I picked the sleeve and stuck with it. I'm only 3 months out but I do have to remember to eat because I never feel hungry. I do have head cravings but not physical stomach cravings or even taste cravings (with the exception of diet soda). It's hard to drink enough water so I think that's why my mouth craves soda and juice but I quench it fine with water or milk. I think it comes down to what your cravings are for. My cravings have always been for the feel of a quick, full belly and a blood sugar rush from carbs. I can't really get either of those right now and will likely never get the full belly thing again, so I feel like the sleeve was a good choice. My husband craves food for the taste and he has to work harder with his sleeve because you can taste lots of anything and end up eating too much. More than a year out I'd say he still can't eat a large portion of food, but he can eat a small to normal portion of food at a meal and could easily eat too much by snacking. He wanted (and still wants) a 9-course meal of small bites of fantastically cooked things spread out over a few hours. I wanted 4 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in 10 minutes because I didn't care what I ate as long as there was a lot of it. Now I just don't feel like eating anything at all and have to force it. So I think the type of craving is a big factor in how you react to the sleeve. I'd imagine the same to be true for bypass though.

We both like physical activity and being lighter has made so much more of that possible and more fun, so just getting the initial weight off has allowed us more tools for keeping it off as well. If we hated activity things would be harder. I agree with everything Missie said above about vitamin absorption and having half of your stomach just hanging out. I generally run low on iron anyway and I didn't want to exacerbate that. Plus, it was cheaper to get the sleeve and seemed to have less complications/easier recovery.

I don't think my husband will ever hit and maintain his goal weight, which is about 135. But I think he's ok with that and if he can sit at 160 he'd be happy. The books may call this a 'failure' but I assure you it isn't. I don't know if I'll get to my 'ideal' weight of 150. But I can tell you I'd be very happy at 180 and my success will be based on my numbers and how I feel/live my life than whether or not the literature says I'm still overweight.

I had the option but chose bypass because I have had acid reflux my whole life and I wanted to make sure I didn't have that post-op. I also like that the bypass is reversible where sleeve isn't. I know it's rare that it would need to be reversed but I still wanted the option.

As for cravings, I've noticed a decrease in sugar cravings and can hardly tolerate a regular Chobani yogurt anymore. I don't like the taste of the 100 calorie Chobani as much but it sits better. I'm only 6 weeks out so I haven't attempted to eat anything fatty yet but it makes me nauseous to think about it. I do experience hunger regularly and don't have to remind myself. These things really are different for everybody and they also change over time. My partner was bypassed 2 years ago and she was very food averse for a while. She was never hungry, the sight of food made her nauseous, etc. she lived on protein shakes and yogurt. But after a year, she could eat most anything. She definitely has cravings (wicked sweet tooth) but she has learned to limit her consumption because of the whole dumping thing.

I worry a little about the malabsorption issue and am frightened of things like osteoporosis (queue another round of calcium chewies), but I have always been good about eating lots of fruits and veggies and taking vitamins so I think that piece will be fine.

Good luck to you!

My husband had the sleeve over a year ago. When I started the process last September I had planned on the sleeve. But do to my GERD, or acid reflux disease, our surgeon recommended the RNY for me. I wanted the sleeve because it had been so successful for my husband and for the same reasons that Missie mentioned. I just had my first thorough bloodwork since surgery and all was good, just hope it stays that way!

garber6th wrote: »

I chose the sleeve because I felt it was less invasive as far as "rearranging the plumbing", and also because I didn't want to have any malabsorpton issues

I had the sleeve for these same reasons and my surgeon agreed as I didn't have issues with pre-existing HERD. it's only been about 7weeks since my surgery but. no problems have come up

Hello there!

I'm going on 9 months since my sleeve. I'm very happy with my results. Following all the guidelines set forth I've experienced no problems whatsoever.

I've always been a chocoholic, and I still like chocolate...but I don't have the cravings for it like I used to. In fact, I find that if I feel like having something sweet I'm more likely to have red grapes now than chocolate.

As to my reasons for going with the sleeve vs. the bypass - to be honest, I like food. Yes, that was part of my problem with my weight, but in loosing my weight I've also learned to manage my eating. With the sleeve I'm doing WAY better now. With the bypass I would not be able to have the things that I would want to have, even on a healthy diet. But with the sleeve, I can still have everything I want...just in healthy, limited portions. Plus, I wanted as little removed from my body as possible.

I was planning on the sleeve, but due to some damage in my esophagus, my surgeon has insisted on RnY. It will minimize further damage and there's a chance I will need to have my esophagus repaired in the future and they'll use part of my stomach to do that.

