'6"
BA- LBL/TT 11/3/09
Welcome, Kelani! If you come here every day and read and read and read, you will hear it all -- mostly good, but also the problems a few folks have. 99% of us love our sleeves!
I suppose there are some "failures," but I can only recall one poster calling it that. If we do what we are supposed to ... and sometimes even if we don't! ... the weight will come off. I'm not sure what the average weight loss is, but it is generally better than the band and just as good as RNY, probably with less chance of regain than RNY, because our stomachs are not as stretchy as their pouches. Many many people here have lost ALL their excess weight, and most of the rest of us have lost enough that we have our lives back and wouldn't trade our sleeves for anything.
As far as what we can and can't eat, at first we are on clear liquids, then full liquids, then mushies. It depends on the surgeon how long each of these phases lasts. Most of us can start introducing solid food by about a month post-op. The first priority food-wise at this point is protein. Different surgeons say different things about carbs, but almost everyone tries to keep them pretty low. A good healthy protein first - then veggies - then fruit - then complex carbs sort of plan is pretty normal, I think. One thing that many of us are encouraged to stay away from forever is soda, although plenty of folks do go back to it. Sugar should be limited, and it makes some people sick, but others don't have a problem and are able to eat it in limited amounts. A lot of it is common sense, following a healthy eating plan, and learning what your body will and won't tolerate.
Staying hydrated, too, is very important. Sip sip sip! And most of us can't eat and drink much at the same time, but we get used to it.
I highly recommend VSG! Can't say enough good about how it has given me my life back. Best wishes on your journey!
--Dorothy
I suppose there are some "failures," but I can only recall one poster calling it that. If we do what we are supposed to ... and sometimes even if we don't! ... the weight will come off. I'm not sure what the average weight loss is, but it is generally better than the band and just as good as RNY, probably with less chance of regain than RNY, because our stomachs are not as stretchy as their pouches. Many many people here have lost ALL their excess weight, and most of the rest of us have lost enough that we have our lives back and wouldn't trade our sleeves for anything.
As far as what we can and can't eat, at first we are on clear liquids, then full liquids, then mushies. It depends on the surgeon how long each of these phases lasts. Most of us can start introducing solid food by about a month post-op. The first priority food-wise at this point is protein. Different surgeons say different things about carbs, but almost everyone tries to keep them pretty low. A good healthy protein first - then veggies - then fruit - then complex carbs sort of plan is pretty normal, I think. One thing that many of us are encouraged to stay away from forever is soda, although plenty of folks do go back to it. Sugar should be limited, and it makes some people sick, but others don't have a problem and are able to eat it in limited amounts. A lot of it is common sense, following a healthy eating plan, and learning what your body will and won't tolerate.
Staying hydrated, too, is very important. Sip sip sip! And most of us can't eat and drink much at the same time, but we get used to it.
I highly recommend VSG! Can't say enough good about how it has given me my life back. Best wishes on your journey!
--Dorothy
Highest weight: 292 Pre-op weight: 265 Goal met: 150 Six years out: 185 and trying to lose again!
Yes, I'm sure there are failures, and I'm sure they have a lot to do with the individual. With the band I was so happy in the beginning but looking back at all my posts I just realized that I got the band "installed" in July of last year and by October I was already having problems. I suppose the VSG would be a better choice for me, thank you so much for your reply. Everyone's input has been really helpful in making up my mind. I hope it works this time around! :o)
There is no "average" weight loss for any procedure. All of them are different, and everyone is different. With the sleeve, it mainly depends on how well you follow a proper diet, if you do exercise on a regular basis, etc.
I know that some sites and surgeons will quote figures like "You can expect to lose 90% of your goal weight" and stuff like that. But that is not reality, it is a supposed average. The reality is, you can lose about as much as you want to lose, if you stay on program.
I am 65 years old, had my sleeve at 65, and I have lost 124 pounds since 9/15/2008. I walk, three days a week, for 1.5 miles. I stick reasonably close to my prescribed diet. I plan on losing about anopther 50-60 pounds. It likely won't come off as fast as the first 124, but it will come off.
Others do not lose much, because they simply refuse to stay on their diet plan and/or they refuse to exercise. A few will post a note saying exactly that, they there is no way they are going to stay on a restricted diet. With that kind of an attitude, they should NEVER have been approved for surgery in the first place.
