Do you lose less on the sleeve than bypass?

[bangbangbarbie 52]

I know we have all discussed the stats but I'm curious what your results are. I'm wondering if I should go with the bypass for the sole reason that I want to be little at the end of this.

I'm 5'4", 235lbs. Is a 100 lb weight loss even plausible for me? My goal weight is 130lbs. I can go smaller, but in my experience, I have a lot of muscle and that is a weight where I'm very happy.

Guys, help me decide. I'm worried that the sleeve Lacks long term data. I don't want it to end up with results like the band. I'm tempted to go with the bypass bc I know it works. But obviously if I get get here, and stay there with the sleeve, it's much safer and with less complications.

I'm 25. I need this surgery to last a lifetime, which mostly relies on me. But I don't want to reach a plateau, have my sleeve slowly slowly stretch back out and put the weight back on.

I'm so lost and so unhappy in this decision. Help!

[artblitz 21]

I speak pretty straight because I think this is a serious issue. I am a nurse and I have been reading/researching bariatric surgery since 2007. I am preparing to be sleeved on 2-19. I waited till now because there was not a procedure that met my "best criteria" till I found the sleeve. Also my employer is VERY RESTRICTIVE on who can have it...I have jumped through many hoops...as many of us have to get schedule.

I did not want a foreign object in my abdomen with the band and I did not want to have my intenstinse rerouted like the Roux-n-Y. I have seen MANY people regain their weight after the Roux-n-Y....and I did not want to deal with the absorption and dumping syndrome with the Roux-n-Y. That procedure is very scary to me. The sleeve is the only acceptable procedure I would choose for myself. I know there will be foods I love (coffee, wine, bread) that I will have to take out of my diet..maybe forever. I am 63 and getting to a normal weight after fighting this for 40+ years....is worth to me whatever modificiation I need to make. I do not want to have the continued knee pain I have...and the blood pressure issues that are starting to creep in. I have 85-90 pounds to lose and I am 5'2". I look like a little square blimp I am so fat.

None of these surgeries are the answer by themselves. You are still going to have to exercise and tone your body and you are going to have to track your food like you have never done on a diet. It will be critical to get in Protein and fluids. If you are looking at surgery as a "answer" then I would not do it. It is part of a solution...one part, only. You will lose as much weight as you are willing to put in the effort to lose. It will most likely come off fast in the beginning and then by 4-6 months you will need to get behind it with effort. I would say that effort should start before your surgery. I am in therapy working on my "root" issue of why I over eat.I will stay in therapy till all my weight is lost and I have stabalized new habits. I am also going to go to OA...and the group at the bariatric center where I am having my surgery done. I am going to surround myself with as much support as I need to make this transition. My body weight is one thing...my thinking is quite another. It is my thinking that I need to shift BIG TIME.

I would never choose the procedure based on which one I would lose the most with...you can do it with any of them...and the fact that you are exploring it from this angle might mean you are not ready????

Helen RN

[Bluesea71 698]

There are a lot of threads on BP on this particular topic, so I would suggest doing a search as there is a wealth of information to learn from. I think in the beginning we all struggled with deciding which surgery to have. For me, I had difficulty deciding between gastric bypass and the sleeve and it really came down to a few things that helped me make my decision. Similar to yourself, I didn't start out severely obese. I started out at 236 (5'6.5") and my goal was to weigh between 140-150. In my opinion, gastric bypass is a more significant operation and seriously alters both how your body absorbs food and alters your lifestyle for the rest of your life. I wanted to continue on to still live a somewhat normal life. I wanted to be able to eat a piece of cake on occasion (without dumping) share a glass of wine when the occasion called, etc. If I had over 100 pounds to lose, a long history of obesity, or significant food issues, I would have likely had Gastric bypass. With that being said, I don't consider myself your average bariatric patient. I don't really have food issues. I'm a weird one that really didn't like sweets pre or post surgery and sometimes I wish there was a pill I could take to forgo having to eat altogether. I don't get pleasure out of it. I ate a pretty clean diet before, but Portion Control was difficult for me and PCOS (what qualified me for the surgery) contributed to my excess weight. There are many people who need the feedback GBP gives them of dumping to help them stop eating sweets, etc. The sleeve gives me the restriction I need to be successful. I have been able to lose almost all of my weight since my surgery with little effort. I follow the "rules" of high Protein, low carbs, plenty of Water, avoid any liquid calories, junk food/fast food, etc. but am I perfect? No way! This is about making lifestyle choices you can maintain long term. I stay active, but I am yet to join a gym. So to answer your question, you can lose your weight with the sleeve. Statistics show that the weight loss achieved with both surgeries is comparable. Keep in mind that its also possible to regain weight with both surgeries too. The boards on BP are filled with people who are committed to getting support and reporting their successes. Don't let that fool you. You only have to watch one episode of "My 600 pound life" to be reminded how easy it is to eat around both surgeries and regain the weight. Those who are regaining their weight are unlikely to be seeking out support on Bariatric Pal!

Edited February 1, 2015 by Bluesea71

[pinkbunies 359]

I have a friend who had the bypass and she has regained the weight. I did the sleeve and I've lost 76 lbs as of this morning and I feel amazing.

From what I understand, the sleeve is maint. free and the bypass has more to it.

[pinkbunies 359]

and yes you can regain the weight. If you join a gym, you'll be amazed at how fast the pounds fall off.

[thesuse2000 698]

I'm down 98 pounds so far with the sleeve. I do work to stay on track with good food choices though. If I don't make an effort I can easily eat lots more food and gain weight. I went wild over the holidays and gained 6 pounds in two weeks. Probably much of that was Water weight from eating lots of sweets, but it was eye opening and let me know that I'll need to track my eating and avoid sweets forever. But - I don't feel deprived at all how I'm eating. It's just I need to work at avoiding mindless and emotional eating.

Bypass does seem to lead to better weight loss, but there are more health risks. You really need to stay on top of Vitamins and such or you can develop a host of health problems. In support groups I go to I've just heard a lot of stories about issues down the road with bypass. Mostly related to Vitamin deficiencies or intestinal problems.

Whichever you choose (with guidance from your doctor/surgeon too) just make sure to get your head in the game and prepare to change your relationship with food. The surgery is a great opportunity to do that, but if you don't make the most of it, it's not that hard to regain with any of the surgery options. I wish you the best!

[yogachick 56]

You have exactly my situation. Same height and weight and goal. I chose the sleeve after all of my research. The risks and complications of bypass just weren't worth it to me.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

5.3, started at 264. I am at 152 now. So yes, you can lose the weight with the sleeve. I've been maintaining this weight easily for about a year now.

[MisforMimi 760]

You're posting in sleeve forum, so you'll hear pro sleeve arguments. You're young? Not that overweight, you should be fine achieving your goals with the sleeve especially if comorbidities aren't an issue for you....

Edited February 2, 2015 by MisforMimi

[tlemieux220 138]

Dear bangbangbarbie I have chosen the Sleeve because I am 5 ft tall and weigh 235 lbs, I started at 240 lbs and my surgeon didn't feel like I would be a good candidate for the bypass and the band is not something I wanted to deal with. So we decided to do the sleeve less evasive.

My goal weight is between 135 and 140, if when I get there I feel I could lose more then I will, so as of right now I would be comfortable just losing the 95-100 lbs.

It is up to you with both the bypass and the sleeve, you can re-stretch out both of them. One of the ladies in my doctors office had the bypass 14 years ago and a couple of years ago she went through the change of life she gained back some of her weight, so depends on you and what you are willing to do to keep it off.