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I am pre-op for bypass on 10/28. As part of the process, I had to do a stomach emptying study, and it showed that my stomach clears it’s contents faster than normal. This isn’t a problem, if it emptied slow it would be. My question is, has anyone else had this and does this mean I may have an easier time getting my water in post-op?

So I went to my first appointment with my surgeon on the 10th of this month and it went very well, I am on my way! I was all set on a sleeve, but he is saying I should get a bypass. He said type 2 diabetics are more successful in getting off meds with the bypass. He also said I should do a bypass because I have 180lbs to lose (it's hard to admit to that!) I had decided on a sleeve because of absorption issues--I take a ton of supplements I want to continue to absorb. And because it seems less invasive. To me the bypass looks scary! That may be silly, I'm sure it is silly, but I'm posting in the hopes that people can tell me good things about the bypass that make it less scary to me. Please tell me about your successes and why I shouldn't fear a bypass. I want to do what's best for me, and I don't want to insist on a sleeve if it's isn't the best thing. Thanks!

Yes I’m taking 5-6 different vitamins, I decided to not take b complex right now. I am on a very tight disability budget, I shop where I can get lower prices and extra savings both coupons and rebates through a site called Rakuten. But I do my best to budget in important things. I take gummy vitamins so what, we aren’t supposed to take tablets for the first few months post op. I talked to my nutritionist she said as long as there isn’t more than 4 grams of sugar in it it’s fine. They are easier to chew and I couldn’t find bariatric vitamins without added iodine. Things like centrum just go right through you. I just looked for more food based vitamins in a chewable form. Vitamins are very important after gastric bypass surgery. A single multivitamin especially just a basic one that isn’t food based or bio available won’t do much. Also your vitamins are adapted based on bloodwork and your own personal needs. if people want to rake me over the coals for what vitamins I take or what kind. Or if it looks expensive When All I did was answer a question. Then I guess I won’t comment anymore. If I could go back and remove my comments then I would.

My date was September 6th. So far so good. Go for follow up on the 13th. No issues so far, soup, soup, protein shakes, water and did I say soup? 😊 Previous 2x lap band (revision done 3 yrs after original surgery). Originally lost about 80 lbs only for about 45 lbs to come back over last 2 years due to band and esophagus issues. Excited to have this opportunity and looking forward to my progress.

I had GERD pre-surgery, so it was a no-brainer for me - bypass. If it weren't for that, yes - I would have had difficulty making a decision. They're both good surgeries and there are lots of people who've had success with both.

I was pretty sure I wanted bypass, but both my psychologist, primary doctor, and psychiatrist said the sleeve was a better option for me, so I did sleeve. It was easy-peasy.

I guess maybe I worded it wrong, My weight has a natural habit of slow loss then a stall, then it moves down again. But as for calories, my metabolism is so extremely slow that when I upped them past a certain point my body wasn’t happy. It really has no impact on my fatigue, which I’ve lived with nearly all my life due to chronic illness. I’m sticking to the plan and it might seem abnormal but I’m just not normal. I deal with brain fog and have a hard time finding words or explaining things. I didn’t sleep last night, just a bit towards morning and woke with a migraine. Our ride was late and we hit a traffic jam. I saw the nutritionist first, she is great. Their scale said I weigh less than my home scale. She used a fancy scale that showed body fat, muscle, water etc. she understands how I can’t exercise just encourages movement. Which I do my best. I showed her my weight tracking and explained my calories and what I eat. I explained I track my calories and food and how when I increased to 470 I stopped losing and when I went back to averaging 370 it started to go down again at a normal pace, She does want me to try to add soft proteins like flaked fish or veggie burgers since I can’t seem tolerate dense foods like chicken or tuna. She said I’m doing good for weight loss. I shared some of the things that have helped me and she said she was going to share it with her nutrition class. She said some people just take longer to progress. And I need to deal with my health problems and as long as I’m getting my protein it’s ok. i didn’t see my surgeon, I saw a doctor that works with him. I had a hard time explaining the problems and forgot how to describe them. At some point when he started asking about exercise I blanked out because they should know my history. I tried to just stick to the main points, chest pain and still feeling the issues with the stricture and ask what the doctor recommends for the symptomatic hernia and Schatzki’s ring. As far as the surgery they feel things are going along ok. Some things are just all the separate health issues I have. That I’m dealing with the best I can. I told him I’m having a colonoscopy and since y surgeon wants another endoscopy he said my gastroenterologist can do the endoscopy at the same time if I wanted that. He gave me my surgical report to give to my gastroenterologist. I need to find out if my gastroenterologist can do the endoscopy since I’m already scheduled for the colonoscopy. I know surgically things are going as well as can be expected. I also knew my chronic Illness would get worse due to the stress on my body. But I knew going in it was either have gastric bypass surgery or not be able to fight the weight gain and give up. I’m not expecting pity and I’m sorry for posting such long rants. TBH living with M.E. Is worse than cancer, worse than HIV, because of how it impacts every part of me. Not just my opinion of it but how it is medically. After I get this colonoscopy and endoscopy done I’m going to try to add soft foods and soft vegetables. Like gardein vegetarian foods. I want to find out what’s going on first. I wish I could get some answers about the esophageal dysphasia besides it’s neurological. But honestly even if I knew the cause, nothing can fix nerve damage and I will have to learn to adapt. I appreciate the responses. Just writing this is like exercise to my body.

