Gastric sleeve

I'm a 47 yr old male, 5'11 and 335lbs. I am on medication for HBP and Type2 Diabetes (3metformin per day) and take statins.

i eat healthy prine cuts of meat, fillet and chicken breasts, avoid Fast food and don't drink fizzy drinks but volume of food, lack of excersise and red wine/snack are my challenges.

Upon diagnosis of Type 2 two years back I dropped 45 lbs but have since regained 85% of the weight. I go in spurts of diets and walk for a week or so then it all goes back to the same. I acknowledge the problem lies with me although lots of travel and entertainment at work doesn't help.

ive recently reached out to a bairiatric surgeon and he suggest gastric sleeve. I've researched for over a year and thought he would recommend bypass and everything tells me to go with it. The flip side is my family are not so keen because of the perceived risks. I also lost my mother to surgery at a young age and this too is on my mind.

ive heard so much of the eat less and excersise more suggestions. It's just not working and I'm going to end up paying for it with Diabetes if I don't get it sorted. Risk aside I'm struggling to see a downside but would welcome some real life experiences. I understand things will need to change but intake aside I know I will struggle to be regimented by excersise.

Gastric bypass is the best choice I ever made. I was Type 2 and getting worse, just about to be put on insulin. I was on meds for a whole bunch of things. I had bad arthritis, and was looking at knee replacements -- which, at my weight, I would have worn out in pretty short order.

Now, I am off all meds. My bood sugars are great, and A1C in the low 4s. I lost almost as much as you weigh right now, and have kept it off for going on 5 years.

There are a lot more risks and suffering from NOT doing it, believe me.

If you have diabetes I think you should consider RNY over VSG. I also think the malabsorption surgeries (RNY or DS) would give you better long term results than a sleeve (restriction only). Did the surgeon discuss all types of WLS? Or could his recommendation be due to being paid the same amount for a shorter surgery?

I just had my consultation with a surgeon on Monday. He said the bypass has excellent results in reversing diabetes and the sleeve has good results. So I'm going with the bypass. It will cost twice as much as the sleeve, though.

I lost 120# and have maintained that loss for 8 years.

While exervise is good for us overall, it really has nothing to do with weight loss.

weight loss/ mai tante is about what we choose to put on our mouths.

many ppl have lost over a hundred pounds with a sleeve and their diabetes has gone away. My type 11 diabetes went away the night of the day I had surgery and had not returned.

WLS was the songle best thing I have ever done for myself.

I was 47, heart problems, type 2 diabetes (metformin, glyburide, and insulin), 5'10 304lbs.. Have not had insulin since day prior to surgery, and no diabetes meds since being released after Gastric Sleeve surgery. As far as the blood sugar goes, I still check it on occasion (usually test low to mid 80's). Last check up my A1C was at 4.2. Been maintaining for the last year or so at 175lbs. (up or down a couple).

The heart still suckeths (on transplant list) but feeling a lot better than before over all.

Many thanks for the welcome and feedback. There are so many differing opinions both on here and in life in general and I am finding it all a bit confusing.

the surgeon I have visited thinks a sleeve is the best option, why I'm not so sure but if this happens this is the most likely route.

the fear rigid regime of diet and excersise post op is not quite as concerning as either the fear of failure or stating the obvious death during surgery. Perhaps I'm looking to much into the latter but there is no one going to be writing in saying they died!

my situation is complicated somewhat by the likely place of surgery being Singapore. I'm a western male living there and whilst my surgeon says he has performed over 700 bariatric ops there doesn't appear to be a lot of info out there perhaps due to cultural reasons. The hospitals and surgeons here are first class so I don't have concerns there but...

for every success story I read another about revisions or weight going back on. Of course common sense tells me that surgery is only the first step on a journey in where your whole mindset needs to change. I beleive I am ready for this. Surgery will help with volume which is my biggest challenge and 45m excersise 10-15 days per month is doable even with a hectic travel schedule.

anyway thanks for the advice so far, please keep the posts coming

I understand your existential concern!

Try to see the big picture: what will your life/body be like 5, 10, 20 years down the road if you don't have the surgery? What will it be like if you do?

Keep your eye on the prize. Most of the things we worry about never happen.

I also had the sleeve. I am on medication for HBP and I am an insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetic. After surgery, they changed my BP meds and they will probably change them again next month. Also, pre surgery I was on Lantus insulin 45 u, Metformin Er 500 mg twice a day, Amaryl 4 mg in the morning and Victoza 1.2 mg every night. Starting the week before surgery, the doctor had me stop the Amaryl and decrease my metformin. After surgery, my insulin dropped to 20 u, the Amaryl and the Victoza were stopped completely.

I have been told that I will probably never get off of the insulin and metformin completely, but that remains to be seen.

I wanted to have the RNY, but my surgeon told me that he prefers the sleeve method for diabetics. He said the chances of reactive hypoglycemia are smaller with the sleeve. My A1c BEFORE surgery was 5.4. We expect my A1c to go up a bit with this testing, due to some uncontrolled blood sugars for the first two weeks after surgery. (Also got steroid shot in knee, which sent my blood sugars skyrocketing).

I am only 2 1/2 months out and I feel great, and would do it again in a heartbeat.