Hi all, I am 4 months into my 6 month pre op. I just met my surgeon today for the first time and am confused as ever. I had originally chosen bypass, but everything in me is telling me to do the sleeve. Today, he told me that he would do whoever I wanted but if I did the sleeve I would probably only lose 10 points off my BMI and would still be at a 40 (I'm a 50 now) he then told me I would have better results with bypass. I left feeling confused to say the least. Anyone have any words of wisdom for me? Personal experiences, similar experiences, etc?

Hi there, lizard. I'm sorry this happened to you. I had a similar experience back in December. I went into my surgeons office so excited to get the sleeve. I watched countless videos on YouTube and read so many testimonies that I was finally sold on weight loss surgery.

But when I met him and his nurse practitioner, I couldn't have been more deflated if you stuck a pin in me and I popped. They said the sleeve would still leave me obese with a high bmi. They urged me to have the DS procedure, which is like the bypass, but they sleeve your stomach then move onto the rearrangement of the intestines for the malabsorption aspect. It would leave me with a 90% total weight loss for life. And hey, that sounds great, but whenever I have to make a hard life decision, I base it on one thing. Don't laugh. I always ask myself, if I had to live in apocalyptic times, what would be my quality of life afterwards if I had no means for support with this procedure?

For instance, I have a chipped front tooth that happened in high school. I have a cap on it that has served me well for over twenty-five years. Every now and then, there comes along a dentist who wants me to put a crown on it, in place of the cap, because it lasts longer. To do a crown they would have to shave my tooth down to a little pointed peg just to fit a crown. The crown isn't permanent. What if something happened tomorrow where dentistry was just a memory and I needed a crown? I would walk around looking like a cannibal, scaring the masses, opposed to just having a chipped front tooth.

What does that nonsensical little story have to do with wls you ask? Well, with a DS surgery, I would have to take vitamins to survive. Sure, with the sleeve I take vitamins too, but if something happened tomorrow, I'd still be ok without vitamins on the sleeve. The ds and bypass are malabsorption surgeries. That means even though you are absorbing less calories, you are also absorbing significantly less vitamins, and with the ds I could die without my vitamins.

So, that's a no go, no go.

Like I told the doctor, if I could get to 200 or 170 on the sleeve, I could get to 135 as well. I've seen it done. You know why? Because no matter the surgery, the hard work will always be up to you mentally to overcome, even on those darkest days when you forget why you did this at all. You're the one who has control. If you eat right and follow the plan, there's absolutely no reason you can't lose 100% of your total weight with the sleeve. So do what inherently feels right for you. What helped me snap out of my mini depression after my appointment was watching more YouTube videos of people losing 130,150, and even 250 pounds on the sleeve. It works if you do, so again, do what's right for you <3

Look at it this way - either one is a tool to aid in weight loss. Without proper changes in diet and our relationship with food both types of surgery can fail you. Generally speaking it is true that you will lose more and lose weight faster with a bypass over the sleeve. All of us have to go through our own list of pros & cons for each type of surgery. There are hundreds of threads with people asking that exact question with good replies on why we choose one surgery over another. It's a big decision and yes, it really should be up to you in the end. Personally I think your doctor is kind of whack for saying you'd be stuck at a BMI of 40. That just seems like a stupid thing to say.

For myself I choose sleeve because I didn't want to deal with the extra vitamins and malabsortion that comes with the bypass. I didn't have a problem with sweets and was more of a binge eater/portion control problem kind of guy. I was okay with not losing the weight as fast. The sleeve just made more sense for me and I've been happy with it so far. Each WLS presents it's own challenges and only you can decide what will be best for you in the end.

I prefer to look at things from both sides. Is there something in your nutrition charts that makes your doctor assume your BMI won't go below 40? Is he basing his decision on your nutritional history or is he just trying to sell you a procedure?

I was asked why I didn't want a bypass, as it guarantees the best weightloss. I told them all I wanted was a reset. Something to get me back to where I can actively take control/charge of my nutritional life.

There are no fixed rules. Saying you won't go less than 40 is merely an assessment. Tell him what you want to do and psyche yourself up to follow through with your plans..

All the best..