Hello, joining y'all. Just found out today I'm approved for Gastric Bypass. It's been a stressful journey where i initially wanted the sleeve but after research choosing the bypass. Yay! They said sometime in October and I'll have a definitive date next week.

Hi Folks, I know there are probably many threads on this but not having luck finding. I was just approved for bypass today and bypass is new to me. I also switched from sleeve due to my bmi as well as doc finding that I have acid reflux. What kinds of vitamins do you take that keep you in the healthy zone as far a feeling energized and getting good labs back and minimal hair loss? Thank you!

Hiatal hernia discovered during gastric sleeve surgery. I chose the sleeve because of a rare disease that I have. When the surgeon went in to perform my surgery 2 days ago, he discovered the hernia. Has anyone one else has this happen? And then NOT had problems with gerd, reflux after surgery. The surgeon was bit worried that I may need to get the bypass. No GI problems at all in last couple days. Crossing my fingers.

A few random thoughts, in no particular order - You will likely lose some muscle mass as you lose weight irrespective which procedure you get; the main emphasis in general for WLS is to minimize muscle loss as we lose. Some maintain that it is impossible to build muscle mass while in a caloric deficit (needed to lose that fat) and while I never like to say "never" on such things, I would say that it would be exceptionally rare for it to happen, Typically, we lose what we need to lose to a healthy weight and body composition, and then work on building additional muscle mass if we so desire. The bypass and VSG have very similar weight loss and regain characteristics - there isn't much to choose between them from that aspect. You may lose a bit quicker with the bypass owing to its malabsorption, but will ultimately end up in the same place. The caloric malabsorption of the bypass is a temporary thing - it dissipates after a year or two - so weight maintenance is similar for both; nutritional malabsorption is a long term affair, however. As long as one stays on top of supplements and lab tests, both are good for long term health. The bypass, however, is somewhat fussier in its supplement requirements - minerals are malabsorbed, so one usually needs to supplement iron and calcium more than with a sleeve (and that may not be enough, as the need for iron infusions is usually greater with the bypass than with the sleeve. Iron and calcium is somewhat fussy as they need to be spaced out during the day. it's mostly a matter of establishing the habit, but this will bother some more than others. The sleeve has a predisposition toward GERD or acid reflux, so if one already suffers from this, the bypass is often preferred unless there is a specific identifiable cause that can be corrected during surgery (such as a hiatal hernia.) In contrast, the bypass is predisposed to dumping, reactive hypoglycemia, and marginal ulcers (which precludes the use of NSAIDs such as ibuprofin or aspirin, which are better tolerated by the sleeve.) The sleeve is conceptually a more straightforward, or simpler, procedure. However, it still takes some time and practice for a surgeon to master, so it is well to ensure that a prospective surgeon has performed several hundred of them. In the US, that isn't a big problem these days as most have been doing them for several years, but in other countries where they have been slower to adopt it, this may be a consideration. Owing to their national health policies, Canada is running about five years behind the US on their learning curve, and other countries seem to be similar. There is a recent poster (from AU, IIRC) here who went through a quick revision from an initial sleeve to a bypass within the first week or two, that is likely an example of this. So, if your surgeon is recommending one over the other, it is well to pay attention to them - their recommendation may (or may not) the absolute best thing for you, but it is likely to be the best that they can do for you, or are most comfortable performing on you.

I have had my band for 11 years.... for the first year, I was toooooo tight - throwing up all the time - lost all my weight, but had the band replaced after a year because it slipped. Ten years later, I have kept all my weight off, but there is a leak in the tubing somewhere so the saline doesn't stay in the band. I can get a fill, feel a bit of restriction, and then it fades. The scar tissue and band itself provide some restriction - enough to keep my weight stable. I am at 143 lbs - about 10 pounds higher than where I used to be a few years ago - but better than being 265. I believe that each weight loss surgery serves a purpose - one isn't necessarily "better" than the other because each person is different: some of us are volume eaters with no off-switch, others are emotional eaters, some of us have certain health concerns that would make duodenal switch or bypass a better choice than the sleeve.... It doesn't matter which surgery that you and your surgeon decide to go with, it is a difficult life-changing decision. Feel confident in your decision and stick to the guidance that your advisor gives you.

