Starting the surgical weight loss process. I attended the first seminar today. There are 3 types of surgery, the sleeve, bypass and the duodenal switch. I know for a fact the sleeve wouldn’t be enough for me so im left with the latter two. I keep going back and forth between the two. I need opinions, experiences or advice!? Pros and cons of each?
5 Likes
I absolutely love my bypass I’ve lost 140 pounds in my 2 years
I started my journey last September. Sleeve done in may. Iv lost 75 pounds all together. Blood pressure is better and back pain and foot pain. Eating is definitely a struggle sometimes. You will definitely know your limit. Hair loss will happen but it gets better. You need to take your vitamins daily. I can go on and on. But it was well worth it. I have not been this happy in so long.
I lost 167lbs with sleeve.
I had the RNY mini bypass 8 weeks ago and have lost 20.4kgs, no issues, best thing I ever did and would hands down do it again
I did duodenal switch 2 years ago. I have lost 180 pounds. I have had some complications but I don’t regret it.
If you have reflux or heartburn it will get 10x worse with the sleeve. My friend had it. I had the bypass and have had no issues with it. I’m so happy now
Sleeve in may of this year 100 pounds down. I’d do it 10000000x again
1 Like
I had the sleeve almost 5 years ago and lost over 150lbs and have kept it off. Changed my life for the best forever. 
No matter what you decide, it’s a hard journey physically and mentally.
I lost weight very very quickly and also plateaued pretty quick (less than a year) and with any quick weight loss, your hormones go wack so I lost most of my hair and took 3 tears to grow back.
Mentally it is taxing for most because it requires you to change your entire relationship with food. Whether you had any sort of eating disorder, medical issue, etc.
For myself, I was 24 and incredibly overweight. I couldn’t roll over in my bed without waking my husband and being out of breath, couldn’t play with my kids or even really walk around because of my weight and life choices. Now I am incredibly active, playing constantly with my kids and living an overall healthier life. It’s still a journey every day, but a worth it one.
My husband had the bypass in 2003. He was over 350 lbs. he is now between 190 and 200. He had no problems and is very happy he did it. No blockages. You need to listen to the drs and chew food really well.
1 Like
I had Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass about 3 years ago. Was 336lbs at my heaviest and lost around 175lbs. I had sleep apnea, GERD, high cholesterol and was a borderline diabetic. I also had issues with my menstrual cycle as well. My experience has been wonderful since. All problems have disappeared. Wish I had done it sooner. Also regulated my cycles and I was able to have my first baby this past July. Definitely research. With Bypass, you will most likely lose more, faster. Also if you have GERD, it pretty much heals it.
2 Likes
I would definitely opt for the Duodenal Switch. The longevity is the best. It may be the most advanced option but if you’re willing to do surgery I feel it’s your best option. I know quite a few people who had a bypass and had issues.
Neither, diet and exercise which you will have to do anyway
If you have any of the surg. you have be on a diet rest of your life are you will gain it back plus more all the people I know that had it has gain back weight plus more my sister in law died while they were do surg for that I would try diet an exercise first
I would re think the sleeve! I’ve lost over 100 pounds in about 6 months, feel free to message me!
I had sleeve surgery 9 months ago, so far I’ve lost 115 lbs. For me the first 5 months were a struggle. Relearning how to eat the proper way has and still is a struggle. I’ve gone threw something called "dumping syndrome " it was quite bad for me but in the last 2 months has cleared up significantly. Hair loss is something you may experience about 4 to 5 month’s in, it will also clear up with time. It’s quite a psychological journey. You will need to change your relationships with food and it can be a big struggle especially if you are an emotional eater like myself. I had many many many days of crying after this surgery wishing I didn’t do it because of my struggles with vomiting and diarrhea after wards for months. Pretty much all of that has now cleared up though. Would I do it again? Absolutely 100% I would. Slow down your eating and chew that food very well. Take short breaks between bites, so you give your stomach enough time to tell your brain you are full so you do not over eat. My rapid weight loss has however stopped my period and haven’t had one in 7 month’s.
My ex had a sleeve and duodenal switch at the same time. He had to hunt to find a doctor to do it and it was expensive. He’s on powerful amounts of vitamins forever through bariatric advantage and calcium. And his bathroom smelled like a colonoscopy patient and that hadn’t gone away in the 3 years before we divorced after he had it. So so bad. Not a healthy thing to do.
Whichever you choose you have to address the psychological factors contributing to your weight gain or you’ll just go back to bad eating habits and gain it all back. What are your triggers? How can you conquer your poor relationship with food, stress, past trauma, poor body image, etc.?
You also have to be willing to move a lot and watch what you eat for life—you have to change your old habits into new habits that you need to keep forever. If you’re not willing to change your diet permanently or keep moving (I hate to say “exercise” because there can be negative associations), or you will be undergoing serious surgery for nothing.
Like they say, “It’s not what you’re eating, it’s what’s eating you.” Until you get to the root of that and address it thoroughly, no surgery is going to be the magic bullet.
1 Like
Harsh but : if you are willing to have surgery & put yourself at risk for complications, why are you not willing to change your dietary habits? Not a diet, but lifestyle eating changes
My sister had the bypass. One of the side effects is intestinal blockages. She had several and the last one killed her. I would really think twice about it.
3 Likes
I had the RNY 12 yrs ago. Lost 105 pounds within the first yr. I work hard to maintain current weight of 150 pounds. I feel so much better and my diabetes is controlled. No more high blood pressure or gerd. I make sure I walk at least 5000 steps per day. BTW I am 70 years old and am the healthiest I have ever been. The first couple of months were the worst but I went back to work after 4 weeks. So glad I did it.
1 Like
I had the sleeve and it was the best decision I ever made. Definitely a lot harder than I anticipated! 1 month pre-op and 1 month post-op was the worst… but after 2 miserable months I got my life back!
Lost 100lbs. Fixed my fertility issues(PCOS / Secondary infertility - fertility meds couldnt even make me ovulate). I went from infertile for 4.5 years to having 2 kids naturally, and now I’m 22 weeks pregnant as a surrogate. Absolutely life changing 
Bypass here due to Gerd issues. I lost too much weight at first so started eating a lot of nuts throughout the day to Rrgain. I regained 20 # and am thrilled at 152# at 5’10
Had RNY in 2003, 20 yrs ago. Tool still works to this day. Teeny bites, chewed a ton, no carbonation or soft carbs & no drinking during or 20 min before/after food… or else. Extreme nausea, room spinning, heart racing, cold sweats, pain, ears ringing, mouth watering… they all teach ya’ real quick what’s not worth it. Forces the change in how u think of food, imho. Eat to live, rather than live to eat. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
I had roux en y bypass in 2011, have had 2 babies post surgery and have still been able to maintain a healthy weight. It’s about paying attention to what you eat and how your body responds. I have had no medical issues that were surgery related. One piece of advice I do have is to steer clear of alcohol, as it can become very easy to get addicted because of the way your body processes it post op. Feel free to message me if you want.
1 Like
I had the sleeve in 2020 i lost 150