In need of help from my fellow sleevers!!!

I can't believe I am thinking about this but after I met with my surgeon for the second time, I am thinking of getting the rouen-Y gastric bypass.  My surgeon always presents two options...the lap band and the gastric bypass and never mentions the sleeve until I bring it up.  He informed me he has only performed four sleeves so he really can't give me any long term results.  He also said that I will only lose 60% of the weight.  I am starting to think if I am going to go through all of that and put myself through all of that pain... I want to be ensured it will work 100%.  Please convince me I am making the right decision about the sleeve.  I was so sure until I met with him and now I am not sure...Any words of wisdom???? 

Well, I do think finding a skilled surgeon is very important. Personally, I would look elsewhere. I would find one that does a lot of them and go to him or her.

Personally, I think VSG gives the best results with the least trouble down the line. Some docs don't want to learn something new and/or risk having a problem with a new surgery. So, if they are making plenty of money doing the old stuff, why would they want to chance it by trying something new. It's also usually easier to get bypass covered by insurance, so why hassle with changing what they are doing?

It's really up to you to figure out what you think is best, then find someone qualified to do the surgery you find most suitable to your lifestyle. That's my opinion anyway.

FYI, I had the sleeve on July 1st and have lost 16 lbs already. I have felt great since I got home from the surgery and my only complaint is missing real food, as I am on liquids still.

Good luck in your decision. I chose to listen to the people on here because I felt most of them had lived it and had nothing to gain or lose by giving me advice, unlike the doctors.

Good luck and let us know what way you decide.

Check out the revision forum and see just how many RNY patients are looking at revising because of 1) weight regain 2) complications 3) or a combination of both.

If you've been around here much, reading and researching you know that 60% loss of excess weight is just a number, and that many of us have lost and maintained 100% excess weight loss. I would go to surgeon who is more confident in his sleeve experience especially since you want a surgeon that his technique down, and will give you best long term results with your surgery type.


The long term results with excess weight loss between VSG vs. RNY are neck and neck with a just 3-5% difference in the long run.

You should also ask yourself what you can live with long term. Can you live with a lifetime of medication and food restrictions? Can you live with a lifetime of malabsorption of certain vitamins/nutrients with bypass yet only 2 years of malabsorption of carbs/fat/calories (it's called intestinal adaptation after intestinal bypass)? If the answers are NO, then go with the sleeve, and find a surgeon that is confident. You're paying him (be it covered by insurance or not) to cut on you, make sure you are confident in his abilities, and can support you properly.

Just $0.02 worth of advice.

Hi Dreamlighter!

You really have to do whats right for you - I encourage you to do more independent research.  So far I am very happy with the results that I have seen with the sleeve.  I believe I will be able to acheive losing 80 - 90 % of my excess weight (I really don't want to get to the accepted BMI for my height - I am naturally a little larger build - so 80 - 90 % is great with me! 

Many of the vets on here have lost 100% of their excess weight - some several hundred pounds.  I really don't think your surgeon is correct with the 60% number - and you may want to look at an alternate surgeon if you really want the sleeve!

Butting in here to say congrats on your sleeve - and you're doing great.  You can get to where you want to be.  I had my sleeve done June 16, 2010.  If I didn't lose another pound I'd be happy with the results.   But I'm still losing.

Thanks so much for that!  I am so happy I had the sleeve - I really believe it can help us get to where we want/need to be as long as we follow the "rules"!

Your surgeon isn't going to give you the best info on the sleeve because he doesn't want to do it!! I would not let a doctor cut me open with only 4 sleeves under his belt. Even if just for a consult, see another surgeon to get accurate info about the sleeve.

Surgery, regardless of what type, is a tool. There are no limits to what you can do, only statistics. If you are dedicated to life style changes and pushing yourself to meet your goals, you CAN do it.

You didn't mention how much weight you need to lose.  Maybe your doctor is pushing you in that direction because of your starting weight. 

In my opinion you can achieve 100% weightloss with whichever surgery you choose but you have to be 100% dedicated and be strict with the rules and workout.  You can't expect to lose all your weight if you are just relying on the surgery to do all the work for you. 

Make sure to do tons of research and be happy with whatever decision you choose.

i had the band back in 07 had it taken out in 09 losts of complications i was vsg on july 12th 2011 and i am feeling great since the 2 week diet till today i have lost 20 lbs almost. i actually changed doctors that i had in 09 and now i am really happy in this i feel great havent taken any pain meds since i have been home from hospital

Yeah people keep telling me I will only lose 60% of my weight.  Ummm  wrong.  I am 28 pounds from goal.  I'm 13 months out and I had a LOOOONNNGGGG way to go when I had this surgery.  I and down over 170 pounds from my high weight and 130 from date of surgery.

I have honestly had no complications - it's been a great journey.  

I like the sleeve because it has no "cheat factor".  There is NO malabsorption.  Before everyone gets ticked, here are my thoughts on this.  With the RNY, you get malabsorption and some studies indicate you lose the weight a little faster, although that is not necessarily true.  But malaborption of calories stops after around 24 months.  Gradually everything you eat begins to be aborbed again - the calories start counting.  So if you haven't used the RNY as a tool, and haven't implemented lifestyle changes, it becomes very easy to gain the weight back.

On top of that, the stoma stretches for a pretty decent percentage of RNY patients.  When the stoma stretches, the pouch empties quickly - meaning you get hungry again quickly.

With the sleeve you have a fully functioning pyloric valve  - which doesn't stretch. 

You have no malabsorption - so you don't get that weight loss boost that it gives initially - but that means that you get used to eating correctly from day one - there is no "safety net" of not absorbing the calories to help you out.  You just have to form the habits.

Is it work?  Heck yeah - anything worth having is a little work.  I am convinced that exercise if the key to making these changes permanent - building muscle keeps your metabolism going, and it tones you - and if you focus on making exercise your new "comforter", then you are setting up a win-win scenario.  That's why I like Zumba - not only is it fun but there's a great social aspect to it. It has become my stress reliever - what I turn to when I have a crisis.  Much healthier than my old comforter - Wavy Lays and Coca Cola!

You can make any surgery work for you.  I chose the sleeve and I've had zero regrets - I can only say good things about it.  It has given me my life back.  Honestly, I can't remember ever having this quality of life.

I think I was the third sleeve my surgeon did.  He had done so many RNY's with great results and his stats were excellent.  He knew how to handle the staple line in the stomach from the RNY's.  The sleeve is a much simpler surgery.

Obviously I'm biased because of my positive experience.  But I love my sleeve.