Revision

🙋🏼‍♀️ October 1st, mini gastric bypass

I have had my Slimband for 11 years and I am trying to offer my support to those that have been feeling abandoned now that the company is no longer doing the surgeries and do not have the support that they once had or promised. I am not involved in pursuing any legal action against Slimband. But I can offer guidance if you need support, fills or defills, or need/want to have it removed and are considering getting the revision from band to sleeve, bypass or duodenal switch. DM me to talk. I should disclose that I am a former Slimband employee, and worked there for about six years, and left on my own free will in 2016.

That is an interesting point about milk protein concentrate and casein. I was thinking a gram or two short on the protein is not a big deal but if it is not getting absorbed by a post-bypass body it’s a big deal.

I was banded by Slimband 11 years ago and still have my band. However, I have helped others have their band removed and have the band-to-sleeve or band-to-bypass revision surgery done and they are soooo happy. I can also help ones that just need to have their band adjusted to a proper level of restriction. DM me if you want to talk about getting fills/defills or about revision to a more effective weight loss surgery.

I was sleeved in 2014 and now I’m looking into getting a revision due to GERD and a Hiatal Hernia. Has anyone had Medicaid approve revision surgery??

I am very happy with my bypass. My GERD is gone, which has relieved my asthma as well. I started exercising right away, gradually adding elements of cardio, weights, stretching. I have more muscle mass now than before surgery. I have also entered a triathon in Oct and a bicycle event in November. I have so much energy now and feel 20 years younger! My only issue with malabsorption is with fat. If I eat too much it will come out in my stools. All of my 6 month vitamin levels were great, but I do take my vitamins faithfully, which I think is a small price to pay in exchange for the life I have now. My only other issue is getting enough calories in now, to keep up with my training schedule. My pouch limits intake, so I am having to eat more frequently and starting to add more healthy carbs back into the menu. All in all, I couldn't ask for a better outcome. I respect anyone's decision about which surgery to have, but it seems quite a few folks with the sleeve end up getting revised to bypass. I was also fixed on the sleeve until I understood the advantages of bypass with helping GERD and since that was an issue for me, it became a no brainer. I also like the fact that dumping can occur with sugar intake, when bypass is chosen. That is a great detriment for me to avoid sugar. Sugar is poison. I want no part of it, and my tummy agrees! No brainer there. I am also commited to taking care of my pouch and all the connections as well as possible. I work in the GI department of our hospital and I have seen firsthand the damage that can be done to WLS sites - ulcers and erosions beyond horror. So no alcohol, coffee, or NSAIDs for me. Those are my personal choices - again, a small price to pay for the life I have now. Best wishes in your journey!

vitamin deficiencies are uncommon as long as you keep on top of your vitamins (you have to take vitamins with the sleeve, too). I can't imagine that adding muscle mass would be any different with sleeve vs bypass.

You'll be taking plenty of vitamins with bypass and generally weight loss is better... Muscle tone comes down to exercise... They say there's more benefits from the bypass like if you have issues with gerd or reflux and it's the best for cure type 2 diabetes! There's tons of pages on here about each surgery

I'm completely lost and unsure about doing a sleeve or bypass. I am female 37 yes old, no kids in the future, 172cm and weigh 111 kilos. I have a small hernia and the surgeon recommends a bypass. I guess I'm apprehensive because I focused so much on doing a sleeve. I am an active individual who would like to add muscle while loosing fat. I'm afraid with a bypass I wont absorb necessary nutrients to achieve these goals. Anyone out there with similar situation? Is there a success bypass story where adding muscle mass wasnt a big challenge? Sent from my BLA-L29 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello, I had a revision from Lap-band to Mini-bypass exactly 1 year ago. It wasn't the greatest success. I lost about 47 pounds but still have 33 to go. My doc and dietitian are both happy as they said this is average for revision, age etc. I am not happy at all. I have seen several people have success with the injection Saxenda. I was wondering if anyone had any drug help to lose the last of the weight. I still have a hefty amount to go and its not moving. Yes I have some hurdles incl Thyroid and some other issues but really, really want to progress further. I was never happy with the revision. I wish I had done RNY. I NEVER had the full button. I can eat any amount without issue which I was so disappointed in. Obviously, I really don't try and take advantage of this but have a very good appetite. Did anyone go this route with success?

Thanks for all the replies, this is an interesting thread! I find that most of the stuff people have issues with, like bread and sweets, I avoid anyway because of diabetes, and I don't even want them now. But I just met with the surgeon and he said he wants me to have a bypass and not a sleeve, and I was all set on a sleeve! Gonna have to hang out on the bypass forums and see if I can get used to the idea.