Gastric Bypass option off table-having sleeve

[tuckersmom 42]

So as some of u know I went in a week ago today for my rny bypass and came home with nothing done. Found a fatty mass in position making it impossible to have the full bypass. Surgeon says I can have the sleeve. So my question to you all is what is your experience with the sleeve? I’ve seen many posts of reversion from sleeve to rny bypass so that concerns me that the sleeve does t work quite as well. Will I have same results with sleeve? How much slower is the weight loss with the sleeve? Any info, opinions, experience you can share is much appreciated!

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

So I'm guessing the mass can't be removed as a first surgery? The overall outcome percentage-wise is very close for the sleeve compared to rny, the losses are slower but continue longer. You will find the mental aspect exactly the same for any wls procedure, it is still hard work and a lifelong haul.

[FluffyChix 17,409]

I'm still not getting what a "fatty mass" is? Is it that your tummy is too big and has too much abdominal fat so they can't access and make enough room to perform the bypass?

I'm sorry you had this experience. Many, many, many people do beyond better than the statistics with VSG and it's become the most popular WLS today. And FYI many/most of the VSG patients are losing faster than I. I'm an RNY. LOL.

[Taoz 284]

I'm getting the gastric sleeve 2nd may. Rny tends to lose weight faster at first, but by 18 months post op sleeve and rny loss is about the same.

Most revisions from sleeve to rny that I've seen so far are people who developed reflux.

Benefits of sleeve over rny are much lower chance of dumping, no malabsorption of nutrients, no risk of herniation from bypass intestine joins, and complete removal of the 80% of your stomach that produces most of your ghrelin hunger hormone.

(I'm guessing sleeve would also do less damage/alteration to your "gut biome" too, which research is only now starting to show is massively important to health)

If you are someone who still chooses to eat unhealthy foods / empty calories post surgery though, the sleeve won't prevent you from absorbing all of those calories like an rny would.

[tuckersmom 42]

So I'm guessing the mass can't be removed as a first surgery? The overall outcome percentage-wise is very close for the sleeve compared to rny, the losses are slower but continue longer. You will find the mental aspect exactly the same for any wls procedure, it is still hard work and a lifelong haul.

As I understand it, that’s correct. The mass cannot be removed. I’m not sure why and frankly everything I was told in the hospital is a bit of a blur due to meds. I see surgeon in two days to have staples removed so of course I’ll ask many questions. What I was clear about is the pathology on the mass shows nothing more than fatty tissue. It’s embedded into my small intestine. Surgeon was clear that I still qualify for a sleeve and that it could be done in 4-6 weeks once I’m healed from this fiasco. Lol

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Ok, so it sounds like a fatty tumor or lipoma. The question I would ask him is if it's growing inside the wall of the intestine, or if it's growing outside the intestine or growing inside the intestine itself and if it will continue to grow? Why can't it be removed? Does it pose a threat to from the standpoint of bowel obstruction or pain? How big is it? What are they going to do to keep an eye on it and monitor it.

Just FYI.

(Sorry being 7 years out from a late BC and having too many to count scares with "new masses" that the docs are now all "following" it's just not everyone knows to ask these kinds of questions.)

[Creekimp13 5,838]

Sleeve -vs- RNY....statistically, people lose a little more with RNY.

With sleeve the average person loses about 60% of their excess body weight.

With RNY the average person loses closer to 70%.

But people are individual.....You can succeed to goal with both, and both can fail if you don't make the necessary lifestyle changes.

With sleeve...some people get really bad acid that sometimes requires revision to RNY.

With RNY...people can experience dumping and more nutrient malabsorption problems.

The bottom line is making lifestyle changes.

[Mamsmith83 2]

When I decided on the sleeve vs rny I think the difference was like 13 lbs I think sleeve people average loose 60% and bypass people usually lose about 70%. Depending how I am feeling in a few months I will probably talk to my doctor about switching to a bypass, but for me its because of reflux. I had pretty severe reflux before, but I let the doctor talk me into a sleeve, and now it is the same or worse than before so I might be one of the revision people too. I'm down almost 40lbs but my weightloss has slowed this week. I think that people who have the bypass lose faster, but from what the doc told me by 2 years everyone is about the same.

[Frustr8 7,886]

After your research you usually can make a choice on which you'll live best with or tolerate more. If your surgeon recommends the other, ask what his justification is. Maybe they can see down the road better than you can. Maybe you have a body irregularity that one addresses better. But it is 80% your choice only 20% theirs, work it out between the 2 of you.😛

[allwet 868]

I hope your talk with your surgeon in a few days makes you feel better about the sleeve option.

I was also scheduled for bypass at first but due to compromised circulation in 1 leg below the knee he felt the increased malabsorption from bypass would cause an increase in risk to my lower leg that was not justified by the small increase in weight loss could seen with bypass vs. sleeve.

I have been Over the Moon happy with my GSV and hope you will be happy as well.

You can achieve the results you want so dont let the change get you down.

Edited April 16, 2018 by allwet

[tuckersmom 42]

Met with surgeon two days ago. Treated poorly (and that’s putting it mildly) so I walked out never to return. He is the only surgeon for Bariatric at this hospital so I’m going elsewhere. I’m fine with getting the sleeve, just not with him and his program.

[Frustr8 7,886]

Do you have alternate hospitals in your area? If not, my advice, go to the nearest University/teaching hospital you can find. They almost always tend to be Center of Excellence Hospitals, CreekImp was very satisfied with hers and I suspect I will be with mine also. In fact when program#1 kicked me to the curb(drat their evil souls!) her good results influenced me to seek my new one. What state are you in anyway? Want to know, if I ever would move to your area I would want to dodge your doctor. I've hand enough trouble with my own to last me the last few years of my life.😍

[krash11 35]

I never had reflux before getting the sleeve and now it is terrible. Getting the bypass soon to alleviate it. Also gained half the weight i lost with the band. I am always hungry and have no restriction. Just an FYI from the other side of the surgery.

[Bryn910 519]

3 hours ago, krash11 said:

I never had reflux before getting the sleeve and now it is terrible. Getting the bypass soon to alleviate it. Also gained half the weight i lost with the band. I am always hungry and have no restriction. Just an FYI from the other side of the surgery.

I am in the same boat with you.