VSG vs bypass

Hello everyone. I am going thru the preop stages and have a question for you all. My insurance (Tricare) will only pay for the bypass but I am worried about the malnutrition and so my husband and I think we may self pay for the sleeve. Do any of you have any opinions on this? Did you get the sleeve and wish you had done the bypass?

My husband is Active Duty and I am in the process of getting a sleeve. I AM having to go through the MTF (Military Treatment Facility), which has its good and bad points. I know they can do the surgery well, but I'm not the biggest fan of the bariatric coordinator. I really like my doc, and the 'WLS Pathway' program is very informative. I just hope that my doc doesn't get deployed.

HOWEVER

I had been looking into having surgery LONG before this (was interrupted by an unexpected pregnancy) and through all my research I learned that if medicare doesn't cover it Tricare doesn't cover it. Also, going through an appeal will NOT help (ie-like talking to a brick wall). I do believe I read that Medicare is going to start covering the VSG, or has just started covering it--something like that.

--If I could not get the VSG then I would get the RNY. My husband and I have discuss this and we already know that I will definitely need plastics post surgery. My legs and arms might make it through, but I will NEED a panni (would LIKE a full TT and BA). We are going to have to pay out of pocket for any plastics. HEALTHY is what I'm going for, but it won't hurt to get my skin curtain taken off once I am down 120lbs!

You couldn't pay me to get bypass to be honest. Check out the revision board and see just how many RNY(bypass) patients are getting/needing revisions.

I had my VSG revision from the band at our local MTF. Tricare is not covering VSG currently, Medicare just picked it up as of 27 June 2012 and Tricare will be following suit, we just don't know when.

I was so serious about NOT getting bypass when I had to revise, I told my surgeon, if you can not perform VSG, take out my band and I"ll stay fat.

I am 3 years out with VSG, 7 months into my 2nd post-VSG pregnancy, and I live a very normal life, with a normal stomach, no medication or food issues.

The reason I chose VSG is because I didn't want my insides twisted. The cool thing about VSG is that nothing inside of you looks any different on an xray or a CT except it looks like you were born with an abnormally small stomach!

 I think comparing the complication rates and side-effects was enough for me...  

They told me that too, and then I found out u can have it done at a MTF and I am driving two hours for mine. It's on Monday. Just check around and see which base near u does them. There was a woman at the place I am getting mine done that is driving eight hours.

My mom keeps saying I had a the by pass but I had the vsg. I just didn't want my insides re-routed... I have heard nothing but good things bout the vsg and I did tons of research before my vsg last month, health wise I felt the vsg was better for me.. I have had no problems w/ my new stomach at all

Thanks everyone. That's what I was looking for. Unfortunately  now my decision is do I wait for Tricare to cover it (and cross my fingers it is soon) or do I take out a loan and pay for it (and with my luck Tricare will cover it shortly after I do that!) :)
Thanks for the input. Good luck to you all!

Before Tricare covered the band, they went back and retroactively paid for some patients who had self-paid.

The new fiscal year for Tricare budget is 1 October so hopefully we'll hear something in the coming weeks.

Oh great to hear. Thanks for the info!!!!