Confused- Help !

I recently had met with my surgeon, and he feels that the sleeve is a great option for me, however, I don't feel the same. I have had a few friends who have had the sleeve say they wish that they chose to have the gastric bypass because the weight loss is greater and quicker with the RNY. I am torn between the two.. If you have had the sleeve, how would you rate the sleeve ??

Hello!
It's not a good idea to compare yourself to others...everyone's body is different.  I think the main part of any successful WLS is the diet and exercise that should be incorporated into yours lifestyle.  It's not just about the procedure itself.  That was the main thing that I had to grasp b4 I decided to jump into this.  Any WLS can be a failure if you don't follow the prescribed plan.  The surgery is only a tool to assist.  What you do (diet and exercise) with the tool is the key to success IMO.

I decided to go with the VSG over RNY due to not having to re-route my guts, the higher potential for vitamin deficiencies, and other health-related issues.  Yes, the weight loss my be quicker but I just thought the cons outweighed the pros with RNY and so I decided the VSG was the best option for me. Others on here with more experience should be able to expand on what I mentioned. 

I hope this helps.  Best wishes to you! -Larry

My surgeon referred me to recent studies showing that the sleeve gastrectomy long term results are not as much lower than the RNY as was previously thought. I think the general consensus is with the band you lose 45-50% excess weight, sleeve is running close to 70%, and RNY is 75-80%.

Personally a big factor in my decision is that RNY is so much more invasive and so much more likely to have complications. I had more than one surgeon tell me that they recommend sleeve because the risk of hernias drops to almost zero and the problems of vitamin deficiency are not as severe as they are with RNY.

I think ultimately it is a personal choice. But, I wouldn't look only at weight loss. It is important to take other things into account. I may feel differently 5 or 10 years from now but I am very happy with my decision at this time. Frankly I am not sure I want to lose any faster. 12 pounds in 2 weeks is almost a pound a day. I don't know about your weight loss history but that is unheard of for me!

Hope that helps. Good luck with your decision.

Amy B

WLS is only a tool. It works if you use it. Doesn't matter which WLS you choose, you can eat around every surgery. Every WLS has diet requirements, exercise requirements, vitamin requirements, thing you have to stay away from, etc.

If your friends failed, it's not because of the surgery.

You get out of these surgeries what you put into them.

Pick the surgery that will work best for you. Only you know which one that is.

Did they think they'd wake up skinny after surgery? I can see how they would be disappointed. I have lost 25 lbs in 5 weeks...I don't want to lose faster. I want to get to goal all the while establishing healthy eating and coping strategies and I want to stay at goal for the rest of my life. I don't want to deal with the long term issues that may happen with the bypass. The VSG gives me not only the tool but the responsibility to manage it well. I rate my sleeve a 10/10 so far!

I was told that at three years out Patients that had the sleeve or the Bypass the weight loss relatively the same.  I think it is all about personal choice I too did not want my intestines changed or to have to worry about vitamin problems. I also did not want the lap band cause I didn't want a foreign object in my body. So the sleeve was perfect for me and I feel great!! and I am just starting!

Sleeve is number one in my book regarding WLS.  I have Crohn's Disease, so no surgeon would touch my intestine anyway.  However, after careful research, I did not want any of the surgeries that messed up the nutrients being absorbed in my intestines.  Or the band that put a foreign object in me.  I have friends that have had different ones as well and many of the ones that have had the others, have had many more complications than the sleevers, maybe coincidence, maybe not.  Any of the surgeries work, if you stick to your plan.  There are those who have had the other surgeries that still are not at goal or have gained, same with the sleeve.  Look at both very carefully and then decide what you will stick to and what is best for your body.

I am succeeding with the sleeve, I will continue to succeed with it and it will be my helper throughout life to get and to stay at goal.  But I am willing to change and form good habits for the long haul.  Sleevers may lose a bit slower, but in the end, I think you will find that it is about the new habits that are formed and the internal changes, mentally, emotionally and spiritually that guarantee success.

One other reason I chose the sleeve, everyone that had the ones that altered their intestines looked sickly to me.  Might just be who I know, but they all looked a bit sunken.  I have not seen that as much with the sleevers.  I think it has to do with vitamin levels, especially iron and vitamin D.  Just something to think about for your overall health.

I agree with that sunken comment, I noticed that too! 

Honestly, I don't think it's even a close call.  I would choose the sleeve over RNY almost every time.  ( There are a few exceptions, like patients with really severe GERD that is not caused by a hernia).  The sleeve is everything that was promised and than some to me.  I lost 97 lbs. in 6.5 months and have been maintaining for the past three years with almost no difficulty.  I don't have to take the expensive and unpleasant supplements in large doses, as my blood levels are fantastic.  I don't have the possibility that my stoma with stretch ( we still have our pyloric valve), and there are multiple common issues that come up with RNY down the line that we just don't face.  If I had to make the choice again, there is no doubt, none, that I would choose the VSG again.  Do some research into finding a great sleeve surgeons as all sleeves are not created the same and the EWL % are different with different surgeons.  Choose one that has a great EWL% in their practice and one that expects you to be at 80-100% down in one year (unless you are a heavyweight) and you should be fine to go.  What more can you ask for than 100%? 

In 6.5 months....