Concidering my bariatric options

Hello! I am meeting with my surgeon next Friday, but in the meantime I am trying to do as much research as possible. I first thought I was most interested in lap banding, but after attending a support group, I feel it may not be for my lifestyle. I am leaning toward the Gastric Sleeve. I was reading that one of the complications could be leakage and bleeding along the staple line which could potentially be fatal. Does anyone know what the likelihood of that happening is? What are some of the symptoms of it to know if there is a problem before it is too late?

 For years I had wanted to do lap band thinking that the bypass was too invasive and scary. Didn't find out about the sleeve until July of this year. Had my consulation in august and let the sugeon tell me what he thought was my best option. I didn't lead him in any direction, just talked about my health history and what might be the best fit for me. He chose the sleeve for me because it had the least amount of intestinal issues, which I already have. I would suggest making sure you figure out what is best for your own health and ask your surgeon for advice. I was just sleeved on wedneday and am ready to enjoy the journey. Good luck!!

I have the same feeling on bypass :( I was interested in the banding until I went to a support group this week and heard that it felt tight at first but once the swelling went down you felt the same as you do before the surgery. You then had to go in for a fill and if it wasn't tight enough yet you had to wait 6 weeks (since you can only get a fill every 6 weeks) and get another fill. Then, it could take weeks to see any results...it just seemed like a LOT of maintenance to try to add into my lifestyle. Whatever I decide on, I know that I want to have the surgery, go to my checkups and get on with my diet and excercise!  I don't want to worry about how much is in the band every time I get a hunger pain. Good Luck to you!

Hello and welcome!
If you choose an experienced surgeon, the rate of leaks and serious bleeding on the staple line is very small, less than 1%.  Finding a surgeon who has done many VSG's and has great stats on his patients' weight loss is really important, because how the sleeve is made (size and shape) impacts your post-op journey a great deal.  A good RNY surgeon doesn't necessarily translate into a good VSG surgeon.  The best surgeons have much better stats for % of excess weight loss than the average, and much lower complication rates.

I would never recommend a lap band to anyone based on the high rate of complications and re-operation down the road.  So I think its good you've moved away from that surgery.  I think my sleeve is awesome, but you should also check out the DS (Duodenal Switch) board for info on that surgery.  It is a much bigger operation and has much more stringent supplement requirements (because there is a significant malabsorptive component to it), but for some people it is the right choice.  It would never have been right for me, but I'm glad I at least knew about it so I can know that I considered ALL my choices.

Best wishes in your decision making!

 My surgeon really likes making sleeves. He said that he can tell in the waiting room who has had a sleeve because they look healthier. 

The immediate post-surgical complications of the sleeve are greater than lap band, although still very small. Fatal complications are EXTREMELY low and tend to be more operative complications (very obese patients are more prone to a variety of pulmonary and heart complications) rather than directly related to the sleeve. I've seen one or two leaks here on the board, but yet to hear of a fatality.

When your sleeve is healed, though, the complication rate goes straight to zero. With the lap band, the complication rate goes UP with time - dramatically. Slips, erosions, bands that tighten and loosen on their own. About half of all band patients will require a second operation within 5 years, sometimes on an emergency basis.

In the long term, the band complication rate is dramatically higher than the sleeve complication rate. The band also has the lowest rate of weight loss.

Read the band forum and the revision forum to see the complications folks have with their bands. Also, compare their tickers to tickers of sleeve patients at the same place post-op to see the difference in weight loss.

 All great info to read again!  Feeling better about Tuesday morning now 

If you have a good surgeon he will inform you of all of your choices, and direct you to the best possible choice for your lifestyle. I chose the sleeve because my surgeon said that it was the least invasive, and I would heal, and get back to work a lot quicker. Also the weight loss is comparable to gastric bypass.

I've had a band for 4 years and wouldn't wi**** on my worst enemy! Mine never did work, always either too tight or too loose, besides all I lost was 40 lbs and I gained back 20 of that! I finally had mine emptied so it doesn't cause any further damage to my stomach. It is not at all what it's advertised to be!!!