I went to my first appointment with the bariatric surgeon today I had my mind set on Gastric Sleeve. The surgeon says well with you being diabetic and African American I would recommend the bypass studies have shown that bypass works better for AA females. She stated that I would no longer have to take my diabetes medication. She said it's my choice but she wanted me to know the best option for me. Has anyone with diabetes been successful with the sleeve?

A Sleeve can be converted to a bypass if necessary but bypass cannot be modified. Both are permanent though.

11 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

Honestly at the 2 year mark the surgeries are basically the same.

Curing your diabetes is really up to you and how you eat long term.

I know someone 4 plus years post op RNY that is sinking back into diabetes. Dr wants to put them back on meds and it is totally based on their lifestyle. They basically eat as bad if not worse than they did pre-op, fast food sweets (dumping is usually only short term for people if it happens at all).

I'm an AA female. I had the sleeve. My diabetes was under control with pills only before surgery. I was off my meds in 6 weeks.

After 6 to 9 months how much weight you lose is all on you, not your surgery.

My Dr said I was young, relatively healthy and active. The sleeve would work for me. I have lost 180 pounds more weight than people who had RNY at the same time I had the sleeve and we're in the same weight range. I have exceeded the expected weight loss for both the sleeve and RNY. How much you lose is based on you and your lifestyle choices, not the surgery.

They reserve RNY for the elderly and disabled. They only do DS on people that are massive 500 lb range.

You have to live with the choice not your doctor so consider your options carefully.

Oh yeah, I started with boarder line high blood pressure. The wanted to start me know meds. My blood pressure is at the bottom of normal now.

My biggest fear is losing too much weight with the bypass and having to deal with malnutrition . I'm 220 so I figured the sleeve would be better.

I'm disabled and my doctor did not tell me that they reserve RNY for disabled only thing they told us in the meeting that if you have GED it is best have the RNY because if have the sleeve it will get worse then you have come back in have the RNY did

At 220 there is no way in hell I would have RNY. I can't believe a Dr even recommended that. Unless you are under 5 feet tall.

I knew with the sleeve I would have more control over my weight loss. With RNY, you never know. It depends on how much they bypass and people have natural variations in the length of their intestines. Too many variables.

Yes it is that is why I'm not having it did at all and my severing said I made best choice having the sleeve did

2 minutes ago, browneyesdebra said:

I'm disabled and my doctor did not tell me that they reserve RNY for disabled only thing they told us in the meeting that if you have GED it is best have the RNY because if have the sleeve it will get worse then you have come back in have the RNY did

All practices are different. I picked mine because I liked how they approached things better than other groups.

Most doctors are hesitant to touch perfectly fine intestines because of all the issues. The doctors on Fat Doctor UK, talk about how they hate to do it all the time. As the show went on they switched to more sleeves than anything else.

Where I'm at in Florida they said both running about the same it is 50 50 and when I went to my nutrition class I was only one in there that was getting the sleeve and was ten us in the class everyone else was getting the RNY and when went to the seminar it was more people that had RNY did and two lady's got up said they had it and love it

1 hour ago, browneyesdebra said:

Where I'm at in Florida they said both running about the same it is 50 50 and when I went to my nutrition class I was only one in there that was getting the sleeve and was ten us in the class everyone else was getting the RNY and when went to the seminar it was more people that had RNY did and two lady's got up said they had it and love it

It's funny, my surgeon is actually a huge fan of RNY (by admission of other surgeons and nurses that deal with him) yet virtually everyone I've met with him as their surgeon suggests lately he's recommended VSG far more often than not.

Sufficed to say, if my reflux worsens, I know who I'm yelling at for a revision.

1 hour ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

At 220 there is no way in hell I would have RNY. I can't believe a Dr even recommended that. Unless you are under 5 feet tall.

I knew with the sleeve I would have more control over my weight loss. With RNY, you never know. It depends on how much they bypass and people have natural variations in the length of their intestines. Too many variables.

I'm 5'3, I asked about losing too much weight and she just said eventually I could gain some of the weight back if need be.

5 hours ago, Rblack171 said:

I'm 5'3, I asked about losing too much weight and she just said eventually I could gain some of the weight back if need be.

I would definitely find another surgeon.

First the goal after surgery isn't yo-yo weight loss. You want to get down to a comfortable weight and maintain it.

Secondly, depending on how your body reacts to RNY it might not be easy to gain weight. She is a Dr, she knows this.

RNY is a longer surgery that makes them more money and it is more likely you need more follow up.

Find someone else or at least get a 2nd opinion.

43 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

I would definitely find another surgeon.

First the goal after surgery isn't yo-yo weight loss. You want to get down to a comfortable weight and maintain it.

Secondly, depending on how your body reacts to RNY it might not be easy to gain weight. She is a Dr, she knows this.

RNY is a longer surgery that makes them more money and it is more likely you need more follow up.

Find someone else or at least get a 2nd opinion.

That was my thought was the gastric bypass cost more, they will make more money. My Pcp told me they will most likely try to push the bypass but it's my decision. I'm going to call him today and let him know what I was told.

Thank you, I'm going to talk to another surgeon because that threw me off. I asked about losing too much weight with the bypass she said well you can always gain a little back if you lose too much.

Which type diabetes do you have? Because if you're type 1, you will have to continue to take insulin.

I have heard of those with type 2 not having to take meds anymore.

51 minutes ago, CindyD67 said:

Which type diabetes do you have? Because if you're type 1, you will have to continue to take insulin.

I have heard of those with type 2 not having to take meds anymore.

I have type 2 diabetes and I take 2000 mg of metformin and 10mg of Glimperide. Hopefully I see a reversal of the diabetes.