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Yes, they bypass is more prone, or predisposed to, ulcers than the sleeve (just as the sleeve is predisposed to GERD.,) but they are a different sort of ulcer than what you have. The bypass tends toward marginal ulcers around the anastomosis (junction) between the new stomach pouch and intestines. This is because the part of intestine that is now immediately downstream of the stomach is not resistant to stomach acid like the duodenum - the upper part of the intestine immediately downstream of the normal stomach, which gets bypassed along with the remnant stomach in the RNY. Consequently, that anastomosis is very sensitive and prone to ulcers, which is the root of the "no NSAID" rule that permeates bariatrics - you don't want to take any medication that could irritate that anastomosis (there are other meds that may be limited, too, but NSAIDs are the most common class.) What I would be concerned about is what caused your ulcer, and whether that cause would be relieved (or exacerbated) by your surgery. Similar to your hiatal hernia and GERD - fixing the hernia will likely correct your GERD and you will be back to "normal" - no more predisposed to it if you get a sleeve, but still possible. One of the problems with the bypass is that it leaves you with a blind remnant stomach and upper intestine, which can't be easily monitored with an endoscopy, so if something develops in that blind section, you may not know about it until things have progressed more than you would like them to progress (possibly to a cancer.) Some express a dislike for the sleeve because if they have a resultant reflux problem then it could lead to Barret's esophagus and possibly cancer, which is a fair concern; however, that is something that can be easily monitored endoscopically if those symptoms develop, and can be treated; problems that may develop in the blind stomach or intestines of the RNY may not be caught until it is too late to treat effectively, so there is a trade off there. You are somewhat caught in the middle, with some contraindications for both of the common WLS procedures. This is where some serious talk, and understandings, with your medical team is appropriate to really get a good handle on your problems going into this, and how those may play out in the future. I/m not so sure that I would be comforted by the matter that the surgeon may be able to work around a problem (such as an ulcer) if that problem is likely to reoccur 5-10 years in the future, and possibly worse - the surgeon is out of the picture by then, but you aren't. There is another alternative that might be worth considering, which would be the duodenal switch - it uses a sleeve, so it doesn't leave a blind remnant stomach, but due to its' malabsorption component, they typically use a larger version of the sleeve which is less prone to GERD problem. Your surgeon may not offer it (it's a more complex procedure, so many surgeons don't offer it) but it may be worth looking into to see if that fits your need. Good luck,

let your clinic know. You could be developing a stricture. They happen to about 5% of bypass patients - and fortunately, they're an easy fix. If they're going to happen, they'll usually appear sometime during months 1-3 (they're very rare after month 3), so you're just about in the window for one. I had two - one at four weeks out and another at eight weeks out. If that's what it is, you'll feel better right away after they fix it (they'll do an upper endoscopy and stretch it - you won't feel a thing and you'll feel about 100% better afterward). Even if it turns out NOT to be a stricture, your clinic should know your symptoms because that's not normal.

I meant to answer this but have been exhausted. I don't know exactly what it was that impacted my post op recovery most. I had my gallbladder removed alongside the gastric bypass. besides Adult onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia I have lifelong Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. And quite a few medical conditions. I am now finding out it is likely I also have Ehlers Danlos. I am trying to find a definitive diagnosis. My post op recovery took a little longer, I was bedbound after surgery. I ended up back in hospital shortly after going home due to an undiagnosed pre-existing condition (likely tied to Ehlers Danlos) that caused Aspiration pneumonia (a form of dysphasia) I dont think the Adrenal Hyperplasia itself affected my recovery. Even with all my medical conditions and even with the challenges I have had over the course of my surgery and the recovery and the challenges now - I do not regret having had Gastric Bypass surgery. I would never have reached the weight I have now which is a normal healthy weight for my height that I never could reach even as a pre-teen. Well I cannot remember being this weight. I have to find ways to work around different barriers and challenges I guess. I was extremely weak but now I think it was both due to M.E. and possible Ehlers Danlos. I just would do it again as well as the skin removal and body lift procedures I had despite the challenge that was ... especially because of the roadblocks that Adrenal hyperplasia, PCOS, and the inability to exercise due to M.E imposed on me. caused.

Day 5 Post-op... I am still doing OK. I overdid it a bit yesterday (I did NOT move furniture, my husband did, but I helped by supporting on occasion and it was too much) so took 5mg oxy before bed and I'm so glad I did. I could feel my body relax and the pain dissipate. Today I am feeling better. I spent a good part of the day sorting out papers and such from our bookcase and desk. I am frustrated with eating. I am on a soft diet but am struggling to eat much more than pudding without chest pain (diaphragm pain, actually). It's too hot for soup. I'm sip, sip, sipping my drinks so I don't have to worry about dehydration. I guess I hadn't realized what my post-surgical diet would be like, so I didn't stock up on anything. Tomorrow I'll go to the grocery store and see what I can find. Who knew I'd wish for cottage cheese! I am doing my breathing exercises but progress is slow. I can inhale 1500mL without coughing, but when I do to 1750mL it makes me cough. Tonight my chest/diaphragm is sore... not sure if it's from "working" today (seriously, all I did was sort papers out of the desk drawers) or just post-surgical pain. It's hot and I want to eat something and my chest hurts and it doesn't help watching my husband have a sliced chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato on a lovely roll, with chips, for his supper. Grrr... I must be getting better as I'm getting cranky! I'm going to give it another hour to see if I feel any better and can relax, and if not I might take another 2.5mg oxy to help me sleep. I seem to be OK during the day but start to really run down around 8pm. Oh well... I still feel like I am making progress and am SO GLAD my surgeon did this hernia repair instead of revision to a full bypass.