Hi there, lizard. I'm sorry this happened to you. I had a similar experience back in December. I went into my surgeons office so excited to get the sleeve. I watched countless videos on YouTube and read so many testimonies that I was finally sold on weight loss surgery.
But when I met him and his nurse practitioner, I couldn't have been more deflated if you stuck a pin in me and I popped. They said the sleeve would still leave me obese with a high bmi. They urged me to have the DS procedure, which is like the bypass, but they sleeve your stomach then move onto the rearrangement of the intestines for the malabsorption aspect. It would leave me with a 90% total weight loss for life. And hey, that sounds great, but whenever I have to make a hard life decision, I base it on one thing. Don't laugh. I always ask myself, if I had to live in apocalyptic times, what would be my quality of life afterwards if I had no means for support with this procedure?
For instance, I have a chipped front tooth that happened in high school. I have a cap on it that has served me well for over twenty-five years. Every now and then, there comes along a dentist who wants me to put a crown on it, in place of the cap, because it lasts longer. To do a crown they would have to shave my tooth down to a little pointed peg just to fit a crown. The crown isn't permanent. What if something happened tomorrow where dentistry was just a memory and I needed a crown? I would walk around looking like a cannibal, scaring the masses, opposed to just having a chipped front tooth.
What does that nonsensical little story have to do with wls you ask? Well, with a DS surgery, I would have to take vitamins to survive. Sure, with the sleeve I take vitamins too, but if something happened tomorrow, I'd still be ok without vitamins on the sleeve. The ds and bypass are malabsorption surgeries. That means even though you are absorbing less calories, you are also absorbing significantly less vitamins, and with the ds I could die without my vitamins.
So, that's a no go, no go.
Like I told the doctor, if I could get to 200 or 170 on the sleeve, I could get to 135 as well. I've seen it done. You know why? Because no matter the surgery, the hard work will always be up to you mentally to overcome, even on those darkest days when you forget why you did this at all. You're the one who has control. If you eat right and follow the plan, there's absolutely no reason you can't lose 100% of your total weight with the sleeve. So do what inherently feels right for you. What helped me snap out of my mini depression after my appointment was watching more YouTube videos of people losing 130,150, and even 250 pounds on the sleeve. It works if you do, so again, do what's right for you

Ha! I love comparing anything in my life to the zombie apocalypse so I relate to this. This is exactly why I am leaning towards the sleeve. I am just awful at taking any kind of medications. I am really great at a lot of things, this isn't my strongpoint (and I have the child to show for it! Lol). I don't want to be tied down to taking vitamins the rest of my life.

I was just so mad and felt like "how dare you think I won't do better". Honestly everyone I know that had the sleeve has been super successful.

I appreciate your response!!
Liz

I prefer to look at things from both sides. Is there something in your nutrition charts that makes your doctor assume your BMI won't go below 40? Is he basing his decision on your nutritional history or is he just trying to sell you a procedure?
I was asked why I didn't want a bypass, as it guarantees the best weightloss. I told them all I wanted was a reset. Something to get me back to where I can actively take control/charge of my nutritional life.
There are no fixed rules. Saying you won't go less than 40 is merely an assessment. Tell him what you want to do and psyche yourself up to follow through with your plans..
All the best..

Thank you so much! Nothing in my history that I can see as a red flag. To be honest he also told me that if I had Bypass it would only probably. Ring me down to a 35 BMI. I call BS on both counts. I'm going to use my frustration to kick butt at this. I think he was just trying to be cautious on expectations. I took that as shutting me down. I'll show him! Lol

Look at it this way - either one is a tool to aid in weight loss. Without proper changes in diet and our relationship with food both types of surgery can fail you. Generally speaking it is true that you will lose more and lose weight faster with a bypass over the sleeve. All of us have to go through our own list of pros & cons for each type of surgery. There are hundreds of threads with people asking that exact question with good replies on why we choose one surgery over another. It's a big decision and yes, it really should be up to you in the end. Personally I think your doctor is kind of whack for saying you'd be stuck at a BMI of 40. That just seems like a stupid thing to say.
For myself I choose sleeve because I didn't want to deal with the extra vitamins and malabsortion that comes with the bypass. I didn't have a problem with sweets and was more of a binge eater/portion control problem kind of guy. I was okay with not losing the weight as fast. The sleeve just made more sense for me and I've been happy with it so far. Each WLS presents it's own challenges and only you can decide what will be best for you in the end.

