No single type of weight loss surgery is right for everyone. Choices like the adjustable gastric band, gastric bypass, and gastric sleeve each have their pros and cons. How did you decide which surgery to get? If you haven’t had surgery yet, how are you making your decision?

• My insurance only covers one type – read my answer below to find out which kind.
• I was too “small” to qualify for bypass or sleeve, so the lap-band was my best option.
• I chose the lap-band because it is adjustable; maybe I’ll become pregnant or get sick and need to eat extra food sometime in the future.
• I got the gastric sleeve because I’m a heavier patient and this was a lower-risk choice.
• I got the gastric bypass because of the restrictions on sugary foods.
• I chose my surgery based on the complication rates and expected weight loss. See which one I chose in the discussion below!
• I have revisional weight loss surgery. Read what happened and why I got it converted in the discussion below!
• Other. See my choice and reasons in the discussion below!

Mark your answer, and feel free to explain it in the conversation below. We want to know what you think about the different types of weight loss surgery!

I chose Gastric Bypass for one reason only- I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes on Valentine's Day, 2013 (nice, huh?). After tons of research, it appeared to me that the bypass had the highest rate of managing/reversing diabetes, since exercise, changing my diet & diabetes meds were helping, but not enough. Don't get me wrong- the weight loss has been a fantastic "side effect" but I'm ecstatic to say that my blood sugars haven't gone above 100 since my surgery. I'm off all of my diabetes meds. Every. Single. One.

• I choose RnY because I knew that the AGB would not be a good fit for me and it was still in trials in 2001 so no long term data to support outcomes.

My ins would only cover 1 procedure per my lifetime so I choose the one with most proven long term outcomeDumping & malabsorption did not concern meI continue 13 yrs later to have no regrets. No negative side effects and minimal weight regain = SUCCESS

I got the sleeve because I liked the idea of grehlin hormone level being drastically reduced. I wanted something permanent. I started with a lower BMI than most and based on my research, the sleeve seemed the best fit for me..

My surgeon, Dr. David Miles, chose the Sleeve for me because I have debilitating and painful arthritis in my knees and back ( undoubtedly due to 24 years of morbid obesity) and have to take an NSAID for it--Naproxen, 1,000 mg. a day---and the RNY doesn't allow NSAIDS. I totally chose to listen to his wisdom on this. Also, I was nervous about malabsorption, continual nausea possibility, and dumping syndrome with the RNY. He said the Sleeve allows for 10% less weight loss overall than the RNY but I don't care. He doesn't do Lap-Bands any more either and said that procedure wouldn't help me lose enough weight anyway.

So far I've lost 64 pounds since my Sleeve on September 9th, 2014, my surgeon's staff say my rate of weight loss is "excellent", and I'm very happy with the Sleeve and my surgeon's choice for me!

I chose the gastric sleeve procedure because I had a heart to heart with my surgeon and was very honest with him related to how I was currently eating and my fears for after my surgery. Based on the fact that I have 4 children and spend a lot of the time "grazing" instead of eating, he said that I could graze right through a lap band and it would do my no good. So we eliminated that surgery. I voiced my concerns about being malabsorptive related to the other two surgeries because I'm also a IBD patient and when I have a flair, I am malabsorptive naturally and he said he would rather me go sleeve than bypass because it's less likely to alter how I react to certain foods that can aggravate my IBD, like dairy and gravy, etc. Also, he said that most sleevers have less throwing up than bipassers do, which sold me because I hate to throw up. lol.

On a serious note, my sleeve was the best decision of my life!

I ended up choosing gastric bypass after learning the the sleeve can cause acid reflux. I already had uncontrollable acid reflux. I did have fears about malabsorption however learned from speaking with professors that as long as you take your vitamins and get regular check ups malabsorption should not be a problem. After that it was a very easy decision for me.

The lap band was never even a consideration for me.

I was just told that I'm prediabetic, and that sealed the deal for me. RNY commonly reverses diabetes even before weight loss occurs. With my family history of deaths from diabetic complications, I'm not taking any chances.

Besides, I truly need my body to tell me "no carbs" in a drastic way. I feel great when I'm carb-reduced, but I have a real tendency to head back for them in moments of weakness.

My initial insurance would only cover RNY, so the decision was made easy. My current insurance will cover any bariatric surgery, but I think that RNY is the choice for me.

I voted for "only covers 1 type" but actually, in California, Medicare will cover 2 - RNY or Lapband. I chose RNY because of how restrictive it can be. I wanted "fear of dumping" but it has not happened!!

I chose VSG because I knew going in I did not want RNY. I refused to bypass part of my normal functioning body. The risks of malabsoprtion were to great. I originally went in thinking I would get the LapBand as I had never heard of VSG, but once my Dr told me about it I was in. It is the best decision I could have ever made for myself.

I chose the sleeve because I didn't want my organs "re-routed" as they are with the bypass. My surgeon felt the sleeve was the best option for me. I love my sleeve!

Edited January 13, 201511 yr by missbrown30

I chose to do the sleeve because the idea of re-routing my insides didn't sound right. I figure God put them that way for a reason, probably not my place to change them around. I also watched my friend get the sleeve and how it helped her lose weight. I have heard too many stories about the bypass and I knew it wasn't for me.

Edited January 14, 201511 yr by Spicy06

I chose the gastric sleeve because I did not want the dumping that can come with RNY. I also wanted to eventually be able to eat all of my favorite foods, just in much smaller portions. I did not go with the band due to having to get fills and unfills and the "stuck episodes".

I am very happy with my decision

Summer

I picked the gastric sleeve because I have severe Ulcerative Colitis and my Gastro and Surgeon thought it was the best option.

I'm getting the sleeve in late April this year. I had assumed because of my type 2 diabetes that I would be getting the bypass, but after consulting with my surgeon in December, he strongly encouraged me to get the sleeve instead. We know from experience that my diabetes all but resolves itself with a 10% mass reduction, so I don't necessarily need the more drastic measure of the bypass at this time. He suggested I "keep it in my back pocket" as a fail safe if my genetics come back to haunt me in my senior years and the diabetes returns, regardless of my weight at the time. (My surgeon postulated that in 30 years that maybe the procedure will be performed via a pill or something...)

I chose the gastric sleeve because I needed something to help me stop over eating. I know that you have to be the one in control, but this will help control me! I also have been very sick, and am still sick. The gastric sleeve had less serious complications for me. I also feel it will aid me in a healthier relationship with food!