Trying to decide....help

**retrome** · 10-03-2014 12:17 AM

Hey all !
I am 38 currently weight 280 with a BMI of 43. I am done with my nutrition, only have a few more test to go. Hope to have surgery mid novenber or early december. I went in thinking the sleeve but am second guessing myself. I have friends who have done all three types of surgeries and they are all happy with what they have done. I am concerned about the longevity of the sleeve. I also have a sweet tooth and think that the dumping with the bypass will keep me accountable. I just dont know, any help will be great. Particuarily interested in those that are 2 years or more post op.

**SethP** · 10-03-2014 01:01 AM

I dont meet your requirement of 2 years as I am only 18 months out. I would say to do your research and right down the pros and cons for all three procedures. This helped me out trememdously. I also have friends that have all three and an aunt that had the by-pass back in the 80s (due to cancer not weight loss). Here is what helped me along the way. I decided not to have th lap-band due to having to go back for adjustments. I work offshore and I couldnt keep the 21 day appointments and I didnt like the idea of having a foreign object inside of me the rest of my life. After watching my aunt for many years of living with the by-pass have to worry about mal-absorption I was worried about going with the by-pass. I started doing more research on the sleeve, being it looked like the option I was leaning towards.

I was worried about doing the sleeve becuase it was relatively new, so I thought. When you start doing research you learn that the sleeve is the first step to the old by-pass, which was done as a two step procedure. They would cut the stomach and let you heal and lose weight and then you would go back to have the second part done. Many people were having good success with weight loss doing just the sleeve that they werent going back for the by-pass part of the surgery. This is how they got it approved as a stand alone procedure and we all thought it was the "next big thing". So with that in mind, knowing that IF for some reason I didnt lose the weight with the sleeve it was always an option to go back and get the by-pass. So the less amount of changes in the body, no mal-absorption worries and faster heal times all persuaded my decision. IF for some unforseen reason I need to I can go back and get the by-pass. But seeing as to each of the last two choices are non-reversible it is life long commitment. I hope I helped you and like I said do tons of research. Godspeed on your journey.

**retrome** · 10-03-2014 01:21 AM

At this point any advice will help. MY only options are the sleeve or bypass (I will not have the switch). To be honest i think my problem is i am afraid to fall back into old habits and failing. I think that the bypass will keep me in line more. Its the whole mind set thing that i think a lot of people have a problem with.

**Ann2** · 10-03-2014 05:40 AM

If you're down to sleeve vs. bypass and you're leaning toward bypass, then your next research phase should be to thoroughly research the comparative downsides to both. Please don't misunderstand -- I'm not pushing either one. All I'm saying that if you've already identified your bias for the bypass, then work hard to look honestly at the bypass, too.

None of the procedures come with guarantees. All of them have upsides (for many people) and risks (for a few).

**tempred** · 10-03-2014 06:43 PM

I agree with the comments already posted. I chose my sleeve for the same reasons Seth did. I am 2 1/2 years out. I have known people that had both and there are those that are successful and those that fail (at both).

Any of these are tools, the work is all yours, you have to want it.

Best of luck to you!