Hello,

I'd like peoples advice on which surgery to go with. Here's. My stats. I'm 5'7, 295 lbs. My BMI is 46. I need to lose 150 lbs to be at 150. I'd like to get the sleeve but with 60-70% excess weight loss plus 10-15% regain, I'm looking at being around 220 lbs when this is all said and done.

With bypass, I know several people who have lost 100% of their excess weight and had it easier keeping it off. The problem is they have bad vitamin deficiency even a decade later and can't even take some antidepressants.

My question is to you is, how many of you got sleeved with a 46 BMI? Did you lose more than 70%?

And for the bypass patients, if you've had the surgery over 5 years ago, how restricted are you now?

6 minutes ago, NYCGirl9269 said:

what gets to me is how it says with sleeve patients lose 60-70% and with bypass its 70-80% and I just keep looking at that 80% ...but for me most important is hunger control. I've read somewhere on here people who complained about when they had a sleeve and then got a bypass, they miss the hunger control they had with the sleeve that bypass didn't give them...but bypass gives you a smaller pouch than the sleeve so makes you full much faster....ugh decisions decisions...

those percentages are averages. And as with all averages, there are people who fall on either side of that range. You'll find people on here who've lost 90% or 100% (with either surgery) and you'll find people who've lost 20% or 30% (with either surgery). It all comes down to how closely you stick to your program. If you stick to it and don't let bad habits creep back in, you'll do fine and will likely lose more than average.

as for missing hunger control when revised to bypass - I definitely had hunger control with my bypass. I don't think you can compare a revision to a "virgin" surgery.

those percentages are averages. And as with all averages, there are people who fall on either side of that range. You'll find people on here who've lost 90% or 100% (with either surgery) and you'll find people who've lost 20% or 30% (with either surgery). It all comes down to how closely you stick to your program. If you stick to it and don't let bad habits creep back in, you'll do fine and will likely lose more than average.

as for missing hunger control when revised to bypass - I definitely had hunger control with my bypass. I don't think you can compare a revision to a "virgin" surgery.

So right after bypass you didn't have hunger or cravings? How long did that last for you?

6 minutes ago, NYCGirl9269 said:

And im just saying in my experience and those I personally know, all started gaining back 2, 3 years after the surgery even when they ate healthy...like it started becoming a struggle for them to control hunger and cravings again Moreso for those who had sleeve done than those I know who had bypass, and 10 years later this girl I know who was 450 is at 80 lbs now from bypass and can't put weight back on 10 years later to her ideal weight at 120....shes had no problem keeping weight off and doesn't even try...but the sleevers I know all gained back a lot more than the expected 15% overtime

I gained the all-too-common 20 lbs during year 3, which is OK because I'd gotten too thin (plus I was expecting the "bounce back", since most people do experience that)

but....it's a struggle to keep my weight where it is, even though I had RNY. I have to monitor my weight and what I'm eating like a hawk, because it's so easy to put on weight. So I can totally see how people could start gaining weight if they're not paying attention. I just double down when I get to my "oh crap" level, because it's way easier to lose five or ten lbs than it is 50 lbs. Not going there...

3 minutes ago, NYCGirl9269 said:

So right after bypass you didn't have hunger or cravings? How long did that last for you?

I lost my hunger for five months. Some people don't get it back until they're a year out.

I lost my hunger for five months. Some people don't get it back until they're a year out.

Is the hormones ghrelin also removed during bypass or only sleeve??

1 minute ago, NYCGirl9269 said:

Is the hormones ghrelin also removed during bypass or only sleeve??

most of the ghrelin is produced in the lower part of the stomach. The area where most of it is located is removed during sleeve surgery. None of the stomach is removed during RNY, but since the lower stomach isn't really used anymore (or at least not for processing food), the ghrelin isn't really accessible. However, I'm honestly not sure if it the ghrelin that lives in your lower stomach gets into your system regardless (and thus causes hunger) or not for those who've had RNY. Although some ghrelin is produced in the upper part of the stomach, too, so with either surgery, there will be SOME ghrelin in the stomach. I'm just not sure what continuing effects it has if it's still physically there, but mostly in the part of the stomach that's not being used to process the food anymore. Maybe one of the medical people on here will know the answer to that. BUT....RNY people do lose their sense of hunger for awhile, too. Most of us, anyway. It's typical to lose it for anywhere from a few months to a year out.

most of the ghrelin is produced in the lower part of the stomach. The area where most of it is located is removed during sleeve surgery. None of the stomach is removed during RNY, but since the lower stomach isn't really used anymore (or at least not for processing food), the ghrelin isn't really accessible. However, I'm honestly not sure if it the ghrelin that lives in your lower stomach gets into your system regardless (and thus causes hunger) or not for those who've had RNY. Although some ghrelin is produced in the upper part of the stomach, too, so with either surgery, there will be SOME ghrelin in the stomach. I'm just not sure what continuing effects it has if it's still physically there, but mostly in the part of the stomach that's not being used to process the food anymore. Maybe one of the medical people on here will know the answer to that. BUT....RNY people do lose their sense of hunger for awhile, too. Most of us, anyway. It's typical to lose it for anywhere from a few months to a year out.

