Question:
need updated info on pref of gastric bypass or sleeve?

   — chinagirl (posted on August 14, 2008)

August 14, 2008
I am not sure what you are looking for, but I can tell you that the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is almost nearly as effective as the Gastric Bypass at helping people lose the weight. It is essentially STATISTICALLY the same with just a few percentage points difference. It also has the advantage of NOT requiring special supplements that need to be taken for the rest of your life that tie you to your weight loss surgeon and the pharmaceutical industry. You will also not require to have Blood Work done for the rest of your life to ensure that you are getting the proper balance of nutrients from the supplements. A different issue that you will have to worry about with the Gastric Bypass is the constant worry about whether your insurance will be accepted if you need to change providers or of you need to change jobs, or if it will not. Another advantage of the Sleeve over the Gastric Bypass is that the Sleeve is a much SIMPLER procedure. The more COMPLICATED a procedure gets, the more LIKELY the chance for COMPLICATIONS! While the sleeve has not been used widely in the US for WEIGHT LOSS, it HAS been used for OTHER reasons like the removal of severe STOMACH ULCERS and stomach CANCER! It has been proven to be the SAFEST weight loss surgery available. It has the LOWEST rate of complication of all the most commonly available weight loss surgeries available today. From what I can see, the only reason that the Gastric Bypass is the more POPULAR option is that many of the INSURANCE COMPANIES will not PAY for it since the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy has not yet been performed in the US regularly for WEIGHT LOSS for more than 10 years. Since the agencies that provide CERTIFICATION for medical procedures do not have US DATA for 10 years, they will not CERTIFY it as a "SAFE" procedure and consider it to be "EXPERIMENTAL." There is PLENTY of data from both Central and South America, and EUROPE that prove that the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is both SAFE and EFFECTIVE, but the US Certifying agencies do not consider that data a RELIABLE and instead, insist on using only US data! As if US data had the CORNER on the market for RELIABILITY! There have been a NUMBER of US medical products that have been RECALLED due to DATA that has been MANIPULATED by the US MEDICAL INDUSTRY! Due to THIS, many INSURANCE COMPANIES will not PAY for the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, but they WILL pay for the Gastric Bypass! I would STRONGLY recommend the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy over the Gastric Bypass. I also strongly recommend the Gastric Bypass over doing NOTHING! If you have a CHOICE, chose the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. You will have a better quality of life. You will not have the DUMPING issues and the issues with MEDICATION limitations that you will with the Gastric Bypass. You will probably have to take VITAMINS, but you will NOT be required to take SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS for the rest of your life. You will not be saddled with the COST of these medications if you lose your INSURANCE. If you are interested in finding out more, check out my profile page at: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/hubarlow/ . Look for my post called Surgical Comparisons. It gives you the rundown on ALL of the most common surgical options commonly available today. If you can't find Surgical Comparisons on my Profile Page, look for it in the March 2008 archives. I hope that this answers your questions. Hugh
   — hubarlow

August 14, 2008
I had a VSG on Aug 4th and my insurance paid for it. I have BlueCross BlueShield Federal Employee Program- Basic. Don't be discouraged about asking insurance to cover it because it does not hurt to try. I was told that my insurance would not cover it and they approved me with no problems. It is a situational basis for every person. I love my sleeve and so far I have lost 15lbs so I highly recommend it!
   — [Deactivated Member]

August 19, 2008
Both are mal-nutrition. Lap band is the only surgery out there that is HEALTHY. Stay away from the bypass unless you want to look ill, look muscle mass and loose hair.
   — ljtrowern