Sleeve vs Gastric Bypass

[AndreaK. 60]

Ok, (sigh) So BCBS has approved my surgery which I thought was for the Gastric Bypass. However the office attendant failed to file correctly and she submitted this for the sleeve. Some may think OH! A simple fix! ....No. Its not. I work for a string of hospitals and one of the perks is getting this surgery paid for minus one very small fee. ...Well if I get the Gastric Bypass it cannot be preformed at my hospital and they will have to out source which mean....I'll now be paying deductible and coins and copay... This was all just told to me btw once she realized she filled incorrectly.

So to my question. Has anyone gotten the sleeve and regretted it thinking they should have gotten the bypass? My doctor is out right now and of course I'll go w/ his suggestions but I wanted to get a feel on any one else's personal opinions.

Thanks for listening!

.

[MargoCL 677]

I am moving onto to 3 weeks post op from the sleeve and so far it's the best decision I've made. My reasons for choosing the sleeve were because it was the least invasive (imo) of my organs. It's removing a piece of my stomach versus having things rerouted. From what I've read the weight loss is somewhat the same. I am slowly transitioning into soft foods but I feel "restriction" so I know when to stop eating and I'm learning to listen to my body when it says "its full" - I know in the past I ignored those things and the restriction is teaching me.

I think you have to do what's best for you. Good luck in your decision and keep us posted.

[AndreaK. 60]

@MargoCL thank you!!!! I sure will update once I know what's going on lol. Its been a journey already and I haven't even had the surgery lol lol

[MargoCL 677]

I completely understand. The best is yet to come and you got this!

[MiltonP 121]

i went to my Dr. thing about Gastric Bypass he told me it wasn't necessary that the sleeve would do the work with less complications and to be honest its the best decision i`ve made my only complain is why i didn't do it sooner, today i`m 6 months and 2 days post op and i`ve lost 121 pounds since the day of surgery i started out at 300 lbs and i`m proud to say i weight 179 pounds i have a Dr appointment on Monday because i already lost the amount i wanted to lose and then some, my advise for you is go for it! do the works follow your Dr direction do lots of exercise and welcome your new and healthy life.

[AndreaK. 60]

@MiltonP Thank you!!!

[Ed_NW 684]

13 minutes ago, MargoCL said:

I am moving onto to 3 weeks post op from the sleeve and so far it's the best decision I've made. My reasons for choosing the sleeve were because it was the least invasive (imo) of my organs. It's removing a piece of my stomach versus having things rerouted. From what I've read the weight loss is somewhat the same. I am slowly transitioning into soft foods but I feel "restriction" so I know when to stop eating and I'm learning to listen to my body when it says "its full" - I know in the past I ignored those things and the restriction is teaching me.

I think you have to do what's best for you. Good luck in your decision and keep us posted.

I agree with you. The sleeve seems to be the least invasive procedure. I (probably like everyone facing this surgery) watch tons of videos on WLS. I was watching some videos yesterday from a Dr. John Pilcher https://youtu.be/pQidnZEhDoc and he mentioned something that I found interesting on this subject. Both surgeries have the same long term weight loss sustainability success rates. Both have similar food restriction benefits with different side effects if you over do it. Bypass has dumping syndrome witch doesn't sound like something I want to deal with being a driver (dizziness) and the sleeve has acid reflux that I think can be more manageable. Of course a person should stick to the program but poor choices are what got me in this mess.

[MargoCL 677]

@Ed_NW - I had the reflux really bad the first two solid weeks. I decided to change the time of my meds this week and suddenly the reflux is gone. I'm crossing fingers and hope it stays that way because I never had issues pre-surgery.

[Matt Z 4,139]

1 hour ago, AndreaK. said:

Ok, (sigh) So BCBS has approved my surgery which I thought was for the Gastric Bypass. However the office attendant failed to file correctly and she submitted this for the sleeve. Some may think OH! A simple fix! ....No. Its not. I work for a string of hospitals and one of the perks is getting this surgery paid for minus one very small fee. ...Well if I get the Gastric Bypass it cannot be preformed at my hospital and they will have to out source which mean....I'll now be paying deductible and coins and copay... This was all just told to me btw once she realized she filled incorrectly.

