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Me! Each month I removed a bad habit and added a good habit and built on from there. I had 6 months too. I was up to working out 30 mins a day 5 days a week and eating 1,000 calories by 6 months. I lost 45 pounds pre surgery. I am 2 weeks post op today. I spent 1 night in the hospital, had no complications, and on the pureed diet. NO issues. I was cleared to use my elliptical this week and lift up to 20 pounds, so I am easing back into working out. So far 10 mins a day this week but planning to up it to 15 mins next week. I seriously credit my life style change pre-surgery with my success so far. Go for it! Take it one day at a time and give yourself grace when you’re not perfect.

I haven't had surgery yet, but I had the same choice to make so figured I'd share my experience. Keep in mind everyone is different and my choice is just mine. I'm not suggesting that you should make the same decision or anything. So I have had issues with heartburn and I went into my surgery consult set on Gastric Bypass because of that. However, the surgeon recommended, due to my weight, Sleeve because it's less risk of complications. At my weight, the amount of actual loss would be about the same. My nurse then stepped in on my behalf and got an endoscopy to check out my heartburn issues. This was because I am self pay, and I can't really afford to do a sleeve, only to have to get a revision later, so she wanted to see if we could find a root cause of the heartburn/GERD. Endoscopy revealed I had a medium sized Type III hiatal hernia. While the hernia could be repaired during surgery, it also meant I had a good chance of needing a revision in the future if I went with Sleeve. Not guaranteed, but still a high probability. Since I'm self-pay and I definitely don't want to find myself in a position where my heartburn/GERD have gotten worse and I can't pay for a revision, we decided it would be best for me to go with Gastric Bypass. Gastic Bypass is a mal-absorption procedure in addition to just restrictive, so I will have to be extra sure my vitamins are okay, and it is more at risk of complications during surgery/recovery due to multiple incision sites. That being said, overall risk is still really low, it's just higher when compared to sleeve. Definitely weigh out the options, talk honestly and openly with your medical team about risks and complications. Hopefully you can come to a decision that works for you Best of luck!

there are statistically more complications with bypass, but complications with either surgery are really pretty low. The rule of thumb lately seems to be if you have GERD issues, go with bypass, otherwise, it comes down to personal preference. They're both good surgeries, and you'll find people on this site who've been very successful with both. you will have to take vitamins for life with both surgeries, but there are more consequences if you slack off on vitamin-taking with bypass because of the malabsorption. But if you're diligent about taking your vitamins, then vitamin deficiency is rare. about 30% of sleeve patients develop GERD (or if they have it prior to surgery, it can get worse), and about the same percentage of bypass patients (about 30%) experience dumping syndrome, and in both cases that's kind of a crap shoot. You can't really predict ahead of time if you'll get those or not (although if you already have GERD, it's very likely not to improve and there's a decent chance it'll get worse with the sleeve. On the other hand, bypass usually improves if not outright cures GERD). If you have bypass and are one of the 30% who dump, it can be controlled by not eating a lot of sugar (or fat - some people dump on fat) at one sitting. hair loss is very common with both surgeries. Actually, it's a potential side effect of any major surgery (and childbirth, too), due to stress on the body. I think we see it more after bariatric surgeries than other surgeries, though, because in addition to the trauma from the surgery, we're also taking in very few calories the first few weeks/months. The good news is, it's temporary - the hair will grow back - and in most cases, you're the only one who'll notice it. A few people don't lose any hair at all, a few lose noticeable clumps of it, but most of us are somewhere in the middle. It's more like "shedding", and it's not enough for others to notice. I didn't lose much at all. It lasted maybe three months and then started growing back. But anyway, don't make your decision based on hair loss, because that's very common regardless of surgery. I don't think you can really make a wrong decision either way. I'd take into account what your doctors say, and also consider your personal preference. Some people are more comfortable with one or the other. As I mentioned, they're both good surgeries and you can get good results with either one.