Binge eating and portion control are my main issues too. I just react so poorly to that word malabsorption. I think that is my biggest factor with going with the sleeve. I am going to prove him wrong! Lol

6 hours ago, Finding_Stacy said:

Hi there, lizard. I'm sorry this happened to you. I had a similar experience back in December. I went into my surgeons office so excited to get the sleeve. I watched countless videos on YouTube and read so many testimonies that I was finally sold on weight loss surgery.

But when I met him and his nurse practitioner, I couldn't have been more deflated if you stuck a pin in me and I popped. They said the sleeve would still leave me obese with a high bmi. They urged me to have the DS procedure, which is like the bypass, but they sleeve your stomach then move onto the rearrangement of the intestines for the malabsorption aspect. It would leave me with a 90% total weight loss for life. And hey, that sounds great, but whenever I have to make a hard life decision, I base it on one thing. Don't laugh. I always ask myself, if I had to live in apocalyptic times, what would be my quality of life afterwards if I had no means for support with this procedure?

For instance, I have a chipped front tooth that happened in high school. I have a cap on it that has served me well for over twenty-five years. Every now and then, there comes along a dentist who wants me to put a crown on it, in place of the cap, because it lasts longer. To do a crown they would have to shave my tooth down to a little pointed peg just to fit a crown. The crown isn't permanent. What if something happened tomorrow where dentistry was just a memory and I needed a crown? I would walk around looking like a cannibal, scaring the masses, opposed to just having a chipped front tooth.

What does that nonsensical little story have to do with wls you ask? Well, with a DS surgery, I would have to take Vitamins to survive. Sure, with the sleeve I take vitamins too, but if something happened tomorrow, I'd still be ok without vitamins on the sleeve. The ds and bypass are malabsorption surgeries. That means even though you are absorbing less calories, you are also absorbing significantly less vitamins, and with the ds I could die without my vitamins.

So, that's a no go, no go.

Like I told the doctor, if I could get to 200 or 170 on the sleeve, I could get to 135 as well. I've seen it done. You know why? Because no matter the surgery, the hard work will always be up to you mentally to overcome, even on those darkest days when you forget why you did this at all. You're the one who has control. If you eat right and follow the plan, there's absolutely no reason you can't lose 100% of your total weight with the sleeve. So do what inherently feels right for you. What helped me snap out of my mini depression after my appointment was watching more YouTube videos of people losing 130,150, and even 250 pounds on the sleeve. It works if you do, so again, do what's right for you <3

I LOVE the analogies!

29 minutes ago, lizard107 said:

Ha! I love comparing anything in my life to the zombie apocalypse so I relate to this. This is exactly why I am leaning towards the sleeve. I am just awful at taking any kind of medications. I am really great at a lot of things, this isn't my strongpoint (and I have the child to show for it! Lol). I don't want to be tied down to taking vitamins the rest of my life.

I was just so mad and felt like "how dare you think I won't do better". Honestly everyone I know that had the sleeve has been super successful.

I appreciate your response!!
Liz

Oh Lizard, I was mad as hell too. I really was. It took two weeks from me before I talked myself back up. When I initially left the office, I was like you. As soon as he said that, I thought "I'm going to show you!" Now, when that day comes and I'm finally135, I'm sure he'll forget he ever said that and tell me 'Of course you could lose all your weight with the sleeve'.

You know that's true, but either way, I'm losing all this weight and more.

Pertaining to the vitamins, I am such a bad pill taker. I really am. But as soon as I was approved by insurance, they emailed me a slew of information, one of them being my needed daily vitamins. It said as soon as I read this, start the vitamins right away to build up a supply. So I have, which is good because it's a little tricky. There's a time frame around all these vitamins in what not to take with what. For instance, I'm on a synthroid pill where I can't take pretty much anything with, just to be safe. I take that at 5. My multivitamin and calcium can't be taken together. Those, too, need four hours apart, and both need four hours apart from my synthroid. It's been a little over two weeks and I feel like I'm now getting the hang of it. So, yes, I'm glad I started early because this is the last thing I'll want to deal with when I'm recovering. So, I take my synthroid at five am, I take my B Complex-50 with my multivitamin at ten o'clock, calcium #1 at two o'clock, and calcium #2 at dinner.