I had RNY 2-10-14 and I am down 164 pounds. Obviously its different for everyone, but since the beginning I have had real hunger, not just head hunger. The operation is a great tool and for me has been very successful. No complications at all. I just find its easier for me to eat every few hours, get my protein in and follow a regular MFP calorie deficit. It is a blessing in that when I do eat, I can't eat a lot. I can see how it would be easy to graze and not lose weight. I also appreciate the fact that my body does not do well with sugar. Having that intolerance is also a great tool. Like an above poster said, if I am going to alter my body I want to be all in. No regrets at all. Follow your plan, take your vitamins.

I originally was planning on getting sleeved, but with further research on my part, in addition to discussions with my surgeon, I chose the bypass and I'm very, very, very happy I did. I had my bypass on February 10th of this year, so I will be 16 weeks post-op tomorrow and down 70 pounds as of yesterday. I feel great and find the restrictiveness of the bypass a blessing.

I was actually looking into the band, but after doing more research I decided to to go with the sleeve. After talking with my surgeon he agreed too. I'm 6mo out now and I wouldn't change anything.

I chose the sleeve, I chose to stick to the diet the Dr provided, I chose to exercise, after sticking to the diet and eliminating addition sugar, I don't get cravings like I used to. When I eat sugarfree things I find now that they are way too sweet, as my tastes have changed. I feel great and have lost 117 pounds since being sleeved on April 17 2014. I have a friend who did the RNY, she lost and regained most of it back. So no surgery will fix you unless you change as it is only a tool to assist you.

Warhawk79 wrote: »

. That said, both procedures are wonderful as long as you are willing to put the work in.

This! When people have asked me for advice, I always say, follow the plan given to you by your surgeon and his team. Do what you are supposed to do, and you will be successful.

I also think it's super important that whatever surgery you choose, you have to make sure you are using it as a tool and not a crutch. The surgery will not do the work for you.

I had the sleeve done in April, 2010. In August of that year I began to vomit bile. There was no rhyme or reason for it. Had my gallbladder removed...but continued to throw up bile (never food). I began the journey at 318 and got down to 208, but then started gaining right away. Got back up to 267! Even the surgeon told me that he would just live with it! That's when I changed surgeons! Went through some terrible mental health issues and learned to love myself (sooooo important) and began to lose steadily for the next year, but I was still vomiting. New surgeon converted me to RNY in January, 2015. No more bile, thank goodness!! Weight at time of RNY was 231, but surgeon told me not to expect much weight loss. I assume that the pouch is larger than average due to the previous sleeve staples. I can eat about seven ounces of food now. I have managed to lose weight by staying on a low carb way of eating. I'm now at 199.2, and will continue to lose because I won't be going back to the carbage I used to eat! Plus, I'm ecstatic to finally be in onederland!!

There really isn't any type of food restrictions with the sleeve, so returning to old eating habits was too easy. I love the restriction with the RNY. The potential for dumping has kept me from even wanting to eat something with a lot of sugar in it!

I wish you luck with whatever choice you make!

dragonflies6 wrote: »

Thank you all for your input. I have researched both procedures. I feel that I am going to go with the bypass. I completely understand that this is a tool and as long as I stick to the lifestyle changes that I am still working on, then I shouldn't have an issue. I do have occasional heartburn. And I hope that I have dumping as a reminder. I currently still have this large stomach that I am trying to put healthy foods in but because of my busy work schedule, I actually do feel real hunger and by that point I want something large and filling which leads to unhealthy cravings. I can say that as long as I continue to eat the healthier foods, if I give in to my cravings, I don't eat as much as I have in the past. So I'm hoping that with continuing with the lifestyle changes, increasing my PA and the restrictiveness of the bypass, I can reach my goals and sustain them.

I am hoping for success for you on your upcoming surgery. It has done wonders for me as a band to bypass revisionist. My Surgeon would not let me do the sleeve because he felt the issues I had with GERD etc. would not make me successful. I am almost 8 months out and I would not change a thing. I was a stress eater and loved my carbs and sugars. It's A LOT of work but I am close to 100 pounds down since surgery. It's doable if you stick with it and it sounds like you know what you need to have a new lifestyle.

Any WLS surgery patient can regain their weight. Some return to eating the old foods tricking themselves into thinking that it's okay since they can't eat much of it. That's when weight is regained. Why would anyone want to return to eating the same foods that brought them to this? I don't!

I chose sleeve because my sister had bypass a few years ago, her bowel was nicked in the surgery so she suffered quite bad complications and within a few years had put all her weight back on and then some. Complications can happen with any surgery, as can regain if not following rules but for me i liked the idea of having a huge part of my stomach removed, not just sat in my body redundant. Also malabsorbsion issues with bypass didn't appeal