I've been planning to have the sleeve, and have done all the pre-op requirements. If all goes well, I want to do WLS over the summer. I've been planning on the sleeve, as it's what my surgeon recommended for me, but now I'm wondering if I should go for the bypass. I'm in my late 40s (done having kids, so fertility/pregnancy is not a factor in my decision), have a BMI of just over 35, with PCOS, diabetes, hypertension, and recently diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy (we're not sure of the cause, though I've read a study showing WLS improves symptoms). When I asked my surgeon why she recommended the sleeve, she said it's because I have relatively less weight to lose, and, although it will require work and being vigilant with diet, she thinks it will be successful for me, and is less invasive and risky, though she also said she would be willing to do the bypass if it's what I want. My endocrinologist said that the bypass has additional mechanisms by which it can resolve metabolic issues, but she'd suggest asking my surgeon about her rate of complications with bypass. She also said she'd be less inclined to push bypass for me, though, because my diabetes is well-controlled on one medication (A1c is usually between 5.7 to 6.0). My cardiologist strongly advised me to go with the sleeve, because she has a number of patients who were a "hot mess," medically, after bypass. I want to resolve my cardio-metabolic issues, but the risks of bypass also really concern me. I've never been anemic, but I've been deficient in other vitamins and have experienced hair loss and other issues as a result, so I'm concerned I may be at greater risk for deficiencies and other unwanted consequences with the bypass. I'm not sure how to decide this...help?

Mine is June 30th. I got blessed to have this on my late mamas bday. 😃 I’m scared as heck but what keeps me going to not back out is nothing else has worked for me and I don’t wanna die or be miserable with anymore complications I put on myself. Besides I’m really tired of this comfortable life style I’ve been in and all it’s done is made me stay depressed and unhealthy. Cheers and blessings to all of you for your courageous journey. Plz pray for me as I will all of you. So glad I found this support app!!

I had the sleeve in 2012. SW 268. I’m 5’2. I got down to 180lbs an kept it there until 2016 when I had a miscarriage, then struggled with infertility. In 2020 I welcomed a baby boy during the pandemic and well all that combined I’ve gained all my weight back 😞 I feel like a failure. My insurance covers revisions but I don’t know the specifics that are required. In 2019 I had my gallbladder removed and I was diagnosed with NASH at that time. Is NASH considered a comorbidity? Or medical complication? I haven’t been diagnosed with GERD but I know I have it (I choke in acid every night), so I am hopeful I can get an official diagnosis for a revision. I’ve tried going back to the basics and restricting calories and all the things but the weight just piled on. Anyone in the same boat?

I'm an nurse. When I was a new nurse in the late 90s, wls was still fairly new, and I saw people with pretty bad complications and even death. I am also a pretty big worrier and tend to overthink everything. I considered wls for many years but it was never something I thought I would do. I was just too worried about complications. I've never had insurance covered it either and didn't want to pay out of pocket for it. It all changed when I got my gallbladder out in January 2020 and had liver biopsy at the same time. I was diagnosed with NASH and hepatic fibrosis and he recommended wls. He told me it was safer now than having your gallbladder removed, so I researched some more and made the decision to do it. I was still be very scared of complications, but I was also 48 at the time with a 9 year old son I wanted to see grow up. So I had my Loop DS in July 2020 and it was definitely the best decision ever. I knew realistically my chance of complications was low, and I had none. I'm almost 10 months out already and down to 244 from 393 and I am so glad I did it. Any surgery has risks. I had to decide if the benefits of the surgery outweighed the risks for me, and they most certainly did. I knew if I stayed at that weight I didn't have a chance of living much longer anyway so I was willing to take the chance and do it. I feel great! Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

Don’t eat! it can cause severe complications, such as bleeding & infections!

I actually put off surgery at first because I was so afraid of complications. I ended up going ahead this time because I was insured for bariatric coverage and I knew at least that protected me financially. I remember looking at myself in the mirror after I had my surgery date scheduled and being like “what the heck are you doing”. But I went forward and I’m glad every day I did. For me it was reminding myself that risks aren’t only present with action, but also inaction. Sometimes we assume that we are safe if we stick with the status quo but there are medical risks with staying overweight as well. They may not be as obvious as surgical risks but they exist nonetheless.

first of all, the chances of you dying are 0.3%, which means there's a 99.7% chance you'll sail through just fine. And you will. Complications aren't that common and most of them are minor and "fixable". These surgeries have come a long way from where they were 20 or 30 years ago... I'm a foodie. Yes - there are a few months after surgery when you're pretty restricted (esp the first few weeks), but eventually you'll be free to eat what you do now (unless you develop some intolerances, which some of us do), but in smaller portions. I can't eat super high-fat meals anymore - or a ton of sugar at one sitting (both make me feel queasy - and sometimes I'll get sick) - but other than that...???

