Sleeve -vs- Band?

The sleeve has become a very popular procedure.  What are the benefits of the sleeve vs the lap band?  I am leaning towards the band but for those of you who have had the sleeve, please comment and let me know the advantages or disadvantges.  Thanks!

 If you can get the sleeve approved, I believe it's the best.  Look up complications of the band and I think you will find a lot and also band to sleeve revisions.  I love my sleeve and no fills to get etc.
Good luck with your decision, I felt totally confident went I went to the hospital for my sleeve.

I personally didn't want the maintenance of the band..the adjustment phases of the band. While the band is not permanent, some of the damage it can cause is. I also liked that with the sleeve, the part of the stomach that produces gherlin are removed. Gherlin is the hormone that produces hunger. There is also a bigger weight loss percentage with the sleeve. NOT that some banders do not lose all their weight. I also like that once I heal (I am almost 2 weeks post op), I will just be me with a smaller stomach. Be sure to read everything you can about the two and compare the statistics. I too was set on the band until I attended a bariatric support group. If you haven't attended a seminar and a support group, I strongly recommend doing so. Good luck to you!

Why did you  chose the sleeve or bypass?  Whats the difference?

Sleeve is restrictive(like the band) & bypass is malabsorbtive. I did not want my guts rerouted & have possible life long issues with vitamin difficiencies. There is tons of info about the procedures - I did research & attended a seminar.

alot of the band to sleeve revisions i've seen post here had lots of scar tissue around the band or the band slipped and they had to go back to surgery.... i was originally wanting the band a few yrs back to. i'm thankful now that my insurance didn't cover it... i had never heard much about all of those issues, only heard how great it was! my mom had the band and had great results in the begining but has regained quite a bit and i'm now talking to her about getting her band revised to a sleeve (she was never made aware of this as an option when she got her band several yrs ago).... i have my consult for my sleeve on Fri and will have it done as soon as the dr can schedule me! I am completely confident in my decision and i think if u lerk here for a few days u'll see y :-) good luck on ur journey!

Two reasons: the medical device and the functionality.

First, the device: about 5% of bands fail each year. By 10 years you have about a 50% chance of band failure and another surgery. Once the sleeve heals, there is no post-surgical risk like that. The band has a higher long-term complication rate than either the sleeve or RNY, even though the immediate post-surgery complication rate is lower.

Second, the functionality: The sleeve (unlike either the band or RNY) functions like a normal stomach. The pyloric valve nature gave us controls the flow of food. Both the band and RNY just have a hole. In addition, the removal of the gastic fundus of the stomach controls hunger. The band leaves the hunger-hormone production intact.

Finally, food gets stuck easily with the band tight enough to give restriction. Many (not all) bandsters find themselves eating slider foods (foods that slide right through and don't make you feel full) because denser foods stick in their band.

Two clues: There's a whole "Failed Lap Band" forum. There's no "Failed Sleeve Forum" or "Failed RNY" forum, just the band. We also have a LOT of band to sleeve revisions on this board.

I chose the sleeve over bypass because I didn't want the malasorbtion that comes with bypass. Their bodies can't digest certain vitamins and minerals anymore, so they have to take daily supplements for the rest of their lives. I take a multivitamin. That's it. Some people chose to take more, but it is a choice. Not a necessity. Bypass patients can also get "dumping syndrome". That is exactly what it sounds like. They eat something that their bodies can't digest so the body gets rid of it..by dumping. There are also certain medications bypass patients will never be able to take. I thought about when I was older (I am only 29) and which procedure would be easiest to take care of. For my lifestyle, married, work full time, kids, school..the usuall..I didn't want to make my new life style any harder. With the sleeve, you get your pattern of eating right (protein first, then veggies and fruits, then little carbs) and work out. Just me with a smaller stomach. 

Check out the failed band forum and you will have a better idea why I chose the VSG over the band.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/failed_lap_bands/


I have seen bands work for people, I have a friend who is quite happy with her band at 10 years out.  She will be the first one to tell you that having a choice, she would have chosen the VSG, but they were not really being done 10 years ego.  She lives with the understanding that at some point she will almost certainly need additional surgery and she needs to do so much exercise to keep her weight off, that she has become an exercise instructor.  That was never going to work for me.  Also, the studies on regain with the band are really discouraging.  So for me, I just don't see the positive of getting one when VSG is available.  I understand that some people just can't get their head wrapped around the idea of voluntarily giving up 80% of their stomach.  All I can say to this is that I really don't miss it at all and if truth be told, I wouldn't take it back for a million dollars.  :)  Good luck to you and congratulations on doing your research and choosing what makes sense to you and your particular situation.

I went to my first seminar thinking I wanted the band.  One look at the model stomach with that hard band sitting on top of it and the tubing wrapping around convinced me that there was too much risk of just plain old mechanical failure.  Plus, I hadn't realized that you had to go through a sequence of fills/unfills to really get it to work.  That sounded expensive and time consuming.  Not to mention the port stitched to a muscle didn't sound really appealing.  The band is marketed as being the least invasive surgery and reversible.  Well, go read the revisions board, the failed band board, and the main lap band board.  There's nothing reversible about it.  It can be removed, but it leaves behind damage.

I could have done the RNY at that time, but didn't want the malabsorption that comes with it.  The VSG is simple.  Once you're healed, it's done.  And your stomach still functions normally, just in a much smaller size.