bypass and sweet tooth

I have a bit of a sweet tooth.  It's not a constant thing, but there are times when the craving is overpowering.  I don't think I can live with sweet alternatives; I think I need to eradicate sweets altogether.  I think I failed ultimately with WW because I had "healthy alternatives" for 6 months but in the end I went back to the real thing.

Generally, I prefer the sleeve for varying reasons, but it occured to me that it might be better for me to get bypass because I just won't be able to tolerate sweets with bypass and I fear if I went with the sleeve, I may succumb to my bad old habits.

It's not that I'm without will power as such but there are times when my determination fails me.  I know it probably won't be an issue with me in the short term no matter what route I go.  It's the long term that concerns me and where I will be a year out and more.  As long as Tricare accept my ww meetings, I should get approvd for by-pass fairly quickly, but if I want the sleeve I will have to get a new referral to a hospital 3 hours away and it can take up to a year.

Really having a tough time deciding what is best for me.

Do you guys think by pass is more helpful in getting rid of sugar cravings?  This question is especially for people who are years out from surgery.

 Only 30% of people with RNY dump.  That means that most are able to tolerate sugar so that may not help you.
I have a major sweet tooth.  I did find out I dump by accident (had some regular Torani syrup instead of sugar free) but I know myself and if I want something bad enough I will do it and not worry about the consequences until later.
I am perfectly fine with sweeteners like Splenda.  Everyday I have something like sugar free pudding and of course I have my shakes every day.  The other night, for my daughter's birthday we went to Baskin Robbins and I had some sugar free ice cream.  I haven't had any since my birthday in Dec.  It is ok for me as a once in a while treat.  I have an ice cream maker and I plan on making protein ice cream for a warm weather treat.
The important thing is that you know yourself.  For me it is the actual sugar that sets up the craving for more.  I don't have the same reaction to sugar substitutes.  I can have a moderate amount of those.  If you don't feel that you can then it may be best for you not to have them.  I am the same way with bread.  At first I can talk myself into have healthy alternatives like whole grain but before I know it I am stuffing myself with good old white bread.
Just know that you may not have a bad response to sugar with the RNY so you still might have to fight the urge without that incentive.

LOL, yeah bread is my other issue.  What I find a bit discouraging is that I thought if I change my habits for long enough, my habits will be "cured".  I've read of a few people who have been successful for years and yet even then slipped back to bad old ways.

Guess I'll have to wait and see and hope for the best for myself. 

 That is one thing I know for certain, no matter how long I eat "right" all it takes is one bite and I am back to where I started in no time.  I have never been able to eat things with sugar or wheat in them moderately and believe me I tried.  And failed every time.  So I have the benefit of my own experience to know not to mess around with things like whole grain breads or low carb bread.  However, when it comes to things with sugar substitutes in them I have no problem.  Go figure.  I finally just decided for myself that I cannot tolerate wheat in any form, whole or otherwise, same with sugar, honey or other things like that.  I can, however, tolerate natural sugar as long as it is in things like fruit or dairy.  I am very careful when it comes to wheat.  Fortunately now on food labels it will tell you if there is wheat in things so I don't worry about hidden forms anymore.
Next month it will be a year since I had anything with wheat in it and except for the Torani syrup it will be a year since I have had refined sugar.  Yet I know that if I decided to play around with it tomorrow it won't be long until I am mainlining it like before.  I know my limits and respect them a lot.
Sugar alcohols don't bother me, either, probably because if I have too much I get bad gas and diarrhea.  But I usually don't find myself craving them if I have a little.
I just try to eat things in as natural of a form as I can and that seems to be working for me right now.
I also wanted to add that for me the difference is that with my smaller stomach I am satisfied with small amounts of food and when I am not hungry I don't find myself craving things.  Most of my stomach was removed during my revision and although I wasn't happy to find that out I do think it helps in the fact that it seems that I don't produce a lot of ghrelin that caused me to be hungry all the time before.

I chose the RNY because of the sugar issue. I don't want to be able to eat it because I crave it and I need the tool to support me as I stay away from it. I'm afraid of dumping and don't want to do that, so I stay away from sugar. Sure, I'm only 6 weeks post op but it was one of my chief reasons for choosing this surgery.

And by the way, I have experienced the change in my body in reaction to sugar. I have only had sweeteners since the surgery and they taste so sweet, not bitter or gross as they did before. I licked my son's spoon after he ate someting sweet (not too much!) and WHOA, the real sugar was overwhelming. Plus, fruit tastes much sweeter to me now too.

Good luck with your decision!

I am doing RNY for a similar reason to what you describe.   I also have reflux and heartburn and know the RNY can cure that.   On the sweet issue, I figure the RNY will force me to make needed changes, where the lap band, etc. may not.

I've also got type 2 diabetes that isn't well controlled at the moment.  I think that is another tick in the RNY column.

I read on another board about someone who ended up in the ER twice with bleeding ulcers or something.  Think she is getting a reversal.  Anyone know what causes the ulcers?

 Don't let the sweets thing be your only reason to go with the RNY I'm 3 months out and I can eat EVERYTHING.. SUGAR, Bread.. everything and my sweet tooth is NOT gone.. I didn't want to eat anything for about 6 weeks but ever since I've been back to normal.. I'm trying very hard to stay away from the stuff until I get to goal and then have a realistic plan on having treats and not go crazy but right now it's hard.. my daughter is having a bonefire with friend tonight and I was just frosting the cupcakes and I ate 1/4 of one.. better than an entire one but I would rather have had enough willpower to not eat ANY.. but I didn't!  Only 30% of people can't tolerate sweets the rest of us can eat pretty much just like before surgery just in smaller quantities.

I'm 20 months out.  Have been able to eat real sugar from about 10 months on out.  I may be a sugar addict.  Or more likely a chocolate addict.  I don't dump.  But I do get weird flushes (probably reactive hypoglycemia) if I eat any kind of simple carbs without a good balance of protein in the bank to hold sugar level steady.  

I'm chiming in with anyone else who says that you can't assume you won't be able to eat sugar after RNY. 

Thanks everyone,  this has been a wealth of valuable info.  The way the Dr tells it everyone gets dumping etc.  I suppose this is because he is trying to deter his patients from making bad choices.