I will be having surgery around June 17th. When I started my journey I was sure that I wanted to go with the sleeve procedure. Now I keep going back and forth between the sleeve and gastric bypass. I know they are both tools, but can't decide which tool is best. I have heard good and bad things about the sleeve and how some people have gone from sleeve to bypass. I only want to have one surgery. Thanks for your help.

I know one of the reasons people choose bypass over sleeve is acid reflux or GERD. From what I've read if you have reflux before surgery it gets much worse. It also seems that some folks with the lap band or sleeve eventually get a revision to the bypass, which is the gold standard in bariatric surgery...but many, many people are happy and successful with the sleeve. Sounds like something you may wanna sit down with your surgeon and together decide. I was set on the sleeve until my pre op GI tests came back and the lap band had damaged my esophagus. He told me I may have issues with the sleeve and suggested the bypass.

Best of luck on your decision and your surgery!

Edited May 25, 201511 yr by goregalore

It looks like you only have about 100 lbs to lose you should go with the sleeve. Remember all surgeries are just tools if you fail with one you'd fail with the others. Sleeve is less evasive.

The sleeve is not really less invasive. It involves cutting out a huge part of your stomach and throwing it away. In the bypass, part of your stomach is stapled off, but it could be opened back up if you ever needed it. Yes, your intestines are rerouted, but again, they can be returned to their normal position. Now, I'm not saying any of that would be a simple procedure either but to me pulling a big stomach out of a tiny incision is pretty invasive.

I know there are many people happy with the sleeve and it sounds like a great tool for the right people, but as others have said, if you already have reflux it's not a good one for you. And some who don't have reflux develop it afterward and end up having the bypass.

So keep reading lots of info on both procedures and read stories from both groups of people before deciding.

It looks like you only have about 100 lbs to lose you should go with the sleeve. Remember all surgeries are just tools if you fail with one you'd fail with the others. Sleeve is less evasive.

I don't think the fact that she "only" has a 100 lbs to lose is a good deciding factor. I've seen many lightweights chose to get the bypass and are successful with it.

Edited May 25, 201511 yr by goregalore

I was going thru the same issues when I initially started this journey. i did my research, talked to my surgeon, and talked to people on here and through other support groups. The dr mentioned that because of the amount of weight I want to lose, we can always do the sleeve and if it doesn't work as well, can always come up and do the bypass. I only want to have the surgery once. So after everything, i have finally chosen the bypass for many other reasons besides the surgeon. I would get a piece of paper and fold it it in half. I would go the pros and cons for each and see if you can find your decision that way. Your the only one that can make this decision.

Good luck

I was all set to have the sleeve after all the seminars I attended. Then, I saw my surgeon and I suffered from Gerd/reflux. He warned me that the sleeve can make that much worse and then we would need to treat that. If it could not be treated, they would have to change me to bypass down the road.

I went home and researched like crazy and even got a second opinion from a gastroenterologist. He told me that people who have never had reflux or Gerd sometimes develop it after the sleeve. He also recommended the bypass.

I made the decision to have bypass and have never second guessed it. I have not had a single episode of reflux since the day of my surgery. I am so thankful!

Good luck! I wish you all the best!

Thank you for all of your replies and suggestions! I will look into both types of surgeries more and speak to my surgeon.

I had a few year history of GERD prior to the sleeve and my surgeon never recommended by-pass. The first time I got scoped 4 years prior to the sleeve I did not have a hiatal hernia. I was scoped again 2 months prior to sleeving and now had a hiatal hernia. My surgeon fiixed it when I sleeved.

I did have a 2 year period in the middle there where I did not have GERD symtoms and was not on Nexium.

I came off my Nexium at my 3 month visit. A month later with no Nexium and I have no reflux. I would not 100% rule out the sleeve due to a history of GERD. I sometimes think that even without the hernia the extra weight can cause GERD. My surgeon seemed to think that reflux immediately after the sleeve was not uncommon but that that would go away within a few months as the weight is lost.

I think each surgery has their pros and cons. For me the malabsortion and dumping was too scary for me. I frequently trail ride for 4 hours at a time. It is one thing to duck behind a bush for a quick pee quite another if I suddenly have a dumping episode.