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 the sleeve. Initially I looked into the lap band because I though the sleeve was not offered/did not really know about it. I thought I only had choice of LB or RNY and thought I wasn't "fat enough' to go to RNY (at 300+ lbs can you spell DE NILE! It's not just a river!)

My PCP advised against the LB and when I saw the surgeon he gave me the overview on all 3. I decided to do the sleeve as a happy medium and because of the ghrelin affect. I also did not really want a port as I had one for chemo and found it very uncomfortable. Really hated it.

Oh well the grehlin affect only lasted a couple months but I persevered and have lost 135+ lbs and am in maintenance mode. It is and will be a lifelong commitment as I try to stay in the 170s which is still 25.8 BMI for my height. But oh well BMI not true measure of success as my BF % is < 24% which is more important. I don't want to lose muscle stupid scale!

I am choosing the sleeve, because I don't want to deal with malabsorbtion, and don't want my insides rearranged. My surgeon no longer does the band, so its between the sleeve and bypass. I also like the bit slower weight loss, hoping that will help my skin recover better.

In 2001 the only surgery available was gastric bypass. I am almost 14 years out now and have been able to maintain my goal weight. I actually believe that I could have been just as successful with any type because of where I was in my head. I made a promise that if I ever got the weight off (for the last time) I would do anything necessary to maintain. After 30 years of obesity and at the age of 47 in 2001 I was ready to finally live. I am 60 now and I'm healthier than I've ever been in my life.

I chose the DS for the most weight loss & least chance of regain. I needed the malabsorptive element. I'm extremely organized and knew I could handle all the work that comes with having a DS.

I think all the WLS are miracles in themselves. It's a very personal choice to decide which is right for you.

Edited January 16, 201511 yr by Postop

I did not want the malabsorptive issues of bypass, so I never even considered it.

I originally looked at Lapband, but my friend who was banded 6 years ago strongly urged against it. She felt that adequate maintenance (fills and unfills) would be very inconvenient since I would have to travel 2 hours one way to the closest Bariatric center that did them. And She actually needed emergency surgery when her band slipped and was concerned that slippage would put me in a dangerous situation considering my rural location.

Then I learned about VSG and the rest is history.....

I chose the sleeve because it kind of freaks me out to think about intestines being re-routed and changing the way God made us. I mean getting part of you removed is one thing, but the bypass changes the original lay out. The band involves way too much maintenance and I bet the lack of wide spread results will eventually get it phased out. I know it works really well for some people, but I wouldn't have been one of those people. And again, it freaks me out to think about a foreign object being planted in my body. Of course now I have staples in my body, lol. That's just my two cents on it.

I chose RNY since I want to lose 100lbs and this surgery has the highest amount of weight loss according to stats. I also have GERD and my surgeon really advised against the sleeve since that could make it even worse. I was on the fence about the band but I still held the option in the back of my mind. After my endoscopy revealed a rather large hiatal hernia, my surgeon said the band was no longer an option so that left me with RNY. My choice became very clear at that point

I started this process convinced I would have the sleeve becuase I did not want my organs rearranged. After research, I became open to RNY and decided I would make my decision after meeting with my surgeon.

I met with my surgeon and we decided on the sleeve due to less complications. I m excited to have sugery!

I choose the Sleeve because:

1. I didn't want to reroute anything.

2. It was advised that it was best because I didn't have a lot of weight to lose.

3. I was afraid of the complications and the dumping of the RNY.

I would like to add something to this thread. Almost anyone who is approved for WLS is given one choice because it's rare to have a revision covered. What am I saying? It's rare to have WLS covered these days for everyone who needs it period. It is very important to BELIEVE in your surgery because if you don't, it won't believe in you. If you don't nurture and respect your surgery, it won't nurture and respect you. When someone picks a surgery for whatever reason it may be (even if they are misinformed) it is a done deal. I have communicated with thousands of post-ops over the last ten years and every single kind of surgery has successes and some not so great outcomes. Please support your WLS brothers and sisters with their surgery type because we all need as much support as possible. No one should be treated as if they made a wrong choice regarding surgery type. Instead we need to help them with whatever choice they made because they all absolutely can work. Of course there is a small percentage of complications and various degrees of complications that are unavoidable....I'm speaking about the majority of situations out there. We are all in this together and I want to support everyone on their journey because we all need it.

Originally I chose the sleeve because I wasn't really feeling the whole bypass thing, and never thought twice about the lap band. After my first consultation with the surgeon he chose the bypass for me because of me being a type II diabetic and high blood pressure. Wasn't happy at first but after speaking with the surgeon and doing my own research I decided that maybe the bypass would be a better option for me.

I went with Gastric Bypass after discussing with my surgeon my options. Because I am Diabetic i was told the Bypass was the best option.

I chose the sleeve after going to the weight loss surgery seminar. He only presented the band, the sleeve and gastric bypass. The dr said he only did the band if the patient insisted so I ruled that out right away. I didn't want the malabsorbtion and rerouting of the bypass. My Dr said that with my heart problems less time in the OR would be better. I had my sleeve 3 weeks ago and I'm very happy with my decision!

Edited January 22, 201511 yr by Karenlrn

I chose the sleeve over bypass for three main reasons:

1) I was afraid of dumping

2) I wanted to be able to use Nsaids. I have had a lot of broken bones, and fear arthritis is in my future

3) I heard a rumor that those that do bypass have a higher rate of farting. I already fart a lot, didn't want to increase it Lol!

Originally I was going to go lap-band. The high revision rate, low overall success rate, complications, all factored into changing my mind. Also, I was told that many insurances make it extremely difficult to do a revision. It is a "one surgery" chance!

I picked the bypass because i need to lose more than 100 pounds. And after talking with my weight loss specialist it seems to be the better option for me.