HELP???

OK so most of you know that I was looking into having the Lap Band next March or April due to Ins. process.... So I went to the seminar and then to the surgeons office all gun ho for the band and left signed up for the Sleeve! Crying and Confused! Still don't know what I'm going to do I'm leaning more towards the SLEEVE but my question is really how long has this been out? what if in 15/20+ years this causes problems with VSGers??? I haven't came across anything that has had LONG TERM results post-op! Does anyone know are there any old timers out there?  What if you were to get stomach cancer and all you have is the banana shape stomach then what and WHAT IF the staples come out and you get an infection all through your body cant that kill you too??

I'm sure you can tell I'm stressed and in over load! I wish I could have something done 2maro but I cant and this research is driving my nuts any feed back would be great!

Thanks Jennifer

I understand your confusion and frustration.
The DS has been around quite a while and the Sleeve has always been part of the DS. The DS just adds major malabsorption to the equation. Also, I look at it this way - for the past 50-60 years surgeons have been removing part of the stomach for severe ulcer patients and cancer patients. (I believe I read on this site that someone's grandfather had a "sleeve" some 50 years ago because of ulcer surgery and that is what convinced her to go with the sleeve.)

I struggled at first, too, with what surgery, etc.... My surgeon is very much against the band - especially for super morbidly obese people - but left it up to me to pick Sleeve or RNY because I don't have medical issues that indicate one surgery would be better than the other.
You mentioned cancer of the stomach, too which was a concern of mine, too. Well, the sleeve will leave you a smaller stomach, yes, but the RNY will leave you with a stomach that can't be scoped to even find the cancer unless you have a revision. I also want to be able to eat like a "normal" person & I love dairy - milk, cheese, yogurt. Both my RNY friends can no longer tolerate dairy which would be too sad for me. I also have mild athritis and will be allowed to take NSAIDS when it gets bad. Low dose baby aspirin everyday is going to be fine, too.
For me the sleeve just seemed to be the best fit for what I wanted in the long run. My dear friend with an RNY loves her surgery and result. Sadly, I know 5 people who have had the band absolutely none of those 5 has been happy with his or her band in the long term. I"m looking forward to my sleeve the first week of December!
Kairk

First, have you researched the long term results/complications with the band? About 5% of all band patients have mechanical failures A YEAR. Over a long period of time, your odds of a complication are as high as 50% and that for the lowest weight loss period.

Since the sleeve doesn't bypass anything, it has very low complications once the healing is done. The surgical complication rates are similar to the Gastric Bypass.

There are many, many DS old timers out there and they have a sleeve PLUS re-routing of their intestines and therefore must work very hard with their labs and supplementation. The sleeve itself is the least complicated part of their surgery but most of them do fine.

I actually liked the sleeve for this reason: it's the simplest of the surgeries. No mechanical device left behind to fail. No rerouting of intestines that can cause severe nutritional deficiencies. No bypassing of the pylorus (RNY) which can result in reactive hypoglycemia. Once your stomach heals from surgery, your risk of complications is incredibly low.

If you were set on the band, you are moving waaaaaay down in risk of complications going with the sleeve. Read the revision board here to get an idea of what people go through with their bands.

Hi

I can understand your concerns. My understanding is that in the hands of a competant surgeon the chances of complications are extremely remote. I realize that the band may be lower risk but it is also the least efffective. My wife's brother in law had the band and it has only partially worked for him. I am very happy with my sleeve, the surgery had minimal pain gone in two days and feel absolutely great! Hope this helps and let me know if I can help you.

I had the same fears as you.  I saw my surgeon today for my pre-op and I asked him these very questions.  In regards to the stomach cancer - you can live a perfectly healthy life with no stomach at all!  Also, stomach cancer in the US is very rare.  As far as the stapels go - they really only need to hold up for the first few weeks.  After that your scare tissue is holding your stomach together.

Hope this helps a little!! 

If you get stomach cancer, they take out the whole stomach and attach the small intestines straight to the esophagus.  There was an article on Salon.com about a week ago about a woman who went through it. She was a 'foodie,' and she wrote about her last meals, etc. Stomachs are resected or removed in ulcer patients, as well.  That's all well documented, and people live long lives with partial stomaches.

There's a risk of infection and complicatins with any surgery.  You reduce that risk by going to an experienced surgeon and by  following directions.

Good luck with your decision, and don't stress too much!

I am only 3 weeks out but I am so glad I did the sleeve!  You've gotten lots of good info in the posts before mine.

I would say it is very important to take a deep breath and don't try to get it all figured out at once.  It is a process, it doesn't happen overnight, and the more informed and prepared you are, the better it will go.