So to my question. Has anyone gotten the sleeve and regretted it thinking they should have gotten the bypass? My doctor is out right now and of course I'll go w/ his suggestions but I wanted to get a feel on any one else's personal opinions.

Thanks for listening!

.

I guess I'm confused. You thought you were going for the Bypass, but then you state you can't get the Bypass at your hospital, if the bypass wouldn't give you the benefits of the free surgery, why did you want to put in for it in the first place?

There are a decent number of folks that have gotten the sleeve and then had to revise to the bypass or to band over sleeve. If you've got GERD or other acid issues, the sleeve isn't going to be the option you want.

[Rosie T 72]

I spent a lot of time going back and forth between gastric bypass and gastric sleeve trying to decide which to have. I ultimately decided on the sleeve, but I think there are pros and cons to both.

From what I read, and these are all statistics, not personal stories, so of course there are always exceptions to the statistics. Statistically, gastric bypass patients have a bit more weight loss than sleeve and maintain a bit closer to goal. Gastric bypass is a hair more successful at sending diabetes type 2 into remission than sleeve, but both can be effective. The sleeve creates a high pressure system which can exacerbate GERD to an unmanageable point so it is rarely recommended for people who are already diagnosed with GERD.

However, once you are past the initial major complication of sleeve (staple line leak) there seem to be few major complications to contend with. The main one seems to be GERD. But in gastric bypass there are statistically more serious complications that can develop later in life.

This could be due to the fact that sleeve is a newer procedure and there is less statistical information available that bypass, or it could be that it actually just less likely to have medical complications down the road.

It's such a personal decision and based on so many factors. I wish you all the best in making your choice!

[AndreaK. 60]

9 minutes ago, Matt Z said:

I guess I'm confused. You thought you were going for the Bypass, but then you state you can't get the Bypass at your hospital, if the bypass wouldn't give you the benefits of the free surgery, why did you want to put in for it in the first place?

There are a decent number of folks that have gotten the sleeve and then had to revise to the bypass or to band over sleeve. If you've got GERD or other acid issues, the sleeve isn't going to be the option you want.

Ummm yes LOL. I started this WLS journey like a year and a half ago. Its complicated but the surgeon recommended bypass at that time. I stopped the process due to an injury and then started back up. I want the cost covered the surgeon evidently works for multiple hospitals not just ours. I was never told hey we aren't going to cover the cost bc we cant perform it here, and then the office lady didn't realize that the doctor had recommended the bypass and just submitted for the sleeve bc that's what's she thought I was seen for. So its an ugly complicated mess.

No GERD. Or acid issues that I know of. Just diabetic. High blood pressure. Retinopathy. And all the other fun things you get being over weight, and a diabetic basically your whole life lol

[Matt Z 4,139]

1 minute ago, AndreaK. said:

Ummm yes LOL. I started this WLS journey like a year and a half ago. Its complicated but the surgeon recommended bypass at that time. I stopped the process due to an injury and then started back up. I want the cost covered the surgeon evidently works for multiple hospitals not just ours. I was never told hey we aren't going to cover the cost bc we cant perform it here, and then the office lady didn't realize that the doctor had recommended the bypass and just submitted for the sleeve bc that's what's she thought I was seen for. So its an ugly complicated mess.

No GERD. Or acid issues that I know of. Just diabetic. High blood pressure. Retinopathy. And all the other fun things you get being over weight, and a diabetic basically your whole life lol

Just my 2 cents, but personally, I would pick the bypass over the sleeve. I had the band, that worked a bit then issues, revised to the bypass because of the band scaring. But the sleeve is also just a restrictive procedure and doesn't have the same nutritional reduction that the bypass has, so, you can totally eat around the sleeve, just like the band. You can work against the bypass, but you can't "eat around it" (eating sliders and all the bad for you foods that just pass through the reduced stomach size). Again, my opinion on the subject, there have been plenty of people that have the sleeve and love it. There are a decent number that had it and need to be revised to the bypass now. Either way though, if you work with your WLS tool, you'll hopefully get the outcome you are looking for.

