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bypass patient here. Really the main complication you have to consider with the sleeve is potential GERD - it happens to about 30% of sleeve patients. There are other potential complications, of course, but other than GERD, they're pretty rare. And IMHO, the benefit of losing a massive amount of weight outweighs almost any potential complication. Being super morbidly obese (and I started there, too) is a serious co-morbidity on its own...

Hi all, i’m nearly 4 month out from RNY bypass i’m taking my vitamins and extra hair, skin and nails supplements, i’m also reaching my protein goal each day but my hair has been falling out really badly. Does anybody have any advice ? treatments to use ? thanks xx

Technically I didn't have the gastric sleeve surgery as I had the Loop DS/ SADI-S/SIPS surgery instead, BUT my surgery INVOLVES a gastric sleeve stomach. It just has the added intestinal bypass bit. I don't know if that counts for what you want to know though lol. But I'll answer anyway about my own WLS experience. I'm 15 months out. I had only one complication. That complication? I developed a wheat allergy. Any surgery with the malabsorption bit has something like a 3% chance of developing either a wheat allergy or Celiac Disease. I just happened to be one of the unlucky ones, but the bright side of it is that it keeps me on track because I can't eat 95% of the foods I used to love now due to the allergy lol. If I had to do it all over again I'd either stick with the surgery I chose or go with the old fashioned DS (but only because I really hate constipation issues and with the old DS you have the opposite problem, which is a problem in itself I guess lol). I was told the best WLS options to help with diabetes or pre-diabetes are ones that have malabsorption. And those are the ones that involve the intestinal bit (this was what my surgeon told me, btw because diabetes runs in my family). Those surgeries are Gastric Bypass, Duodenal Switch (DS), or Loop Duodenal Switch (SADI-S/SIPS). When I first went in for my surgery consult in May 2019 in which I'd had my mind set on the Gastric Sleeve I was told that since I had a BMI above 50 (it was almost 61 at the time) I was in the highest class of obesity and classified as 'super morbidly obese' (I cried). They recommended the DS or Loop DS to me because statistically they have the highest weight loss percentage and because I'm partially disabled (due to back injuries and osteoarthritis) I needed to really rely on average statistics (if you're not disabled and can exercise and follow your surgical and dieting guidelines then you can by all means surpass the average so don't get stuck on statistics if you don't have those issues). However, I also bounced around with whether I wanted that or Gastric Bypass due to potential GERD issues with the Loop DS because of the sleeved stomach (my gastroenterologist wanted me to do the GB lol while the surgeon was pushing for the DS or Loop DS). I ended up choosing the Loop DS after months of going back and forth between that and the Gastric Bypass. I had high blood pressure before my surgery and because mine is genetic (literally my sister is the only adult in our family who doesn't have it) I still have it. I was TOLD if my high blood pressure is genetic then the surgery likely wouldn't help it. It did improve it though. I used to take my BP meds every other day, but now I take them every three days and my blood pressure has been perfect with that. In the end the choice of what surgery you choose is very much your own. Do your research. Weigh the pro's and con's. Ask the surgeon questions. If you actually go to the office and SEE people (damn Covid may make it so you don't see people) ask if they've had surgery and ask them about their experiences (I did). Just choose whatever surgery you feel comfortable with. Every surgery has their ups and downs and everyone's experience is different. Also, congrats on the start of your journey and I wish you the best! You can do it!

My BMI was under 40 and they approved it based on comorbidity of joint pain. But as catwoman7 mentioned you may want to seriously consider bypass if you suffer from GERD. That was one of the first questions the doctor asked me.

Greeting 🙂 I am new to this forum and have alot of questions I suppose as many of you probably did when you were just starting out. I am morbidly obese (I hate that description even tho its true) it just sounds awful and degrading. Anyway, I have had a weight problem for years. I just never addressed it I guess, well now is the time to do that. My questions Id like to pose is: how many people who have had the gastric sleeve have experienced long term complications from it and how long has it been post op? And what were they? Did the benefits far outweigh the complications in your opinion? If you had it to do all over again would you elect to have the sleeve or would you have picked gastric bypass instead? Being a gastric sleeve patient what would you say to me knowing that I am 52 yrs old and have a BMI of 58. What sort of things would you suggest or tell me about gastric sleeve surgery? (tid bit of information about me. I have no known illnesses or problems outside of obesity. I am borderline high blood pressure but not on any medication. I am borderline type 2 diabetes no medications but have blood sugars between 130-155 usually) Your thoughts, answers to questions, and opinions would be much appreciated because I have not scheduled to see anyone yet about bariatric surgery but I am hoping to soon.

