I'm 5'5" , 370# which surgery?

[Angelkeeper4 69]

I'm 5'3" and 360 pounds. Only comorbdities are mobility related. I'm leaning strongly towards bypass. Any thoughts?

[rodeomom969 39]

That's a personal decision and probably one to mainly talk to your doctor about. The sleeve is the surgery I chose, because that is the one I felt most comfortable with. I have lost 63 lbs since April 14th. I feel great! Good luck on whichever direction you choose

[SugarFreeMe 293]

I'm 5'3" and 360 pounds. Only comorbdities are mobility related. I'm leaning strongly towards bypass. Any thoughts?

I agree with rodeomom969, it's something that should be decided between you and your surgeon. Do a lot of research, both here and elsewhere on the internet. Each surgery has it's reasons for being a better option for everyone. I had type 2 diabetes and bouts of acid reflux so for me RNY/bypass was the best option. 4 months out, 60+ pds lost and both are a thing of the past. Others that don't have issues like mine go with sleeve or banding. Please consult with a WLS professional to assist you with your decision. All too often we see people interjecting their person opinions and speculations to try to sway someones decision, you need to decide based on facts that pertain to you specifically. Good Luck, no matter what you choose you've found a great place for support.

[Colleen C 169]

Not a decision anyone or any horror story can make for you. Find a very qualified doctor and make the decision on whats best for you by what you are willing to do and give up or not. No one else can know what you can or are willing to do but you.

Sometimes the good or bad stories are that persons willingness or not to follow the program as required by that surgery.

Good luck to you.

Colleen

[allielee 263]

I can say from only my personal experience that I wouldn't choose the lapband. I was a huge success and advocate of it.. Banded June 2008 beginning weight 305 was down to 170 (goal weight) in 9 months. Kept the weight off for almost 6 years then bam it eroded. No fault of mine, I followed all the band rules.. No bread, no rice , no Pasta, no soda.. My doctor said most lapbands are failing after 5 years. Some have been lucky and a lot have not with it failing. A lot of physicians are not even doing them anymore because of this.. So from my personal experience I suggest not getting the lapband. I was a self pay and wish I had gone the tried and true route the first time around.. I am 8 weeks out from my revision and down 34 lbs (had to gain 50 to be eligible for the rny). Do some research on the percentage of revisions being done from band to sleeve and sleeve to rny and band to rny. It's shocking! Just my personal 2 cents..

[dsdesigna 143]

I am 5'10" 371 when I started this journey and the DS was the only logical choice for me. I love the weight control I'll have once I get down to my ideal weight. It is a serious choice, but the rewards are overwhelming. If you are a fan of meat, or of bacon, the DS is the tool that will allow you to eat those things. Butter and whole milk are my friends. It all seems counter intuitive but I'm 15 days post op and the weight is melting off and I feel terrific... oh and I have very, very little chance of ever having anything related to dumping syndrome.

Don't let people scare you away from it. I personally wouldn't recommend RnY to anyone nor the Lap Band due to complications. The DS only has complications related to non compliant patients and inexperienced surgeons.

Research all four options. I LOVE MY DS!

edit: People get scared about the Vitamin requirements. I take two multi vitamins/day, Calcium 3/day, and Vitamin D supplement 2/day. I'm new in the process so I may have to add more, but that's it for now. I also take a Dexilant at night and still on Lovenox to prevent blood clots. It's easy stuff.

Edited July 23, 2014 by dsdesigna

[SugarFreeMe 293]

I am 5'10" 371 when I started this journey and the DS was the only logical choice for me. I love the weight control I'll have once I get down to my ideal weight. It is a serious choice, but the rewards are overwhelming. If you are a fan of meat, or of bacon, the DS is the tool that will allow you to eat those things. Butter and whole milk are my friends. It all seems counter intuitive but I'm 15 days post op and the weight is melting off and I feel terrific... oh and I have very, very little chance of ever having anything related to dumping syndrome.

Don't let people scare you away from it. I personally wouldn't recommend RnY to anyone nor the Lap Band due to complications. The DS only has complications related to non compliant patients and inexperienced surgeons.

Research all four options. I LOVE MY DS!

edit: People get scared about the Vitamin requirements. I take two multi vitamins/day, Calcium 3/day, and Vitamin D supplement 2/day. I'm new in the process so I may have to add more, but that's it for now. I also take a Dexilant at night and still on Lovenox to prevent blood clots. It's easy stuff.

Sorry, but I have to ask - Why would you not recommend RNY to anyone? You've never had it so why rule it out? These are exactly the comments that bother me. I firmly believe you should only be providing information on your experience and NOT commenting on things you know nothing of.

I had RNY and have had NO complications. No dumping, nothing. 4 months out, over 60+ lbs lost, no longer taking meds for high cholesterol, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. I only take 2 multi Vitamins in the morning and 2 at night along with 1 Vitamin D capsule, perfect labs. That's what RNY did for me, but it's not for everyone and I realize that. Again, this is a personal choice that should only be based on your facts and only with your surgeon.

[dsdesigna 143]

Three aunts, an uncle and two cousins all had RnY. And they struggle. Also a good friend had the Lap Band.

