I was gonna go with the sleeve and decided on the bypass

[Bigoledude]

At first I thought the surgery for the sleeve was much less invasive or severe than the bypass. After repeatedly looking at that same chart we all see at the doctors office and online, with that looonnng row of staples where those two slices are made all of the way down both sides of where my stomach used to be, didn't look so easy-peasy any longer.

Then I started reading. Cheating is easier with the sleeve. Well, if I had a staunch and firm willpower, I'd be looking like an Olympic swimmer right about now. I hate nausea and, throwing up makes me ILL, BAD! Those two consequences will absolutely dissuade me from venturing to far from between-the-ditches!

I already like both shakes and smoothies made with veggies or skim. I bought a handy-dandy pill crusher that will allow me to pour my powdered supplements into my blender.

With our fabulously fair winters I can harvest very nutritious veggies all year round! With the very lean meat from our hunting, I should hardly have to supplement to a large degree.

I like the fact that the weight starts falling quickly. My terrible blood sugar numbers will start improving immediately. This high blood pressure will be impacted greatly soon after surgery. The CPAP octopus will no longer be fastened onto my face while I sleep!

Just seems right for me. Let me be clear, this diatribe was not meant to sway any one's opinion in any direction. All this might seem simple and silly. But, I can assure y'all that I spent some serious time in serious thought to arrive here. Hard thinking and this paltry squibbling is all I could muster up. Oh well?

Think about exactly where you want to be and, then think about the best way for you to arrive there!

[Grace]

Congrats on making the decision that is right for you.
In much the same way you stated you weren't looking to sway opinion, if I may I will offer some info from this side of the fence after nearly a year with the sleeve, and, having several relatives with the bypass.

Dumping - Doesn't always happen with either procedure and if it does, it only lasts so long. My nieces and aunt never had it with RNY. I've lost more weight than any of them with the sleeve. Whether you eat junk or not is going to have to be a decision either way because the dumping is temporary for most people. Therefore:
Cheating - I guarantee you, if you want to find a way to eat, you will with either op. My niece eats stuff I can't eat, like pancakes and toast. And things like crackers and chips go down with either op, as does ice cream, etc. The fact is, you have to want this and some days it does feel like you are fighting the cravings every minute.. and other days you just aren't hungry at all.
Veggies - This is one place you might wish you had the sleeve. They go down hard even with the sleeve for many folks, with the RNY, even harder. Fiber doesn't sit well so unless you plan to have veggie smoothies forever, bear in mind that even lettuce may never happen again with either op. At nearly a year out I can eat soft lettuce and some well, well cooked veggies. Any other raw veggie still hurts like heck. The family with RNY? No veggies at all, not even potato or well cooked.
Blood sugar, cpap will both lower as fat lowers, either way works.
Diabetes, now, if you have that, there is a slight advantage to the rny.
Malabsorption - RNY yes, sleeve no. Seemingly more important to women with calcium needs, etc but even men need vitamins and minerals to be very, very careful as with RNY you just won't get as much as you do with a more normally plumbed stomach.
Weight loss - RNY has a slight advantage there in the short run - you'll lose more, faster. But in the long run - about 2 yrs out, it evens out within 10%.
As I say, not meant to sway, each has it's own advantages but bear in mind the real differences and similarities as well. I'm guessing you would not be here if you were not still wondering a bit.
As you are new here, I'll let you know I don't work for any of the docs, in fact I live in Northern New England. I've just been here a long time and pay attention.
Oh, and where did you see two sets of staples? Never heard of that! It's always been just one on the side where they do the cut.
Thanks for sharing. Wishing you best of luck on your choice of procedure.

[bookwrmmom]

I think the key to any procedure is educating yourself the best you can. I am 25 days post-op so I am "freshly" sleeved. I came back to work after only 2 weeks post-op, but I do not have a physically demanding job. I starting back at the gym on the elliptical at 2 and a 1/2 weeks out. My friends who had RNY had a 6 week recovery period, so I would have to say my sleeve was far easier to recover from. I had very minimal pain after the procedure, more of a discomfort I would say. There was not 2 sets of staples for me only 1 on the side that was cut, as Grace said. I have had neither nausea or vomiting thus far, only minor acid reflux & Monday I can start swallowing my acid reflux pills-so this should change. So far I am down 20 pounds and over 6 inches in 25 days, so results are happening quickly for me.
I just wanted to share my experience with you, but no matter what choice you make it has to be the right one for you. It just happens that the sleeve was the good choice for me!

