I have wanted to do gastric surgery for about 7 years but was scared to have bypass. When my insurance started to approve sleeve I was so excited that I could finally feel safe doing a gastric surgery. However, when I met with my doctor, he said I would probably not lose enough weight with the sleeve. I have two acquaintances who had the sleeve, both weighed about the same starting out, but one lost 50 lbs. and has gained 20 back, the other lost 150 but it has taken her 2 years. So, I'm totally confused and scared if I go with the sleeve (dr ultimately left it up to me) I will only have a slight weight loss and/or gain it back. What is your experience? Should I do bypass or sleeve? I need to lose about 170

lbs.

I have wanted to do gastric surgery for about 7 years but was scared to have bypass. When my insurance started to approve sleeve I was so excited that I could finally feel safe doing a gastric surgery. However, when I met with my doctor, he said I would probably not lose enough weight with the sleeve. I have two acquaintances who had the sleeve, both weighed about the same starting out, but one lost 50 lbs. and has gained 20 back, the other lost 150 but it has taken her 2 years. So, I'm totally confused and scared if I go with the sleeve (dr ultimately left it up to me) I will only have a slight weight loss and/or gain it back. What is your experience? Should I do bypass or sleeve? I need to lose about 170
lbs.

First off congratulations on your approval! I chose the sleeve particularly because although it takes longer (2 years) to lose the weight the results of keeping it off statistically is better versus the bypass. My high weight last January when I started my pre op classes was 352lbs. The doctor gave me a goal weight of 178. Which is 174 lbs I have to lose.
I spent last year losing as much as I could, which wasn't much but I got down to 321 by surgery in december.. I'm now almost 6 weeks post op and weighed in at 291 yesterday. I don't expect the weight to keep coming off this fast. I've followed over a hundred sleevers on Instagram and I can tell you, if you don't follow your meal plan and work out it will be a long slow process with little success. But the same goes on the other end, the ones who stick to their plans, and workout a few days a week have done an amazing job! Some have lost 100lbs in under a year! It's a hard process no matter which surgery you choose.

I like that if I don't eat right I won't get results. I'm doing this to change my entire lifestyle, and that will help me stay on track, but everyone is different.

Good luck on whatever you choose!

You may want to do some reading to help you make your decision. This may be a good place to start.

https://www.bariatricpal.com/info/which-surgery-is-right-for-me/which_surgery_is_right_for_me_.html/

Good luck!

17 hours ago, Road2Newme3 said:

First off congratulations on your approval! I chose the sleeve particularly because although it takes longer (2 years) to lose the weight the results of keeping it off statistically is better versus the bypass.

Hey there! Could you point me to where you found this information about the sleeve? It was only approved as a standalone procedure in 2011, so the first 5-year studies are coming out now, with no longer-term studies yet available. Curious as to how it was demonstrated statistically that the sleeve performed better in weight maintenance over the bypass.

I just had the bypass on 12/18 and i'm doing great. I can't speak on the sleeve even though it was my first choice, initially. I have so much extra weight to lose and I wanted extra accountability so I went with the bypass. I have seen MANY sleeve people on these forums go back in for a revision to the bypass. I have no complaints. The bypass only sounds bad because of the work that is done on the inside. I promise you, as long as you have a great surgeon, either surgery will be successful. My good friend @JohnnyCakes was a good person to lean on as far as understanding and not letting the "bypass" word add more fear than it needed to be. There are risks with any surgery. I have no regrets. I definitely wish you good luck as you start a new chapter in life.

On 1/16/2018 at 9:49 PM, Road2Newme3 said:

I chose the sleeve particularly because although it takes longer (2 years) to lose the weight the results of keeping it off statistically is better versus the bypass.

Wrong.

3 hours ago, SampTheChamp said:

My good friend @JohnnyCakes was a good person to lean on as far as understanding and not letting the "bypass" word add more fear than it needed to be. There are risks with any surgery. I have no regrets.

thanks bro...

I had about the same amount to lose and I went with the bypass. Part of my decision was made for me because I had severe GERD prior to surgery - but I mainly went with bypass because I had so much to lose. I also blindly believed my doctor when they described the 'negative' feedback (dumping, nausea, basically getting sick if you eat bad things) and wanted that. Sadly, I did my homework after and discovered that doesn't happen to all bypass patients - and I'm one of the lucky ones who can eat literally anything without getting sick. My weight loss has been a bit slower than a lot of bypass patients but that's ok - I'm still losing which is all that matters in the long run.

Edited January 18, 20188 yr by Sadiebug

I just had the bypass on 12/18 and i'm doing great. I can't speak on the sleeve even though it was my first choice, initially. I have so much extra weight to lose and I wanted extra accountability so I went with the bypass. I have seen MANY sleeve people on these forums go back in for a revision to the bypass. I have no complaints. The bypass only sounds bad because of the work that is done on the inside. I promise you, as long as you have a great surgeon, either surgery will be successful. My good friend [mention=320385]JohnnyCakes[/mention] was a good person to lean on as far as understanding and not letting the "bypass" word add more fear than it needed to be. There are risks with any surgery. I have no regrets. I definitely wish you good luck as you start a new chapter in life.

Boards like this aren't a representation of the sleeve population at large. You say you see "many" getting revised to bypass. Successful sleeve patients aren't posting about not needing one. It's only those who need the revision who post. Most successful sleeve patients are off living their lives.

I wouldn't go by that. I would look to see actual statistics about revision rates.

Not saying RNY isn't a great operation, it absolutely is. But many people have success with the sleeve as well.

Wrong.

Yes wrong all the way around.

Yes wrong all the way around.

Sorry, I went back to the article, it was the band I had read not the bypass.

OP I correct that original statement.

Sorry, I went back to the article, it was the band I had read not the bypass.

OP I correct that original statement.

Can you share that article? Because nothing I've read says band has better success keeping it off.

Can you share that article? Because nothing I've read says band has better success keeping it off.

I'm not sure if that was read right.. What I meant was that the success rates for sleeve were greater than the band, not the bypass (which I had originally stated.)

20 hours ago, Road2Newme3 said:

I'm not sure if that was read right.. What I meant was that the success rates for sleeve were greater than the band, not the bypass (which I had originally stated.)

Thanks for clarifying! I was so confused. You are definitely correct about the band, though. It's so funny because @Alex Brecher had the band and he was so successful that he started this website and his career in bariatrics! So while statistically the band is pretty poor, there are definitely success stories out there (just like with losing weight without surgery). But, as the statistics show, on average you'll definitely maintain weight loss better with the sleeve or bypass than with the band.