Btw DS is the most bashed and misunderstood WLS out there.

We are all allowed to have there opinion. I doubt you'd be recommending the DS. I'm allowed to feel the same about other WLS.

[pik 262]

Three aunts, an uncle and two cousins all had RnY. And they struggle. Also a good friend had the Lap Band.

Btw DS is the most bashed and misunderstood WLS out there.

We are all allowed to have there opinion. I doubt you'd be recommending the DS. I'm allowed to feel the same about other WLS.

She couldn't recommend it because she hasn't had it, just as you have not had the RNY and should not recommend against it.

I am only 8 days outside of the RNY surgery and am still in a lot of pain. I can't really recommend it at this point because I really haven't lived with it long enough. Just the same as you have never had it and should not recommend against it.

What are your families difficulties? What is the struggle? Was the surgery done wrong or can they not eat certain things?

[allielee 263]

I disagree DS I think all the wls are bashed equally. I agree that we should only be talking about our PERSONAL experiences with the wls . Not others experiences. I have had lapband and rny .. Each has there own pros and cons. Each work and don't work. No one needs to get upset when the choice they choose isn't the choice someone else chooses. I was very successful with my lapband and would still be a huge advocate for it if it hasn't eroded. I'm sure I would have had success with being sleeved as well. I am self pay and after seeing the sleeve to rny revision board decided I didn't want to take the chance I would have issues with GERD. Each wls is awesome and each has issues. The point is talking about your personal experience to help others make the choice that is best for them. It's all good people we are all working towards the same goal to be healthy!

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

i agree with you Jim

i started out with a BMI of 62 and standing a very tall 5'1 on a good day.....

it can be done with any surgery..

calories in and out and exercise works with any WLS

@ Carolinagirl

How much have you lost? Surgery date?

Hi There

I have lost 170 pounds (6/612 was my surgery date)

no issues what so ever...I make good food choices

and let the band tell me (when)....

Best of luck whatever YOU decide

no one WLS is better. some have better outcomes for whatever reasons

some WLS have complications and some dont...its a shame some say

neg things about any surgeries..i find that off putting...in the end, it doesnt matter what

you have...whatever you get, use it as doctor advises for best results...better health is the

reason we all chose WLS.......

[swimbikerun 1,039]

Bypass.

[Jim1967 3,569]

Bypass.

Any chance you could elaborate? You're suggesting bypass but your profile says Sleeve. I would love to hear about your experiences.

That said, I am a bander true at heart because that is what I have and that is what worked for me. Someone said earlier all WLS work and all WLS has failure. It is very situational. Not everyone succeeds with their chosen method so they revise.

I believe the original posters intent was to ask about experiences. I am also interested in hearing experiences. Just because I am a successful bander doesn't mean I don't crave and value WLS knowledge and I do think about options that could have been. I will be the first to admit I know nothing about DS or RNY and couldn't give one ounce of talk on it. Opinion or otherwise.....

It is really easy to be on here to project negativity and get into peoples heads who have zero experience with any of this stuff. We all need to be cognizant of that fact.

Thanks...I'll get down from my soapbox now.....

[MichelleTN 169]

Any chance you could elaborate? You're suggesting bypass but your profile says Sleeve. I would love to hear about your experiences.

That said, I am a bander true at heart because that is what I have and that is what worked for me. Someone said earlier all WLS work and all WLS has failure. It is very situational. Not everyone succeeds with their chosen method so they revise.

I believe the original posters intent was to ask about experiences. I am also interested in hearing experiences. Just because I am a successful bander doesn't mean I don't crave and value WLS knowledge and I do think about options that could have been. I will be the first to admit I know nothing about DS or RNY and couldn't give one ounce of talk on it. Opinion or otherwise.....

It is really easy to be on here to project negativity and get into peoples heads who have zero experience with any of this stuff. We all need to be cognizant of that fact.

Thanks...I'll get down from my soapbox now.....

Yes! I just really wanted to know about personal experience from people around my height/weigh so I would know the real possibility with each. Kind of my own little poll.

[swimbikerun 1,039]

In terms of losing the most amount of weight and keeping it off, the bypass is going to be your best bet. In addition, 8-11% of sleevers get reflux that is a problem. Weight is one issue of that, along with the size of the sleeve. Smaller sleeve to lose more weight, greater chances of reflux.

This is all from studies. My experience will be very, very different from others because of the complications, new problems that developed, and delayed/missed diagnoses, lack of care in terms of bariatrics, etc.

I encourage all to read studies. They're not geared at graduate medical knowledge level, much of it is you can read. UpToDate, ClinicalKey, and the Journals (Obesity/Obesity Surgery/stuff from ASMBS,endocrinology, GI and Nutrition) are all worth a look.

Why can't you share what you have learned? If you pick things up from others, that's always useful in targeting where you got the info. I categorize mine from medical information, tips from others.

While I have issues I don't think I've ever told people to not get the surgery. I just ask that they investigate the surgeon, the group they deal with, complications and after care. Don't just take the docs word for it. Ask deep probing questions.