Is It For Me?

[MonicaR 8]

I weigh 430 pounds & the more research I do keeps me leaning towards bypass but I want the sleeve more, any advice?

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

My surgeon asked me what I wanted and I told him I really wanted his advice and he said he would say the sleeve. So I'm post op 7 weeks and very happy.

[Aussiegirl 580]

Only you can answer what is best for you or which surgery if any you are comfortable with, as neither of the 2 you are talking about are revisible.

We can all tell you about our experience, good and bad, specifically with the sleeve but in the end you and your doctor should be making the best choice for you.

I had the sleeve 9.5 months ago and have since 144 pounds, everyone of which I have had to work for, but I am happy that I had the surgery. I am just about to drop into the overweight category and feel alot healthier. I have incorporated exercise into my daily life.

I was lookig at the lap band originally but chose the sleeve, as I didnt want all the follow up hassle of getting the band filled, and also the number of short term complications which the lap band. I didnt even consider by pass, as i thought it was too invasive. As I understand it, you can have the sleeve and then a by-pass if needed.

Just my 2 centrs

[Anakin Jay 39]

I was 415 when I started... and I have a friend who had the bypass... I can tell you this:

The sleeve requires more work. Think of the sleeve as "I cannot GAIN weight" instead of "I will lose weight" You can very very easily cheat your sleeve to the point where you don't lose weight... I think GAINING weight would be incredibly difficult to do, but I could easily eat enough calories to maintain if I didn't watch myself.

My friend with the bypass literally could not gain weight if she tried. Because if she eats fatty food it just goes right through her... with some serious side effects, so that might be a pro or a con.

With the sleeve you're still going to have to count calories, work out, and have the will power to make the right choices. The only benefit you get from it is being physically unable to over indulge in the wrong choices that you may make.

For me personally that's all I needed. I'm 325lbs now 6 months later, with lots of hard work, and good choices.

So to me, the decision between the two comes down to this:

Are you willing to put in extra work and lose slower in order to avoid the side effects of gastric bypass? If yes, then sleeve... if you've never been one to stick to a diet and are afraid you won't be committed enough to stick with it, gastric might be a better option.

[Gene1970 179]

^{Before being sleeved I talked to my Dr and he said that he has observed better long term success with the sleeve. He has seen a lot of people with the bypass lose a lot of weight up front but a few years down the road they seem to gain a good chunk back.}

[giraffequeen 10]

I have done a lot of research, talked to lots of people...and when I found out that it's just as easy to gain back on either one...I chose the sleeve because it was less involved than the bypass and less risk. Any of them you will have to work at it! And your doc can't possibly say he's seen better long term results on the sleeve bcuz it's so new! All I know is you will have to make up your mind to work it cuz either way you go it's not going to work itself! I'm only 4 days post op but work in a hosp and know that the sleeve is the newest phenomenon!

[Gene1970 179]

While the sleeve's popularity is fairly new, the procedure has been around for several years now (8 - 10 years). Some of the long term studies are exactly why many surgeons are now pushing it so much.

[giraffequeen 10]

In my opinion, 8-10 yrs isn't long term! Don't mean to sound argumentative

[MonicaR 8]

I really am leaning more towards the sleeve. I feel like that is what I need, a tool that will help, because I want to change my lifestyle. I am so tired of feeling hungry all the time even after I eat