Why did you choose the surgery you had/will have?

[biginjapan 647]

I originally went with sleeve for the same reasons many have posted here - I didn't like the idea of my intestines being rerouted, I didn't want the Vitamin regimen for the rest of my life, and it just seemed more extreme than what I needed. However, I'm now less than a month away from getting a revision to gastric bypass, and I try not to feel angry that I didn't do that from the start (mostly because I've paid for 2 surgeries). Unfortunately I had to self-pay in Mexico, and my experience with that is that the doctors will basically agree with what you want and rarely take the time to consider your own personal needs. I live in Japan and there really isn't any doctor or program for me to use here, so I was stuck. The reality was even though I didn't have any co-morbidities, I had 150 pounds to lose and was a sugar addict. Bypass was probably the option I should have gone with from the beginning. But now I'm getting my surgery done in Tallinn (Estonia) from a very reputable place, and one of the reasons why I chose it is because the surgeon had a very specific plan for ME, as opposed to himself, like so many other surgeons.

One thing I know from my failed sleeve is that being (or having been) obese is like being an alcoholic - once one, always one (your fat cells never disappear, they just shrink, waiting to be filled again). You have to be vigilant about what your triggers are and how to avoid them. There will never be a time in the future when you can go back to how you were - it's just too easy to fall off the wagon. I know now that it's normal to always feel a little bit hungry, that if I feel full then I've eaten too much, and that I can never eat sweet things - once I start it's hard to stop. It's just better if I never start.

[Lily66 425]

Proud of your courage, determination and tenacity biginjapan! Well stated post and ohhhh so true. You deserve all the success in the world with this and I send all Best Wishes with Estonia! Shame Shame on the Mexico Dr.’s who did not serve you well! You’ve got this now! May success be even sweeter because of your journey!🏆

[BoredFatGirl 134]

On 1/15/2020 at 6:24 PM, KlaPV said:

Why did you choose the type of surgery you will have or might have? What factors were deciding factors for you?

Originally, I was going to go for the sleeve surgery. My friend has already had it done and I've heard very little complaints from her. I also thought it would be nice to have something to 'share' with her. I joke that bypass is 'Frankenstein-ing your insides', but I am also a bit serious about it, too. The sleeve seems like it was just an easier procedure and I was told that you lose your hunger hormones, which seems helpful, too.

However, after talking to my doctor, I was recommended to do bypass due to my acid reflux & heart burn becoming worse after the sleeve. I was also told that there is a higher percent of weight loss to be expected when going with bypass over sleeve. He warned me of possible dumping with the bypass (but since being on these forums and talking to others, it seems to happen from having either surgery). He also said that it really only happens when eating food you shouldn't be eating in the first place, and I felt that.

He said I could choose either, but I'm set on bypass.

[catwoman7 10,846]

1 hour ago, BoredFatGirl said:

Originally, I was going to go for the sleeve surgery. My friend has already had it done and I've heard very little complaints from her. I also thought it would be nice to have something to 'share' with her. I joke that bypass is 'Frankenstein-ing your insides', but I am also a bit serious about it, too. The sleeve seems like it was just an easier procedure and I was told that you lose your hunger hormones, which seems helpful, too.

However, after talking to my doctor, I was recommended to do bypass due to my acid reflux & heart burn becoming worse after the sleeve. I was also told that there is a higher percent of weight loss to be expected when going with bypass over sleeve. He warned me of possible dumping with the bypass (but since being on these forums and talking to others, it seems to happen from having either surgery). He also said that it really only happens when eating food you shouldn't be eating in the first place, and I felt that.

He said I could choose either, but I'm set on bypass.

most people lose their hunger regardless of surgery. And also regardless of surgery, it eventually comes back for most of us. I'm not sure if you lose more hunger with the sleeve or not. It may be about the same.

[biginjapan 647]

7 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

most people lose their hunger regardless of surgery. And also regardless of surgery, it eventually comes back for most of us. I'm not sure if you lose more hunger with the sleeve or not. It may be about the same.

The part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone ghrelin gets removed in both sleeve and bypass, but after a year or two (or even faster) your body finds a way to make you feel hungry again. That's why establishing good eating habits for as long as you can is essential.

[biginjapan 647]

9 hours ago, MsMocie said:

Are you going to fertilitas and Dr Kaur? He is an exellent man, doctor and human beeing

I am!!! So glad to hear that. I decided to go with him over everyone else (and I looked worldwide) because of the absolute detail and reasoning he had behind why I needed a full gastric bypass and not a mini, like so many other doctors were recommending (it seems like this is the popular choice now, especially in Mexico).

Edit: no disrespect to the mini gastric bypass! I just felt like it wasn't quite right for me despite having so many doctors tell me so. I had a couple of doctors recommend the full bypass but only Dr. Kaur did so with reasons that were connected to other health issues I have, which made me feel more secure in choosing him.

