For All You Sleevers:

Hi!

I posted on the main board a few days ago and someone suggested I try the actual sleeve board - so here I am!

As I was saying in my other post, I went for my first appointment. I was set on doing gastric bypass but my doctor really wants me to do the sleeve. I'm only 25 and my health is in pretty good condition, minus all the issues my weight causes. 

I was a little discouraged when he suggest the sleeve as my best option because I wanted the "full deal" but the more I read on here and other sites I am beginning to feel more confident. 

I was just wondering: could some of you who have had the sleeve give me a little insight? I need some success stories! How long did it take you loose weight? I know on the gastric bypass you come out on the average weighing 20-40 pounds less. This does not happen with the sleeve, right? Has anyone who got the sleeve regretted it and wished the would have gotten the full bypass?

I am no expert, as I'm only 11 days out from surgery; however, I can tell you that I have lost about 15 lbs in that time. My surgery weight was about 336 though, so for someone at my size, it may come off faster than a "lightweight" with less to lose!

We're similar in age (I'm 27) and I felt as though the sleeve was a good option for me because I hopefully will have a long life ahead of me and the longer I live, the more time I have to worry about the vitamins and possible nutrition issues. Also, I didn't want to have to worry (as much) with vitamin malabsorption during a future pregnancy (maybe!) I didn't want my intestines to be re-routed and since I didn't have co-morbities like diabetes, I felt the sleeve was a good option for me.

The sleeve is just as affective as the bypass if you do the work! I definitely think it's a good option, but I'm biased :)

Hi Nikke!

I really enjoyed reading your post and because we're in the same age range I can relate to your train of thought. This post has really encouraged me!

THANK YOU!!!!

And good luck on your journey!!! 

I'm excited for you! I just sent you a friend request... if I can help you in any way please let me know via PM or in this thread. I love to answer questions!

Nikke, I'm in the same boat as you! I'm turning 27 this summer.  I'm preop though and am waiting to set a surgery date. Hoping for late June! How are you feeling at 11 days out? How much time are you taking off of work?

 

Congrats on your upcoming surgery date!

At 11 days out, I feel great! I have felt pretty good for about 4 days now. I haven't taken painkillers since last Friday and never took any of the liquid tylenol. I haven't had any problems with getting in plenty of fluids or protein shakes. During my appointment on Tuesday, the doctor even progressed my diet already, although I'm definitely taking it slow.

I was expecting the experience to be worse, but I have been really blessed. I did a lot of work before surgery in losing weight and making changes, and I am convinced that it made my surgery easier and recovery better... but who knows!

I took 2 1/2 weeks off from work, but if I was forced to... I could have gone back on Monday (at one week out). Lots of people talk about energy issues, but I don't have any yet... although who knows if that will change after I do go back.

Please let me know if you have any more questions here or via PM! I would love to offer support in any way that I can!

Thank you! I'm nervous about taking enough time off. I'm a RN and work 12 hr shifts so I hope my outcome is as good as yours! I'm thinking of taking two to three weeks off.

I worry about forgetting my limits if there was an emergency at work. Plus i hardly have time to pee during my shift so i worry about fluid intake too. So I think I might need more time.

We have a very active support group of WLS patients that have both the RNY and VSG and almost all of the people who had complications have had the RNY - not saying that there hasn't been problems for some VSGers - but on the whole, ulcers, hernias and strictures have been a problem for some. 

For me, the VSG seemed the better option because I wanted the option of taking NSAIDS in the future if I needed to. Malabsorption and dumping didn't appeal to me (I want to live a normal life).  I only had between 120-130 lbs to lose and I have seen many many patients on here lose that (and way more) and keep it off successfully.   

Now if they could only give you a surgery that fixed the "obese brain" lol - that truly is the hardest part (for me)

Good luck with your decision.

When I researched bariatric surgery I saw stats that put the success rate for VSG not far behind that for RNY.  There is also a well-known problem with malabsorption with people who have received RNY, which to my knowledge is practically nonexistent with sleevers.  Given that, and given that I wanted the least amount of scrambling about of my innards as possible, I went for the sleeve, with my surgeon's full blessing.

There are great successes in with each type of surgery, and there are very sad failures with each type as well. 

The one thing I want any inquirer to know about ANY bariatric surgery is that one has to be ready to change the way one eats and drinks for the rest of one's life.  Many people do not want to hear that they really need to think about giving up certain types of foods postop in order to maximize their results.  No bariatric surgery result functions as a magical food disposal which transforms anything into healthy dense protein. 

You can see from my ticker below that I am losing weight.  I have made sacrifices to do that, but being sleeved has given me advantages of less hunger-inducing hormone flooding my system as well as the obvious portion control benefit.   That being said, so far I have been very blessed to have suffered no known complications from the surgery, so I did not have that obstacle to overcome as others have.  Again, that can happen with any bariatric surgery procedure.

At the age of 55 I am feeling better than I have for many years, and if I could have I would have done this a LOT sooner. 

Good that you're doing your research! 

There is also a well-known problem with malabsorption with people who have received RNY, which to my knowledge is practically nonexistent with sleevers.

Could you provide more detail about this, please?