Very helpful Kim! Thank you for sharing.
I work in healthcare and helped to care for people post-op who have had either the sleeve or bypass. I knew I qualified for either procedure but which? 2 years ago, I was eligible for insurance coverage. I was going to get the bypass. The dumping syndrome and other changes (like how many people become intolerant of dairy) scared me and I didn't do it. I floundered for 1.5 years, gained more weight ultimately, and then decided on the sleeve. I wish someone had told me about it 2 years ago. It was around at the hospital but no one was really talking about it.
I read about both the bypass and the sleeve. Lots of peer-reviewed studies. overall, what sold me was that the bypass and sleeve had comparable long term outcomes. NO significant differences.
In addition (for obvious reasons) the sleeve had less risk of complications and dumping.
I'm not sure why some of the posts here talk about the bypass reducing ghrelin. That's not really true. With the bypass, the stomach is cut to make a pouch but the whole stomach is still left IN there and can make the hormone. This is also what makes it reversible. The sleeve, however, involves the complete removal of the fundus of the stomach. This is what allows the reduction of ghrelin.
I've heard bypass is great for diabetics and people who love sweets. It makes sense. If you can't stop overeating carbs and other sugary things, the dumping syndrome would make sugar a really negative thing for you.
I may be very obese but I am not diabetic and I am very happy about that.
Very curious as to what you ended up doing.... Sleeve? Band? Roux-en-Y ? I had the band put in in 2007 and have had nothing but trouble since. I am checking into getting it out and having the sleeve or Roux en y....but leaning toward sleeve as I dont want much messed with in there. I hope you are doing well, and I'd love to hear what you did.
I will see my Surgeon on Tuesday and am waiting until then to make up my mind. I do have some issues involving reflux and calcium absorption now. I will follow whatever my Surgeon thinks is best for me given my own medical history. I wish you the best in whatever decision you make. God bless you
I chose the sleeve over the bypass for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I did want to have to take my medicines crushed or liquid for for the rest of my life. I am told by my surgeon who does both surgeries that the gastric bypass patients have malabsorbative issues because of the valve at the bottom of your stomach that allows you to digest nutrition from your food and your medicine is bypassed. Second, the dumping syndrome that gastric patients have sounds awlful and I did not want that. But being diabetic, if you have a problem resisting sweets, then maybe the bypass would be better because eating sweets will make you sick and you want to do it again.Also, I did not want to have my intestines rerouted. I just wanted a smaller stomach so I would feel full of of much less than I now have to consume to feel full. The sleeve was the right choice for me.
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