help. the sleeve or the switch?

I thought I had my mind made up to do the sleeve upcoming in March. However more I read I wonder if the switch is the better way to go. How do you decide what is best? The nurse said today that the sleeve is recommend for me as I don't have but just 100 to lose. I'm 5'2" and 225. I'm just afraid I may fail at the sleeve as I'm not a grazer and I don't eat a lot at one sitting, like I'm a waste of money at a buffet. My husband can go back for seconds thirds fourths. I'm good at one trip. Lol. I have a sweet tooth and tend to eat at night is my weakness.

Any help would be great or advice

Thanks

Kerri

You need to research weight loss surgery options to make an informed decision.  Learn about the sleeve, RNY and DS.

All have their advantages and disadvantages.  All will require you to stick to the post-op food plan.  Surgery is just a tool to make eating less easier.  You do the work or no surgery will result in longtime weight loss.

The DS is an awesome surgery, but has to be considered with full knowledge and carried out by a verified surgeon - do you have access to one?   If so, then you should spend time researching what it will mean to you and your future.

The sleeve is simpler to live with, no doubt, and your desire for the switch may wane once you find out how hard you will have to work just to get one ...

All surgeries can work for you so it really comes down to personal choice and no matter which surgery, it's about learning to change your behaviors permanently.

Presurgery I couldn't eat multiple plates of food but I could certainly put away a large amount in one serving and still eat the best part of several  desserts at a buffet. I also snacked at night. Sweets were my preference but I ate salty things too. Like many people with food issues, I got to the point where if it was tasty I wanted it. And sometimes I ate stuff that wasn't very tasty too.

My stats were identical to yours and I'm maintaining a 110 pound weight loss with the help of VSG and a protein forward food plan. I've done well because I've learned to largely avoid or limit sweets and I no longer allow myself to snack in the evenings. 

DS has better weight loss stats overall, but individual results still vary. What you do with the tool you choose is extremely important! 

Hi!

I also struggled with deciding between the sleeve and the DS, but I ended up having the DS performed because of the amount of weight I need to loose. My mom, who is closer to your weight, had the sleeve. The one thing I would say when considering the DS is to research your surgeon and make sure you have a good one that has performed the surgery a lot and has good feedback. The DS sounds scary (or at least it did to me) at first. But if you have a surgeon who knows what they are doing then  it helps to feel more comfortable. I am 3 weeks out and very happy with my decision. However, if I was my moms size and didn't have as much to loose I would have went with the sleeve. Congratulations and good luck on this new chapter in your life!

Definitely research the different wls options like the rny, sleeve, & DS & think which one you'll likely be successful at. You should also look at your past dieting history, did restriction alone help you get the weight off or was each pound a struggle? Some people need the restrictive & malabsorption procedure to get to goal., & stay there.

Whichever procedure you choose it won't stop cravings, the surgery is just a tool, you still have to put in the work. I used to want to eat at night too, so I started keeping a water bottle at my bed instead. I also have a sweet tooth, so I try to plan a treat in my day, or find substitutes. Its about finding alternatives that work for you.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do. Btw I chose the sleeve & started at a much higher weight than you & I'm happy with my choice. 

As everyone has stated, research, research, and then research some more.

The surgeon who did my DS no longer does them. Or at least the way I had mine, i.e. all in one procedure. He'll do the VSG, then consider doing the switch part if they don't succeed. I think that's the actions of a greedy man. Supposedly, he quit doing the DS because too many of his outcomes weren't all that great. My response: Well, duh! If you treat them like they had RNY, of course they're going to fail. So in a manner, he contributed to the failure. Then he's all too happy to charge them for the switch part. Which may also fail since his education stinks.

 In all fairness, most surgeons have horrible nutrition advice. Yet, I would not go for a VSG with the idea that IF it fails, I can always do the switch later. WLS surgery is a big deal. If another procedure is needed due to complications or unforeseen cir****tances, that is vastly different from "Let's see how half a surgery will work." The VSG as the sole procedure is a good option for many. But I'd never settle for half when I wanted all.

Another thing to consider is that many insurances will only pay for ONE WLS. Some will even refuse a second even if another insurance paid for the first one.

Do your research, then decide which WLS you want. If you have to travel to get what you want, it's better than settling for something you never wanted in the first place.

I had the sleeve over 5 years ago and I am scheduled to have the second part (DS) done on February 29th. I had about 130 pounds to lose (150 if you go by BMI, which I don't). I am back where I started after gaining all the weight back. Just research and know that with the sleeve alone you will eventually be able to eat more. if you are prepared to be on a diet all the time, go for the sleeve. If you would like to be free of the struggle for good, choose the DS. Just choose a great surgeon, even if you have to travel.

For the life of me I don't understand why more surgeons don't do the DS.

This is something you need to search your heart of hearts for, because no medical professional can effectively size you up in a 15 min visit.  Consider your weight history.  If you don't eat much now, what's the difference going to be with a smaller stomach?  This is the question I asked myself 10 years ago.  My answer was to change the way my body metabolizes food rather than how much I consume (because I never consumed much, either).  That led me down the path to DS and I'm happy I did.  They both have the same stomach, however the difference is the malabsorption factor.  Some people find it scary, but once you know how to keep healthy, it's a piece of cake.  

The Sleeve is a restriction surgery, and it's a great choice for those whose problem is the inability to restrict how much they eat. Apparently, that is NOT your problem!

The DS is a metabolic surgery, that changes the way your body deals with the food you eat. It does have a restriction component, but it's the metabolic part that gives it such staying power.

The DS has the very best long-term, maintained weight-loss stats, period. BUT the DS does require far more attention to vitamin and mineral supplements. For ME, it's been a lot easier for me to 'do something'---like toss back some pills four times a day---than it ever was to 'not do something', like resisting tasty food all day, every day. (*grin*)

I suggest you do some serious thinking about how you eat, what you eat, why you eat, and why you weigh 225 pounds on what you're eating. If you're truly eating a small amount of food, and it's the RIGHT foods---i.e., you're not a carbaholic---then I'd say you need something that will change your metabolism.