A week before surgery- am I having the right procedure for my eating?

[Nomorethickchick 13]

Hello, I am a week out. I have been planning on the Sleeve for over a year. Mainly because of the lower complications. I am 5'4 (and 3/4) and I am 210. A 35 BMI with a comorbidity of Apnea.

I am really very much a sugar head. I am not really a VOLUME eater, although I do eat too big portions - certainly bigger than is allowed by the sleeve. The reason the sleeve is attractive to me is that it provides restriction. And I am hoping- a little dumping- so I can teach myself to keep away from the stuff that goes down easy- like sugar. Like Reeces Peanut Butter cups. Or licorcice. Or Chunky bars. It's not like I eat them every night, but let's say my body weight has always been heavy, not ever to severely obese, never above a 36 BMI at my highest.

I have always thought that a low BMI'er is better off with a sleeve than a bypass. But thinking about this over the last week and half as I've been eating (and eating less - in prep- no liquid prep until the day before) I wonder if I am getting the right procedure for long term success. I want to be confident that I have selected the right tool for my toolbox.

[TammyDTM 391]

I think that a good surgeon should be able to help you with that decision. Just be sure that the surgeon knows the details of your eating habits and temptations with sugary foods.

The sleeve does not necessarily give you "dumping syndrome." I don't have it.

[Nomorethickchick 13]

He told me it was basically my choice. That the RNY has more complications. That the sleeve you have to work a little harder with. That regain on the average is 50% of EW to lose within 5 years. He really is leaving it up to me.

[Nomorethickchick 13]

It's a really hard decision. I am leaning towards the sleeve just from a fright of complications. But it might not be the right decision making.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I also really love sugar and my sleeve only tolerates it in small servings. It has been good for me because whereas before I might eat a cupcake or two, now I am quite content with 1 or 2 minicupcakes over the course of a few hours. I don't really crave sugar anymore, even though I do still enjoy the taste. I'm glad I got the sleeve because I didn't want to worry about the malabsorption issues of bypass.

[Niki15 198]

I was going to do the sleeve as well but the dr advised I would have better results with the RNY as I loved sugar but was a boredum eater .The sleeve can take u about 2 years to loose all ur weight and the RNY only a year ..I have not regretted this desicion so far .. Hw 363 Sw 340 Cw 317 I am almost 5 weeks out .

[Nomorethickchick 13]

@@AvaFern THAT'S what my logic is. That I might not be cured of my sugar ills, but I won't be able to go as far with it afterwards. That is realistic. Real life. Thanks.

[Nomorethickchick 13]

@@Niki15 I hear what you mean. I was just thinking- that even though I qualify for insurance for both, that it seems like a drastic surgery move for less than 100lbs to lose.

@@AvaFern your BMI is very sexy. ahhaa

[*Lexie* 1,486]

I really struggled with this decision too. I kept thinking the bypass may be better because I love sugar and wanted the malabsorption. But the psych and dietitian felt it was too much surgery for me. The surgeon left it completely up to us, educating but not influencing.

I ended up getting the sleeve and I'm very happy with it. I can eat candy (I had a Reece's pumpkin after my 12 mile run this morning) but I can't tolerate ice cream or cake and my desire for sweets is quite diminished in comparison to pre-op. (Along with a long list of foods I can't tolerate but I don't think this is common.)

My one year anniversary is coming up in 2 weeks and I'm very close to 100lbs lost. It's more than I could have hoped for. I have exercised at a high level (training for a marathon right now) and though I keep working the program on the food, I have not been not perfect.

Honestly, either surgery will greatly help you become the person you want to be. Best of luck with the decision.

[Djmohr 6,965]

Here is the thing, you have to control what you put in your mouth regardless of what surgery you chose. If you have an addiction to sugar that you are worried about you need to talk to a therapist.

In the end it really is the only thing that will help you.

Having bypass is not guaranteed to cause dumping, I should know I have never dumped. I could eat all the sugar I want but that doesn't mean that I do. By the way, I had a sugar addiction as well. There are times when I crave it but I know that if I eat it the cravings will only get worse.

I have learned that I focused on sugar when I was bored. The more sugar I ate, the more I craved it.

Half the battle is with your head when it comes to this process.

I am not suggesting that you don't consider bypass because there is a chance you will get dumping and it could help you but I am saying don't count on it.

Also, I would be interested to hear why you think there are more complications with bypass. Bypass is the gold standard for WLS. Yes there can be complications but there is the potential for complications for both surgeries. Many times people think malabsorption is a complication, it is not. It is designed to help you lose the weight and as long as you take your supplements and have labs done on schedule, everything will be ok.

Those same supplements and labs are required for both surgeries.

Which complications are you worried about?

[Nomorethickchick 13]

@@Djmohr, my surgeon is the one who told me there were statistically more complications with the bypass. I would suppose they come from a variety of reasons not the least the re-routing and mal-absorbtive issues. My doctor said that the sleeve is quickly becoming the gold standard for bariatric patients due to the ease of the procedure and low incidences of complications. That weight loss is faster with the bypass but at the 5 year look back, the weight losses/regains tend to be around the same. I just fear the rerouting part. I don't think at 65-70 (really hoping for 75) lbs off that it necessarily calls for a bypass type of change to my body.

[Nomorethickchick 13]

@@*Lexie* Its incredible to me that you are doing a 12 mile anything!

[Nomorethickchick 13]

@@*Lexie*, I am and have been working on my sugar intake- sticking to fruits like grapes (cotton candy grapes are the bomb!) and just saying no to sweets. It's so hard and it is a mind game. For instance, I just now left a birthday party before the cake was served. Because I don't want to see it. I am craving it. I just don't want to have it around me. I will go eat some watermelon.

[*Lexie* 1,486]

@@Nomorethickchick I just got weak in the knees when I read "cotton candy grapes". I must find out what these are right away!

[tbmichals 12]

Nomorethickchick I seriously could have written your post down to the height and weight! We are exactly alike except I don't have my surgery scheduled yet. I have been having the same doubts about which surgery also. A