Changing my mind!

[mygirllollypop]

Hiya

I was so so sure I wanted a sleeve done, but after meeting my surgeon and thinking about it all abit more I am swinging towards having a Bypass... I don't have a great deal of time to make my final decision and it is all swings and roundabouts for me!

I am in the "August something" where all the team gets together and decides your fate, and then it's 18 weeks max till the operation

I am going to be 24 in a 6 weeks and partly the bypass scares me because it's so restrictive for the rest of my life in comparisson to the sleeve but it's also very exciting aswell if any of that makes sense!

I just want to be healthy and happy!

My surgeon wants to do a bypass but my boyfriend wants me to have the sleeve (will support me either way obviously) and I am in crazy lala land in the middle trying to work out what to do for myself!

Did any of you guys and gals go through this or were you pretty sure you knew what to have from the get go?

 

[Mazza]

I think everyone goes through something like this, so you are not alone.

If your surgeon has suggested the bypass there must be a reason, right?

Good luck xx

 

[bexh]

Hi

I was the same between band and bypass, met with the surgeon and went away not sure. The reason my surgeon gave was the percentage of excess weight lost on both procedures. It was suggested that at 70% average on the bypass would bring me down to a much healthier BMI than the average weight loss you would get on a band (which is about 50%, I'm not sure, can't remember). So I have taken the decision to go with the bypass. I was scared, well still am, having it next week! Like you think it's drastic change for the rest of my life. But I had to face I need this for the rest of my life. I don't think we would put ourselves through these ops thinking it's like having a broken bone and needing just a cast till the bones fuse back again.

Weigh up your options (excuse the pun) see why one would be better than the other, research the weight losses on the ops, which is going to best for your weight loss

what reason did the surgeon give?

Good luck in your decision

 

[chrisa]

You are at an ideal age really wish i'd had the chance to have my bypass at 20 something rather than 45, you are one lucky girl i have been tryin g to get help for years. xx

 

[Sharonimo]

I sometimes wish I had let my surgeon persuade me to go for the bypass. He was very keen on the bypass for a person of my size (like you BMI over 50 and starting weight wayyyy over 300 lbs).

There is a reason why many surgeons favour the bypass:

-- really good long term statistical data
-- the fastest weight loss
-- the most likely operation to reach a normal BMI

Both the sleeve and the band require a bit more effort (quite a bit more) on the patient's part to stick to a new healthy dietary regime .... altho for the first few months post sleeve the regime is enforced by the nature of the surgery, 4 months post op the sleeve has grown (stretched is not the correct word) -- both the sleeve and the bypass pouch do "grow" to an eventual adult size.

The sleeve will always be bigger than a bypass pouch.

And although I have lost 6 stone fairly easily (3 stone pre-op and 3 stone post op) .....I am absolutely sure that from this point forward I have to start WORKING at it, counting my calories, watching everything I eat and upping my exercise.

(I expect bypassers would say the same but the "malabsorption" element does always give them that small advantage that their bodies will NOT absorb all the calories they consume).


HOWEVER ...... before I sound like I am totally anti-sleeve (when I am not and I did choose the sleeve) the other side of the coin is:

** you are young and possibly should consider the long term consequences

There are MORE *long* term side effects of the bypass than the sleeve and the band. Long term vitamin deficiencies from the constant *slightly* under absorption often will only show up as osteoporosis or eyesight problems 10 years down the line ...... so for the first 2, 3, 5 years post op whilst the weight is lost most bypassers are happy ...... but the long term effects of not absorbing every nutrient tend to only start to manifest themselves in the body 10 or more years later.

For me as a middle aged person (nearly 45) this should have been less of an issue for me and I should (perhaps) have gone for the bypass -- my surgeon did have a reason why he was trying to persuade me to go for that option -- it would have been the option MOST likely to get me to a normal healthy weight in the quickest amount of time.

I chose the sleeve to avoid the long term *possible* side effects of the bypass -- a number of which I had read up about in great detail ......... but side effects of any operation (like with medicines) don't always affect ALL patients -- they are a risk that MAY or MAY NOT happen ...... and ultimately you have to decide where you stack your coins and which gambles you are prepared to accept ....... and whether the quickest fastest weight loss is your number one priority goal ???

 

[bexh]

I agree Sharon. The malabsorption thing though is yes it does like you said but my dietician has told me that the first 12 months the person does lose weight a lot easier but the body adjusts and starts to process the food better to get all it can. So bad habits started during this time of practically getting away with it may mean a weight gain when this initial period ends. So needs hard work from the start to make sure bad habits won't trip you up further down the line.

 

[fab40]

In the area i live there is no funding availble at all and I have to pay. I wish there was an option for me but its more about what I can afford.

We are all in a lucky situation here that we are getting help.

I would go by what the experts tell you and the research you do.

good luck my lovely

x

 

[clar01]

Hi

I had exactly the same dilemma, but going private. After speaking to lots of people and surgeons I have opted for bypass.

The sleeve is as restrictive as the bypass, there is higher chance of leaks and a much higher chance of reflux issues. A surgeon I spoke to explained one case where the patient opted for sleeve based on cost, and 1 year post op can only eat yoghurt as her reflux is so bad, and she is booked in for further surgery to try to help,

It's a very personal choice, take all of the advice you can and I'm sure you will make the right choice.

In my mind I am thinking even if I do have problems with vitamin and mineral deficiencies I would have suffered far worse if I stayed huge.

Good luck with your choice

Xx

 

[mygirllollypop]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies!

The most important long term goal is to be healthy. I know how lucky I am to be getting surgery so young especially on the NHS and definatly don't plan on blowing it all away by cheating it.

I hadnt thought of the long term effects of malabsorbtion, and that is something I need to do furthur research into. I know that you are on multi-v's for the rest of your life and is it b-12 injections or something?!

Next time I am meeting with the surgeon I will definatly bring that up.

I think I am pretty set on the bypass now, the surgeon reccommended it as he "prefers" that to the sleeve for weightloss and for my weight. Plus I think he does the bypass the most anyway so he will be more skilled at it.

I am very excited about it, I have had weight issues since childhood and hope to finally start living after I have it done, I count my lucky stars that I will have a full lifetime ahead of me after the operation having it so young.

 

[schgar]

Bypass.faster recovery.

 

[Nicola robinson]

I can only give you my opinion on the bypass nearly three years of appts and doing my own research on all surgery. I didn't get a choice for the op bypass was my only option. But six weeks in and my life has changed so much. I'm now off all my diabetic meds the energy is unreal and feel great all the medication I was on has been swapped for iron supplements and a-z vitamins and b12 injections every three months but hey if thats the price you pay for having a life back and the potential to live longer I would gladly do it all again.

The bypass has given me new life and so pleased I have been given an opportunity to improve my life.

listen to your surgeon do your research and embrace what is to come you will not look back


good luck! xxx