13 replies to this topic

[JodieC]

Hi guys...me and another lady on here went to see the same surgeon on the same day. And he tried to talk us into sleeve. I am all for the band. Where Sammy is very undecided. She works full
Time and has a family to look after so not alot of spare time on her hands so I thought I would help her out and get some feedback... Why did you choose band over sleeve or do you know anyone with the sleeve done and how do they feel about it. I want to help Sammy make the right decision so any thing helpful to her would be great
Thanks
Jo

[atgreg]

http://www.gastricsl...-band-to-sleeve

[columbine]

I work with a few girls that have had both. One of the ones who had a sleave has lost the most weight the quickest. She was actually loosing it too quickly and was constantly in trouble with her dietician for under eating and ended up on energy fortified drinks on top of the food she was eating. I think that is the bad bit about the sleave. There is no adjustabiliity. Once its done its done and there is no turning back. The band might be more work but it can be adjusted to suit your situation, even if your situation changes.
The woman I know with the band has lost less weight over a longer time but has absolutely no regrets about getting the band and not the sleave. From what I can tell, the advantages of the sleave to the band is less maitenance (which is good for both you and your surgeon), you don't have to get stuck with a needle every few weeks, you don't have a foreign object in your body and I think people find it easier to hide having the sleave done than the band.
They held a conference on treating obesity in my town a couple of weeks ago and the sleave seemed to be the one that they were all recomending now. Not sure why the band has lost its vogue, probably because it is more upkeep. But no mater which way you lost the weight, the conference was stating statistics like 90% remission rate for obese type 2 diabetics who lost the weight and kept it off. Wouldn't matter which way you lost the weight with statistics like that!

[atgreg]

If I had my time over again I'd have a sleeve over a band in a heartbeat , having friends with sleeves they are so much easier to live with than a band.

Also the stats on people with bands having to have further surgery to correct problems are so much higher than sleeve complications its actually scary

[Let's Rumble]

I had my first appointment with my surgeon 3 weeks ago about getting banded, he also brought up the other types of surgery which was Sleeving which he is starting to a lot more of and the old Bypass method which still is done (yucko ) but very rarely.

Anyway interesting bit of statistics, sleeving is all the rage overseas at the moment is especially in Europe and USA, problem is that it has only been around for about 7 years and yes weight loss is faster and initally there appear to be less problems but, apparently one thing that they are starting to find is that the sleeved stomaches are starting to stretch on some patients, which requires re-sleeving the sleeve! but unfortunately 7 years is not long enough for comprehensive data.

Back to the Band, I like that fact that it is reversable, if the band does not work for you or is too troublesome, if there are problems you have it completely removed, then you have the option of having a Sleeve done. The Band has over 25 years of data behind it and the latest model of the band that has been around for about 4 or 5 years (the 10 and 14 mil ones) seems to have less problems due to a redesign than the older thin ones, as `atgreg` has said the stats are higher on bands having further surgery to correct problems, BUT remember the amount of bands out there are in the hundreds of thousands compared to the number of sleeves done and the timeframe is four times as long.

Anyway, sorry to ramble on but that's my way of thinking and in the end you must to what you are most comfortable with... Cheers, Doug.

[Helen]

I am banded 7 months, I wish I could turn back time and have the sleeve. My advice would be DON'T get banded, get the sleeve.

[missruthy]

From what I understand of it.........in Australia you are actually only eligible for the sleeve if you're BMI is higher than 38. If it's lower that that, you don't meet the criteria....I could be wrong, I often am....

[kazbo]

atgreg, on 19 February 2012 - 07:52 AM, said:

If I had my time over again I'd have a sleeve over a band in a heartbeat , having friends with sleeves they are so much easier to live with than a band.

Also the stats on people with bands having to have further surgery to correct problems are so much higher than sleeve complications its actually scary

I have started the conversation with my surgeon about getting the band removed and having the sleeve.

I am frustrated by the ongoing maintenance and the unpredictability of the band. I've enjoyed my weight loss but it has come with it's own set of problems...the first of which is that it took so damned long to find my green zone! I would also really like to eat something without fear of it getting stuck. It's thse things that I dislike about the band.

[Gato]

Most people seem to go for the band because it can be removed, except that if you have it removed, it seems you regain weight very quickly, so Im not sure of the value of it being able to be removed unless they come up with a magic pill instead.
Things go wrong with a lap band much more often than with the sleeve, but when they do go wrong with the sleeve, its often very serious.

[*Elly*]

My sister is a doctor and works in the Emergency Department of a hospital. She fought me tooth and nail to have the band and not the sleeve; having heard and seen some very unpleasant sleevings. I have the band and although had some complications to begin with, am pleased so far.

[.Kylie.]

missruthy, on 19 February 2012 - 03:50 PM, said:

From what I understand of it.........in Australia you are actually only eligible for the sleeve if you're BMI is higher than 38. If it's lower that that, you don't meet the criteria....I could be wrong, I often am....

Its 35, well with my surgeon anyhow. I looked into having the sleeve, but basically to cut it short im 21, havent had children and have plenty of times on my hands for appointments.

[scarlet_artemis]

wow, a lot of conflicting views....I've worked in surgery for nearly 18 years and I can tell you this much, I went for the band simply because its safer. if you're youngish and relatively healthy and have a BMI of over 38 and KNOW that you're likely to cheat the band, then get a sleeve. But if you're motivated and want to lose the weight and have something there permanently that will slow you down when eating, then a band is a good alternative. i've seen a lot of success with men who want to still eat steak etc who have had sleeves. For me personally, the choice was band because I've seen too many complications with a sleeve where the staples have failed and stomach contents have leaked into the abdominal cavity causing peritonitis - find a surgeon who oversews the sleeve staple line. I also couldn't get my head around having half a healthy organ removed for the sake of weight loss - yet I had a prosthetic piece of plastic put inside me which will become a focus for infection for the rest of my life if I get an infected joint or blood poisoning or have a rotten tooth. I think the answer is for your friend to have an honest chat with her surgeon about her eating habits and what she likes to eat and what her expectations are and see what he recommends that will fit in with her lifestyle and how she wants to live. The surgeons have done thousands and will have seen consistent results with each technique for different groups of people eg> overweight men who like meat do better with a sleeve, eg; busy mums without much time who prepare simple small meals do better with a band etc etc

[JodieC]

You know when I went in I was not asked about eating habits I was not asked about me at all.. He was this is a lapband this is how we do it this is the sleeve I recommend the sleeve and this is how we do it.. Any question yes so I asked hundreds lol and he answered no askin me any thing he tried to push the sleeve but I told him I have made my mind up..

[columbine]

My surgeon didn't push the sleeve but he did ask me why I wanted the band and not a sleeve done. Even though I don't plan on getting the band removed, you never know what life is going to throw you and I liked that the band was reversable if I needed it to be. They haven't invented a fake stomach yet that I am aware of so I would rather work with what I got, not limit my options by cutting out a big chunk of functioning organ that I may need later.