I will finish my 90 day preop visits in Jan. When I met the surgeon in October he asked what surgery I was considering. I said the bypass due to my 1 year history with significant reflux (I have to take meds or I am miserable, I have cut out caffeine and carbonated drinks as well.). I also have a history of DM in my family (not me yet but I am prediabetic and bypass is supposed to decrease DM more than the sleeve.

However now that surgery is getting closer I'm getting cold feet about the bypass and thinking maybe I should just get the sleeve. It freaks me out about malnutrition and increased side effects etc. Then I think about how I have researched about relfux being an issue after sleeve and bypass surgery actually helps reflux.

Has anyone here had reflux prior or post surgery?

If you have significant reflux I would absolutely go with the bypass.
It odd to me how many people think that the sleeve is the “easier” of the two surgeries. They are both major surgeries.

And respect the surgery, both bring a world of change to,your lifestyle, your life and you. If you trivelize the impact, Karma gonna get You!,,,, Just ?....saying!

Hi. I'm pre-surgery and hoping to have my bypass in January. I have significant GERD which is mostly controlled by Dexilant and Zantac. I briefly flirted with the idea of the sleeve, but my surgeon won't do it on me because of the reflux. The sleeve has the potential to make reflux worse. Good luck with whatever one you choose!

I had GERD and went with the bypass because of it. It really doesn't have many more side effects than the sleeve does, and malnutrition isn't an issue as long as you keep on top of your supplements (you have to take some supplements with the sleeve as well). I would not recommend getting the sleeve if you already have GERD. I've seen too many people have to revise to bypass because of it. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones, but I'm not sure I'd want to risk it.

Other than needing to talk supplements, what other side effects are you concerned about with a bypass? Once you know which supplements to take (ex. calcium citrate, B12, a good multivitamin with micronutrients, iron), all you have to do is take them. I'm actually healthier now and my bypass (my vitamin D is no longer in the single digits).

I have NO regrets regarding my bypass. And GERD scares me more than anything. Having a sleeve, to me, is like Russian roulette. Will I develop GERD or won't I? I also hated the thought that a part of my anatomy would be permanently removed.

9 hours ago, 2Bsmaller18 said:

I will finish my 90 day preop visits in Jan. When I met the surgeon in October he asked what surgery I was considering. I said the bypass due to my 1 year history with significant reflux (I have to take meds or I am miserable, I have cut out caffeine and carbonated drinks as well.). I also have a history of DM in my family (not me yet but I am prediabetic and bypass is supposed to decrease DM more than the sleeve.

However now that surgery is getting closer I'm getting cold feet about the bypass and thinking maybe I should just get the sleeve. It freaks me out about malnutrition and increased side effects etc. Then I think about how I have researched about relfux being an issue after sleeve and bypass surgery actually helps reflux.

Has anyone here had reflux prior or post surgery?

Some thoughts. The sleeve is 100% not reversible. Full stop. 80% of your stomach will end up in the trash.
The bypass *IS* reversible, contrary to popular belief. Since nothing is removed, only rearranged, it's all still in there in the off chance you have a major issue and need to put back.

The sleeve will almost always exacerbate GERD and Reflux issues.
The bypass will almost always cure GERD and Reflux issues.

Not everyone with the Bypass gets dumping.
The sleeve can still experience dumping.

The malnutrition and "side effects" are minimal and controlled with ease. There are a number of Bypass Patients that are getting 100% of their required nutrition from food alone, no supplementation needed. But even still, a few supplements a day aren't really a major issue and it works into a daily routine with ease.

Between the 2, The bypass beats out the sleeve on all metrics of weight loss, rate of loss, % kept off, etc. It might only be a few % points, but the Bypass wins out each time.

For me, I was banded in 2011. The sleeve wasn't approved at that time and I was scare of the Bypass because I didn't want anything "permanent" (I wasn't aware of the reversal potential at the time) I wanted something that could be removed... well, I got exactly what I asked for, non-permanence. I was originally looking at revising from band to sleeve. But my surgeon would not do band to sleeve revisions due to increased failure rate due to scar tissue from the band intersecting where the staple line for the sleeve would go. I mulled over the options, which were do nothing, remove the band and that's it, or remove the band and revise to bypass.

I opted for the Band to Bypass and I could not be happier with that choice. Wish I didn't let fear control my choice in 2011.

Some thoughts. The sleeve is 100% not reversible. Full stop. 80% of your stomach will end up in the trash.

The bypass *IS* reversible, contrary to popular belief. Since nothing is removed, only rearranged, it's all still in there in the off chance you have a major issue and need to put back.

The sleeve will almost always exacerbate GERD and Reflux issues.

The bypass will almost always cure GERD and Reflux issues.

Not everyone with the Bypass gets dumping.

The sleeve can still experience dumping.

The malnutrition and "side effects" are minimal and controlled with ease. There are a number of Bypass Patients that are getting 100% of their required nutrition from food alone, no supplementation needed. But even still, a few supplements a day aren't really a major issue and it works into a daily routine with ease.

Between the 2, The bypass beats out the sleeve on all metrics of weight loss, rate of loss, % kept off, etc. It might only be a few % points, but the Bypass wins out each time.

For me, I was banded in 2011. The sleeve wasn't approved at that time and I was scare of the Bypass because I didn't want anything "permanent" (I wasn't aware of the reversal potential at the time) I wanted something that could be removed... well, I got exactly what I asked for, non-permanence. I was originally looking at revising from band to sleeve. But my surgeon would not do band to sleeve revisions due to increased failure rate due to scar tissue from the band intersecting where the staple line for the sleeve would go. I mulled over the options, which were do nothing, remove the band and that's it, or remove the band and revise to bypass.

I opted for the Band to Bypass and I could not be happier with that choice. Wish I didn't let fear control my choice in 2011.

That's exactly what my doctor told me! I am doing a revision from Band to Bypass. He will not do a sleeve on me. He said, "I will not set you up for failure again."

My surgery is on Dec. 12th.

Jacie63

The sleeve will mean risking worse reflux that can turn into a more serious condition, then you will have to revise to a bypass anyway.

SKIP THE EXTRA STEPS.

I suggest you speak with your team again but stick with the original plan

None of this was ever discussed with me when I met with the surgical team. I have GERD as well and am scheduled for the sleeve tomorrow. They have my medical history and know I take medication for it but the possibility of doing the bypass has never once been mentioned to me. A few years a go I lost 100 lbs on my own with the HcG diet and I didn't have any issues with reflux while I was thin. I'm hoping to be that was again when the weight comes off.

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I am just reading about complications of ulcers etc. and getting a little freaked out. Then I read success stories and I'm ready for it tomorrow.

5 hours ago, 2Bsmaller18 said:

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I am just reading about complications of ulcers etc. and getting a little freaked out. Then I read success stories and I'm ready for it tomorrow.

Initially, which is common postoperatively, you'll ask, "What in the heck have I done to myself?" After a few weeks, however, and after shedding several pounds, you'll be wondering why you didn't do this sooner.

Make sure you let us know how you're doing after your surgery. We care!

Edited November 28, 20187 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

5 hours ago, 2Bsmaller18 said:

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I am just reading about complications of ulcers etc. and getting a little freaked out. Then I read success stories and I'm ready for it tomorrow.

to be honest, complications really aren't all that common. One of the most common ones is a stricture, which happens to about 5% of us - and that's a really easy fix (I had one of those)