I wish I never had the band, wish I went with the bypass back in 2011.

[AndreaK. 60]

16 minutes ago, Rosie T said:

I spent a lot of time going back and forth between gastric bypass and gastric sleeve trying to decide which to have. I ultimately decided on the sleeve, but I think there are pros and cons to both.

From what I read, and these are all statistics, not personal stories, so of course there are always exceptions to the statistics. Statistically, gastric bypass patients have a bit more weight loss than sleeve and maintain a bit closer to goal. Gastric bypass is a hair more successful at sending diabetes type 2 into remission than sleeve, but both can be effective. The sleeve creates a high pressure system which can exacerbate GERD to an unmanageable point so it is rarely recommended for people who are already diagnosed with GERD.

However, once you are past the initial major complication of sleeve (staple line leak) there seem to be few major complications to contend with. The main one seems to be GERD. But in gastric bypass there are statistically more serious complications that can develop later in life.

This could be due to the fact that sleeve is a newer procedure and there is less statistical information available that bypass, or it could be that it actually just less likely to have medical complications down the road.

It's such a personal decision and based on so many factors. I wish you all the best in making your choice!

Thank you!!! Yes ma'am I have done a TON of research and I just want what's best for me in the long run. To be successful at keeping off the weight and less diabetic stuffs lol for lack of better words lol lol Luckily I have never had any acid problems or GERD but I like the less invasive procedure to do the sleeve.

[AndreaK. 60]

1 minute ago, Matt Z said:

Just my 2 cents, but personally, I would pick the bypass over the sleeve. I had the band, that worked a bit then issues, revised to the bypass because of the band scaring. But the sleeve is also just a restrictive procedure and doesn't have the same nutritional reduction that the bypass has, so, you can totally eat around the sleeve, just like the band. You can work against the bypass, but you can't "eat around it" (eating sliders and all the bad for you foods that just pass through the reduced stomach size). Again, my opinion on the subject, there have been plenty of people that have the sleeve and love it. There are a decent number that had it and need to be revised to the bypass now. Either way though, if you work with your WLS tool, you'll hopefully get the outcome you are looking for.

I wish I never had the band, wish I went with the bypass back in 2011.

Man, thank you so much for your honesty. That's what I'm scared of. I don't want to get the sleeve and then turn around and get the bypass bc I basically failed w/ it. I've heard some stories where the sleeve wasn't "strong" enough so to say to stop people from over eating and basically they feel right back into the same life style. And I personally know someone who had the band, worked very well, but then he slowly just started eating bad again and gained ALL the weight back plus some and now is a horrible diabetic! Just scary.

But thank you! I'm sure I'll figure it out.... xoxox

[GreenTealael 25,329]

1 hour ago, AndreaK. said:

Ok, (sigh) So BCBS has approved my surgery which I thought was for the Gastric Bypass. However the office attendant failed to file correctly and she submitted this for the sleeve. Some may think OH! A simple fix! ....No. Its not. I work for a string of hospitals and one of the perks is getting this surgery paid for minus one very small fee. ...Well if I get the Gastric Bypass it cannot be preformed at my hospital and they will have to out source which mean....I'll now be paying deductible and coins and copay... This was all just told to me btw once she realized she filled incorrectly.

So to my question. Has anyone gotten the sleeve and regretted it thinking they should have gotten the bypass? My doctor is out right now and of course I'll go w/ his suggestions but I wanted to get a feel on any one else's personal opinions.

Thanks for listening!

.

I have the sleeve and did not want the bypass. But I also knew myself well enough to decifer how much I needed to lose, other medical issues that would interfere, if had food issues that would hinder my progress, reflux/GERD, if I'm willing to have a revision in the future for any reason, etc.

I think these are important considerations.

I chose the best surgery for me