Why did you choose the sleeve? I told my doctor that was researching the sleeve and was planning to do this surgery .... But she recommended the gastric bypass for longer results. I'm undecided at this point any words of advice on this would help! Thank you

Mmarie, such a personal decision. For me it was malabsorption with R N Y, I did not want the leftover stomach. It needed to be permanent. I did not like the thought of the staple line, but when you look at all the areas that are stapled in the bypass, it adds up to about the same. I am so happy with my choice and my intestines were not touched!

I attend a lot of support group meetings with my Doctors office. There are people there that have been banded, sleeved and received the bi-pass. There is no right surgery, it is what is best for you. I started out wanting the band. After a year of research and talking to people, I decided that it was too "iffy" for me as to whether or not it was going to work. If I was going to put myself through this, I wanted to be certain that I would get the results I was looking for. That is when I started talking about the other two options with my Surgeon. With the sleeve, you are having 85% of your stomach removed. The digestive system is fully intact and you digest food as you did before surgery. There are far fewer problems with food intolerance with the sleeve vs. the bi-pass. The bi-pass is not removing anything from your body. You are simply bi-passing part of your digestive system and you are only using a small portion of your stomach. The bi-pass usually results in a more rapid weight loss than the sleeve. According to my Surgeon, after a 5 year study, they seem to be equivalent to one another. The idea of having 85% of your stomach removed with the sleeve is a little scary for some. As someone who was sleeved on June 11, 2012, I am grateful that I chose this procedure for myself. When listening to some of the bi-pass patients discuss the hurdles they had to overcome, I am happy I will not have to deal with that. Then, you can find people that had the sleeve that aren't happy. That is why it has to be your decision! Good luck and do what you want, not what someone else thinks you should do. Take your time and read a lot. Go to support groups before you decide, to help you decide. Good luck!

mmarie,

I have not had the surgery yet but I am going to have the sleeve. There is much less rerouting. It is a simpiler surgery. Your surgeon may not do these or not many since it is only been widely done for 5 years I was told. I went to many meetings to find a surgeon that has done quite a few of the sleeves and has had success. I live in a big city but only one bariatric surgeon in our area has done more than 200 in the past 2 years. You still get nourishment with the sleeve you don't with rny. Take time to read the stories on this site and go to different meetings about wls and have it explained there. Ask a lot of questions at the meetings.

Lots of luck, Mokee

Why did you choose the sleeve?

mmarie

people all used to buy Fords/Dodge - , all of sudden they switched to Honda (this is not a true example)

People all used to "buy" the Lapband/Gastric Bypass - now all of sudden they switched to the sleeve hmmmmmmmmmmmm

kathy

P.S. my doctor wanted me to do the lapband, after reading about the sleeve, i said i wanted the sleeve - don't let doc or anyone talk you out of something you want, ever

do what you think is best, IMO its the SLEEVE

good luck

kathy

http://asmbs.org/

This organization and many like it have credible data - hard facts and figures, that go into the WLS and provide a wealth of information.

Just remember - those that do the sleeve can always revision to the bypass, but once you undergo the bypass, if you have malabsorptive issues you cannot get that back. That is my understanding.

My surgeon says that the sleeve is the only wls that is NOT reversable. I had mine Mar 13, 2012. I am very pleased with my choice.

My original choice was gastric bypass because I have so much weight to lose (SW pre-op 465). When I went to discuss my options with my surgeon he said he would normally agree, but wanted to show me something. He showed me my blood work and low iron levels. He then drew a diagram showing RNY. The part of your intestines that absorbs iron is a part that is lost in the rerouting. He said I would never naturally absorb iron again and for me that would create major problems. So...here I am. Lost 23 pre-op, surgery weight 442 (6/12), last weigh in at 4 weeks (7/10) was 414.