I am 31 years old and I had lap band in 2011. I weigh more today than when I had the surgery. I am currently scheduled for gastric sleeve in Mexico April 13, 2015 but have been considering gastric bypass.

I don't want to have another surgery. So I need people to offer experience or advice of why you chose bypass over sleeve. I have 120 pounds to lose with 2 small kids. High Blood pressure and in danger of being a diabetic. I do not suffer from acid reflux.

IMVVVVHO, I don't understand why people would opt for the sleeve over bypass. Bypass is the gold standard for a reason. It's the most effective. Unless you have an aversion to taking vitamins for the rest of your life, go big or go home - bypass for the win

I too was a bander and had to have a revision.. I was self pay for both surgeries. Lap band worked for me but it eroded. I chose Bypass over Sleeve because of the following: #1 reason - seeing the revision board on here from sleeve to bypass #2 I only wanted one last wls surgery #3 bypass is the gold standard.. #4 I wanted the one with the BEST results. Now with that being said, I would have been successful with the sleeve because I was successful with the band. I chose bypass quickly.. I just wanted the final one.. My doc said a lot of the first people sleeved are coming back for revisions to bypass .. That's all I needed to hear. I love my bypass! I had the revision done at the same time I had my band taken out. It's been 9 months and I am 3 pounds away from a Normal BMI. It's so much easier than the band was! I love it! I have not thrown up once!

I had the lap band surgery 2.22.10. I lost about 68lbs with it and stopped. After two pregnancies (lost all the baby weight each time) I noticed I still wasnt able to get much more off. After my 4th child was born (my 2nd band baby) I was having many issues with my band and come to find, it had slipped. I had the band removed and revision to gastric bypass this past August. I lost almost 60lbs since then and met and exceeded my goal weight, however it was a MUCH bigger change and a very stricter life style change then with the band. I would really consider talking over the options with your surgeon.

Good luck!

Even with a small amount of fluid in my band, I vomit. My husband and children hate meal time! It's not pleasant at all. I know it takes discipline but when u can't eat anything you are supposed to and eat slider foods, it is not doing a bit of good!

Thank each of you for advice!

Hi.. I had my lapband placed in 2010 and it was awesome for the first couple years and then nothing but problems. I had a revision on Feb. 5, 2015 to gastric bypass and I'm loving it. No more throwing up, heartburn, feeling the port inside my belly! I couldn't be happier. Remember there is a higher rate of complications with either surgery since its a revision and probably a nice amount of scar tissue is hiding under there. Anyway so far (5 weeks post op) I'm feeling amazing. I'm losing weight and feeling great! Starting 229 now 204. So excited. Btw I started before my lapband at 305! Can't wait to get to 199.9! Good luck, research. And figure out what would work best for you. It looks like the lap band being restrictive only didn't work.. The sleeve is the same restrictive only. The bypass is restrictive and gives you malabsorption... You will do great no matter what you choose!

I had the band in June 2009, I lost 25 lbs and that was it. I wanted the sleeve but my doctor said it would be best for me to do the bypass. I got the bypass in Oct 2014 and have lost down to 194 from 250, my goal is 130 and I'm sure I will get there by my surgeversary. Good luck on your choice.

I had the bypass Feb 2014. I decided to have it because of the post i read with the revisions. I figured if i was going to put my body through a surgery i wanted to go for the big one and only have one surgery.

I had the sleeve in 2012, now looking at revision. I was a slow loser and while a lot of people do great, I was one of the ones on the 50-70 % range for weight loss. I had a baby gained and have not been able to loss since. I also developed a terrible case of acid reflux. I am scheduled for endoscopy in May. Just went through barium swallow...I have seen people do really well with sleeve. I just wasn't one of them. I worked out, tracked went to my scheduled Nut visits. I am disappointed no one wants to have a revision.

I would choose the bypass, as stated above it is the gold standard and more people have revison from the sleeve, I only wanted one surgury and I could have selected either one but I am loving my bypass it saved my life. good luck.

There is s huge difference in the expected weight loss between bypass and sleeve. The weight loss is much higher with the bypass. Also, as someone else mentioned, it is the surgery that is the gold standard and the most is known about it. Good luck!

