how to choose

[healthyamy 6]

What helped you decide which procedure is best for you

[Babbs 14,680]

I liked the idea of not having things re routed, so I felt the sleeve was best for me. I am also a terrible pill taker, and I know with the bypass it's of utmost importance to take your Vitamins for the rest of your life ( important with the sleeve, too, but even more so with the bypass because of malabsorbtion). I do suffer from GERD, so the bypass may have been more ideal, but I'm very happy with the sleeve. My husband had RNY 10 years ago, so I was pretty educated about the bypass, but had to learn all about the sleeve to make my final decision

[cindikevin2 44]

Agree babbs. I didn't like the idea of Vitamin deficiencies and dumping syndrome.

[Sophie74656 1,572]

I didn't like the idea of your stomach just "floating" around inside of you and the rerouting. After a long discussion my surgron also recommended the sleeve.

I don't know if this is the case with the bypass or not but i like that with my sleeve i can still go to a restaurant

Either way you will loose weight.

[OKCPirate 5,323]

dumping was the biggest reason. The four year follow up study of VS surgery from the Cleveland Clinic was the clincher (results were nearly the same as the bi-pass).

[skinnyrita 188]

Well I did some research but my surgeon really emphasized VSG. She doesn't do lap bands at all. I didn't have 100 plus pounds to lose just about 80. If you have a lot of weight, RNY might be more efficient, but as others have said, there's a greater risk of complication with that . Still talking to surgeons and people on this board could be helpful. Also read up on the procedures and risks. Your knowledge of your own body, different health conditions, and age will play a big part in your decision. Good luck! When are you thinking of having your surgery?

[Valentina 2,642]

Choosing to be sleeved just to avoid dumping is invalid. Many, Many sleevers experience dumping. I've had my sleeve for over 4 years and I still have dumping episodes.

Do I regret choosing my sleeve over a by-pass. Never! I did my research and am completely satisfied with my decision.

My recommendation is to do your research and have a meaningful conversation with your surgeon. Find out what his/her recommendation is for your body.

Good luck and keep posting.

[GibbsGirl 483]

I have a bum heart so my decision was based on the medication and how it is absorbed so rerouting anything was not an option.

[catwoman7 10,872]

I had GERD so my surgeon recommended bypass. I don't regret my decision.

[cindikevin2 44]

Ultimately it is a very personal decision that you have to make after talking with your dr and your research. Good luck!!

[songsmith 334]

At first I wanted the lap band. It seemed the least invasive and I had it in my head I could always remove it at some point. Then I spoke to my PCP (who is awesome, btw). She sat there and shook her head and told me, "They are experiencing a lot of complications with the band. They might even stop performing the procedure soon. You want the sleeve. I've been reading some great things about it." She went into a little more detail. Mainly, I respect the hell out of her (if not for her I would still be walking around with a cancerous thyroid).

It helped that I knew I could never do the bypass. It makes me nervous to think of my insides rerouted that way. It also bothered me that the stomach remains. What happens if you get stomach cancer? Or ulcers? They can't scope you to look at it. I also didn't like the idea of switching my meds for an even larger round of Vitamins. I hate taking pills. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my eating in the long run would feel more "normal" (or so it seemed to me) if I had the sleeve.

After a lot of reading up on the subject, that's what I went with.

In the end I say do the reading, decide what you think will work best for you. No one but you can make this decision. Average weight loss is less with the sleeve (though I continue to see amazing numbers here). That might matter. Or you might like the deterrent dumping provides. Just because I didn't choose it doesn't mean it couldn't be right for you. I would also talk to your surgeon and your primary (if you consider them a good doctor) and get their opinions.

[Jessica Ellison-Correa 66]

I have diabetes and pcos and for those reasons I am choosing bypass over sleeve

[Djmohr 6,965]

I researched this like a crazy person for 9 long months. I suffered from severe Gerd, had diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, anemia, apnea and stage 3 kidney disease.

After seeing both my surgeon and my gastroenterologist I went with the bypass. I learned that the sleeve and band can make reflux worse and there are many cases where folks have to revise to bypass anyway. I decided I wanted to only do this once.

Both surgeries require Vitamins for life. The RNY bypass is reversible where as once they remove 90% of your stomach the sleeve is not. Both surgeries are equally invasive.

I have not regretted having bypass for 1 minute and all of my comorbitities are in complete remission.

Do your research, understand how your medical history applies to each and leverage the experts (your doctors).

This is a very personal decision. There are some doctors who push one surgery over the other. You need to be in control and understand the risks of each and what you are comfortable with.

The best of luck to you!

[Sophie74656 1,572]

I have diabetes and pcos and for those reasons I am choosing bypass over sleeve

The sleeve will also help resolve these issues

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

There is the way I decided and the way you SHOULD decide..Ha

The way you should do it is research pros and cons, make lists, ask your surgeon questions, read research studies, go to your local support groups and talk to post ops. Once you have gathered the evidence, make the best decision you can for your specifics. Example, if you have GERD, that is probably a showstopper for sleeve and a big plus for bypass.

The way I did it was after 10years of a failed band I was distraught at weighing more than ever, getting old before my time, having health problems etc. sleep apnea doc was very compassionate but gave me some tough love and basically gave me a very rational analysis of my situation and why I needed weight loss surgery. He made a compelling case and told me to look into sleeve. I went to surgeon he recommended who told me I would fail with sleeve since I had done so poorly with the band. I started the process toward bypass, but emotionally could not come to grips or make peace with it. I dropped out. After another failed nutrisystems attempt I tried to join a lifestyle program but they wouldn't take my money and told me I needed WLS. Referred me to puget sound bariatric who thought I was a good sleeve candidate and I finally went for it.

In hindsight my irrational fear of bypass was due to People I had known many years ago who had problems, it was open surgery and older techniques etc.

I now believe they are both excellent choices. I have no regrets,4 years post sleeve and maintaining so sleeve has been amazing for me. I think bypass would have been great too but they have pros and cons.