What made you decide?

Hi all! I have a slipped lap band. I met with  my new surgeon today. He said that I could revise to either a sleeve or a bypass. I have researched both but I am having trouble deciding. What made you choose bypass? And...could you share some of the positive and negatives of having gone through the bypass experience.

One of the reasons I chose RnY instead of sleeve was a resolution of my acid reflux.

I am not recommending it for you, as I do not know your medical history. However, if you have RnY, NSAIDS are no longer an option. You may end up with reactive hypoglycemia. These are just a couple of things to be aware of as you contemplate the right decision for you.

Good luck

i decided to have the bypass because it was better for me on my weight loss. I weighed about 276 & i basically needed to loose about 150 pounds & the bypass will help me meet that goal.

The Bypass will give you about 80-90% weight loss.

The Sleeve will give you about 60-70% weight loss.

I knew that the only way to loose the 150 is to have the bypass, plus once i went through the approval process my insurance wouldnt cover the sleeve because they saw it as the patient wouldnt be able to meet their goal weight. which basically meant to them it would be a waste of money since i wouldnt meet my goal weight. well not my  goal weight but the weight im suppose to be at my age & height. it really didnt face me because i had already decided to have the bypass anyway. i felt the sleeve would still leave me FAT at the very end, which in reality it wouldve. Plus the stomach is much bigger than the bypass and that scared me that it would make easier for me to cheat all because i knew it wasnt making me sick when i ate something i shouldnt. With Bypass i barely eat but the weight is coming off fast. I still have a long way to go but i lost 58 pounds in 6 weeks and have gone down 7 sizes. So yeah im suffering a little and i cant eat almost anything even from the diet list the dietician gave me but Its all worth it. I just want to continue loosing weight and I DONT WANT TO BE FAT!

I hope this helps you. Having the Bypass was the best decision i have made. Even with all the issues with food and not being able to eat. i wouldnt change a thing.

Mary Escalona 

I chose bypass because of issues with acid reflux and I have a major sweet tooth.  

I feel it's important to note that the percentages listed above are averages only!  You're percentage of weight loss will be yours and yours alone...it is possible to reach 100% EWL with either surgery.  You'll have to work for it, but it is possible :)  Good luck in whatever you choose.

I went with bypass because of percentage of weight lost, the long term data, and because i tend toward reflux.  I also saw the threat of dumping as a reinforcement to keep me away from sweets.  I have always religiously taken supplements, so the biggest lifestyle change for me will be 1. not drinking water while eating and 2. chewing thoroughly.  

I chose it because I had major weight to lose. I was 307 lbs which meant I had 190 lbs to lose. I chose RNY because it has more info on it and more long term evidence of it working. There wasn't to many studies on the sleeve yet. I just felt more comfortable with it.

I had RNY in 2004, so there were fewer options, but I think it is likely the surgery I would pick today if I had to do it over again.

I'll be nine years out in April and have been able to not only maintain, but greatly improve my lifestyle and health since surgery. I've traveled abroad, jumped out of a plane, run several races, go to yoga classes, and still cook everything that I enjoy.

At this point in my journey, I can eat almost anything. But having practiced the RNY lifestyle for so long, it is what I find normal. Most people I know have only ever known me as an average-size woman and are surprised when I mention having had gastric bypass. My diet is average, just with slightly smaller portions. I love to bake and usually bring something into the office if it really tempts me to the point of feeling like I might over-do it.

I thought that not being able to take NSAIDs would be a challenge, but it actually isn't a problem for me very often. For muscle pain or inflammation, I can usually manage it with a heating pad or some tiger balm. I recently dislocated and fractured my ****yx and it's really the first time the limitation on what I can take has caused me some frustration (and only because the stronger painkillers make me sleepy and that is hard to deal with when I have to drive and be in the office).

All in all, this was one of the greatest decisions I made for myself. There are stumbles and plateaus along the way, and like anything else in life it can be unbelievably frustrating. But the positives have always outweighed the negatives and I am forever grateful for having had the opportunity to take control of my life and weight.

 

I'm going with the bypass for the long term weight loss and resolution of my Type 2 Diabetes

In a word....insurance. My insurance would only cover the band or RNY and I would NEVER have a band. Do you have diabetes or GERD? If yes, then I think that RNY is the way to go, if not then it is between you and your surgeon to decide. Do your own research (like you are) and then sit down with him/her and discuss what the pros and cons are for you and what he/she thinks.

Every step of the way (besides the reactive hypoglycemia) has been wonderful for me. Even the RH is very manageable for most with diet.

Martha 

Thank you all for your input!  ​ I am 5 foot tall and currently weigh 235. With my band I got down to 179. In the past, I had reflux due to my band being tight. Once my band was emptied, the reflux went away. And I do not want it to come back!  I also do have a sweet tooth. So in regards to these two areas, bypass seems to have the advantage.  My concerns with bypass are centered around the malabsorption issue. I do not want to have to take numerous vitamin supplements daily. What is the reality of that? What do you have to take and how often? With my lap-band I just had to take a multivitamin.