First appointment

[stevechavez505 3]

What’s the better option? Sleeve vs Bypass? 

[summerseeker 2,236]

Lots of people have an easy choice here because they already had GERD. People with GERD have a Bypass because it 99% stops it. I had the sleeve and ended up with GERD. Its a small percentage but its unpleasant to be sure. Many people with GERD have a Bypass later. There is little difference between the weight loss for either surgery.

In the UK it cost £2000 more for a Bypass than the sleeve, I went with my surgeons recommendation, he said the sleeve would be fine so that's what I had. Had he said otherwise I would have stumped up the extra cost, I wish I had the Bypass now.

[catwoman7 11,220]

neither one is better than the other - they're both good surgeries and you'll find people on here who've been very successful with both.

there are some medical conditions that would make one surgery more appropriate for you than the other (as summerseeker mentioned above, bypass is often recommended for patients who have GERD), but if you don't have any of those conditions, it comes down to personal choice.

your surgeon will assess your health status and may recommend one over the other, or he/she may tell you that you're a good candidate for either. In any case, spend some time researching both surgeries - there's lots of information on here and other places on the internet.

[pintsizedmallrat 473]

They wouldn't offer both if they weren't a good solution for different people. Gastric sleeve, in general, results in about 10% less weight loss than bypass, but also has fewer long-term limitations...but I am a sleeve patient who lost every bit of their excess weight and more. In *general*, you hear of less sleeve patients who cannot tolerate certain foods a couple years after the procedure, and bypass patients sometimes end up being unable to tolerate certain things ever again. That being said, I am a sleeve patient, I am 21 months PO and I still don't tolerate apples, potatoes, rice, Pasta, certain types of bread, or carbonation very well so I am still actively avoiding them (which, in a way, has helped me stay on track, so I suppose it's a bit of a mixed bag).

I would listen to your doctor's recommendation and make sure you understand their reasoning for making said recommendation. There is a reason both surgeries are as common as they are.

[Lipman 47]

The only thing that I will add is that Bypass can lead to a slightly higher chance of developing Gallstones. I had my Gallbladder removed a few years ago, so that wasn't an issue for me (and why I chose Bypass)

[Brandiwine77 55]

Honestly, just depends on the individual. When I had my first appt, my dr. knew I had some acid reflux and took daily meds. I assumed he would say bypass, but he said he would prefer to do the sleeve, as bypass is known to have absorption issues, and I have no thyroid and he did't want my thyroid meds to not absorb properly, so sleeve it will be.