Planning VSG, but surgeon thinks I should do bypass?

Help! I finally had my surgeon consult yesterday. He said he'd support me with either VSG or bypass, and his fellow said she thinks I'll rock either one, but they both think bypass would be a better choice in my case because I've had DMII for 7 years (since age 23!) and because I have severe GERD. I'm scared -- I've had my heart set on the sleeve for 3 years due to the lower risk of complications, no malabsorptive issues, etc. But my main GERD symptom is nausea, and the surgeon said nausea post-surgery is also a much greater risk with the sleeve than with bypass -- in fact, a friend who was sleeved in December still has major issues with nausea. I've learned through my long discussion with the surgeon and my friend's experience that sleeve side effects aren't necessarily lesser, they're just different. Why did you choose VSG? What else should I take into consideration while making this decision? Any insight would be very much appreciated!

Go with your gut, do your research and decide for yourself. Just remember to wright down all your questions and ask your doctor so you have the right answers. Not everything you read online is accurate 100%. Best of luck, Im sure whatever you choose will be the right choice for you! :) 

I was always told that GERD is a contraindication for getting VSG -- meaning that the surgery will make it worse, not better.  My VSG actually created severe GERD in me post-op.  

Now that I've gone through the hell of getting the GERD under control, I would never advise someone with a severe case of it to get VSG.  I would steer them to RNY also.  

^^^ What Tracy said.  If you have GERD, a VSG is not the best option.  I did not have it prior to surgery, but I do now.

I understand why you would prefer to have a VSG, but your surgeon may be advising you in the right direction based on your existing medical conditions.  As an option, you could have a consult with another bariatric surgeon to get his take on it.

Wow .. Congrats on your weightloss pre-op!

I chose VSG for the same reasons you mentioned ... Less complications, no malabsorption etc

i haven't experienced nausea once!

Good luck and like the previous poster said ... Go with your gut!

Janet

Diabetes and Gerd are 2 good reasons to go with the bypass. Gerd can get worse with the sleeve. My doctor will not do a sleeve if you have gerd on a regular basis. Because of the absorption issues, the the by-pass is as close to a cure as there is.

I went with the VSG for me. I felt there were less complications and I am high risk for blood clotting. I liked the fact that my digestive system for the most part still worked the same and nothing was re-routed. I also didn't like the higher risk of dumping. 

GERD is definitely a problem.  Sometimes, it's caused by a hiatal hernia.  If the hernia is fixed at the time of surgery, the GERD can go away.  For some people, the GERD got worse; for some, it stayed the same; and for some, it goes away.  You just don't know what you're going to wake up with.

On the diabetes, ask whatever doc is treating it whether they think you'd go into remission with weight loss.  Depending on how severe the diabetes is and how long you've had it, just losing weight might eliminate it.

But the GERD would have me leaning towards RNY.  I agree with the suggestion that you get a second opinion from another bariatric surgeon before you decide.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all of your well-informed input. I think it's time for me to jump message boards! I do have a hiatal hernia that will be repaired with surgery, but it's small (I get to be re-scoped next month, yippee) and not likely impacting the GERD too significantly. I also have a history of Barrett's esophagus, which if it turns cancerous, could be a lot harder to treat without extra stomach tissue available. I think I need to revise my dreams to meet the reality of my comorbidities.

Barrett's esophagus?  I absolutely would stick with RNY...it's definitely a contraindication for VSG.