Hi everyone, I am just finishing up getting my pre-op paperwork in. Initially, I thought I wanted the band and was completely against bypass. I then heard more and more about the problems with the band and heard good things about the sleeve so for the past few months, I have been planning to do the sleeve. But lately, I have been considering gastric bypass and questioning whether this would be a better option. I know I should still be able to lose weight with the sleeve but I don't know if I will still lose as much. I also don't know about long term results. I am concerned about malabsorption while pregnant (which I want to do once I lose the weight and am cleared). I am also concerned about dumping syndrome. I know it is supposed to be a useful tool but how sensitive are people with dumping? Also, how bad was everyone's recovery? I have a four year old and work two jobs. I plan to take a few weeks or a month off and my husband and my mom will be helping out a lot but I want to get back to normal and function when I can. Regardless, I am having surgery one way or the other and will make it work, but want to be prepared.

Thanks!

Interesting thread. I was set on the sleeve but could only get approval for bypass.

Thanks, it's a different view

I had a sleeve done in april and now i have a kink in it. basically it is twisting and it hurts when i eat.... i am getting converted to the bypass in 3 weeks. I am scared becuause i know it will be different but also becuase i have to go through the process of starting over after the surgery is done

I just was converted a week ago from the sleever bceuase I had a kink in it as well. I have not found anyone with this issue and i feel so very alone and I am scared at the least....Lets just say going through it the second time I think is worse. I hate ever last second of this hell... The issue that I am having if u want to call it an issue even is that i dont feel any restriction or pain when i drink or eat puree. It is so wierd becuas the first time I could barely take asip and it would hurt. I know I need to talk to the dr again about it but I was wondering if any one has experiecned this before?

Im 270' date=' goal range is 140 to 160. after talking to surgeon I am not really any closer to a decision I wonder if I can really follow the restrictions of the gastric bypass requires, and a sleeve allows for someone more natural life but the surgeon thinks the extra help of a bypass would be good for me.... I don't know... I don't want to fail.... and I don't want to lose only 50 or 60 pounds either..... I think I lean towards a bypass but it definitely scares me the sleeve doesn't scare me, but I think I could sabotage a sleeve a lot easier... I'm cash patient and it's 6k difference, but if I'm doing this I need to do what's going to be best and not worry about the money. I have insurance but weight loss surgery is only available to people who work at companies with over 500 employees regardless of medical need but I don't have any medical complications right now anyways[/quote']

Nothing worth doing is easy.

- Kaylee Ann ~ Surgiversary: 6/11/12

I just was converted a week ago from the sleever bceuase I had a kink in it as well. I have not found anyone with this issue and i feel so very alone and I am scared at the least....Lets just say going through it the second time I think is worse. I hate ever last second of this hell... The issue that I am having if u want to call it an issue even is that i dont feel any restriction or pain when i drink or eat puree. It is so wierd becuas the first time I could barely take asip and it would hurt. I know I need to talk to the dr again about it but I was wondering if any one has experiecned this before?

I never had any restriction with Water until 2 weeks ago and I am 8 weeks post op, I never gulped but took way bigger drinks then I do now. Now with food if its something I have to chew I get full in a few bites but with puréed or yogurt I never have restriction hopes this helps.

I'm glad I chose Rny bypass... I was considering the sleeve Bc of the no dumping..

But I think I need the stricter diet with consequences of eatting sweets

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I would also like to add that there are other medical reasons to choose the bypass vs the sleeve. One being if you are insulin dependent and on a high dose of insulin your best choice would be the bypass. The sleeve will lower your need for insulin and you may be able to stop using it at some point with the sleeve but the bypass is the gold standard for reversing insulin dependent diabetes. The second reason for choosing the bypass over the sleeve would be for instance if you are noticing even on your liquid pre op diet you are really not losing much or if over the years you can genuinely say with a good diet and excercise the weight just seems to hold on for dear life then chances are you might be what is called insulin resistant..without necessarily being diabetic of taking insulin. If you have PCOS the bypass is definitely the route to go and here is why. The bypass has shown to do what is described as a reset on our bodies. PCOS and insulin resistant people generally speaking have an underlying metabolic disorder that may or may not be weight related.

Studies have shown that the procedure due to the rerouting triggers your body to reverse the metabolic disorder in almost all cases. Now this won't be a one size fits all type of thing but generally speaking this is the case. I am a second year surgical resident and am going to be having the bypass on the 12th. My body just refuses to shed the weight. I also have developed abnormal menses and slightly abnormal hair growth which are all signs of a metabolic disorder. This further explains why we see people 5 or 6 days post op with 20lb weight losses. The body has been reset and is now function as it should and usually with greater efficiency.

Thank you so much for posting this. I have heard a little about thus but you made it a lot easier to understand. Since you have done major research and also in the medical field, would you know what procedure has more risks or complications? If wouldn't mind or maybe know this answer?

Honestly the bypass of course has its own risks and complications but that is going to be any surgery. The best thing to do is weigh out the risks you know will occur if you remain overweight/obese vs the possibility of a complication with the bypass. As for the sleeve it is kind of a hit or miss. There seems to be a leak issue that is higher then I would feel comfortable with. Also we must remember with the sleeve there is the fact that acid and reflux issues will almost always occur. While this may not be the case for everyone it definitely seems to be a good majority. The concern for me there would be erosion of the lining of our throats. To me that is too big of a risk. My secondary concern with the sleeve would be that your stomach is being cut out. That is not reversible period so God forbid one later on down the line is diagnosed with stomach cancer. That would be devastating.

I personally don't feel the sleeve has been around long enough for me to feel confident in it's ability. Personally I would only recommend it to folks who are extremely obese as part of a two step procedure due to them being too much of a risk to do the bypass initially. Have them lose the weight and get more stable then proceed to the bypass. Even then I would use extreme caution. We just don't honestly have enough long term studies on the sleeve. Then of course we could also look at the amount of current sleeved individuals who are no regaining a substantial amount and who are also needing revisions due to the weight loss stopping before a healthy weight is obtained.

In the end it is judgement call that one must make for themselves but with the research I have done and my personal education I would not choose the sleeve.

I defiantly appreciate your insight on this. My fear is if I go with the sleeve I could slip back to bad ways where as bypass will hold you more accountable. If I am going to do this, I'm going to do this right.