My first post to this forum and I'm grateful I found you. My surgeon does Band to Bypass in two steps. I had my band removed about two months ago. Except for tugging on a stitch I didn't know was there and having that hurt bad, it went smoothly. Four days ago I went in for step two... RNY. I was told in advance that there was about 20% chance that adhesions from a prior surgery (colon resection) might prevent the doc from pulling up the small intestine to meet the stomach. Imagine my surprise when I woke up and the nurse handed me ice water to drink. I knew I didn't have the bypass. Why? Holy Can of Worms Batman! I'm still waiting to get photographs from the doctor since I barely remember seeing them in post op but my initial Band Surgeon (Dr. Kuri in TJ) something "EXTREMELY" rare. (yup, my doc replied in caps to that) When I had the band in 2004 he said he put an extra stitch in to avoid slippage. I'm not sure what I have yet but apparently it was to dangerous to fix. I know there were stitches the doctor couldn't see when he removed the band and that my stomach is in the wrong place and he couldn't fix it. I've tried contacting Dr. Kuri just to find out what his technique was called or if my doc could talk to him or something. No such luck. My stomach is in knots in every way possible. I'm hoping to find out more about Dr. Kuri's surgical technique around 2004. Staff non-responsive so far.

it depends on the insurance company. Hopefully you'll get it covered! However, if you have GERD, I'm not sure you want to get the sleeve. Bypass is usually recommended for GERD sufferers, since there's about a 30% chance that the sleeve will make the GERD worse (bypass, on the other hand, often improves GERD - if not outright cures it)

Last Thursday my surgeon had put a balloon had inside my esophagus because I have esophagitis me with having a lot gerd dealing with a lot vomited now my surgeon said they going keep doing this if it doesn’t work I have wait a yr get gastric bypass I have been dealing with so much since I had gastric sleeve three months ago

Wow!!! I sure hope I’m strong enough to keep my weight off. I still have 25-30 lbs. yet to go, but I’m just happy to be where I’m at now! I was in the same sizes you were in before surgery,and I can’t imagine being in a zero or even a 2!! You are amazing!! I’m so glad to read your surgical health has been good, too. On this site I’ve read so many that have had to have multiple surgeries. I don’t know if that was from the Sleeve surgery or the bypass (RNY), which is what I had. Thank you for your inspiration for keeping on going on. You are amazing, and I hope I can do the same.

I initially really wanted the bypass, but it was medically contraindicated for me so I had the sleeve. I was disappointed, but it turned out to be a good choice. I lost all my excess weight, I had no major complications, and so far I am maintaining my loss. There are pros and cons to both surgeries, as others have mentioned. Depending on your health and anatomy, one or the other might be advisable. Both can effectively help you lose weight. Best of luck!

Most surgeons aren’t doing the band anymore so it might be tough to find medical support if you need it. You may only be able to find surgeons who are willing to remove them and revise to a different WLS. RNY and VSG are the most popular by far. Ask your surgeon questions. The choice between them should be based on what’s best for you. Hopefully your surgeon can explain the factors that go into their recommendations and you choose based on research and your comfort level. I would recommend protecting yourself from information overload especially watch “experience” video or reading testimonials. Your experience will be totally your own. I also recommend If at all possible to clean and organize your space to be clutter free so your recovery is smoother (Imagine tripping on something after having surgery or needing to clean your bathroom or mop the floors immediately after surgery). Good Luck ❤️

I had my bypass on 3/3/21. I went into my consult asking for the sleeve but based on my doctor's recommendation and my own research, I went with bypass. It's a misconception that the bypass is more invasive. From the patient side, the recovery is the same as both surgeries are done laparoscopically. It is a more complex surgery for the doctor and it takes about an hour longer, but other than that there's not much difference on the patient side. My doc said that the sleeve is a good surgery, but if it were a race, the bypass would win every time. I was also diabetic, and there's a higher chance of being cured of diabetes with the bypass than the sleeve. My endocrinologist said they're not really sure HOW it works, but it does! My endo told me to stop taking my diabetes medicine once I had surgery because many people never need it again. I go to him next week so I hope that's how it works for me! In the months leading up to my decision, I read a lot of posts about people switching from sleeve to bypass because of GERD. I would get it occasionally before surgery and didn't want to take the chance of it happening afterward. My insurance also told me that it was a one-time coverage so I wanted to make the best choice for myself. As for prep work before surgery, I agree with @lizonaplane I spent the time having extra appointments with the nutritionist, working with my therapist, and generally lurking around here soaking up knowledge for other folks' experiences so that when these things - like stalls, hair loss, loose skin - have occurred, I'm mentally ready for them. I also changed a lot of my eating habits. I really think those changes have made my post-op months so much easier.

I was excited about my surgery so I told literally everyone lol. My sister's grandmother (we have different dads) passed away due to the emergency people not knowing she'd had gastric bypass and when she was intubated they went through her stomach and she was on blood thinners, so she died. Because of this I ALWAYS wear either a medical alert necklace or medical alert bracelet when I leave the house. I don't wear one at home because everyone I live with knows about my surgery so if something happens they'd be able to tell those who need to know. I, personally, think people have the right to keep quiet about their surgery, but believe they should always have a medical alert necklace or bracelet so that if something happens then at least the medical emergency people would know. I'm paranoid like that because of what happened to my sister's grandma.

