Quote:
Originally Posted by Socalmomof2grownkids
Well i gotta few questions . My brother had the lap band 6 years ago and is able to eat anything, at small proportions. and has only gained 12 pounds all this time. Ive recently had the sleeve last week. What are the difference of the two?
Will i be able to eat anything as he does?
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The Lapband works on restriction. The placement of the band creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach that holds a small amount of food per meal. This pouch fills with food quickly and the band slows the passage of the food from the pouch to the lower part of the stomach. As the upper part of the stomach registers that it's full, the message is sent to the brain that the entire stomach is full, so one is hungry less often while eating smaller portions of hopefully the right low fat, low cal foods. It's a procedure that's reversible/removable and not without it's own set of complications like slippage and erosion.
The RNY works on restriction (by reducing the stomach size)
and malabsorption because a portion of the intestine is bypassed. The RNY is what significantly helps more comorbidities over the previous two. The 'proximal' technique is now the most commonly used GBS technique overall and is the procedure that is least likely to result in nutritional difficulties. Because the stomach is divided and not removed the stomach can be reconnected (as in reversed) if direly necessary.
By comparison, the VSG works on restriction only (like the band) but is an operation that reduces stomach size and food volume at the same time. Though there is nothing implanted as in a band, it's only similar to an RNY because the stomach is permanently (though irreversibly) reduced in size (approx 85% smaller than before), BUT nothing is bypassed. The stomach functions as it normal did before.
The negative part of both the Band and the VSG is that they can be more easily defeated over the RNY.
Yes, you'll be able to eat practically anything you want with the exception of foods that have that 'stuck' potential - but, would you want to eat anything? (That's why many have RNY's because the anything factor for the most part, is removed.) The positives is that both don't have the higher post-op complications such as marginal ulcers, vitamin deficiencies and intestinal obstructions. The negatives is that they have a much lower success rate than the RNY overall, with banding being the least worthy.
No matter which procedure you have, none is perfect and all can be defeated by the wrong lifestyle change. Your brother has made a total lifestyle change and acceptance with the band. His success shows that he has chosen NOT to defeat it, but to keep it working for him.
The best success with each procedure is with a dramatic lifestyle change and a permanent acceptance of it -- and acceptance that our pre-op lifestyles and bad food choices is what largely made us large.
You have an upper hand over your brother because you do not have to deal with fills (I've heard that's a good thing). If I had a choice between RNY and VSG, knowing what I know now, because I was self-pay, I may have strongly considered the road to VSG (or, I may have been too large for it to start, I'm not certain) however, I don't know my surgeon's opinion on it (an opinion I'd value greatly) and I never asked to start.
Good luck... I wish you every success!
Lap band Vs Sleeve/RNY
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