My husband isn't all on board about this surgery for me. He's not worried about me dying or having complications -- he's worried about the loss of food enjoyment in our lives! 🙄😆 Seriously. He got teary when he was admitting this to me. We very much enjoy going out to eat, trying new restaurants, having craft beers, my love for cooking for our family... etc. and because it's a fun part of our relationship, he can't envision what it would be like without it. To the point that he mentioned how many couples get divorced after surgery. Have any of you been big "foodies" pre-surgery (with or without a significant other)? How did that shape your post-surgery life?

I've been battling my weight since I was 6 years old. I've been big for as far back as I can remember. I did just about every diet there was and not a single one worked. Eventually I just gave up. I had looked briefly into WLS in my 20's but I didn't think I'd be able to change my eating habits so drastically. I didn't think I had that kind of willpower. Plus, potential complications scared me and the permanence scared me. So I stopped looking into it. When I was 21 in May of 2009 my eldest niece was born. I was still in pretty good health despite being over 300 pounds. So I didn't really have the determination to go through with WLS. However, when her sister was born in February 2019 my health was very bad. I was 389 pounds, I have two permanent back injuries (one caused by my osteoarthritis), high blood pressure, tachycardia, hypothyroidism, the aforementioned osteoarthritis, I was pre-diabetic, have EoE (an autoimmune disorder), and I'd had brain surgery in May 2017 for my trigeminal neuralgia. When I held my new niece I was hit with the realization that if something didn't change, if I didn't find a way to get myself healthier and lose weight, then I likely wouldn't be around to watch her grow up. I cried, because watching my eldest niece grow up has been my greatest joy. It broke my heart that I may not be around to watch her sister grow up. That made things more real for me, I suppose. It pushed me into making that change and taking it seriously. I was referred to a bariatric surgeon and had to do a 6 months of monitored weigh-in's per my insurance. I didn't actually have to LOSE weight. I was just told not to GAIN weight. But, I took the initiative to try and make myself as successful as possible by using that time to prepare myself for a new way of eating. I used the first month to cut out seconds and cut my portion sizes down. The second month I cut out soda. The third month I cut out rice. The fourth month I cut out pasta. The fifth month I cut out bread. The six month I cut out potatoes and beans. The last two months before my surgery (they were overscheduled and pushed me back) I just maintained that diet and on my surgery date I was 321 pounds, meaning I'd lost 68 pounds on my own. I'm still very proud of myself for that. For me, the final push was my family. My family is my strength. They are what pulled me through the absolute worst time in my life (August 2016-May2017 when I had a 10 month TN flare that led to my brain surgery) when I KNOW I would have given up without them. Since my weight loss surgery? I have a new niece (from my brother and his wife) and my first and only nephew (from my sister and her husband). Now that I've lost over 200 pounds I don't worry so much that I won't be there to watch them grow up. And when I see my 2 year old niece light up when she see's me I know I made the right choice, the best choice, to have this surgery because now I get to watch her and her brother grow up just like I've got to watch her 12 year old sister grow up and just as I'll get to see her cousins grow up. Everyone has a different reason for why they do this. Sometimes it's for family, like myself. And sometimes it's personal. Every person who goes through this has a different journey, different experiences, and a different story to tell. And I wish you the very best on your own journey.

I started out with a 49 BMI, and I got the sleeve. I’m six months out and I just hit a BMI of 29. No complications whatsoever, but I also was very healthy prior to surgery. My only comorbidity was being super obese. I love that I feel the “same” for lack of a better description. I still have the cast iron stomach I used to have (just a lot less of it) and basically the only change has been my hunger doesn’t control my life anymore. Part of my reason for picking the sleeve was that I wanted the surgery with fewer long term complications- if something was going to happen I wanted it to happen right away so I wouldn’t worry about it. With that said, complications in either surgery are very low. I don’t think either one is the wrong choice. If I had it to do over again I wouldn’t change a thing.

bypass patient here. Really the main complication you have to consider with the sleeve is potential GERD - it happens to about 30% of sleeve patients. There are other potential complications, of course, but other than GERD, they're pretty rare. And IMHO, the benefit of losing a massive amount of weight outweighs almost any potential complication. Being super morbidly obese (and I started there, too) is a serious co-morbidity on its own...

