PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Help Me Choose! :)

[jazzyjess 5]

Hi, Everyone,

The threads on here are SO amazing and wonderful (and so are their authors!), which is why I turn to you:
I'm schedule for my sleeve in two weeks. However, I'm now doubting my decision and am debating instead going for the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Here's my deal. Maybe you can offer your experience in making your decision?

* I am a sweets eater, not a huge-portion person.

* I have A LOT of weight to lose; I'm 5'2" and 270 pounds. I want fast results. (Hence the GP desire)

* I tend to get sick a lot more than most because of life-long asthma and other hormonal/chronic illnesses unrelated to weight.

***I'M SO SCARED OF MAKING THE WRONG DECISION, SO ANY ADVICE MUCH APPRECIATED.***

With cheers for your continued success,

Jess

[Shortcake 6]

I am 5'2 also, started at 250, so we are not too far apart,I think sleeve vs bypass results are very comparable (I base that only on studies I have seen and few personal encounters of people I know) some things to consider are the medications you take for chronic illness, may have decreased absorption with bypass, not so much with sleeve. Also, I think there are more nutritional deficiencies with bypass, which may exacerbate your hormonal issues and chronic illness. I'm a fresh sleeve (2-11-14) but loving it!! Down 12lbs already, off my diabetic meds from day 1 post op, bp normalized. I'm a happy sleever thus far

Might check out the bypass forum too and get some feedback from others with similar chronic illness?

Wish you much success whichever route you go!!

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

I would recommend that medical professionals help you make such a choice. Please read the posts here and search out related topics. Losing too fast would be unhealthy and unwise in my humble opinion. Between my husband and myself, we have: asthma, neuropathy, HBP, diabetes, heart stent, knee replacement, cellulitis, could barely walk, either of us, and more. My asthma exacerbated the onset of 3 weeks of horrible bronchitis once or twice a year. I did not get bronchitis in December for the first time in ? 7 years??? Maybe no connection, I do nnot know but losing weight will sure help your breathing. We would do the sleeve again and wish we could have done it 10 years ago! Would do it again in a heartbeat. Loving the loss of 100 lbs. total between the 2 of us in 4 1/2 months. There are a lot more people who weigh more than you so you are not in this boat alone. We have researched WLS 10 years. Choose wisely and be informed. Good luck!

[EricW1301 1]

As a medical professional myself, I decided to go with sleeve. There is something about having a stomach that can still be subject to disease and no good way yo test for that. Plus like me you will need to learn self control. I love sweets but, I know after surgery I have to limit my intake if I want the true goal of bing thin! Nothing tastes as good as thin feels!!

[scarlet333 386]

I am 5'2" too and started at 224. I am thrilled with my decision to go with the sleeve. I too love sweets especially chocolate. The first 6 months or so I had absolutely no craving for sweets and lost a lot of my weight. Now that I do occasionally feel that craving and do indulge I am able to control myself because of the motivation of being so much thinner and Ive learned coping skills such as not having it my home. You must do your own research and consult with your medical professionals but the sleeve does give you fast results. Good luck.

[BigGirlPanties 957]

I know two people that had RnY and said, if they could have, they would have been sleeved instead, but it wasn't an option to them over 10 years ago... the sleeve does give you the benefits of gastric bypass without losing the bodies inability to use it's organs, i.e-intestines... so you don't have to do so many supplements and stuff.

Ultimately, the choice is your own, with your doctor factored in...but, for me, sleeve was the way to go!

Sweets are going to bother you (ie dumping) no matter which one you do...no more sweets for me and I don't miss them!

[sassypants 674]

Its always your decision of course at the end so I wont tell you what to do but I can tell you why I had the sleeve.
I personally know a few people who had bypass and the malabsorption thing for 4 of them is bad, at the time of me deciding what I wanted (even though the by pass was being pushed on me by one saying just have it so I don’t come back in 2 years wanting it because I gained weight)
I really didn’t want it so I spoke to my surgeon he has been doing these ops for 10 years he took my gall bladder out and hes to the point no BS.
He agreed with me and with my ibs he wasn’t comfortable doing it anyway.
As that’s a intestinal problem moving them around was a unknown outcome as to it helping making it worse etc
I already had absorption problems anyway to then have that op could make it utterly impossible for me to absorb anything and that’s a major problem.
To me just losing 80% of my stomach was enough to Frankenstein my insides honestly scared me and i did not want that at all.
I was already on every Vitamin going at crazy levels to just try and absorb them making that worse ugh (actually now I take way way less its great!)
I asked my doc about the bypass being pushed on my he said there isn’t as much info on the sleeve as it was originally part of the 2 stage then seeing how well it was doing it became its own stand alone choice.
In comparison its just not got as much history so is a baby compared to the data on bypass.

