Hello,

I have just started the pre-op process, but haven't decided on sleeve or gastric bypass. I met with my surgeon and he explained both surgeries and the potential weightloss, complications, etc, but I'm still on the fence. What made you choose the sleeve and are you happy with it? Any issues? Would you do it again?

Thank you!

I'm very happy with my sleeve. It still works 3 years later and limits my intake. I thought I wanted Gastric Bypass but my two mental health therapists both suggested that Sleeve was "less radical" and all I needed at my BMI, so I did that instead. No real rhyme or reason.

I went with the sleeve because, fundamentally it does the same thing as an RNY - amount of weight loss, regain resistance, etc., but "costs" less in terms of trade offs and potential problems. The sleeve is predisposed toward GERD problems (that simply means that more people in that population will suffer from that problem than in the genera; population. In contrast, the RNY is predisposed to marginal ulcers, dumping and reactive hypoglycemia.. It is also fussier in supplement need - you can get into more trouble if you are lazy about your supplements with an RNY, while a sleeve can be closer to that ideal of getting all of your nutrition from your food, if one is so inclined (and your natural body cooperates.) Even with all the supplements in line, there is still a greater risk of iron issues or osteoporosis with the RNY as its malabsorption is focused on minerals. And, the marginal ulcer risk makes it more limited with some medications (it is the origin of the "no NSAID" rule in bariatrics - the sleeve based procedures are more tolerant in that area.

If I need something stronger than the VSG, then the DS is readily available, as it starts with a sleeve and adds a stronger malabsorbing component than the RNY offers, so there is better weight loss and most importantly, regain resistance provided there if needed.

Finally, there is the "Plan B" factor of what if it doesn't work for me and I have/want to revise? The sleeve is readily revisable to either the RNY or the stronger DS, while the RNY is something of a dead end procedure which is very difficult to revise (it can be done, but there are few surgeons around who are qualified to do so.)

Overall, that is why I would start with the VSG and move up later if needed (or if I was starting from a very high BMI or otherwise challenging metabolic situation, I would go straight to the DS and avoid the risk of having to revise the bypass if it wasn't strong enough.)