Don't do the band. A lot of people have had problems with them, and most surgeons won't place them anymore. Either sleeve or bypass are good options. If you have GERD, they'll usually recommend that you go with bypass. If not, it comes down to personal preference. I had bypass and have been extremely happy with it. I'd make the same decision if I had to choose today (had mine six years ago). P.S. My recovery was super easy. It seems to be for most of us (not all - but most)

I haven't had surgery yet, but I will say that because sleeve can cause or worsen GERD, you may want to consider bypass if you already have bad GERD. Also, there is some evidence that bypass is better at reversing diabetes, but maybe not for more than a few years. Sleeve has slightly lower risk of complications, but both have very low rates of complications. Bypass is more likely to lead to "dumping" where foods high in carbs or fat can cause diarrhea and lots of bad physical sensations right after eating or within a few hours. If you have an extremely high BMI, bypass is more likely to help you to lose more weight, but here we're talking people who weigh like 500lbs. Before having surgery, it's a good idea to "walk the walk". By that I mean, eating more in the style of how you'll have to eat after surgery: stop drinking carbonated beverages, practice eating SLOWLY (I have not managed this yet), focus on protein and lower sugar/carbs. I think a good thing to do might be to watch some YouTube videos by Dr Matthew Weiner. He explains things well. Some of the videos are older, but they're still very good. Good luck!

Hi All, I have been on a weight loss journey for a while and finally decided that I want to go the bariatric surgery route. Right now I’m thinking more about the vertical sleeve as the pros and cons are better than the gastric bypass. I’ve been told by my Doctor he doesn’t do the gastric banding as the cons far outweigh anything else and it has a bigger chance of failing or just not working properly. He will do it if I push for it but has said the number around the world is very small due to the complications I have been told to consider the Bypass or the sleeve. For those that have done either one do you regret not doing the other? I have had all my tests done - cardiologist, gastrointestinal, ultrasounds, dietitian and psychologist with another appointment with my surgeon and the psychologist and dietitian in 10days again before the paperwork gets sent to my insurance company for approval. I want to go into the surgeon with an open mind but a decision on which surgery I want to do. I’m planning on doing the surgery in July when school is out (I’ve just got a temporary job for 2months) Those that have done surgery is there anything you recommend I should do before surgery? Is there anything you wished you had done before surgery? is recovery really difficult? I’ve not told 99% of my friends or family, my husband and a close friend then a friend I know that has been through bariatric surgery. I just feel that some people can be judgemental or just mean so I’m choosing to say nothing. thank you all for your help and support K

@JulieCab my surgeon did the omega loop bypass (mini gastric bypass).

@newme3, great results, congrats!!! did you go to full bypass?

I just googled "BCBS of TN bariatric surgery" and found this. This is pretty typical - most companies require some kind of medical complication from the first surgery before they'll cover the second one. But I'd check with them regardless. Procedures That MIGHT BE Covered The following procedures MIGHT BE covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield Tennessee: Revision Surgery (either Lap-Band Revision or Gastric Bypass Revision) is possible with EITHER of the following conditions met: Physician documented medical complication Physician documented surgical complication

I don't know anything about BCBS of TN, but it's kind of a crap shoot when it comes to revisions. Some will only cover them if there's some medical issue with surgery #1 - and some don't cover revisions at all (like my friend who's having awful problems with her 10-year-old lap band - her insurance company won't pay for revision, in spite of the fact she's been hospitalized with issues and her doctors have said she needs to have a revision). Hopefully yours will cover it, though!

Thank you for your input- I appreciate it! It's so weird because since my lapband removal, I have been having terrible heartburn, and didn't have it before lapband. Not sure if it's part of the recovery. If I do decide to do any revision surgery; most likely it will be RNY.

What you wrote is exactly how I feel! I’m 6 months post. I shared my news with my family and just a few close friends. My transformation has been huge and for people not to notice would be an extraordinary thing. I am 5’6 with medical complexities. I started out at 240 pounds. I am now 145 pounds. It is a huge difference.I Work Out, kayak twice a week and go to the gym for Zumba and yoga... I watch what I eat non stop...it is not an easy fix… And anyone who thinks that this is a one trick pony is far from understanding the challenges that you will face… The gastric bypass surgery is not easy, and it wasn’t easy for me to make the decision as it is not easy for anyone to make such a life altering choice. I know it is hard for anyone to face something like this, I am 48 years old had a life long ordeal of being teased about my weight by my family, the people that are supposed to love you… And I still am facing it with my father who feels that I should still only weigh 115 pounds… It will never stop. But I am happy, i was the only heavy one out of 4 kids. But now, I am healthy, I am no longer taking insulin, and I am finally excepting who I am. I hope that anyone who is facing this decision to have surgery understands that this is their life ....their decision...and no matter what they do they need to love themselves.

I had a failed sleeve - I did drop about 60 lbs with it but then started to gain. It was so stretched out. I lost a further 50 lbs with bypass. I’m now looking to do a distal to help shed the remainder of this weight I just can’t get off.

Thank you for the encouragement! I am getting all of my hospital requirements done - just need the psych eval and Bariatric class and I will be good to go for the revision.

Has anyone with BCBS of TN been able to get a revision surgery?? I had a gastric sleeve in 2013 and lost 120lbs. Well 2 kids and pandemic later I’ve gained about 80lbs back. Any information will be helpful and appreciated.