Edited February 9, 2020 by biginjapan

[PollyEster 228]

If you read over the hundreds of threads here on this very topic, you'll find thousands of different outflows of advice. Who knows if any of the feedback leads to anything other than second guessing or confusion. There are innumerable individual medical, health, lifestyle, psychological, emotional, and personality factors that guide the decision about which surgery to select. Ultimately all one can do is methodically research each option, and make a decision that is based on both logic (research and information) and feeling (self-knowledge and insight).

As an aside, gastrectomy surgery has actually been around since 1881, and since the 1950's it has been -- and remains -- the most common surgery to treat stomach cancer, severe ulcers, and traumatic injury to the stomach. So there's a vast amount of medical studies and health outcomes research data (far more than Roux-en-Y data, which only goes back to 1996) thanks to millions of patients around the world living long lives after complete and partial gastrectomies.... just not specifically for weight loss purposes. Naturally these studies don't address long term weight loss maintenance, but ultimately how much we lose and whether or not we keep it off long-term is entirely within our control based on our food and exercise habits.

When considering VSG for weight loss, I studied the long-term (20-35-50 years post-op) data on these patients. Research indicates that the only notable long-term issues are regarding Vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies in some patients depending on the percentage of stomach that was removed; more specifically, Vitamins D, B12, Calcium, folate, and Iron. In fact, the long-term data collected on stomach cancer gastrectomy patients is the basis for supplement recommendations for post-op VSG patients.

Edited February 22, 2020 by PollyEster

[VIN_IN_AL 55]

On 1/15/2020 at 11:24 AM, KlaPV said:

Why did you choose the type of surgery you will have or might have? What factors were deciding factors for you?

I never wanted WLS and tried just about everything available in the weight loss industry to avoid it, including attending a weight loss “boot camp”. Unfortunately, every time I lost weight; it slowly came back.

I decided to see four surgeons from different health provides when I finally decided the surgical route would have to be considered. I left it up to them to tell me what procedure I should have. Of the four, only one recommended a full bypass, all others suggested Gastric Sleeve so that is what I am planning to do in April 2020.

[pssk 225]

My facts: 55 yr old F, 35.8 BMI, had band removed in 2018.

When I went back to surgeon ins the summer of 2019 he suggested RNY which surprised me because I was thinking sleeve. But since I had GERD when I had the band he said RNY. So I got my mind around RNY.

I ended up getting bad gout that summer and surgeon decided one week before surgery that I should do VSG due the fact that RNY can cause gout attacks, malabsorption of meds, inability to take meds, etc. he told me he was afraid I would be miserable.

So then I had to get my mind back around vsg. Lol

Ultimately it looks like it all has worked out well. I am 4 months post op and 5 lbs from a goal that they didn’t believe I would get to. I’m sure either surgery would have given my these results because after all it really is up to us!

You can eat around any surgery if you want to self sabotage. I pray that never happens to me again but Ultimately that will be up to me!

Best wishes!!

[ms.sss 14,637]

36 minutes ago, pssk said:

I’m sure either surgery would have given my these results because after all it really is up to us!

Agreed.

Btw, congrats on your success!

[Mariyn 3]

I plan to have the lap band surgery. It does not seem to be as popular as the gastric sleeve or bypass surgeries but it seems the least invasive to me. Also, I am a late starter since I am 71. I am a food addict and eat often when I am not hungry. I know this surgery will be a tool and I will be making serious changes in my food. I have heart disease and type 2 diabetes. My goal is to correct the diabetes and lessen the work my heart has to do. I have done all steps except the psych evaluation and that is next week. I hope to have my surgery in early April.

I do have a reputable surgeon that will do my surgery. I am confident he will help me through this process.

[Mariyn 3]

I have been doing a lot of reading about the gastric sleeve and am considering this instead of the lap band. I would love to hear from others who had the lap band or gastric sleeve and advantages/disadvantages of either one. I am not young, 71, and this is a factor, also.

[catwoman7 10,846]

6 hours ago, Mariyn said:

I have been doing a lot of reading about the gastric sleeve and am considering this instead of the lap band. I would love to hear from others who had the lap band or gastric sleeve and advantages/disadvantages of either one. I am not young, 71, and this is a factor, also.

I'm surprised you found a surgeon who's willing to do the lapband. Most have abandoned this surgery because so many people had complications from it. The sleeve has largely replaced it as an alternative to the bypass.

[Miss215 21]

The main reason I’m choosing to have the sleeve done is that I’d prefer not to have to change the usual way in which food flows through and is absorbed, in my body. I also think gastric bypass might result in “too much” weight loss for me personally. I’m aiming to lose about 120 lbs. I think the sleeve will get me there just fine. I also wanted to not exhaust the extent of WLS tools outright. If I never actually need a full bypass, why have it?,is the way I thought of it.

[Takoda 23]

I choose the sleeve because it seemed like it would help me to get to the weight I want without having to get Vitamin injections and such. Plus it’s a much slower, gentler wt loss then the RNY from what I’ve seen so I figured that may be better for me.