I had my choice of all three. By pass band or sleeve. My friends had the Rny bypass an she has gained back almost all her weight. A band friends had issues with erosion and others had the port problem. I researched and choose the sleeve. I am 5 years out on the sleeve. Started at 285 dec 2010. Now I am at 164 I got down to 130 at my lowest but looked like a skeleton with skin so I opted to adjust my goal (which I hit). I have since gained above my goal of 150. So I am back on a closely watched meal plan. I take Vits daily just as those with bypass. So there is really not a big difference in the meal or life style after.

I did suffer from all the reflux, heartburn an such prior toy surgery. Haven't had any since 2 weeks out. I can eat 4-6 oz per

Meal and have never had a issue. I am off all meds and I took about 8 prior to surgery.

Regardless of what is Gold standard or not. In my region no one is even Doing the by pass much any more. Due to complications With the stomach that is left inside the body.

I always advise research then research again and ask people in your area who have used your medical experts and staff. Get their actual feed back. Good luck.

I wouldn't change my decision.

I chose bypass due to my worsening diabetes and it is clear that bypass has the best results in putting diabetes into remission or dramatic improvement. I just posted a topic about my results in only one month...due to the combination of restriction and the bypass in the small intestine, you will pretty much get to a normal weight no matter what you do. I know of only a few who were able to defeat their bypass, due to excessive soda addiction (they stretched their pouch and then ate huge carbs and fats). After 2 years, some regain some weight, but that is easily dealt with through care and exercise.

I agree -- bypass is the gold standard.

The reason I chose bypass (RNY) was the estimated weight loss was 10-15% higher than the sleeve, as well as it being by far, the most practiced surgery. Obviously, as more and more people have the surgery over the last 20 or so years, the more they know about it and what works and what doesn't. I didn't want the band as I don't want to have the constant follow up- I am 7 months post-op with 93 lbs lost, I would like to lose between 10 and 18 more pounds! Good luck!

I had Gastric bypass in May b4 my surgery I had heartburn all the time couldn't lose a pound now feeling better no heartburn losing weight slow but steady my back is feeling better I can walk more then a few steps I would do it all again to feel like this so glad I did it.

I'm having my band-to-bypass revision on August 24th (1 more week!). I also had a choice between the bypass and the sleeve. Originally, I was leaning toward the sleeve, but I changed my mind after doing some heavy thinking and research.

I have PCOS, and that, combined with the way I had to eat with the band, has really screwed up my metabolism. I need the malabsorbtion component of the bypass to jumpstart my metabolism, since it's already used to me eating very restricted amounts of food.

The sleeve is just like the band in that it's a restrictive procedure with no malabsorbtion. I've done the restriction-only route already. It worked fine for the first year (once I had some heavy-duty restriction), but eventually your body gets used to it and you have to work really, really hard to keep the weight off and/or continue losing.

One of the most common side effects of the sleeve is GERD. I already have severe GERD whenever I've got restriction from the band, so that leads me to believe that I would likely suffer severe GERD from the sleeve, as well. GERD isn't anything to fool around with. People say, "Oh, it's only some acid." Yeah, well, that acid wears away the enamel of your teeth, it damages your vocal chords, you can aspirate it at night if you aren't really careful (and sometimes even if you are), and it can cause damage that leads to esophageal cancer. It's miserable when it's uncontrollable. With the band, I was eventually sleeping on a high wedge with two other pillows behind me, and still waking up choking at night, and that was WITH the proton pump inhibitor that my first surgeon prescribed AND not eating within at least 5 hours of bedtime.

The sleeve doesn't have that many long-term statistics available as a stand-alone procedure. Sure, it could be hugely successful. I got burned with the band, though. When I had my band surgery, it was being promoted as the next big thing, with projected long-term results that rivaled or exceeded those of the bypass. After a few years, though, the crappy results started pouring in. Sure, I could take a chance that the sleeve is going to be great. But I've had two band surgeries (the original and then a replacement when the original had a massive slip), and I don't want to do this again. The bypass has proven long-term results that are really good, and are still looking like they're 10-15% better than the sleeve. And that can be quite a bit of weight, when you think about it. Plus, there are more and more reports coming in of people having to revise from the sleeve to either the DS or the bypass, so in my view, it's following the same pattern that the band had.

Edited August 17, 201511 yr by losing_the_band