The sweets thing having a op just to be able to eat them and have a reaction to make you stop isnt wise its kinda like adverstion treatment to make you stop instead of learning to on your own.
A friend of mine got such bad dumping she would pass out from it first few times her kids called a ambulance because they thought it was a heart attack.
Some people its mild discomfort others its out and out full on sweating can’t breathe pain and passing out its no walk in the park at all.

[backwhereIbelong 16]

My medical doctor said her sleeve patients do far better that the bypass patients in that they tend to have more complications. Don't concern yourself with losing it fast, because you will be making a lifestyle change. If you were much heavier I would lean toward the bypass, but I think you will see optimal results with the sleeve. The best of luck to you and keep us updated.

[Steph W-O 75]

I was originally thinking bypass and my surgeons PA said to me, "if you were my sister, I'd recommend the sleeve". There are fewer complications, fewer risks, faster recovery, and fewer long term effects-especially if you are on medications for other reasons.

[Ree 215]

Hi, Everyone,

The threads on here are SO amazing and wonderful (and so are their authors!), which is why I turn to you:

I'm schedule for my sleeve in two weeks. However, I'm now doubting my decision and am debating instead going for the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Here's my deal. Maybe you can offer your experience in making your decision?

* I am a sweets eater, not a huge-portion person.

* I have A LOT of weight to lose; I'm 5'2" and 270 pounds. I want fast results. (Hence the GP desire)

* I tend to get sick a lot more than most because of life-long asthma and other hormonal/chronic illnesses unrelated to weight.

***I'M SO SCARED OF MAKING THE WRONG DECISION, SO ANY ADVICE MUCH APPRECIATED.***

With cheers for your continued success,

Jess

You took a page out of my book.

My starting BMI was higher than yours. I started at 275 but I am only 5ft tall. I had (still have) a lot of weight to lose. The reason I decided to go with the sleeve is because for some reason the thought of gastric bypass scared the hell out of me. Plus I still wanted to have the option of having something sweet every now and then, without the worry of the dumping syndrome.

I also have asthma so I know what that's like too and I also want to lose weight quickly but I'm really happy with my progress so far and I know this type of thing can not be rushed because after all we didn't put the weight on overnight so naturally it's not going to come off overnight either.

Ultimately you have to make the best decision for YOU. I know if I had to do it all over again, right now, I would still pick the gastric sleeve over the gastric bypass. Good luck with whichever one you decide on.

[BlondeBanshee 91]

My concern is malnutrition, losing your small intestine just doesn't make sense to me!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I also struggled with this. I was heavier than you, and I also love to eat sweets and graze. Those things really made me a better candidate for RNY. My surgeon said I could do either, and it really was up to me. I decided on the sleeve because I don't want a lifetime of malnutrition, and I also need to be able to take NSAIDS (which I take every day). He said I would lose more weight with the RNY, but that I could lose all my weight with the sleeve. I do have to be very diligent about what I eat, because I could graze all day long and gain every pound back. But I think the same would hold true for RNY. I'm having a hard time getting the last 10 pounds off and sometimes I think if I had RNY it might come off, but I don't know that for sure.

The bottom line is that I'm thrilled with my decision. I can eat normally, no foods bothers me, and you would never know I had surgery. To people who don't know I had the surgery, I look like a normal to small size woman who eats small to normal amounts of food for a person my size. I can take NSAIDS. I've lost 86% of my excess weight, which is better statistically than either RNY or sleeve averages. In the end, it's up to us what we do with the surgery, regardless of our choice.

Edited February 18, 2014 by MichiganChic

[7 Bites_Jen 479]

I can say from personal experience and from what my nutritionist has been learning that sleevers DO dump. So if that's something you were concerned about, there ya' go, LOL.

That being said - the sleeve is not right for every single patient. Only you know the results you want - and you are doing your own research to figure it out - and I have to give you huge kudos for that! Of course WE'RE all going to say the sleeve is best because that's what we've all had. BUT I know several people with the RnY that LOVE it and would never go back. There are those that would have done it differently, but, you know what - there are sleevers that regret it too. So, it's all up to YOU and your surgeon and what you both want and recommend.

Does your surgeon do both, or are you going to have to switch? How is it going to affect your insurance?

[pinksjo1 137]

When I first starting looking into surgery - it was going to be the lap-band or the sleeve. I was way too scared of by-pass. After doing research, the lap-band was out of the question. My pre-op class had 50% of the attendees having the lap-band taken out. Just confirmed to me that the sleeve was the way to go. I have not doubted this decision for an instant. Best thing I ever did. Good luck!

[jazzyjess 5]

Hi, Everyone,

I just wanted to say THANK YOU, so much, for your helpful responses. I've decided to stick with my original decision and get the sleeve. Yes, the thought of losing more with RnY is appealing; yes, it makes sweets a definite no-no, but it's NOT worth sacrificing nutrition, complications, etc.

Sometimes, we need to trust our "gut"--literally. I came to the sleeve decision months ago; I guess this was last-minute questioning and temporary blindness because I'm so eager to start looking and feeling better.

Hugs to everyone, and with much appreciation,

Jess