I've started the process to be approved for surgery, I meet with my nutritionist Monday and Tuesday I set my appointment for the psych evaluation. What are the pros and cons of either option? Personal results/preferences/experiences? What no one ever told you. Anything would be greatly appreciated.

You gotta make up your own mind.Attend meetings for WLS.Everyone has to figure out what's best for them.You have to research and talk to your doctor and figure out which surgery will benefit you most.

My oldest sister got a bypass. My younger sister got a band. I got sleeved. We are all happy, healthy and near half of our original sizes.

As for the pain......My sleeve was my 12th surgery, which included two c-sections. The worst pain was the knee replacement and the least pain and easiest recovery was my sleeve. On a scale of 1-10 I would say...knee replacement 12 and sleeve 2.

just so you know a nissen fundoplication is not a gastric sleeve. the sleeve has not been used for 100 years.

I was posting from my phone last night so I could post as in depth as I would have liked.

The first Gastretomy was performed in 1881 by Theodor Billroth. Removing part of the stomach for whatever purposes, cancer or ulcers is not a new surgery. It has been proven that people can live without part of their stomach or even their entire stomach for over a 100 years. Removing part of the stomach and doing so solely for the purpose of weight loss is newer, but the concept is not new at all. There is a long term proven safety in just removing part or all of the stomach.

I had the sleeve after a lap band and I can tell you I have went from 264 to 197 in a little over 6 months . Surgery pain was easy compared to my lap band. I walked 2 miles the day after surgery. No way I will ever be able to put the weight back on that I had. Appetite and cravings are under control. My brother in law had bypass and has put all his weight back on - you are doing the right thing do your own research. If I can help contact me because I am a huge advocate for the sleeve. Here are my changes

Yes, this issue comes up often from my limited experience on this forum. My reasons for bypass:

1. My stomach remains whole and if RNY needs be...it can be reversed as God originally plumbed it. Gastric sleeve removes more than half of your stomach which cannot be replaced.

2. Gastric bypass has shown to return ghrelin levels to normal regulation within several months post op.

3. My BMI was >50 which makes gastric bypass the gold standard for faster weight loss.

Your stomach does NOT remain whole. You have a little pouch that is made. The difference between GB and the sleeve is with GB they leave the remaining larger part of your stomach attached while with the sleeve it is removed(normally 85% is removed). I wouldn't want any newbies to miss understand what you are saying.

Yes, indeed. Nevertheless, your whole stomach remains inside your body. Albeit, divided in two. Unlike having more than half removed from your body.

This was a con for me.

I chose the sleeve for many reasons but one is that my stomach, even though the fundus has been removed, still functions the way it is supposed to. The entire digestive tract is intact with the stretchy part removed. The impact is on volume and hunger hormones.

Listen you really gotta do your research and make sure you pick the procedure that works best for you.Cut out 85% of your stomach or reroute your intestines.These are major operations and each have risks and limitations.Whichever you choose it is no joke....

Choose wisely

Yes, this issue comes up often from my limited experience on this forum. My reasons for bypass:

1. My stomach remains whole and if RNY needs be...it can be reversed as God originally plumbed it. Gastric sleeve removes more than half of your stomach which cannot be replaced.

2. Gastric bypass has shown to return ghrelin levels to normal regulation within several months post op.

3. My BMI was >50 which makes gastric bypass the gold standard for faster weight loss.

Your stomach does NOT remain whole. You have a little pouch that is made. The difference between GB and the sleeve is with GB they leave the remaining larger part of your stomach attached while with the sleeve it is removed(normally 85% is removed). I wouldn't want any newbies to miss understand what you are saying.

Well said...people need to speak from their own experience...how could you poo poo bypass if you have chosen the sleeve.I have seen successes and failure across the board.

I was posting from my phone last night so I could post as in depth as I would have liked.

The first Gastretomy was performed in 1881 by Theodor Billroth. Removing part of the stomach for whatever purposes, cancer or ulcers is not a new surgery. It has been proven that people can live without part of their stomach or even their entire stomach for over a 100 years. Removing part of the stomach and doing so solely for the purpose of weight loss is newer, but the concept is not new at all. There is a long term proven safety in just removing part or all of the stomach.

That is a gross oversimplification of medicine, but yes....stomach removals have shown to be safe. However, the respective procedures for WLS whether RNY or GS are great options for long term weight loss.

I've learned a bit about this in my journey as well. It seems like both are very effective procedures, but like someone else said above, just need to decide if you want your digestive system re-routed or part of your stomach trimmed out. Each person's needs will play a big factor.

