How to effectively decide which WLS is best for YOU:

• Make a Pro/Cons list.
• Take your surgeons suggestion very seriously
• Consider your co-morbidities
• When listening to people you don't know, especially if they have nothing negative at all to say about the surgery, take it with a grain of salt.
• Do not listen to people you do know that have never had WLS
• Do not let fear make your decision for you. EVERY SINGLE SURGERY carries possible serious risks
• Factor in how much you need to lose
• Factor in how close to goal you want to get
• Consider any Pre-Operative diseases you have that could get worse post-op
• Consider any diseases that could become better Post-Op
• Do so much research on each surgery that you are having dreams about research
• Take your time with each step. Just like Marriage you want to feel things out before jumping in with both feet.
• Go to several in-person WLS support groups. Get to know people there and ask them face to face questions about their surgeries. Ask the tough questions too. This is not a rose garden, and having WLS is hard work!
• You will have to make a selfish decision when doing this, because no one will know the pain you will go through post op
• Know yourself and your food triggers. Your decision and outcome will greatly either benefit (or not so much) with the decision you make
• Whatever decision you make be prepared to put in a lot of personal time and effort into losing weight and mostly keeping it off forever. No one surgery is a magic cure all and you absolutely CAN and WILL stretch out your stomach and/or gain weight back if you do not always follow the WLS rules. No one surgery is better than another at keeping the weight off. Only YOU can do that.

I will try to add more here and there when something new comes to mind or if someone adds something good!

This should be a sticky!

These are great! Thank you. I'd also add that looking to authoritative sources for the actual facts on any health related issues is much better than personal accounts, anecdotes, blogs, opinions, etc. There is a wealth of statistics from national health organizations, world class hospitals/medical centers, and long-term scientific studies.

Personal experiences vary so greatly and we rarely know all the factors that play into someone's individual complications or successes.

My favorite:

• Do not let fear make your decision for you. EVERY SINGLE SURGERY carries possible serious risks

I read so many people on the boards "fearing" bypass and choosing sleeve instead. For me it was a no brainer with severe reflux and a serious addiction to carbs. I never looked at the bypass as "scarier" than sleeve. My doctor ruled out band immediately but I would have been freaked out by the thought of something implanted in me. That's not necessarily a "fear", it's knowing myself well enough to know I wouldn't be able to tolerate that comfortably.

The experience has been wonderful and after following many of your steps above, I made the right decision for me.

Besides the BGRNY being

1) considered THE gold standard for WLS with the most documented rate of weight loss and long term success rate

2) not indicated for people with GERD

3) an added bonus of malabsorption for those with serious carb/sugar craving addiction

Why else would someone choose the bypass over the sleeve??

OK. Now that I put it like that, maybe I should consider the bypass a little bit more than I have.....