[aclabombard13]

Grace pretty much says it all.... I only have a couple things to add. Again, not trying to sway just explaining why I favor the sleeve (and yes, I am bias for obvious reasons) First or all there is only one line of staples, and this is definitely not the less evasive surgery, this is the more PERMANENT of the two. Did you know gastric bypass is reversible? I didn't know that until I was choosing my surgery. Everything they disconnect gets left right where it is. With the sleeve they pull 80% of your stomach right out of your body, including the place where the hormones for that incessant hunger feeling are produced. Second of all, I assure you, if you eat the wrong things you will become quickly acquainted with praying to the porcelain gods My sleeve isn't the least bit shy about telling me "No Thank You!" So if throwing up is what your looking for, the sleeve isn't lacking in that department if you are trying to push the envelope. As far as weight loss, the Bypass is known to have a slight advantage over the sleeve, but that is not always the case. I met a woman at a support group meeting who underwent bypass almost 2 1/2 months prior to my sleeve and she had only lost 3lbs more than I did at that point, so I was losing much faster than her and she had more weight to lose than I do. Plus, she said she can eat pretty much ANYTHING. I know that is not the case for everyone, but just know there are no guarantees either way, regardless of which surgery you choose.

I knew immediately that the sleeve was the right choice for me. It seemed like the more permanent solution, less worry about struggling to get the nutrition my body needs without the malabsorbtion. No foreign body like with the band and it had the least chance of complications out of the three surgeries. Not to mention, I have a friend who had RNY 10 years ago, she lost 120lbs but over time but it ALL plus 10 lbs back on. (I actually still have a hard time figuring out how it's possible). Last year she had it reversed and went for the Duodenal Switch, which is the gastric sleeve plus the malabsorbtion. She has lost 135lbs in a year. I guess the sleeve hasn't been around as long so it's hard to say which has a higher success rate long term. You can regain with either over time if you don't make good choices. However, I believe that it is harder to stretch the sleeve back to full stomach size because of the staple line. It is my personal opinion that a lot of surgeons push the RNY because they get paid more to do them. My surgeon told me it was a personal choice and either would be equally beneficial to me. There are possible complications that are associated with RNY down the road and the loss of the pyloric valve is a huge downside. Do some more research on it.
Really, I am not trying to sway you from the Bypass, just giving you my reasons for my decision and a chance to be truly informed about your decision. I'm not saying the sleeve is all peaches and cream, but what weight loss surgery would be? Although, you are on GASTRICSLEEVE.com, so you'd have to expect us to defend and root for our surgery since it has changed our lives in an incredible way

No matter your choice, be proud for taking such an important step and look forward to your new healthy and happy journey ahead of you!!!!! Good luck!


Angela

[SECRETSLEEVE]

its more possible to regain weight after gastric bypass then sleeve because a new stomach is made which can slowly be streched back out to a large size, something that can't happen to the same degree as with the sleeve. Also they leave the unused part of the stomach in the body so all the hunger hormones are still there so as you can only eat an ounce of food at once but you are way more hungry. The fact that you could slowly strectch the stomach back out and you are still going to be hungry swayed me away from bypass, and malapsorbtion of calories only lasts 2 years, but the malasporbtion of vitamains and minerals lasts a lifetime also swayed me away from it. Also the fact I know way to many people who regret having the bypass, because it made their health problems worse, not after the first day, but after a while out they became very sick. The sleeve is a safer procedure.

[Dee Leshuz]

Yeah, the dumping can really make you sick. There's a woman on here who's married to someone w/ a RNY so she's seen first hand what it does. I never wanted the RNY but for certain people it's appropriate, especially if you have really bad reflux-the sleeve can make that worse.

[Island Girl]

I agree with the other ladies...and of course not to sway you...just be sure.

