Gastric bypass versus gastric sleeve

Type in the word dumping at the magnifying glass symbol, it's the search feature, you can also look up past posts on many issues/questions. RNY people sometimes experience dumping so you should probably ask there for more answers. It has to do with sugar, like if you ate something with too much sugar you get sick, but not all rny'ers dump.

Dumping syndrome is a very specific insulin response to undigested food hitting the small intestine. It causes a lot of uncomfortable things, like cramping, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, extreme sleepiness, even seizures. (Seizures are VERY rare, but they do happen.) You can have any combination of these and other bad things.

Only one-third of RNYers dump, and some who dump do so rarely. Some dump on many different foods, some only on one or two. There's also something called 'late dumping', or more properly 'reactive hypoglycemia'. This usually doesn't develop until the patient is 2+ years post-op, and while not every RNYer gets this, it's more common than originally thought.

Both dumping syndrome and reactive hypoglycemia CAN happen to anyone, but having ANY sort of surgery on the digestive tract makes them more likely. What I'm saying is that while you *might* occasionally dump with the Sleeve, it's not likely. It's much more likely with the RNY, but it's not something you can count on happening.

Well I wanted the sleeve and I had it on 8/12/14.  Unfortunately there was a kink afterwards and I had the bypass the very next day.  I have to say I had huge buyer's remorse the first week, but 2 weeks out and a loss of 19 lbs, I'm starting to see it as a positive.  I get the benefit of no hunger hormone (grehlin) from the sleeve, and the malabsortion of the bypass.  I know I'm a rare case...Good luck with your decision!

We are pretty close in the same boat.  I was 43 when I had my surgery this past Feb.  I am around 6', I weighted 440.  

I chose to have the RNY.  It is the process that has proven itself long term.  It had a great WL statistics and had been recommended by doctors other than the surgeon.  My surgeon did all the main types, so in discussing it with him, he did feel that RNY was a great option for me.

I work an office job.  I had surgery on Tuesday AM.  I was able to walk that night and had just some slight abdominal pain.  I sat up most of the day on Wednesday (I had a friend visiting and we sat and talked almost all day).  Then Thursday I went home.  I did some work from home on Friday but mostly rested.  I rested over the weekend.  Then I worked from home all the next week.  I took lots of naps.  I could have gone back the week after surgery, but I had already planned to be out, so I just worked from home that week.

I was physically out of the office for 13 days.

When I went back to work I had no issues.

I am 6 months post op and I am down 108 lbs.  

Not sure how the VSG might be different, but from my short experience so far, I can highly recommend the RNY for a guy my size.

There is so much to learn, I can't wait for the VA to call and set up my appointments to start the whole process. I still don't know which one is best for me.

At the VA, find a surgeon who you feel comfortable with and you trust.  Let them check you out and then ask them what they suggest.  Then ask them why.  While occasionally the answer may simply be that they prefer one surgery over another, many times the answer is related to specific medical issues you have and why they think one surgery is better for you.

Since you must have this through the VA, one thing to consider is the comfort level of the surgeon you will be using.  If the only surgeon available to you truly is more comfortable with one over the other, unless you have found important reasons why you want the other surgery, I suggest sticking with the one your surgeon prefers.... I would really think that would be important to me regarding their experience.

As you are hearing, do research on your own - you will find just as many people for each surgery on here that like or hate it.  Overall, we can only give you our experiences.

Oh, me?  I had RNY in Nov 2013 and I'm loving it!  Best decision I ever made (after marrying my hubby!)

Hi,

I have been pondering over the same decision, whether to have the sleeve or the bypass.  I initially chose the sleeve until I learned that the bypass would help with my GERD in the long run.  I met with my surgeon and next week I will start with all of the different test leading up to my surgery date, Sept. 16, 2014.  I am on the fast past program, because I am a self pay patient.  My insurance company BCBS does not cover weight loss surgery.  They have an exclusion clause written in.  I have two  friends, one weighted 240lbs and the other 360lbs to have the bypass. They both loved the bypass procedure and both told me that they would do again in a heart beat, because they feel great.

Good luck!!!!