Sleeve Vs Bypass

[dfwtxfemme 3]

I realize this is a personal decision, I honestly do not know what route to go... I think BP better long term results, but it seems so drastic and I really worry about dumping syndrome and complications as well as my ability to really follow better eating habits.... I think having negative consequences of dumping might help with that, but wonder if I would decide to live with the pain just to satisfy my craving...... the sleeve seems like a more natural way to continue with life..... my doctor at first thought sleeve but the more we talk think the bypass offer me a little bit of extra help.... people use to die from this procedure and I realize that's not the case now but it scares the crap out of me... I know I want surgery I just don't know which 1 to choose... they're successes and failures with each I know it is my own choices.... socially I'd like to be able to drink a beer on occasion if I want to you know, I don't want to be on a date order something and take two bites eat like a bird either, but normal kids size person would be good I just don't know what to expect.... I have a friend who had bypass and she's great results but would have done sleeve but insurance would not pay for that, her mom had it also it is have the dumping effects but not as great results.... very stressful choice and it's a lot of money either way I go.....thx for thoughts between two surgeries

[Uniqueladybug 80]

Hello there. There really is so much to consider. I was originally going for the sleeve. On my final appt before surgery the doc said no because I had a hernia. I was crushed! I too did not want dumping or the severe restrictions. Well, here I am a month out. My case is not typical but right now I'm not happy. I think if you are super serious about weightloss, the bypass is the way to go. How much are you wanting to loose? My surgeon told me that if you have the sleeve and you need a feeding tube for some reason, it makes it complicated because you can't undo it and there's very little room for the Fluid to go into. With the bypass, it's reversable and they can still use your stomach without a reversal. Good luck in your journey!

Jess...Surgiversary 9/19/12

[Jilllorraine 62]

I agree! I too wanted the sleeve. After a long discussion with my surgeon he change my mind. I too had a hernia and terrible GERD. (Acid reflux) So I was not a candidate for the sleeve, as the sleeve can make heartburn way worse. I also have stomach issues that run in the family so I didn't want to have something irreversible. if I ever were to get stomach cancer, or other stomach issues I would be out of luck! Scary! The sleeve however does not have malnutrition issues, less chance of dumping (still can), and not as restricted on what you eat.

I chose rny with my surgeon. After researching more I am so glad I did! I am however a newbie! Just a week postop. I've decided the greater weightloss and retaining the weightloss was my goal. I have lost weight and gained weight on diet after diet I didn't want to go through a surgery with not much restriction. I felt like I would again fail.

Good luck in your journey. This was such a tough decision!

[Uniqueladybug 80]

How are you doing with everything post-op?

Jess...Surgiversary 9/19/12

[DLCoggin 1,788]

I realize this is a personal decision, I honestly do not know what route to go... I think BP better long term results, but it seems so drastic and I really worry about dumping syndrome

About half of gastric bypass patients never experience dumping. You might find the information in my post "Dumping the Confusion About Dumping" helpful -

http://www.rnytalk.com/topic/2665-dumping-the-confusion-about-dumping/page__fromsearch__1

and complications as well as my ability to really follow better eating habits....

Both sleeve and bypass are major surgeries and as with any surgery, there are risks. In a study done by Healthgrades on over 201,000 surgeries over a three year period, the complication rate was 5.87%. That translates into approximately one in twenty folks who experience complications.

I think having negative consequences of dumping might help with that, but wonder if I would decide to live with the pain just to satisfy my craving......

Counting on dumping as a benefit of surgery is a mistake. You may not experience dumping at all. The surgery is about lifestyle changes. The surgery cannot make those changes for you. But it can and will make those changes easier to accomplish.

people use to die from this procedure and I realize that's not the case now but it scares the crap out of me...

Scared the crap out of me too. Perfectly rational response when comtemplating major surgery. But in my personal experience, the anticipation was much worse than the actual surgery. More importantly, the mortality rate is currently somewhere between 0.1% and 0.2%. That translates into one or two per thousand - compare that to the fact that obesity is a progressive, degenerative, life threatening disease that is the number two cause of preventative death in the U.S.

socially I'd like to be able to drink a beer on occasion if I want to you know

I enjoy a glass of wine before dinner more nights than not. But I followed my doctor's recommendation to avoid all alcohol for six months following surgery. There is a lot of healing taking place during that time and drinking alcohol can be an invitation to an ulcer. Abstinence is not necessary but moderation is important. Recent research has linked a moderate but significant increase in alcohol abuse by bariatric surgery patients.

I don't want to be on a date order something and take two bites eat like a bird either, but normal kids size person would be good I just don't know what to expect....

Portion control was a major contributing factor to my obesity. The surgery is a great benefit in helping with Portion Control but it is only a tool - it can be defeated if you're determined enough. But eating "like a bird" is not necessary, healthy, or sustainable. I'm currently maintaining my weight of about 160 lbs averaging 1500 - 1800 calories a day.

I have a friend who had bypass and she's great results but would have done sleeve but insurance would not pay for that, her mom had it also it is have the dumping effects but not as great results....

There simply are no guarantees. No absolutes. But more than 30 years of gastric bypass surgeries (the sleeve is still comparatively new) has yielded a long term success rate of approximately 85%. And that includes improvement or complete remission of many obesity related diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea and more than 20 other diseases.

very stressful choice and it's a lot of money either way I go.....thx for thoughts between two surgeries

Both surgeries are statistically safe and effective. But there are any number of medical considerations which can shift the scales in favor of one or the other. That is a decision best made by you and your doctor. Either way, you're gonna love the new you!!