Hey guys,

I've been browsing around VST for a few weeks now and I've been looking into the surgery for a few months now and I'm getting closer to making my decision so I decided to join. Just a little bit about me I'm a 23 year old from the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia, I design landscapes for a living and I'm a die hard Mountaineer fan. I've been overweight almost my entire life and football was my crutch for being bigger. I played a year in college and decided it wasn't for me and since football is over not much has changed except my exercise and that's where things are going downhill. So now I'm ready to make the best decision of my life, I have a wonderful support system as both my parents have had gastric bypass, my brother and sister have had the LapBand, and my girlfriend has been around since I was 15 and she's excited for me to take this step. I'm not a fan of what I've seen with the band and I still contemplate the bypass. I'm a self pay guy and that is what's leaning me towards the sleeve because most surgeons I've spoken with have said since I'm younger and "healthy" for these circumstances I would do well with either surgery and the sleeve tends to be a bit cheaper. I know I'm going to do it here in the states, nothing against Mexico but one of the bigger players in my support system wants me to do it here so to keep the lady friend happy that's what I'm going to do. As of right now I'm looking at having the surgery done at Sibley Hospital in Washington D.C. or the Dallas, Texas area where my sister in law had her sleeve done but any and all input on anything and everything would be greatly appreciated! Other than that if you have any questions feel free to ask me because I know I'll probably ask A LOT of questions!

-Jesse

Jesse, ol buddy WELCOME.

There are loys of places to explore on the site, and some rate/review MDs. Whatever you do, go with a "Bariatric Center of Excellence" and select a surgeon that does a LOT of sleeves. You might even have one in Martinsburg, but most certainly in Pittsburgh.

As your questions any time.

And I am a die hard Hokie, so there MAY be some weeks that we should not talk to each other

:-)

Hi Jesse,

My wife had the bypass, I had the sleeve. She is doing well, so am I. It seems the "gold standard" bypass momentum is shifting a bit toward the sleeve according to what I have been seeing. If you google comparisons you will see what I mean but be sure to note the dates on the articles.

Here's one:

http://asmbs.org/201...hed-procedures/

Researchers from Cleveland Clinic Florida reviewed safety outcomes of more than 2,400 of their patients who had sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or bariatric and metabolic surgery between 2005 and 2011. This study found sleeve gastrectomy had the lowest complication and reoperation rates of the three procedures.

The rate of a gastrointestinal leak, considered a serious complication, was three-tenths of one percent (0.3%) for sleeve gastrectomy versus four-tenths of one percent (0.4%) for gastric bypass patients. The percentage of procedures requiring reoperations due to complications was 15.3 percent for the gastric band, 7.7 percent for gastric bypass and 1.5 percent for sleeve gastrectomy. On average, patients had a BMI between 44 and 48, were 46 years of age and had at least two obesity-related conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

A third study on sleeve gastrectomy conducted by the Naval Medical Center in San Diego found while gastric bypass patients lost more of their excess weight after the first year, 72.3 percent versus 63.7 percent, there were no statistically significant differences in excess weight loss after two and five years. This study examined 486 patients, half had gastric bypass and half had sleeve gastrectomy.

“Sleeve gastrectomy has proven itself to be a safe and effective option in patients with morbid obesity and this procedure should be considered a primary procedure for weight loss and obesity-related disease improvement and resolution,” said Robin Blackstone, MD, President ASMBS.

My surgeon tried to get me to do the bypass like my wife but I opted for the sleeve not wanting any malabsorbtion and knowing that I had a mind to workout like an athlete for the rest of my life, which I have followed through on. This has as much to do with mind and heart as it does with body.

Welcome and ask away, lotsa decent folks on here.

Edit:

The Cleveland Clinic in Florida is one of the best anywhere. My surgeon in Ohio studied there and they are sent cases that others can't handle.

I had my sleeve October 15 ,2012. I was the same over weight all my adult life or say heavy set guy. I was at 273 the night before. Now I'm at 188 in a 30 inch jean and a medium shirt. I feel awesome. I was the same tossing around the sleeve or lap band. In all the studies i did the lap and is foreign object in your body. Your body might erect it than u have to have surgery to remove it. Plus all the adjustments required throughout the entire time of the lap . After all the pros and cons i came up with the sleeve as the better choice. My only regret was i wish I ad done this 5 years sooner. I did go to Mexico for mine its not offered in Canada

And I am a die hard Hokie, so there MAY be some weeks that we should not talk to each other

:-)

Haha oh boy that might cause some problems! My boss's daughter goes to Tech so I know y'all aren't too bad of people.

As far as choosing a surgeon, I've visited with Dr. Brian Long at Sibley Hospital in DC and they're a Johns Hopkins affiliate and they are GREAT just a little more expensive than some places I've heard on here. I've looked at the East Coast Sleeve Center in Cary, NC as it seems like Dr. Bruce makes it's pretty apparent he focuses on sleeves but I have not made an attempt to contact him. My family is from Dallas and my brother and his wife are in OKC and my sister in law actually was sleeved at the Weight Loss Specialists of North Texas and I would have done it there in a heartbeat but Dr. Daryl Stewart suddenly passed away 3 weeks after her surgery and I haven't asked if his fellow Dr. Ayoola is doing surgeries or how they are moving forward. As nice as it would be to go to a Center of Excellence they have generally been way more expensive and not near my budget, I have met with many doctors and I am taking the approach that I need to mesh well with them and get a good feel for them because that's what's more important to me. But thank you everyone for welcoming me and I look forward to being here awhile!

Welcome Jesse!

Congratulations on a great decision. Similar thoughts as bigdirk: I didn't like the foreign object of lapband and bypass / malabsorption seemed too extreme and went with the sleeve. I was also selfpay and went to Mx. I had a few people that were concerned with my decision to go to Mx but their fears were unfounded. There are several surgeons there that are amazing and have more experience with the sleeve. Do your research and make the best decision for you.

As far as Arts comment ... Go Hokies!