Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Gastric or Sleeve which is better?



Recommended Posts

Hello All! I am trying to figure out which tool would be better for me. I have Gerd and can't even drink Water without getting heartburn. I have been over weight my whole life and want to get the best tool possible to help me not only lose the weight but to keep it off. I have 1 shot and only 1 shot at this and I want to get it right. Any information anyone would like to share would be very much appreciated!☺️

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Let me preface this by saying that this conversation is better handled between you and your doctor.

To answer your question about which is better, that's entirely based on individual situation.

There is some evidence to suggest that the sleeve can make pre-existing GERD worse. However, there's also some evidence that this link is negligible. Regardless, you will find some doctors who refuse to sleeve a patient with pre-existing GERD. You will also find sleeved patients who develop GERD being revised to RNY to treat the GERD.

I can only speak from my personal experience. I had GERD before I was sleeved. I had it with lap band and off/on after I had the lap band removed. For personal reasons, I did not want to even consider RNY. So, I had a frank discussion with my doctor about the likelihood of GERD after sleeve. He felt that my GERD was "situational", meaning that my lifestyle and state of obesity contributed to it and its exacerbation. He and I were willing to take the chance of post-sleeve GERD and so we proceeded.

About 6 weeks after my sleeve surgery, I started having heartburn. We immediately implemented PPI's (Nexium), which took care of the heartburn and I thought I was in the clear. Life was good as long as I took my Nexium. About 6 months after surgery, I started noticing that I'd wake up with sore throat like I'd had a runny nose all night. If I ate too late, I'd be awakened by reflux (not choking or anything, but I could feel the stomach contents moving up towards my throat. Gross, I know, but it's the honest truth). I tried all of the GERD recommendations (no eating after 7, avoid certain foods, sleep with head elevated) and some not so common ones like DGL, sea buckthorn, and something called "Swedish Bitters". Everything helped, but didn't really solve the issue. I'm now seeing a gastroenterologist and we'll see where that takes me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have to say that my decision was made by the fact that I had horrible GERD already so I wasn’t going to risk that being possibly even worse with the sleeve. Combine that with the number of people going back to have the sleeve to bypass conversion and my decision was made. My Dr. gave me all the pros and cons of both surgeries and gave me a recommendation, but ultimately the decision was mine.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you both Ladies . I greatly appreciate it. I am just starting the process and my Doctor actually suggested that I speak to people who have actually had these procedures done and see what their experiences have been just so I can say that I have truly investigated and done my research before I make my decision.So thank you so much again for sharing your experiences and information its very helpful.😊

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've heard from numerous people that RNY is the best most efficient surgery

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had horrible GERD after getting the sleeve. Never had it before. Had bypass in December and it is so much better, even the recovery was easier than the sleeve.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for your input,it helps a lot and is very much appreciated !

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had bad GERD before surgery - so bad that once on vacation I went and slept in the truck so I could be upright all night (that was after Mardi gras in NOLA and then some late night spicy gumbo and red wine aka trifecta). I would commonly wake up 1-1.5 hours after falling asleep with stomach acid in my throat which was one of the worst feelings and good luck going back to sleep after that, regardless of when or what I ate. My insurance would only cover RNY and interestingly first meeting with my surgeon he suggested the sleeve, so my decision was purely insurance based. I can say that post op I haven't experienced the slightest amount of reflux and I've gone down from 2x's a day 100 mg of Omeprazole to 20 mg of famotidine 2x's day. It does seem that there are quite a few posts on here about conversion from sleeve to RNY due to GERD but there also seems to be way more posts in general about sleeve patients so I take that stat with a grain of salt without some concrete analysis behind it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know exactly how you feel. I sit up most nights to sleep and it doesn't matter what I take I'm up at least 3 times a night. I can drink Water and eat nothing at all and still have horrible acid reflux. So it is very encouraging to know that with either procedure there is a good possibility that I might one day get to sleep more than two hours at a time and actually get to lay down...lol Thank you for your input!...😁

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, ur Gerd sounds horrible ! I had gerd so bad I lost my voice at one point . I had a BMI if 35 and did the sleeve and am now about a 30 BMI . I took lansaprozole before surgery and am continuing to do so . Haven’t noticed GERD any worse since surgery . I had a hiatal hernia fixed during surgery so hope that once I am at goal , reflux should disappear . Nonetheless I don’t drink or eat chocolate and those were the things that really made the Gerd worse

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Forgot to add that I had a hiatal hernia as well. My gastro doc told me that fixing it was a 50/50 on fixing the gerd issue.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just had the test done Monday and they found that I hiatal hernia and am hoping that which ever tool I deside to use they will fix it while they are in there...lol Not Fun...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×