And guess what? I'm actually taking them and not hating it. In fact, that B complex-50 is pretty amazing in helping me with boosting my energy and supporting my metabolism while I'm low carbing right now in preparation for my surgery. You'll love that vitamin!

Edited March 14, 20179 yr by Finding_Stacy

4 hours ago, Newme17 said:

I LOVE the analogies!

Thank you so much

Look, there are people out there who don't think I'm completely weird

5 hours ago, lizard107 said:

Thank you so much! Nothing in my history that I can see as a red flag. To be honest he also told me that if I had Bypass it would only probably. Ring me down to a 35 BMI. I call BS on both counts. I'm going to use my frustration to kick butt at this. I think he was just trying to be cautious on expectations. I took that as shutting me down. I'll show him! Lol

Yep. It's probably BS. Go with what you're most comfortable with. It's less about the surgery and more about how we use the surgery to achieve our goals anyway..

My bmi was almost 80 when I started my pre op diet. My doctor told me sleeve would be best because if I didn't lose all my weight that we could always do a revision to rny at a later date.
But I'm 8 months post op and my bmi is now almost 40.
Just remember what ever you chose to pick it's a tool to help you. Your not going to magically lose weight cause you got it. I still track calories and workout everyday. The bad food still fits in, but I follow the rules and eat my protein first.
You got this [emoji173]


HW: 420 (January 2016)
CW: 270 (March 2017)

Instagram: vsg_queendiet

Hi there, lizard. I'm sorry this happened to you. I had a similar experience back in December. I went into my surgeons office so excited to get the sleeve. I watched countless videos on YouTube and read so many testimonies that I was finally sold on weight loss surgery.
But when I met him and his nurse practitioner, I couldn't have been more deflated if you stuck a pin in me and I popped. They said the sleeve would still leave me obese with a high bmi. They urged me to have the DS procedure, which is like the bypass, but they sleeve your stomach then move onto the rearrangement of the intestines for the malabsorption aspect. It would leave me with a 90% total weight loss for life. And hey, that sounds great, but whenever I have to make a hard life decision, I base it on one thing. Don't laugh. I always ask myself, if I had to live in apocalyptic times, what would be my quality of life afterwards if I had no means for support with this procedure?
For instance, I have a chipped front tooth that happened in high school. I have a cap on it that has served me well for over twenty-five years. Every now and then, there comes along a dentist who wants me to put a crown on it, in place of the cap, because it lasts longer. To do a crown they would have to shave my tooth down to a little pointed peg just to fit a crown. The crown isn't permanent. What if something happened tomorrow where dentistry was just a memory and I needed a crown? I would walk around looking like a cannibal, scaring the masses, opposed to just having a chipped front tooth.
What does that nonsensical little story have to do with wls you ask? Well, with a DS surgery, I would have to take vitamins to survive. Sure, with the sleeve I take vitamins too, but if something happened tomorrow, I'd still be ok without vitamins on the sleeve. The ds and bypass are malabsorption surgeries. That means even though you are absorbing less calories, you are also absorbing significantly less vitamins, and with the ds I could die without my vitamins.
So, that's a no go, no go.
Like I told the doctor, if I could get to 200 or 170 on the sleeve, I could get to 135 as well. I've seen it done. You know why? Because no matter the surgery, the hard work will always be up to you mentally to overcome, even on those darkest days when you forget why you did this at all. You're the one who has control. If you eat right and follow the plan, there's absolutely no reason you can't lose 100% of your total weight with the sleeve. So do what inherently feels right for you. What helped me snap out of my mini depression after my appointment was watching more YouTube videos of people losing 130,150, and even 250 pounds on the sleeve. It works if you do, so again, do what's right for you

Yup, the hard work will be the mentality you have, and you use.