IF you work your sleeve properly, and if you exercise on a regular basis (and I do not mean massive amounts of exercise) the rate of loss with the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is similar to that expected with the RnY.
Most of us here do work our sleeves, and we have lost a LOT of weight. Women do tend to stall more often than men (I suspect that is hormonal, but I can't prove it). But there are lots of women here that have lost a LOT of weight, even with some stalls along the way.
Like so many things in life, you tend to get out of it, what you have put into it.
For me, it has been easy. Others have struggled, having to really fight to stay on their program. How much you lose, and how easy it will be for you is a very individual thing.
One real advantage of the sleeve is, you do NOT have to regularly visit your doctor to get anything adjusted. There is nothing to adjust. You have a permanently smaller stomach, and you will never be able to eat in the quantities that you have in the past. Your new stomach will NOT stretch like a pouch can, in fact, they hardly stretch at all.
I have yet to hear a single person that has gotten even reasonably close to goal that has ever said, "It just wasn't worth it."
As for me, it is simply the third best thing I have ever done for myself in my life. Marrying my wife was first, and the birth of my two daughters was second. My sleeve has quite literally restored my active life to me.
My physician daughter just saw me today, for the dirst time in 11 months (she's beeb in Iraq), and she was astounded. She looked at me and said, "Daddy, you haven't looked like that since I was a little girl. You're a handsome man, and Mom had better look out." Now, I have to tell you, something like that makes it all worth it.
Now what more can anyone ask of a surgical procedure?
I know that some sites and surgeons will quote figures like "You can expect to lose 90% of your goal weight" and stuff like that. But that is not reality, it is a supposed average. The reality is, you can lose about as much as you want to lose, if you stay on program.
I am 65 years old, had my sleeve at 65, and I have lost 124 pounds since 9/15/2008. I walk, three days a week, for 1.5 miles. I stick reasonably close to my prescribed diet. I plan on losing about anopther 50-60 pounds. It likely won't come off as fast as the first 124, but it will come off.
Others do not lose much, because they simply refuse to stay on their diet plan and/or they refuse to exercise. A few will post a note saying exactly that, they there is no way they are going to stay on a restricted diet. With that kind of an attitude, they should NEVER have been approved for surgery in the first place.
IF you work your sleeve properly, and if you exercise on a regular basis (and I do not mean massive amounts of exercise) the rate of loss with the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is similar to that expected with the RnY.
Most of us here do work our sleeves, and we have lost a LOT of weight. Women do tend to stall more often than men (I suspect that is hormonal, but I can't prove it). But there are lots of women here that have lost a LOT of weight, even with some stalls along the way.
Like so many things in life, you tend to get out of it, what you have put into it.
For me, it has been easy. Others have struggled, having to really fight to stay on their program. How much you lose, and how easy it will be for you is a very individual thing.
One real advantage of the sleeve is, you do NOT have to regularly visit your doctor to get anything adjusted. There is nothing to adjust. You have a permanently smaller stomach, and you will never be able to eat in the quantities that you have in the past. Your new stomach will NOT stretch like a pouch can, in fact, they hardly stretch at all.
I have yet to hear a single person that has gotten even reasonably close to goal that has ever said, "It just wasn't worth it."
As for me, it is simply the third best thing I have ever done for myself in my life. Marrying my wife was first, and the birth of my two daughters was second. My sleeve has quite literally restored my active life to me.
My physician daughter just saw me today, for the dirst time in 11 months (she's beeb in Iraq), and she was astounded. She looked at me and said, "Daddy, you haven't looked like that since I was a little girl. You're a handsome man, and Mom had better look out." Now, I have to tell you, something like that makes it all worth it.
Now what more can anyone ask of a surgical procedure?
A former Army Medic (1959-1969), Registered Nurse (1969-2000), College Instructor (1984-1989) and a retired Rehabilitation Counselor. I am also a dual citizen of the USA and Canada.
High Weight 412 lbs. Date of Surgery 360.5 Present 170 lbs
High Weight 412 lbs. Date of Surgery 360.5 Present 170 lbs
This is one of the best post I have ever read on this website, it has really helped me to put things in perspective and seriously think that if I do go with the VSG this will be my second chance to not only accomplish what I set out to accomplish from the beginning, but to really do things right this time around. Your story has been very helpful and inspiring. Thank you so much!
Most Active
Recent Topics
