Surgeon recommends sleeve not bypass

[Nana5 8]

I had a long history of acid reflux and on medication for many years. I had to have a upper GI and swallow test before my Dr would do my GS. I also had a hiatal hernia. My Dr decided to go ahead with the surgery since taking some of the stomach to fix hernia which is how hernia is fixed. Have not had reflux since.

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[carlychloe2 106]

@Monasmle: I agree with you. Why chance the sleeve, and then possibly have horrendous reflux only to have to go through a revision to bypass. No thank you, bypass for me. Also, one person here said that more SLEEVES are being done these days. Well that may be true, I dont know for sure, but if that is true it may be because bc the sleeve is easier, faster and the surgeon still makes the big bucks.

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[stacyrg2 350]

If I had GERD prior to surgery I would never choose sleeve. I was sleeved in May 2014. I never had GERD prior to surgery but developed a severe case as a result of the sleeve. It was miserable and the sleeve makes it worse. I wouldn't bet on the acid going away after surgery, even if you have a hiatal hernia repaired (I did, didn't matter). My acid was so bad I was forced to convert to bypass. It's just my opinion but if I had acid issues I would go bypass from the start

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[vegbeth 79]

@@courtney.rose.a. And I have the same surgeon. He never pressured me to get a sleeve. He said I was a good candidate for either procedure. I choose the sleeve. Maybe there is a medical reason a shorter procedure has been advised, anesthesia risks, etc. I don't think that one should assume that he is just trying to make more $$. Perhaps it would be best to go back to the office and ask why this procedure is preferred in your case. I though Dr McCluney was an awesome surgeon.

[theantichick 2,204]

I have had reflux issues over the years, but mostly related to stress and food choices. Always manageable with a PPI/antacid. Because of meds I need to be able to take for my auto-immune condition - NSAIDs and steroids - the sleeve was a better choice for me. We decided to take a chance with the reflux because of the other pressing medical needs. So far, so good (knock on wood). No reflux issues, and I'll be on a PPI forever because of the meds I take for the auto-immune.

So there can be other medical reasons that point to a sleeve over a bypass. However, given the serious risk of GERD, if I didn't have the other medical concerns, I likely would have decided to go with a bypass rather than risk the reflux/GERD. It might be worth discussing with the surgeon why he thinks reflux won't be an issue with your sleeve, and what factors he is considering with his recommendation.

[courtney.rose.a. 49]

@@courtney.rose.a. And I have the same surgeon. He never pressured me to get a sleeve. He said I was a good candidate for either procedure. I choose the sleeve. Maybe there is a medical reason a shorter procedure has been advised, anesthesia risks, etc. I don't think that one should assume that he is just trying to make more $$. Perhaps it would be best to go back to the office and ask why this procedure is preferred in your case. I though Dr McCluney was an awesome surgeon.

Thank you! And I really do trust his opinion. My acid reflux was always caused by stress and the unhealthy diet I previously had. Now that I am only eating healthy I haven't had any reflux at all. What an ever better motivator to stay away from the bad foods!

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[JamieLogical 8,708]

You can still have great success with sleeve and there are a lot of advantages to it. GERD is the main disadvantage, but it sounds like your test results have led your surgeon to believe that's not a huge risk for you.

Personally, I never had GERD with any regularity pre-op except when I was at my heaviest weight and eating horribly. I do have GERD post-op, but it's nothing that can't be controlled with a PPI, so it hasn't been a big issue for me. I think it was worth the trade-offs to not have bypass. I'd rather take w PPI every day than have to deal with malabsorption leading to malnutrition or some sort of late-stage complication in the unused portion of my stomach or any of my joins. Just much less long-term risk associated with sleeve.

[courtney.rose.a. 49]

Thank you everyone for your replies and advice! My surgeons office is moving quickly so they aim for surgery next week! Thanks for making me more confident in my decision!

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[AMVV12 19]

Thank you everyone for your replies and advice! My surgeons office is moving quickly so they aim for surgery next week! Thanks for making me more confident in my decision!

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Best of luck to you!

[carlychloe2 106]

Many people get reflux after the sleeve whether that had reflux before survery or not

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[Newme17 3,444]

If you have acid reflux now,get the Bypass.I was sleeved in 2011.Then acid reflux struck.Nothing helped.I had revision to bypass on Nov 22,2016.The sleeve makes reflux worse.

In the past my reflux was all because of the foods I was eating. Since starting my diet (cutting out carby, sugary, greasy foods) I have not had reflux once. He requires you to be on antacids anyways so he said I should be all clear

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I was wondering about this. I get reflux from specific foods, I.e. Spicy, fatty, acidic and I'm getting the sleeve. I figured I wouldn't have a problem so much if I just stay away from them.

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[ready_to_be_thin 179]

I am almost 5 months post-op now from having my sleeve, but when I first met with my doctor, I hadn't decided whether I wanted the lap-band, sleeve, or bypass. I was 99% sure that I didn't want the bypass, and almost positive I wanted the sleeve, mostly because going in like 5 times per year to have fills on the lap-band just seemed so daunting to me. I did consider it because it seemed less invasive, but after doing my research, I just thought the sleeve was the best option for me. So when I went in for my initial visit, my doctor actually told me he doesn't even do lap-bands anymore because they just don't work as well as sleeves. He said something that really stuck with me.... he said that lap-bands aren't permanent, and nobody has ever come in to his office telling him that they want to be fat again. So that definitely made up my mind! Just from my research and my personal thoughts, the sleeve seemed less invasive and had the best results for my situation.

Edited January 28, 2017 by ready_to_be_thin

[Monasmle 90]

Found out that at least in MO, bypass requires two surgeons present, while sleeve only requires one. I had a surgeon who refused to do bypass on me "because I wasn't heavy enough" @44bmi. Quickly got a second opinion, at which point I switched surgeons. If anyone feels pressures towards one procedure, they should seek a second opinion.