Did anyone find themselves start to go back and forth between procedures before getting a surgery date? I find myself flip flopping between roux en y and gastric sleeve. At first I picked the sleeve but then I thought since it's the same prep I should go for the bypass since it gives better weight loss results. Now I'm thinking I don't want to be having malabsorption and the sleeve is fast to recover. Arggggg!

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I had the sleeve and 7 years on I wish I had gone for the bypass. It's a really personal decision, but I tend to eat compulsively throughout the day, not large meals. Overtime my sleeve stretched and I regained a lot of weight due to eating small amounts regularly. I am now scheduled to have a mini bypass. So when you are weighing up your options, remember that the initial restriction from the sleeve is not permanent, I can now eat the same size meals as my husband. I hope that helps ?

Edited July 12, 20206 yr by Camella

5 minutes ago, Camella said:

I had the sleeve and 7 years on I wish I had gone for the bypass. It's a really personal decision, but I tend to eat compulsively throughout the day, not large meals. Overtime my sleeve stretched and I regained a lot of weight due to eating small amounts regularly. I am now scheduled to have a mini bypass. So when you are weighing up your options, remember that the initial restriction from the sleeve is not permanent, I can now eat the same size meals as my husband. I hope that helps ?

I’m definitely a picker and I have a big problem with ice cream. I can eat a pint in ten minutes. I’m not a foodie but boy I love junk. I had an eating disorder when I was young and oddly enough I feel like the idea of getting surgery is kind of triggering it a little. I’m not purging but definitely binging a little more then before I decided. The bypass punishes you if you eat sweets. That could be a positive or a negative. I think if I put it in a pro and cons list it would be better.

Bypass: Pros- I will lose more weight, I will keep it off easier, discourages sweets by causing dumping syndrome. Cons- faster weight lost causes more loose skin, chance of malnourishment increased, my history of purging could cause me not to be deterred by dumping syndrome

Sleeve: Pros- less drastic, faster surgical recovery, slower loss = less loose skin Cons: may not reach goal weight, stomach pouch can stretch

that’s what I come up with so far.

2 hours ago, perfektlynrml said:

Did anyone find themselves start to go back and forth between procedures before getting a surgery date? I find myself flip flopping between roux en y and gastric sleeve. At first I picked the sleeve but then I thought since it's the same prep I should go for the bypass since it gives better weight loss results. Now I'm thinking I don't want to be having malabsorption and the sleeve is fast to recover. Arggggg!

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Mate the malabsorption is the whole reason for the bypass. I've lost weight so QUICKLY and still losing weight in maintenance mode without even trying and that is only because of the bypass...

I've lost 159lbs and very little skin issues but I do drink a ton of water everyday

recovery from both surgeries is about the same. I've never seen any anecdotes about recovery from sleeve being easier than recovery from bypass.

bypass: statistically, bypassers lose more weight, but we're talking a few lbs, and besides, those are just averages. Some sleevers lose a lot more than bypassers, and vice versa. It comes down to the individual and how committed they are to their plan. There are people on here who've been wildly successfully with both surgeries, and people who have failed both surgeries. It comes down to commitment. If you stick to the rules, you'll lose the weight.

weight loss is faster with bypass, but not by that much. And they equal out after a few months. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, you're going to have loose skin no matter how fast or slow the weight comes off and no matter which surgery you have. I don't think it makes a difference at all which surgery you have when it comes to loose skin.

there is malabsorption of vitamins with the bypass, but deficiencies are rare as long as you keep on top of your vitamins (you'll have to take vitamins with the sleeve as well) (p.s. the malabsorption that Mikey mentioned - the malabsorption of calories with the bypass - that is temporary. Lasts maybe two years tops. Your system gets smart and at some point is able to suck every calorie out of whatever food you eat again. I'm talking here about malabsorption of vitamins. That is permanent, but if you keep on top of your vitamins, you're very unlikely to have problems with this)

only about 30% of bypassers dump, so don't count on that happening. I, unfortunately, have no trouble at all eating sugar. I wish I did, but...no.

sleeve - I'm not sure why people think this surgery is less "drastic", although many do think this. Cutting out 80% of your stomach and throwing it on the garbage doesn't seem much less radical to me than sectioning off your stomach with staples and moving your small intestine up. They're both pretty radical...

stomach stretching - this actually isn't very common, from what I've read. If it happens, it's due to chronic overeating - day after day of overstuffing your stomach. Which hopefully you would not do after going through something as drastic as surgery. We all have our days, but you'd have to really work at stretching your stomach.

the only things that really should be strongly considered when making a decision is if you have health issues that would make one surgery more appropriate than the other. If you have GERD, go with bypass. If you have diabetes - well, either surgery can help with that, but the bypass tends to be more effective with putting it into remission. Otherwise....??? It really comes down to personal choice.

as far as your past eating disorders go, if you're still dealing with those, or are worried about those coming back, therapy is the best way to deal with that. Surgery doesn't really help with that. There are many bariatric patients who work with therapists, and there's nothing wrong with that!!

