Question:
DO YOU KNOW

In your own words what surgey do you think would be better the gastric sleeve or the Bypass.    — marybeth weaver (posted on October 11, 2009)

October 11, 2009
I decided on the sleeve. The reason being is that it is not as invasive as the RNY. I only need to lose around 100 lbs and my Dr thinks that this will be the right thing for me. The RNY you have to have calcuim the rest of your life and with the sleeve (i have been told) that you can drink skim milk eventually. Please ask a Dr to go over this with you though before you make your decesions. I am only going by what I have learned in the past year. I am going in next week for my sleeve. I was told by a psy Dr that did my psy elvuation, he thinks that the sleeve will be more in common with in the next 5 yrs. Good luck
   — Kelly M.

October 11, 2009
Marybeth, you have soooo manyquestions. Which is great! But I have to wonder if you have really checked this site out. Have you seen a DR yet? Each DR has their own steps they follow. Everyone of us can only tell you what OUR DR did. Again, it is good to ask questions..but you have to see and ask YOUR Dr. what they do. I wish you well in your decisions.
   — tootsie52

October 11, 2009
Mary Beth Your question is great. You don't want to be sorry later if you choose the wrong thing. I had RNY and now I wish I had done done a different procedure,because I didn't really take into consideration my arthritis. Now I am pretty much stuck with what I can take to releive my pain. Talk to your Doc about what meds you can take if you are in pain with each of the different surgeries. Go to some of the different sites on this web site and research what other people did with their surgery. Good luck. I applaud you for getting your life under control and taking this big step. Keep us posted with what you decide. We are all rooting for you!
   — katiecakes

October 11, 2009
I originally wanted the lapband and was considering the RNY. Then I started hearing about the VSG. When I went to my doctors they explaied that the VSG had the least amount of complications and if needed you could later get the RNY if it was needed. I had the VGS on 3/25/09 and I have lost 80 lbs. I have not been sick or had any problems whatsoever. I feel healthy and great. I am able to take the medicatons I need and I can eat pretty much whatever I want. So I have to be careful and focus on eating healthy but I can still only eat small amounts at a time. My doctor strongly recommends exercise 150 to 300 mins a week. Sometimes I have back pain and am not able to exercise and my weight loss has plateaued. I am picking up my exercise again and the lbs are coming back off. I am already off my sleep apnea machine and I feel great. Down about 4 sizes and I have more energy and everybody tells me how great and healthy I look now. Some say you don't look so tired anymore and I don't feel it. I prayed about it and that helped. I recently had a friend that really wanted the RNY but when we went to the doctors he thought that the VSG might work better for her because she had a lot of weight centered in her abdomen and he thought it would be easier to do the VSG and thought she would have good success with it. Her family also encourage the VSG because of the less food restrictions and the lower amount of complications. She ended up getting the VSG and is happy that she did and has lost over 60 lbs and she had it 8/4/09. I hope you have great success in whichever surgery you decide to have.
   — Lisa von Wallmenich

October 12, 2009
I had sleeve gastrectomy as well, and after much research,which you must do on you own as well, decided that it was the right option for me. I had initially went in with the idea of realize band, but after studying the options, decided no. Talk with your dr, check out the different options on this site, and go to other sites as well. Measure all of your options, what worked for me may not work for you or the next person. The WLS is truly about you!
   — strongwilled

October 12, 2009
Well I went to the meeting to find out with would work better for me. I had dypass sept 2008 I'm down from a 24 to a 14 still losing. I like the ideal of not having to go to the doctor every month or two. I am really happy for the surgery the only thing I don't like is that out of no where I'm sagging. But its still the best!!!!! kaybusk
   — kaybusk

October 12, 2009
Mary Beth, I agree with previous posters - there are so many procedures out there because there are so many different needs and preferences of the patients. I researched these surgeries for over 3 years (and they changed quite a bit in that time), and had to do a lot of soul searching to figure out whihc one was for me - no one can tell you that but you, and it is your responsibility to be informed about the decision you make. This is why you it's great that you are on here and askign questions, but I also recommend that if you have a question look in the q & a archive - it compiles tons of postings on similar/related subjects and would probably be more beneficial. Your doctor can recommend to you what they think, but it again is ultimately up to you. That being said, I decided on the Laprascopic RNY, had it on 5/13/09, and am doing GREAT - I've lost 85 lbs, I'm off my sleep apnea machine (and mine was really bad - I don't even snore at all anymore and previously I was "sawing logs like Paul Bunyon"), but I also have very slight complications due to my rapid weightloss (my back is trying to correct itself from my larger frame and it is sore often but getting better, I have low blood sugar issues sometimes because my body hasn't quite caught up with my loss so it wants to create enough insulin for me at my old weight - this is also getting better). I knew what I was getting myself into, and I knew to expect that my hair would probably fall ouut some (it did), that if I ate too many carbs or sugar I might dump ( I really don't, but I also don't ever push it), and that I would have excess hanging skin that would most likely have to be removed surgically at a later date (it will). Despite any issues I'm having, and they are very few compared to how I felt before surgery, I would choose this surgery again as it has been the best tool for me to re-learn how to eat and drink, get active, and start to live/run my life again instead of it running me. Best of luck to you and keep asking questions! Oh, one thing that REALLY helped me was to go to support group meetings ( my hospital does one once a month where post-ops come in and talk to pre-ops to talk about their experience, challenges, successes, etc). Those were the most rewarding because you can ask ANYTHING, and I've heard EVERYTHING talked about.
   — stellarsan