SashaWLS #1

[SashaWLS]

I was SURE I was going to get the sleeve. There are 100 reasons from the ghrelin elimination to not wanting a foreign body in me, to hearing horror stories about the band, and the list goes on... But the surgeon today really really strongly advises getting the band for the safety ratings, and he's talked me out of getting the sleeve...

But now I'm home, and I'm sitting here crying. It feels irrational, but I'm so scared that I won't be successful. That I'll get surgery and just continue to be a big fat failure at losing weight just like I always have been. So many people say they stop losing or gain it all back. And I just don't trust myself to muscle through it. I don't WANT to be on Weight Watchers again. I already lost 75 pounds and gained it back. I don't WANT to never be able to eat rice again. But I really really don't want to be fat anymore.


I don't know what to do... I don't have the right to put my life at risk and get a surgery where I could have major life complications.

It all just feels hopeless.

Have you been where I am?

[screeden]

wait, this is YOUR decision, not his. do the research and do the surgery that you want and that you feel is best for you. My surgeon does not do the gastric bypass because most people gain all the weight back and he feels it is not successful. he does the banding and the sleeve and says that is up to the patient. did he give the reasons why he feels the band is a better choice? maybe you should consult with another surgeon. I am very happy with my band. but i have a friend who had the sleeve and she has been very successful. everyone is different. it is a tool, not an instant weight loss. yes there are people who are not successful at the band. make a list of the pros and cons of each and go from there. talk to people who have had the band or sleeve. wishing you the best

[rokeys]

i went throught same thing my dr wanted me to have gastric or sleeve but i was scared didnt want something i could not get off if i changed my mind and had problems so i went with lap band i have lost 20 lbs in 4 weeks thats counting the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after but i am happy with it good luck to u

[SashaWLS]

screeden, on February 7, 2012 - 6:45 PM, said:

wait, this is YOUR decision, not his. do the research and do the surgery that you want and that you feel is best for you..... did he give the reasons why he feels the band is a better choice?

For him it's a numbers game. The band is MUCH safer than the sleeve overall, and complications in the band are FAR less severe than the complications of the sleeve. If all goes well, then it's fine. But if you're that 1% who has a leak, then it could be 5 months of misery in a hospital or death... He said he'd do the sleeve if that's what I really want, but he wanted to give me his point of view...

And the fact is, I believe him. It makes sense. And I don't think I have the right to risk causing some horrible health problem if I don't need to. I have a 4yo daughter and a husband I love, and a great life and wonderful friends. It doesn't seem like it's worth doing ANYTHING that has that kind of risk...

That said, I'm really scared that having the band is like having nothing. And that I won't be successful.

[rokeys]

i know a lot of people who had the lap band and lost really well one lost 200 lbs there are people who have done well with all three and people who have not it depends on you and if you follow what you are told to do i believe you will be successful .One girl told me i cant lose weight and she was drinking milk shakes and sweet tea everyday from mc donalds so no wonder why do what dr tells you you will do fine.

[stephyanders]

Like it's been stated, this is your decision. Don't forget that there are also negatives about the sleeve: higher complications, longer recovery time, possibility of weight gain after the body learns how to reabsorb things.

Have you thought about the Iband? It's a procedure where they take the stomach and suture it into the shape of the sleeve without removing the stomach portion, and then a band is placed at the top. From what I've read, this lowers the risk of slippage with the band due to the stomach shape and also requires less maintenance/fills because the plication of the stomach only allows for so much to be held.
The negatives of the lapband are easily found too: hard to eat breads/rice/pastas, fibrous veggies, some leaner meats. You must go in for regular visits with the Dr. to get fills and check ups. You may get a leak, a flipped port, an erosion, or a slip. Recovery time is a lot less than the other WLS because you are not getting anything cut or rerouted.

I just look at it like this: if any of the above complications occur with the band and prove it to be a tool I cannot use, I can always petition to insurance to have a revisional procedure. But, if it does work as planned, I have my whole anatomy and I lose weight. And, maybe in the future they will have developed an even better way to lose/maintain weight and I can upgrade then. Just really analyze the pros/cons of both.

[Cocoabean]

None of the procedures is 100% successful or complication free. Lap Band has the least severe complications, but it also offers the lowest amount of excess weight loss. That doesn't mean you won't be able to lose 100% of your excess weight.