Technically I didn't have the gastric sleeve surgery as I had the Loop DS/ SADI-S/SIPS surgery instead, BUT my surgery INVOLVES a gastric sleeve stomach. It just has the added intestinal bypass bit. I don't know if that counts for what you want to know though lol. But I'll answer anyway about my own WLS experience. I'm 15 months out. I had only one complication. That complication? I developed a wheat allergy. Any surgery with the malabsorption bit has something like a 3% chance of developing either a wheat allergy or Celiac Disease. I just happened to be one of the unlucky ones, but the bright side of it is that it keeps me on track because I can't eat 95% of the foods I used to love now due to the allergy lol. If I had to do it all over again I'd either stick with the surgery I chose or go with the old fashioned DS (but only because I really hate constipation issues and with the old DS you have the opposite problem, which is a problem in itself I guess lol). I was told the best WLS options to help with diabetes or pre-diabetes are ones that have malabsorption. And those are the ones that involve the intestinal bit (this was what my surgeon told me, btw because diabetes runs in my family). Those surgeries are Gastric Bypass, Duodenal Switch (DS), or Loop Duodenal Switch (SADI-S/SIPS). When I first went in for my surgery consult in May 2019 in which I'd had my mind set on the Gastric Sleeve I was told that since I had a BMI above 50 (it was almost 61 at the time) I was in the highest class of obesity and classified as 'super morbidly obese' (I cried). They recommended the DS or Loop DS to me because statistically they have the highest weight loss percentage and because I'm partially disabled (due to back injuries and osteoarthritis) I needed to really rely on average statistics (if you're not disabled and can exercise and follow your surgical and dieting guidelines then you can by all means surpass the average so don't get stuck on statistics if you don't have those issues). However, I also bounced around with whether I wanted that or Gastric Bypass due to potential GERD issues with the Loop DS because of the sleeved stomach (my gastroenterologist wanted me to do the GB lol while the surgeon was pushing for the DS or Loop DS). I ended up choosing the Loop DS after months of going back and forth between that and the Gastric Bypass. I had high blood pressure before my surgery and because mine is genetic (literally my sister is the only adult in our family who doesn't have it) I still have it. I was TOLD if my high blood pressure is genetic then the surgery likely wouldn't help it. It did improve it though. I used to take my BP meds every other day, but now I take them every three days and my blood pressure has been perfect with that. In the end the choice of what surgery you choose is very much your own. Do your research. Weigh the pro's and con's. Ask the surgeon questions. If you actually go to the office and SEE people (damn Covid may make it so you don't see people) ask if they've had surgery and ask them about their experiences (I did). Just choose whatever surgery you feel comfortable with. Every surgery has their ups and downs and everyone's experience is different. Also, congrats on the start of your journey and I wish you the best! You can do it!

Greeting 🙂 I am new to this forum and have alot of questions I suppose as many of you probably did when you were just starting out. I am morbidly obese (I hate that description even tho its true) it just sounds awful and degrading. Anyway, I have had a weight problem for years. I just never addressed it I guess, well now is the time to do that. My questions Id like to pose is: how many people who have had the gastric sleeve have experienced long term complications from it and how long has it been post op? And what were they? Did the benefits far outweigh the complications in your opinion? If you had it to do all over again would you elect to have the sleeve or would you have picked gastric bypass instead? Being a gastric sleeve patient what would you say to me knowing that I am 52 yrs old and have a BMI of 58. What sort of things would you suggest or tell me about gastric sleeve surgery? (tid bit of information about me. I have no known illnesses or problems outside of obesity. I am borderline high blood pressure but not on any medication. I am borderline type 2 diabetes no medications but have blood sugars between 130-155 usually) Your thoughts, answers to questions, and opinions would be much appreciated because I have not scheduled to see anyone yet about bariatric surgery but I am hoping to soon.