Edited July 12, 20206 yr by catwoman7

Okay well I sat down and went over every concern that I have with myself. I did a pros and cons listened to a podcast that gave the specifics of when to choose one surgery versus the other. I have decided that because I am pre-diabetic with family history of type 2 diabetes and strong history or heart disease and a genetic disorder that pre-disposes me to increased clotting, that gastric bypass will be the prudent choice in the long run. I do have reflux but it’s mild at the moment. I don’t want to chance it getting worse. Thank you all for your responses. I’m so glad I have people to discuss this with in the middle of the night!

4 hours ago, perfektlynrml said:

Okay well I sat down and went over every concern that I have with myself. I did a pros and cons listened to a podcast that gave the specifics of when to choose one surgery versus the other. I have decided that because I am pre-diabetic with family history of type 2 diabetes and strong history or heart disease and a genetic disorder that pre-disposes me to increased clotting, that gastric bypass will be the prudent choice in the long run. I do have reflux but it’s mild at the moment. I don’t want to chance it getting worse. Thank you all for your responses. I’m so glad I have people to discuss this with in the middle of the night!

I'm really glad you have some clarity. I also had bulimia when I was younger and understand your concerns, and I understand why the idea of surgery could be a trigger for increased binging. My experience in having lost weight via surgery and regained. plus having an eating disorder is that surgery won't fix your head. This time around I am seeing a therapist for my eating disorder at the same time as going through surgery. I know that if I don't fix my thinking I will regain again.

1 hour ago, Camella said:

I'm really glad you have some clarity. I also had bulimia when I was younger and understand your concerns, and I understand why the idea of surgery could be a trigger for increased binging. My experience in having lost weight via surgery and regained. plus having an eating disorder is that surgery won't fix your head. This time around I am seeing a therapist for my eating disorder at the same time as going through surgery. I know that if I don't fix my thinking I will regain again.

I’m going to ask if the doctor has a therapist that I can work with on these issues. Even if I do it at the same time as the surgery. I have the insight info the issue so that’s a plus in my favor. Maybe it’s as simple as staying in the moment instead of surrendering to blindly looking for comfort. I’m highly motivated to succeed so maybe that will have a positive impact on my ability to overcome these issues.

2 minutes ago, perfektlynrml said:

I’m going to ask if the doctor has a therapist that I can work with on these issues. Even if I do it at the same time as the surgery. I have the insight info the issue so that’s a plus in my favor. Maybe it’s as simple as staying in the moment instead of surrendering to blindly looking for comfort. I’m highly motivated to succeed so maybe that will have a positive impact on my ability to overcome these issues.

It definitely sounds like you are definitely on the right track ?

I chose RNY b/c I also had mild GERD and didn't want it to get worse. I can happily say that my GERD is 100% gone since surgery. It's weird not to carry TUMS in my purse anymore!!

Good luck!!!

I chose RNY b/c I also had mild GERD and didn't want it to get worse. I can happily say that my GERD is 100% gone since surgery. It's weird not to carry TUMS in my purse anymore!!
Good luck!!!

Thank you. I have to say that I thought for sure they would find a worse case of gerd in me because I always get a feeling like my pills get caught. Although I wonder if because I am older I just dont have that same ability to chuck a handful of pills down at one time. I used to be a champion medication taker. No gagging. Now forget it. The capsules open in the mouth or throat which is so ghastly. [emoji1]

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Did anyone find themselves start to go back and forth between procedures before getting a surgery date? I find myself flip flopping between roux en y and gastric sleeve. At first I picked the sleeve but then I thought since it's the same prep I should go for the bypass since it gives better weight loss results. Now I'm thinking I don't want to be having malabsorption and the sleeve is fast to recover. Arggggg!
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The major issue I see is that the sleeve isn't as effective. If you have a ways to go the sleeve may not get you to your goal.

Eddy Blaine Brown II

22 minutes ago, ebbii0927 said:

The major issue I see is that the sleeve isn't as effective. If you have a ways to go the sleeve may not get you to your goal.

Eddy Blaine Brown II

I ended up picking bypass after all. It helped to make a list of pro and cons for each procedure. For me it was the risk of reflux that made me choose the bypass.

I had the bypass and it has been amazing for me