I am 6 days post-op and just stumbled across this site. I've been looking around for about an hour and decided to sign up. And to think I sat at the computer to find a good stool softener for gastric bypass patients. I still don't have a definitive answer for that question (although about 30 possibilities), but now I have this resource. Funny how things work.

My tipping point: My butt being too big for some seats or clothes, not feeling sexy often, body discomforts, lower self esteem/confidence, not sitting on my husband's lap anymore, not getting on top when being intimate with my husband, health risks, health problems, not wearing a bikini/ belly shirts, my son poking at me and saying " mom you have a big butt and big stomach", being at my current weight of 333lbs!!! I am soooo OVER it!!! I can't believe I did this to myself. My yo yo diets did not give long term results, it is time to get professional/medical help. I am happy and grateful for the opportunity to get gastric bypass surgery soon!

Had my revision of gastric sleeve to bypass on 4/20 and down 31! GERD is relieved and I have graduated to beans, quinoa and chicken! Still having 2 protein shakes a day and trying to eat at least one meal a day. I've had a harder time with food this time around, so trying to stay patient...

Change of taste also and I think you mourn food that is the only way I can describe it but you make the appropriate decision and keep going-in the morning I am still rely on my shakes then I can drink liquid till lunch and do better then and supper-my surgery was the day before yours and a revision-I just keep going and follow plan as much as you can

My belly was really swollen for a good week after my bypass. It might be more trapped air from your surgery, along with general surgical swelling. Best to check with your surgeon. 😊

Yeah they told me I will probably need a revision.

Hey everyone, I am a 28 yo F who had gastric bypass over two years ago and lost approx. 120lbs from 299lbs to 178lbs. I was told by my therapist before surgery that I had eating disorder behaviors and thoughts and should see a specialist but I refused and thought I would be ok after losing weight. My thoughts, obsessions, and food restriction has increased after surgery where it’s all I can think about. I had a few scary situations with passing out and finally agreed to see the Eating Disorder (ED) specialist. She immediately told me I needed a higher level of care for atypical anorexia and recommended partial hospitalization. I have a very demanding job that I can’t possibly take time off from so I went to therapy and a dietitian weekly for a little over a month but as soon as I would eat “normal” scheduled meals I gained 4-8lbs and would freak out and not eat. I agreed to be assessed by a treatment center who recommended the partial program but agreed to let me try the intensive outpatient treatment that is 3 nights a week due to my work situation. I start this Monday and I am just so scared about how much weight I am going to gain trying to follow the doctors orders as well as if it’s even going to help. Had anyone else experienced this?

bypasses are more prone to ulcers, sleeves are more prone to GERD. Although the GERD in sleeves is more common than ulcers in bypass. There are a lot of WLS'ers who take meds for bipolar disorder, both sleevers and bypassers. If necessary, they can adjust your meds (change dosage or brand) so you can absorb them.

if you re-read what I wrote, you'll notice I didn't say GERD was rare with VSG - I said 30% of VSG patients suffer from it. So we're on the same page. Since I had moderate GERD before surgery, and my surgeon said there was a good chance it would get worse, I was very interested in this and did quite a bit of reading on it. I saw that 30% figure in several sources. Even the 30% was WAY too much for me to risk it, so I went with bypass (because my risk probably would have been even higher since I already had it pre-surgery). My GERD went away completely for the first 2-3 years after surgery. It's back now, but much milder than before. A couple of Tums will usually knock it out.

I was just recently diagnosed with an irritated stomach lining and a small ulcer. I was supposed to be getting my clearances for surgery next Thursday with only one appointment left and about a month left until my surgery date was scheduled. I was getting so excited but now I am really worried. Has this happened to anyone else? How far back is this going to set me? I am also wavering on which type of surgery to get. I was pretty set on the sleeve because I have GERD ( but I also have a decent-sized hiatal hernia, so that could also be the cause). But I am now leaning toward the bypass for various reasons. My hesitation with the bypass is that I take medication for bipolar disorder and I'm worried about dosages and absorption with the bypass. Are bypasses more prone to ulcers? Or is it just harder to detect once you have them? Thanks for any advice!