I am a nurse who started her career in the OR and now works in ER and it was very difficult for me to not see every complication possible happening to me. Ultimately, I have no regrets. Had no complications and have lost 130 pounds. Research the surgeon you choose, their support and details of the program as well as resources. Ask other patients how their experience was with that surgeon. When I went for my consult, the surgeon started in on his VERY low complication rate and well developed plan and I said, you don't have to sell me, I've already done my research on you! Good luck!! I have more energy, get more done, spend time with my family. I'm a better person, mom, wife and nurse. I would it again tomorrow.

I read all of those horror stories as well, but keep in mind that those kinds of things don't happen very often. The majority of us sail through just fine with no issues. I think most of us probably had the same thoughts at one time or another - all the "what ifs" and the fears of having some horrible complication. I finally had to stop myself from reading about them. It's good to know that it's a possibility - but you also have to put it in perspective. It's pretty uncommon. I figured I was at a much greater risk being 200 lbs overweight than I was having the surgery. Having some major complication from bariatric surgery could certainly happen, but the risk is pretty small. On the other hand, having a heart attack, developing diabetes, or dying 20 years prematurely was a pretty decent-sized risk (if not a sure thing) if I stayed super morbidly obese. but of course - you know all this. You said so in your post. Just wanted you to know that yes - I had those thoughts as well. I bet most of us did.

I went back and forth till the very last day wondering if what I was about to do to my body was too extreme and was afraid of complications. I am so glad that I did it. Zero regrets. Except the most common one that I didn’t do it sooner.

I had 6 plus months of prep before my surgery so I had a long time to ponder the what if’s! Honestly, it came down to the fact that I felt like I no longer had control of my ability to lose weight and I had to take this step, and it’s a very scary one at that. My biggest suggestions are to research your surgeon and facilities, and also prepare yourself as much as possible with the education aspects outside of what the Bariatric program gives you. In a nurse by trade so I know many of the medical components and complications of surgery in general, but I needed to research more on bariatrics. The risks with VSG are very low. If you have major health issues obviously the % will rise for complications. I am 100% happy that I went through with my surgery although I am only 6 weeks out and did not have any major complications.

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!

Thanks for asking [emoji846]Every day I have GRATITUDE for having had weight loss surgery. No surgical complications. No surgery related problems short or long term. I have medical issues unrelated to obesity that frustrated my weight loss. It took a long time but I made it below my surgeons goal to ensure a "normal" BMI. I struggled with the usual ups and downs you can expect over the years. Overall, I'm maintaining. There is no way I will allow myself to go backwards. Pre wls I wore 18/20/2x in most brands. At my personal goal weight I wear 0/2/4 at Gap/ Old Navy. Today I can't wear my size 0 jeans but I'm working my way back into them. My un breakable rule of maintenance is Never, Ever Buy A Larger Size. This keeps re gain in check. I shop with a tape measure to ensure consistency between brands. I consciously work on my disfunctional eating to address what surgery cannot. I hope my story is helpful. MSW

I have fears of complications, regain ('ve lost 100 lbs and gained it back before), and dying in surgery. I'm not sure how I'd rank them; it depends on the day. I think regain is my biggest fear because it's the most likely, and it's not something that will go away after surgery. I think I will always fear that.

My hangup with telling people about surgery proactively is that I worry it would cause harm to others. If someone with obesity approached me and asked me "how I did it," I would be 100% honest. But I don't want me being open about it proactively to be taken as a message that I think this is what an obese person "should do." I want to be respectful of my friends who are working really hard to feel good in their large bodies. I've told about 9 people, all friends, no family. One of the people I disclosed it to, who is thin, had a very strained reaction, and essentially told me she couldn't engage in the conversation because of her background with eating disorders, which I wasn't aware of. She was maybe the 3rd or 4th person I told, and moving forward with the next few, I was very very tentative with how I told people, and made clear that I would answer questions, but that we didn't need to discuss it further since it's a sensitive topic. Food and weight are very complicated things for people and I want to be very careful with suddenly opening intimate conversations about them with unsuspecting friends.

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!