Thanks for all that info, thats a question I'll ask my Dr and see what he says

Which hospital in NYC are going planning to go to?

Which hospital in NYC are going planning to go to?

Columbia University

So this pretty much sucks...I was informed that the gastric bypass for me is out of question since I'm on ADHD meds, specifically Vyvanse which is an extended release and there's no alternative that works as good as vyvanse so my only option now is the sleeve. I'm worried I won't drop 100% of my excess weight since you only have a 18 month window to drop it all and I have 150 lbs to lose [emoji45]

On 01/17/2021 at 13:48, NYCGirl9269 said:

So this pretty much sucks...I was informed that the gastric bypass for me is out of question since I'm on ADHD meds, specifically Vyvanse which is an extended release and there's no alternative that works as good as vyvanse so my only option now is the sleeve. I'm worried I won't drop 100% of my excess weight since you only have a 18 month window to drop it all and I have 150 lbs to lose [emoji45]

The bypass and sleeve are very similar. I’ve seen you comment about people who’ve gotten back their weight, but my girlfriend and her mom did the sleeve 5 years ago and they have kept all their weight off. I have friends who’ve done the sleeve 2-3 years backs and they are still in great shape(no weight gain after 2-3 years). People who gain weight years after are people who start eating unhealthy and don’t follow the plan their Bariatric team has given them. My friend was 298 and in 9 months lost 150 pounds. She exercised and followed her diet. Simple. What is this myth you talk about? 18 month window? You’re always going to keep losing until you start eating to maintain your ideal weight. There is no window that magically stops you from losing. Who is giving you this information?

1 hour ago, NYCGirl9269 said:

So this pretty much sucks...I was informed that the gastric bypass for me is out of question since I'm on ADHD meds, specifically Vyvanse which is an extended release and there's no alternative that works as good as vyvanse so my only option now is the sleeve. I'm worried I won't drop 100% of my excess weight since you only have a 18 month window to drop it all and I have 150 lbs to lose

I run into people on this and other forums every day who've lost 100% of their excess weight. Granted it is NOT easy to do, with either surgery - you really have to be committed and work really hard at it. Statistically, about 10-15% of people make it to a normal BMI - so it's not common - but it's certainly do-able.

the first 18 months is what's referred to as the "honeymoon period" when it's relatively easy to lose weight (and really push yourself to lose it then since it'll be the only time in your life when it's not that hard to do!!), but you can continue to lose weight after that. The farther out you get from surgery, the more of a challenge it is to continue losing, but it's definitely possible.

have you considered the Duodenal Switch? It is a sleeve in conjunction with intestinal bypass for malabsorption. not a lot of surgeons do it routinely, but I have been very pleased with my results this far (3 months out) and research shows that weight loss retention is most successful with this surgery.

have you considered the Duodenal Switch? It is a sleeve in conjunction with intestinal bypass for malabsorption. not a lot of surgeons do it routinely, but I have been very pleased with my results this far (3 months out) and research shows that weight loss retention is most successful with this surgery.

I cant do malabsorption as I take extended release ADHD meds and I'm not willing to compromise tjat , also I was told the switch is for people with a bmi of 50 or over

I run into people on this and other forums every day who've lost 100% of their excess weight. Granted it is NOT easy to do, with either surgery - you really have to be committed and work really hard at it. Statistically, about 10-15% of people make it to a normal BMI - so it's not common - but it's certainly do-able.
the first 18 months is what's referred to as the "honeymoon period" when it's relatively easy to lose weight (and really push yourself to lose it then since it'll be the only time in your life when it's not that hard to do!!), but you can continue to lose weight after that. The farther out you get from surgery, the more of a challenge it is to continue losing, but it's definitely possible.

Wait, you mean to tell me most people who start at 300 don't reach at BMI under 30??? 10-15% only??? Thats not what I'm seeing across these boards, both surgeries people losing most if not all their weight , including my friend who had bypass 10 years ago she was 450 lbs, still having trouble putting back on weight since hes only 70 lbs now, but on here and on YouTube I see most people reach their goal with the surgeries...to me its a matter of keeping it off , and I wanted the bypass because it's easier to lose 20-30 lbs more than ur goal weight so that when u regain a few, you stop at your goal weight. Due to the malabsoprtion qualities it's easier to lose passed your goal weight in that first year so I wanna take advantage of that first year but I can't get malabsorption due to the meds I'm not willing to stop forever