For instance, for me leaving behind a stomach that is "blind" as they do with bypass is risky because of my family history of colon cancer and my testing positive for h. pylori, which can lead to stomach cancer. The stomach that's left behind in a bypass patient still has the potential to develop ulcers and cancers, and that was a major deal breaker for me.

Others have other kinds of problems, like GERD. This is usually made worse with the sleeve but resolved with the bypass.

What hasn't been mentioned much on this thread is the surgeon's recommendation. A lot of it will be up to the surgeon him/herself because they are the one that has to approve you as an acceptable candidate for the procedure in the first place. Since they have a great deal more expertise than I, chances are I'll go with his final recommendation. All I really want is to have my voice heard in the process first. If I say "I want this" and he says "nope, bad idea" I will respect his opinion.

Reroute insides or 85% of stomach cut out....not trimmed.Cut out.

Yes, this issue comes up often from my limited experience on this forum. My reasons for bypass:

1. My stomach remains whole and if RNY needs be...it can be reversed as God originally plumbed it. Gastric sleeve removes more than half of your stomach which cannot be replaced.

2. Gastric bypass has shown to return ghrelin levels to normal regulation within several months post op.

3. My BMI was >50 which makes gastric bypass the gold standard for faster weight loss.

Your stomach does NOT remain whole. You have a little pouch that is made. The difference between GB and the sleeve is with GB they leave the remaining larger part of your stomach attached while with the sleeve it is removed(normally 85% is removed). I wouldn't want any newbies to miss understand what you are saying.

Yes, indeed. Nevertheless, your whole stomach remains inside your body. Albeit, divided in two. Unlike having more than half removed from your body.

That is what I said..................................again way more than half, normally 85%.

It really depends on your particular issues. If you have bad GERD or full blown diabetes or a really high BMI bypass may be recommended. Your surgeon should be the one to advise you on this. In my particular case, my surgeon thought I could be successful with either procedure and they were equally as safe. I chose sleeve to minimize the risk of dumping and Vitamin deficiency. FYI, I'm a sleeve and DO dump if I over-sugar\over fat but it has to be a LOT of either\both.

I got my referral for the psych evaluation. Hoping all goes smoothly. As long as the surgeon agrees, we have narrowed it down to the sleeve. Thank you for all your input. I have Aetna insurance. How long did it take after submission for approval? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

There were several factors that made me choose the sleeve over the bypass. With the bypass you alter how your gi track works while with the sleeve you still process the food normally in your stomach. I also did not like the idea that I won't be able to take NSADs or certain cardiac drugs if I ever needed them. I also liked the idea that if the sleeve didn't work I could go the bypass.

I've started the process to be approved for surgery, I meet with my nutritionist Monday and Tuesday I set my appointment for the psych evaluation. What are the pros and cons of either option? Personal results/preferences/experiences? What no one ever told you. Anything would be greatly appreciated.

Why are you limiting your self to those two? I myself had the band done in 2009 have lost and maintained 87lbs. I have had NO complications at all. If it's portion control you want, then the band does it better than any other. All surgeries have there pro's and con's and i have Many personal friends that have had all..

4 have had the GB: One passed away due to obesity. He lost over 300lbs and gained it all back. two did well, gained it back and Untill just this past year i had one friend that lost and kept it off... but sadly she has gained it all back too.

3 sleeve friends: One had done great, she had it done two years ago. she had a ruff start as something went wrong in surg. and had to get a stint put in, she has maintained over 100lbs but she also bust her ass in the gy.....one did great, lost 150lbs, she had hers done in 2008, sadly she has put back at least half. the other never really did that great and sadly looks to be the same weight she was when she had it done in 2011.

My friend paula had the band a year before me and last year had her band removed and got the sleeve. She had re flux... she loves the sleeve. Christine, Me and Paula's gf had our band done the same day. Chris and Mia both lost over 60lbs and has kept it off... and me. Gina got her band a year after me and has kept it off. Not Mica, lost over 200 and had gained a bunch back due to a back injury and steroid injections..

This is what i can say about the band: yes there is maintenance, fills and such. But, i loved it because it gave me time to adjust my eating... Learn great portion control. my band keeps me in check. Yes if i eat too fast or don't chew good enough i "uneat".. Aka throw up... but, that's my fault.

My suggestion is too go to some seminars.... talk to people who have had... ALL three... talk to your dr and come to an agreement on what you both think is best.