Anyone 4 years + post op?

I currently have the Lap-Band and is considering the sleeve. During my consult the doctor he brought up a good point we do not know the long term result because the sleeve is fairly new. I am 3 1/2 years post op with complications. My 2 options are RNY or Sleeve. Are you having any complications?

iv been doing alot of research on the sleeve... I was looking into doing the band, but think im going with the sleeve!  What complications have you had with the band? sorry to hear that.  I have found that people do just as good on the sleeve as they do on the bypass but with the sleeve it doesn't mess w your intestines and you absorb more unlike the bypass yes its fairly new but..... if you think bout it they have been doing them half ways for years with people that have had stomach cancer and ulcers i don't know i still have 6mos to change my mind due to ins process so just do your research and pray you come to peace with your decision

Jennifer

My doctor told me yesterday that he has been putting 50% in and taking out 50% Lap-Bands. Really! That doesn't sound like good odds to me. I was doing awesome until this year, but I never hit the sweet spot with the band fills. I have a 10cc band and I have been adjusted a lot of times. I had 6cc I think. I had so many adjustment I lost count. I had to have ho****er with every meal in order to eat. The food was stuck. On Aug 25 they removed the saline about 51/2cc with tissue and had a very had time retrieving the solution, they replaced with 4cc. He tried again to retrieve to solution but had a hard time again only 3cc. The major reason I went to the doctor was I have been having left port abdominal pain for about 4 months and now it is chronic. The upper gi and x-ray were normal, now I need a CT scan then my weight loss has only been 27 pounds.  I started at 309 ins company wanted me to loss 30lbs. Surgery weight was 267. The best weight was 211, now I am 240. Not good. The band is just not working for my body and the doctor has given me the 2 options. I just don't want to be in this situation 3 to 4 years with the sleeve and that is why I posted.
With what I know now I would have choosen the sleeve before the band, but I can't remember why i didn't at the time. Maybe it was insurance I had a hmo plan, but now I have a ppo.

There are folks who are 3 years out around here. Most don't post often....they are out there enjoying life. But do a search for VSG 2 years out, and you will get a bunch of older replies, from everyone 2 to 3 years out. I do not recall anyone saying that their experience was bad.

 I am almost  2 1/2 years out and have had zero complications due to having the vsg done!

I look at this way....... Out of the thousands who lurk, post and have had the VSG done, hardly any of the long timers come back to post about complications down the road that are happening to them due to the VSG!

They are happy, wish they did it sooner and are living there new active skinnier life to the fullest!
(including me!)

That's my 2 cents worth!

Good Luck!

I'm not a veteran, but wanted to point out that the sleeve is BASICALLY a partial gastrectomy (partial removal of the stomach).

This procedure (partial gastrectomy) has been done since the 1950's/60's as treatment for stomach cancer and severe ulcers.

My research/decision was partially based on the success/lack of complications of long-term partial gastrectomy patients.

Hope this helps! 

Here is a recent thread I bookmarked that should help.

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/4452261/3+-years-of-the-sleev e/

I agree with Smardepants this surgery has been done forever for cancer and for quite a few years as a weight loss surgery. Anything has to be better than the crap band!

Thank you for your post. Excellent point regarding cancer partient. I haven't read or seen anyone looking to revise their Sleeve. I have only seen Lap-Band to ? what ever.  After the doctor mentioned 50/50 in & out I was thinking to myself what the hell was I thinking getting this band at a 50% chance of a revision.

 I'm a newbie myself, so I can't speak to long term results.  One question I would ask your surgeon is what are HIS longterm results with the sleeve?  Not all sleeves are made the same way, and I think that the individual surgeon's results are really relevant to this discussion.

You are close enough to use Jossart or Cirangle--is that an option for you?  Their longer term stats look really good.

Best of luck!