Did anyone else struggle with this decision?

Many have. Have you met with your Bariatric Team yet? Usually they (surgeon, Psych and Nutritionist) will advise what is best for your situation and help you make a decision.

Edited April 27, 201610 yr by KristenLe

Yes. I have a good friend who opted to have the bypass because she was afraid she would "overeat" the sleeve. She had about 100 lbs to lose and has done remarkably well with it, no complications. I have less to lose (right now anyway) and decided on the sleeve. My doctor also felt this was the best option for me. Good advice above to talk with MD, psych and NUT). Best wishes on your journey!

@@Jdubwife

Like other said talk to your Dr. They will talk about your lifestyle and health with you and make the best choice from there.

That being said. I had decided what I wanted before I met with a doctor and if a Doctor said the sleeve wasn't an option for me then I wasn't going to have surgery.

For me the deciding factors were that I have had heartburn issues and sleeve is not good for those that have heartburn, bypass is a gold standard and I have more than 100 lbs I need to lose. My surgeon asked me first if I wanted to do the sleeve, but I did my homework and made my decision which he agreed with.

in 2004 I chose band over bypass. In 2016 I am choosing sleeve over bypass. It is all just personal choice. I do not like the idea of rerouting my intestines and several drs that I have seen said they have seen many complications from the bypass vs. sleeve. It is really personal decision. Keep doing research and try to learn as much as possible.

Because the bypass takes the top portion (first 2-3 feet) of the small intestine out of the food absorption path, it tends to produce the greatest weight loss. There are also more issues with the bypass than the sleeve - reduced absorption of medications, a greater likelihood of constriction at the pouch if the scar tissue overgrows where it should. However, the bypass is well proven and so far as I understand is still the most often recommended for those who really need to lose a lot of weight.

I don't think this is a black and white choice. It seems to me that you need to look where you are starting out as a patient and what your goals are, and look at all the risks and benefits of the two procedures and kind of weigh them to come down to a decision. I would not hesitate to ask the surgical team and in particular the surgeon as many questions as you can think of as well as what their personal recommendation would be - "If you were me, what do you think you would choose?"

Edited April 28, 201610 yr by Barry W

If you have any questions about the basics of what is done in the surgery, and what your new GI tract will look like after each option, the videos at the Cleveland Clinic down in the description of each procedure provide a pretty clear overview.

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/bariatric-and-metabolic-institute/weightloss-options

I went with the sleeve because my Team felt that all I need is the restriction and not the malabsorption of the bypass. I don't tend to graze or eat sweets - which if I did I believe they would have suggested bypass. I have a lot to lose but that wasn't a concern for the sleeve.

I was leaning heavily towards the sleeve and now because of bad GERD, I'm not so sure

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My surgeon said either the sleeve or bypass was fine for me, but ended up recommending the sleeve because if you have the bypass then you can't have NSAIDS like aspirin and ibuprofen anymore. I didn't want to remove that entire class of medication away because I use NSAIDS often for knee pain. A bypass can alter the ability to take other medications due to the digestive system being altered. The bypass has a slightly higher weight loss, but once the doc looked at the numbers for me, it was only like a 8-10 pound average weight loss difference between the sleeve and bypass. So I chose sleeve. Now, if my upper endoscopy indicates that a bypass would be a better choice, I'd be fine with that too. It would just be hard to give up ibuprofen.

Thanks everyone! I am just beginning with the research. I haven't had a consult with a surgeon yet. Kaiser denied me due to BMI, 37%. After everything I've read, I'm leaning toward the sleeve. My husband is doing his own research and thinks bypass would be a better option.

Did you do extensive research, factor in your present health conditions, go to WLS support groups and to a WLS informational session so you can discuss your findings with your surgeon?

I just made the decision actually and it was based off of reflux issues left over from my Lapband. Also the fact that if something goes wrong with the sleeve a lot of the time the fix is to go with a bypass, especially with reflux.

While your surgical team will advise you on what surgery they think is best you can always tells them what you would like. If they suggest the sleeve and you decide you want the bypass be firm with your decision.

In all things do what you think is best for you. Good luck

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Did anyone else struggle with this decision?

I struggled with the decision, but opted with the bypass. My surgeon supported my decision. The esophageal manometry showed that I'd be okay with the sleeve, but I didn't wanna chance the reflux. Dr said I may have a hiatal hernia that didn't show up causing reflux. Either way it will be fixed. Bypass it is! I'm waiting for my insurance to approve at this moment.

Dawnie_doo

Edited April 28, 201610 yr by trinity33

I agree with others in that this is going to be a decision best made between you and your surgeon. For me, the sleeve was just a more comfortable choice. Not changing any of the "plumbing" had a lot to do with it. Also, as I understood from my doc, bypass patients are more reliant (long-term) on supplements, whereas sleeve patients (most of the time) can eventually get back to a point of getting the vast majority of their Vitamins from food (provided they eat the right foods).

I think either is a great choice as they're both proven to do what they're intended to, and it really boils down to what you and your surgeon feel is best for you. Best of luck in whichever you decide!