I'm 3.5 years post op. Super glad I did it:) Wish I'd done it years ago. I wish I'd known the true statistics of what percentage of people have outcomes they are happy with. I'm extremely happy, but I know several people who are struggling and revising and in my opinion have not gotten the help they need to address the core issues....the disordered eating that drives obesity. This surgery will fix your guts temporarity so it's difficult to overeat. It doesn't fix your head. Eventually, you will be able to eat pretty freely again and can easily self sabotage if you don't fix your eating issues. I do think I'll be able to stay at a healthy weight for the long term. Last year, my yearly exam was a phone exam due to Covid. This year I went in and was weighed for the first time in two years...and was within one pound of what I weighed two years ago. I'm stupid proud of that. If I gain five pounds, I see the bariatric therapist ASAP. I talk about all the events leading up to the gain and try to figure out what triggered it and how to avoid the behaviors, and replace them with different coping mechanisms. I always feel better, and in short order, am back down 5 pounds. See the therapist. It works and can be just as important as the surgery. If you qualify for the surgery, I would absolutely recommend it. Best wishes!

That's nice to hear Blackcats... Do you feel they have good follow up care? Or what did you do for the year or more following the surgery? I was thinking of a bypass but not if I get the surgery out of town. I think a sleeve would be safer. I've been waiting weeks for Kaiser's verdict but I'd like to be ready with Plan B.

I had the bypass done April 5th . I’ve been losing about 2lbs a week . Of course this week I’ve lost nothing . I’m worried about stretching my pouch . I can eat a whole slice of pizza . What’s up with that ? I’m usually good about following the diet but I do feel I’m eating too much sometimes .

there really isn't a honeymoon period with revisions - that "magic" is mostly with virgin surgeries. That said, you can certainly still lose weight - it's just more of a challenge than it was before.

Hi so I'm 5.5 months after bypass I've lost 4.3 which is low compared to most. I have another 2 st to lose and am worried this is it now? I actually put on 2lbs this week. But I know my food wasnt great last week. I've heard alot say 6 months the weight loss stops and mine has never been great. Has anyone experienced this and then list a bit more? Sent from my SM-A505FN using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi all, I was just wondering when weight loss stops with revision to bypass. So far I've lost about 25 pounds and am happy but I would like to lose a bit more. I had revision surgery in February. Any ideas of when the honeymoon phase ends?

I had bypass in December. I did not have much pain. I know it's hard to wait once you have your mind set on something. My advice is to use the time to learn all you can. Surgery changes your insides. It does not change your brain, your habits and your coping mechanisms. Am I glad I did it? Yes. Somedays it's easy. Other days are harder.

Just wanting to share my story and current status at 1 year in. I started the journey in June of 2020 after considering it for years. Having surgery was something that was in the back of my mind for years. I have a co-worker/friend who had gastric bypass about 3 years before me and quite honestly, she is the reason I ended up taking the plunge - Gastric Sleeve was the best choice for ME. Watching her journey and seeing her success motivated me. I appreciated the fact that she was willing to share her experiences both positive and negative. Prior to my meeting with the surgeon, she gave me a ton of insight on what to expect with both positives and negatives. Physically, I knew I was ready for a change. I needed to make sure I was also mentally ready for the change. I WAS! I started with a BMI > 40. I'm currently 80% complete towards my goal. I hoped that I would be at goal by now, but I'm ok that I'm not. Much of that is based on decisions that I've made with regards to how/what I eat and drink. I WILL get these last 20 off and hopefully another 10. I don't know how long it will take, and at this point, I'm not overly concerned if it takes another year. What's my life like now? I can move better,I can buy clothes anywhere, I'm confortable in my own skin (loose that it is!), and I have a newfound confidence in most everything that I do. I eat pretty much anything I want - Just in much smaller quantities. I've been lucky - So far, there's nothing that really upsets my stomach or makes me sick unless I eat too much (has only happened a couple of times). I drink alcohol when I want it - Some weeks I may have a drink or two a day, and then other times, I'll go weeks without a drink. Again, I'm ok with that - it works for me. Some weeks I gain, some weeks I lose. I've been horrible about tracking - However, if I see a gain, I start back just so that I become aware of exactly what is causing it. Again, OK with that. I DO get on the scale often. It works for me. Keeps me accountable. Every once in awhile I get frustrated with the restrictions (OMG, I ordered veal piccata the other day and it was AMAZING - I wished I could eat the whole darned thing at one sitting!!) - However, I choose to look at the upside now on this one - I ate it for 3 days!. Good food choice: NOPE - Worth it: YEP! For those just starting the journey, it isn't always easy - it isn't always fun. For ME, it's the best decision I've ever made for myself. It's definitely not a quick fix and I would encourage anyone who is using food as a coping mechanism to really look deep before you take the plunge. This surgery certainly doesn't "fix" anything like that. it's a tool (and a great one, but remember, the change is only to your stomach, not your brain) - I happen to be one of those people who just loves food, cooking, and the social aspect of it. Having the surgery has allowed me to continue that and still keep me in check with smaller portions. Hope this gives folks some insight into what CAN happen. We're all different and will have different experiences.

Well Im almost 3 months post op since gastric bypass surgery. What I can tell you is my pain was not that bad. But the nauseous feeling was terrible. I hated it.