Did you consider bypass?

[Briswife15 890]

Hi, maybe this should be posted on pre-surgery, but I'd love to hear from those who considered bypass, but selected sleeve surgery. I am just starting this journey and am considering both RNY and sleeve and can't decide which would be best for me. My surgeon does a larger percentage of sleeves. I have serious GERD and diabetes type 2. So I thought RNY would be better, but then I'd have to worry about "dumping" and having my intestines rearranged! How did you eventually decide on VSG???

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[CaribeRidge 104]

I haven't had the surgery yet but going with the bypass. I have severe GERD with esophageal spasms and diabetes type 2 as well and the doc said that the bypass really was my only option. Dumping is a plus in my book. Another tool to keep me honest.

[redhead_che 824]

Mostly I listened to my surgeon, he said I would have a lot of success with the sleeve and so far he's right. I have heard people with GERD pre-surgery lean towards bypass, but I didn't have GERD so I can't talk on that. I also didn't want my guts rearranged.

I started at a BMI of 33 and didn't want to end up down the road with a lot of deficiencies? I personally believe there would have been a possibility of losing "too much" if I went the bypass route with a lower BMI and possibility of consequences. I could be totally wrong about that, but I ultimately just listened to my surgeon's opinion.

[Taoz 284]

If I had type 2 diabetes and GERD before surgery I'd likely have gone with bypass (either RNY or the newer Omega loop mini bypass) since GERD tends to worsen with sleeve, and bypass seems to be more effective at curing diabetes symptoms.

I didn't have either of these conditions though, and I eat a lot of organic home grown produce and home made chicken stock/bone broth and I didn't want to lose some of that nutritional value through bypass malabsorption (and then have to take larger quantities of artificial nutrients to make up for it, including B12 injections). I also don't tend to eat much sugary food, but would prefer to avoid the risk of dumping syndrome if I were to have the odd sweet treat or fatty meal once I'm at goal weight (especially if I lean towards paleo or ketogenic diet long term).

I felt the sleeve was a better option for me, however if in future I developed GERD that wasn't sufficiently managed by medications then I will consider a revision to bypass.

[Losebig 508]

I went with my surgeons recommendation. Since I was in good health the sleeve seemed like a better fit due to it's less invasive nature. I also can eat more normally, which helps at business dinners etc. if I had GERD or diabetes I would have done the bypass

[Briswife15 890]

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. I appreciate hearing your thought processes, and how you made your decisions. It is helpful to me!

[allwet 868]

I was actually on the bypass path at the start and got moved to sleeve due issue's with my circulation below the left knee. I am very happy with the sleeve and hey 9+ months out i still got both legs. that's a win win in my book.