As was suggest previous, see another surgeon and get other opinions. Do boodles of research. Read here and on sleeve forums. Learn as much as you can. When I was banded, the sleeve was not available. So, not sure what I would have done.

If you are self-pay, consider that with a band, you have lots of after-care to pay for. Fills don't come cheap. The sleeve is set it and forget it, as long as you don't have complications.

[missmeow]

I'm having the same indecision. At first, I was adamant about getting a band because it is reversible. When I went for my first consult, the surgeon was advocating the opposite of yours--that I should consider the VSG. Then reading all of the complaints about the band and the fact it will probably have to come out in 5 years anyway had me almost 100% for VSG. Then I started reading how much is actually taken out. Some sites say 75% but it seems like everyone here is at 85%-90%. I have concerns at that level primarily because of the risk of complications that would force me into a total gastrectomy and the long term effects of vitamin/mineral nutritional deficiencies. I see VSG blog where there is constant deficiency even if the person is eating a normal calorie intake (like 1500 or so). That worries me as to what happens 30 years from now?

So I feel your pain.

I posted that in the VSG board. I am reposting here because I would like to hear the bandster opinions as well. I am so on the fence.

[Mis73]

I was originally supposed to have gastric bypass in June 2010 and backed out at the last minute. I just couldn't rationalize essentially cutting up and re-routing perfectly healthy organs without trying something less drastic first.

On Jan. 6 2012, I got the Lap-Band instead.

So far I am down 38 pounds and couldn't be happier with it. Everyone is different, and everyone has their own decision to make, but for me it just seemed more logical to start with the 100% reversible Lap-Band first then progress to the Sleeve only if the band doesn't work for me.

One more thing to note- people don't lose weight and regain weight after the Sleeve and Gastric Bypass, too. Whatever WLS surgery you choose, you must be prepared to change your eating habits for a lifetime. WLS isn't a magic bullet, regardless of what you choose, you have to do the work.

Whatever you ultimately decide, I wish you much peace and success

[Cocoabean]

missmeow, on February 7, 2012 - 9:10 PM, said:

I'm having the same indecision. At first, I was adamant about getting a band because it is reversible. When I went for my first consult, the surgeon was advocating the opposite of yours--that I should consider the VSG. Then reading all of the complaints about the band and the fact it will probably have to come out in 5 years anyway had me almost 100% for VSG. Then I started reading how much is actually taken out. Some sites say 75% but it seems like everyone here is at 85%-90%. I have concerns at that level primarily because of the risk of complications that would force me into a total gastrectomy and the long term effects of vitamin/mineral nutritional deficiencies. I see VSG blog where there is constant deficiency even if the person is eating a normal calorie intake (like 1500 or so). That worries me as to what happens 30 years from now? So I feel your pain. I posted that in the VSG board. I am reposting here because I would like to hear the bandster opinions as well. I am so on the fence.

The latest study I read says 22.8% of bands are removed by 10 years.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22219011

It does not address the reasons why the bands were removed. (I have other issues with the way this study is worded, but the band removal rate is valid IMO).

Each of the procedures requires vitamin supplementation. I take regular multi-vitamins and have my vitamin levels checked yearly. I came up vitamin D deficient, so I take extra of that. VSG should be similar in nutrient absorption to banding as there is no mal-absorption with that procedure. Gastric bypass requires prescription level supplementation.

This is a tough decision, I know.

[1shauna1]

I can eat rice. I can eat pizza. I can eat most of the foods I've always loved, just not as much. That is the wonder of the band. It may be a foreign body inside you, but I don't even think about that. I preferred that I didn't actually have to cut out part of my stomach to have a smaller stomach. If the band has to be removed, you still have your full stomach. I think also with bypass there is some issue with sugars, correct? So you wouldn't be able to eat chocolate/icecream....I sometimes have some dark chocolate or a scoop of icecream....would you be able to give those up?

Obviously there are pros and cons to each...and you can regain weight with each. I don't know what to tell you, except don't let someone else pressure you into this lifelong decision.

[Sunshyne068]

I AM FEELING THE SAME EXACT WAY - OMG (so glad I'm not alone).

I just got my surgery date set (March 9)

Well I've been reading here (and other sites) that some ppl wish they would have gotten the sleeve instead of the band, but their insurance didnt cover the sleeve. What are your thoughts???