If one does eventually regain weight after a gastric bypass the only other surgercial choice is a LapBand. I meet a lady in TJ who had bypass surgery 15 years prior and had recently gotten a LapBand b ecause she started gaining weight back. She was there for a fill. Yes, you can gain weight after being sleeved...and you could get re-sleeved later if you really needed too. But lets not go there!

I was sleeved on July 11th...and chose the sleeve for all the reasons Grace outlined in her post. On a personal level the sleeve gives me the opportunity to reclaim a healthly lifestyle...it is a tool not the final solution. The final solution rests with me, I have to deal with the issues that led me toward gaining excess weight. I have to reclaim the mechanism that tells me to stop eating and pay attention to my body.

If there was a "wonder" drug or solution, the obesity rate in the U.S. would not be so high.

Do what is best for you long term and take the time to connect with a few people that have had gastric bypass surgery and ask about their opinion.

Take care!

[cowgirljane]

Best of luck to you - I don't think there is a right or a wrong choice. They all have pros and cons. The bypass has worked great for many people over the decades!

for me, I had a pouch when I had the band and if the bypass is ANYTHING like that, i don't want to have anything to do with it. My experience with a pouch was I was prone to vomiting (stuck food etc) and yet still felt a strong drive to eat. It was a miserable combination and I shutter to think of going through that again. I don't know for a fact that the bypass feels that way, but it is a hotpoint for me and I just couldn't do it even though my first surgeon recommended the bypass. I hoped and so far have experienced, that having a smaller stomach just feels better then a pouch. For me, it has so far met my expectations.

I do worry as the hunger returns. I am not completely sold on the idea that the sleeve permanently reduces hunger hormones as the body has a weird way of compensating. I guess time will tell.

[cruzn2lose]

All of the above....&....I like my plumbing to work the way it's supposed to...period.

[littlebits]

Hello & good luck with whatever decision you make. Both procedures will help improve your health. So, at the end of the day, this is all that matters.

I too chose the sleeve for all of the reasons listed above. I also have a cousin who had the bypass done in May. She has been hospitalized (& near death) several times in the past few months, including the week before I was sleeved. I realize that this isn't everyone's experience, but it convinced me that I made the best decision for me.

Fyi--I was taken off of most of my meds for diabetes, high blood pressure & my CPAP machine immediately following surgery. My doctor continued one pill for my hbp (5mg of Lisinopril). So, not trying to change your mind in any way but...my sleeve worked for me!

Again, good luck & keep us posted.

[Bigoledude]

I knew there wasn't two rows of staples. I said there is two incisions/slices with a long row of staples. The one row of staples holds each incision together. Thanks for the info. There was some stuff written that I was not aware of. Appreciate the thoughtfulness of everyone. Y'all are some really nice folks over here.

[mila]

I watched several U-Tube videos of the sleeve surgery and it is a very easy surgery. I watched with my daughter who is a surgeon and she said 'piece of cake.' No disconnection and reconnection. Cheating may be easier (not sure of this though), but with the fundus removed there is not the ravenous hunger sensations every waking hour. So I don't feel the need to cheat. I cried when I was told I was not a candidate for by-pass. Now I am thrilled I wasn't.

[spieldose]

I'm very glad that I read this post. It reassured my decision on the sleeve.

[DebbieNTexas]

I know this is an old thread, but really thankful it was here. First off, have to second the original poster, this forum is FILLED with the nicest people, no one judging, just giving their experiences honestly. I so appreciate that. My husband had the sleeve last month with a large hernia repair at the same time and has lost over 50#. He's still not an advocate for any surgery and wants me to go back to WW one more time......but anyway, I really appreciated the discussion. I go for my 5-6 hour consult next Thursday and meet with dr, nutritionist, etc....not sure what the etc is yet, they just told me to plan to be there 5-6 hours. I'm hoping the dr doesn't try to talk me into the bypass because I have "some" acid reflux. Thank you all again! I've been on lots of forums and this is the most nonjudgmental, kindness of them all.

[littlebits]

I have acid reflux too. Actually, it was horrible before I had surgery. Now, I only have problems if I eat late (which is rare) & go to bed soon after...

Good luck!!!