Hi, I'm new to this forum but so far i've found it very informative. Today I went to the seminar and before going I already had my mind made up that I wanted the vertical sleeve, but now after going to the seminar I'm not sure if the vertical sleeve is the right surgery for me or not, or if I should get the gastric bypass.

I am 5ft tall (well, 4' 11 and three quarters) and I weigh 270. So to get to my ideal weight (normal weight for my height) I would need to lose close to 150 pounds. Thats a lot of weight to have to lose and I'm just not sure the sleeve will be best or not. The surgeon at the seminar said people lose more weight with the gastric bypass surgery over the sleeve or the band.

So what has been your experience with the sleeve? do you wish you had gotten the gastric bypass instead? and what ultimately made you decide to go with the sleeve over any of the other weight loss surgery options?

Thanks!

By the way - there is another reason people opt for bypass over sleeve. Some sleeve patients do experience extremely severe acid reflux which sometimes cannot be controlled with medication. There would be no acid reflux with the bypass.

I'm not sure I follow. If someone is a sugar addict then they should go for the bypass and live a life dealing with dumping syndrome? So getting a surgery that will result in a life of pain and sickness is a selling factor?

Or - is the idea that with the bypass the sugar addict will not eat sugar in order to avoid feeling sick. For true addicts this wont work - though it is a little masochistic.

G

I don't know any RNY patient that would choose a craving over the nightmare that is dumping, lol.

And any surgery you pick, if food addiction is the source of your weight problem, it needs to be addressed like any other addiction. In fact it's the most dangerous. You can't quit food cold turkey, but give science some time. They'll create a pill that supplies all your body's nutrition and people will be buying food in dark alleys from guys in trench coats

By the way - there is another reason people opt for bypass over sleeve. Some sleeve patients do experience extremely severe acid reflux which sometimes cannot be controlled with medication. There would be no acid reflux with the bypass.

Really? because right now I have horrible acid reflux. I thought it had everything to do with the kinds of food you ate. So if I get the sleeve and eat right will I still have the acid reflux problem? Also I'm currently on ompermerazole (sp?) for it.

Really? because right now I have horrible acid reflux. I thought it had everything to do with the kinds of food you ate. So if I get the sleeve and eat right will I still have the acid reflux problem? Also I'm currently on ompermerazole (sp?) for it.

Not necessarily but talk to your surgeon. I've been on omeprazol since my surgery and I've had no issues but I also don't venture into very spicy foods. The acid reflux is a potential problem with the sleeve you should be aware of. I also think that obesity contributes to reflux so as you lose weight the reflux severity goes down.

G

I just posted a thread this afternoon about having to have the bypass revision from the sleeve for GERD reasons...I have bypass surgery scheduled for tomorrow. I eat the right foods and avoid the wrong ones, even have been on liquids for 3 days and still have terrible reflux.

Unfortunately, she's right. I had/still have reflux. It's not as frequent as it was pre op, but when do I get a flare up its like fire. A few nights ago I was in tears. Luckily it comes and goes but it's very random. No matter what I eat, etc. If you have bad reflux pre op, I would give a little more consideration to RNY.

The damage excessive acid can have on a sleeve can be fatal. Unlike the RNY, if we have an ulcer there's really no way to repair it. Not much to work with.

As you can see from these responses, it's a highly personal choice. I'd make a list of questions to ask your surgeon and make sure you are truly confident that you're making the best choice for you. In the end, weight loss IS the goal, but we do have to live our lives as well. Personally, I don't have reflux issues, and I'd rather practice eating healthy and indulging in moderation than having a surgery that will make me ill if I want a piece of cake on my birthday! But if I had reflux issues, I'd look into the bypass...

As far as the amount of weight you lose, that all depends on how much work you're willing to put into it. With bypass, you have more of a chance of stretching your pouch and regaining weight than you do with the sleeve (the sleeve surgery removes most of the "stretchy" part of your stomach). Also, you WILL have to monitor yourself very regularly for vitamin/mineral deficiencies because of how your intestines are changed. People can stretch their stomach and regain their weight, but it's not possible to really reverse what you've done to your intestines. They remove the part that absorbs MOST of the nutrients in what you eat, and there's no getting that back. You could regain weight and still be very sick.

There's pros and cons to all WLS. The more you know about them all, the better off you'll be in making this choice. Don't rush into it if you're unsure!!

Good luck to you!