Advice about what’s to come

[Mother of boys 25]

Hi All,

I have been on a weight loss journey for a while and finally decided that I want to go the bariatric surgery route. Right now I’m thinking more about the vertical sleeve as the pros and cons are better than the gastric bypass.

I’ve been told by my Doctor he doesn’t do the gastric banding as the cons far outweigh anything else and it has a bigger chance of failing or just not working properly. He will do it if I push for it but has said the number around the world is very small due to the complications

I have been told to consider the Bypass or the sleeve. For those that have done either one do you regret not doing the other?
I have had all my tests done - cardiologist, gastrointestinal, ultrasounds, dietitian and psychologist with another appointment with my surgeon and the psychologist and dietitian in 10days again before the paperwork gets sent to my insurance company for approval. I want to go into the surgeon with an open mind but a decision on which surgery I want to do. I’m planning on doing the surgery in July when school is out (I’ve just got a temporary job for 2months)
Those that have done surgery is there anything you recommend I should do before surgery? Is there anything you wished you had done before surgery?
is recovery really difficult?
I’ve not told 99% of my friends or family, my husband and a close friend then a friend I know that has been through bariatric surgery. I just feel that some people can be judgemental or just mean so I’m choosing to say nothing.
thank you all for your help and support

K

[lizonaplane 1,604]

I haven't had surgery yet, but I will say that because sleeve can cause or worsen GERD, you may want to consider bypass if you already have bad GERD. Also, there is some evidence that bypass is better at reversing diabetes, but maybe not for more than a few years. Sleeve has slightly lower risk of complications, but both have very low rates of complications. Bypass is more likely to lead to "dumping" where foods high in carbs or fat can cause diarrhea and lots of bad physical sensations right after eating or within a few hours. If you have an extremely high BMI, bypass is more likely to help you to lose more weight, but here we're talking people who weigh like 500lbs.

Before having surgery, it's a good idea to "walk the walk". By that I mean, eating more in the style of how you'll have to eat after surgery: stop drinking carbonated beverages, practice eating SLOWLY (I have not managed this yet), focus on Protein and lower sugar/carbs.

I think a good thing to do might be to watch some YouTube videos by Dr Matthew Weiner. He explains things well. Some of the videos are older, but they're still very good.

Good luck!

[catwoman7 10,845]

Don't do the band. A lot of people have had problems with them, and most surgeons won't place them anymore. Either sleeve or bypass are good options. If you have GERD, they'll usually recommend that you go with bypass. If not, it comes down to personal preference.

I had bypass and have been extremely happy with it. I'd make the same decision if I had to choose today (had mine six years ago).

P.S. My recovery was super easy. It seems to be for most of us (not all - but most)

Edited May 11, 2021 by catwoman7

[njlimmer 338]

I had my bypass on 3/3/21. I went into my consult asking for the sleeve but based on my doctor's recommendation and my own research, I went with bypass. It's a misconception that the bypass is more invasive. From the patient side, the recovery is the same as both surgeries are done laparoscopically. It is a more complex surgery for the doctor and it takes about an hour longer, but other than that there's not much difference on the patient side. My doc said that the sleeve is a good surgery, but if it were a race, the bypass would win every time. I was also diabetic, and there's a higher chance of being cured of diabetes with the bypass than the sleeve. My endocrinologist said they're not really sure HOW it works, but it does! My endo told me to stop taking my diabetes medicine once I had surgery because many people never need it again. I go to him next week so I hope that's how it works for me! In the months leading up to my decision, I read a lot of posts about people switching from sleeve to bypass because of GERD. I would get it occasionally before surgery and didn't want to take the chance of it happening afterward. My insurance also told me that it was a one-time coverage so I wanted to make the best choice for myself.

As for prep work before surgery, I agree with @lizonaplane I spent the time having extra appointments with the nutritionist, working with my therapist, and generally lurking around here soaking up knowledge for other folks' experiences so that when these things - like stalls, Hair loss, loose skin - have occurred, I'm mentally ready for them. I also changed a lot of my eating habits. I really think those changes have made my post-op months so much easier.

[Shanelle089 3]

I had the sleeve done on 4/27/21 so I’m fairly new with it honestly it’s the best decision I have made so far in my weight loss journey I have struggled with my weight for years now an I am finally seeing progress an feeling a lot better an happier overall. I walk a lot as well so I would recommend getting some steps in to get familiar with being more active an focus on drinking Water an being mindful of what you eat good luck on your journey I’m sure your going to do amazing 😊

[GreenTealael 24,852]

Most surgeons aren’t doing the band anymore so it might be tough to find medical support if you need it. You may only be able to find surgeons who are willing to remove them and revise to a different WLS.

RNY and VSG are the most popular by far. Ask your surgeon questions.
The choice between them should be based on what’s best for you. Hopefully your surgeon can explain the factors that go into their recommendations and you choose based on research and your comfort level.

I would recommend protecting yourself from information overload especially watch “experience” video or reading testimonials. Your experience will be totally your own.

I also recommend If at all possible to clean and organize your space to be clutter free so your recovery is smoother (Imagine tripping on something after having surgery or needing to clean your bathroom or mop the floors immediately after surgery).

Good Luck ❤️

[Jaelzion 1,123]

I initially really wanted the bypass, but it was medically contraindicated for me so I had the sleeve. I was disappointed, but it turned out to be a good choice. I lost all my excess weight, I had no major complications, and so far I am maintaining my loss. There are pros and cons to both surgeries, as others have mentioned. Depending on your health and anatomy, one or the other might be advisable. Both can effectively help you lose weight. Best of luck!

[ShoppGirl 3,341]

The only thing I wish I had done before surgery is counseling. I did the psych evaluation and passed but it was just a rubber stamp type of thing (he didn’t ask enough questions in my opinion). I didn’t help. I wanted to say all the right things so I didn’t lie but I didn’t volunteer info either. Now, post surgery I am struggling with head hunger that I believe is disordered eating of some sort and I am trying to get in to see someone about it soon before I waste The opportunity to use this tool as intended and be successful. Do the mental work beforehand so you aren’t racing the clock like me.