My issue is, I want to have children (Im 28). And I want a tool that will help reuglate my appetite and be able to adjust my appetite for pregnancy. And help restrain it again when I'm trying to lose my "baby weight" .... the sleeve doesnt seem to offer that, and I'm guessing the band is a much safer less invasive procedure overall, which really sets well with me.

But on the other hand, I have been failing and losing weight all of my life .... and the LAST thing I want to do is go under the knife, alter my entire life and eating, and still not lose the weight I need to in order to be healthy. This is literally my last resort and I don't want to set myself up for failure. If the sleeve is a procedure that helps more ppl because it's not as hard to follow and work with, maybe that's more appropriate for me?

[Shellyac]

I would recommend looking into the iBand. I had it done about 6 weeks ago and I'm pretty happy with the results. I generally feel little to no hunger and I have no limitations in what I can eat, just in how much I can eat. Currently my band doesn't have any fluid in it and I hope to keep it that way but I like knowing that if needed it can be filled to help me get more restriction if needed.

I do go back and forth about how I feel about my rate of weight loss, I know that generally the band as a lower rate and I am OK with that but I also know that plication can help you lose faster, almost at the same rate of the sleeve.

[Sunshyne068]

I don't think my doctor does the iBand, as he made no mention of it in his presentation or at my visits. I'll ask him next week.

Im just so nervous ..... ugggggggg

[Shellyac]

Sunshyne068, on February 17, 2012 - 12:01 PM, said:

I don't think my doctor does the iBand, as he made no mention of it in his presentation or at my visits. I'll ask him next week.

Im just so nervous ..... ugggggggg

I just looked at your profile and ans saw that Dr. Singh is you're doctor. The funny thing is that I will probably be transferring to his office because according to his website he preforms the plication which is part of the iBand. I had mine done in Miami because I couldn't find any doctors that did it in the DC area and he is the first one I have seen that does plication. I'm going back to Miami for my first few follow-up but eventually I need to find a doctor up here. My sister has an appointment next week to find out about getting the plication, so far I don't think the plication alone is covered by insurance and I think it costs about 10K out of pocket. Another advantage of the iBand is that it is covered by insurance.

[Sunshyne068]

Yes Dr Singh did mention plication, and he said it's "experimental" so it's not covered.

Dr. Singh is very knowledgable and his practice at St Agnes hospital has one several awards and certificates of excellence and whatnot. I heard about him from a friend of a friend and I've been very happy with him. But because he is so popular its difficult to get a lot of face time with him (so it might be hard to find time to ask him about the iBand).

[lellow]

I lost 130% of my excess weight on the band. If I had to remove the band, I would replace it with another band. Because I know it works. I know the sleeve works too, but better the devil I know and all that! I used to have the biggest sleeve envy, but someone then said to me - but the band has been so successful for you, and I thought, actually, he's right! Why the hell am I knocking something that worked?

I ate well, I exercised, hell yes I did those things. Because I figured if I lose it now, the band will help me keep it off. And it did. If you've lost weight before, hunny, this will be a breeze. Be disciplined, lose the weight, get your fills and pretty soon, the band will be 'kicking in' and doing a lot of the portion control work for you.

And wrt the pregnancy, I have had friends who chose the band specifically because, once they got pregnant, the band could be unfilled so that they could eat enough to nourish themselves and their babies. Once they stopped breastfeeding, they started getting fills again and the band put them back on their weight loss journey.

[Sunshyne068]

yea my doc asked me if I lost weight before using diet, and I told him yes. He told me that I shouldnt have a problem with the band then. he told me ppl who cant lose weight dieting need not waste their time with the band.

So here I am and now I'm seeing all the reasons why the band is the right choice for me now.

Also, I weight 260 right now, and I really dont want to lose more than 70 lbs (Im 5'10). It seems (in the back of my mind) a bit extreme to remove 80% of my stomach permanently ... for 60-70 lbs .... or so I like to think.

[1shauna1]

Sunshyne068, on February 17, 2012 - 11:57 PM, said:

Also, I weight 260 right now, and I really dont want to lose more than 70 lbs (Im 5'10). It seems (in the back of my mind) a bit extreme to remove 80% of my stomach permanently ... for 60-70 lbs .... or so I like to think.

I'm 5'10" also.....if I can get to 170, 175, I will be ecstatic!

[Sunshyne068]

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