O.k. I am new and just had my first consult with a BS. I thought I wanted

the lapband but I actually think I like the VS. I am not going to use insurance

so this will be a fast process. I want to be sure this is successful for others

since it is still new and not much data has been collected. ( I know it is a

collective surgery from the past but it really looks improved from the old way)

Please let me know who it worked for and if you would change anything?

Complications????

My opinion: the VSG is a great surgery IF you know restriction is all you need. I think the long-term results will be better than those for the band, and it has a lower complication rate than the band since there is no foreign object to erode, slip, etc.

I have a VSG stomach but with a little intestinal malabsorption (went in for a DS, came out with a semi-DS). I have spoken with multiple VSG patients, and many of them are doing very well. Some do not lose as much as they would have hoped, but some sail right down to their goal (but this is the case with pretty much any WLS procedure).

If your choices are band or VSG, I would vote for VSG. Mine has done well for me so far - I am down about 45 pounds in less than 3 months (I'm a bit of a slow loser - they say diabetics tend to lose slower, and I am certainly proving that to be true). Plus, if you're a self-pay patient, you won't have to pay for fills/unfills like you would with the band.

I think you would be very pleased with the sleeve. Have you visited http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/? They will be able to answer any questions you have.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/? This is a good webside. thank you for share.

I just had the sleeve done on June 17, 2009. I had ZERO complications and only took pain meds one time. I am 11 days post op and I'm down 14 pounds. That would've taken me 2 months to do before!! I think that the surgery was a fairly easy one and I think that I will be successful. Just losing this 14 pounds has made my knees hurt less and I've been out walking every evening, including the day I got home from the hospital.

Hello

I had the VSG just over a year ago. No complications at all. I considered the band, but after an insurance fiasco, I did more research and found that the VSG was a much better option for me. I love my sleeve It's purely restrictive, but that was what I needed. I couldn't be happier! I feel absolutely fantastic & I'm down nearly 80#. With me, it's been a slower, steady ride, and I'm to the point of being able to eat anything I want in MUCH MUCH smaller portions. Absolutely go to the obesityhelp.com site and read all about it. That site is amazing

Karin