Gastric Sleeve or Gastric Bypass: 5 Questions To Ask Yourself

If you’ve made the decision to get a surgical weight loss surgery, it likely was not an easy decision. Now, you’re faced with yet another huge question: what kind of surgery should you get?

It’s extremely important to spend a serious amount of time in communication with your doctor to ensure that you understand the entirety of each process. In between appointments and phone calls, it’s good to do tons of your own research, so you’re on the right track. There are serious differences between a gastric sleeve and a gastric bypass, and the lifestyle outcomes are slightly different as well. Let’s take a closer look: 

What is Different About a Gastric Bypass?

While both of these procedures are intended to reduce your stomach size, they do it in very different ways. In both procedures, the surgeon creates a small pouch out of your stomach. This pouch is able to hold less food, so you reach fullness faster. The pouch also processes nutrients differently, and it produces less hormones that make you hungry throughout the day. 

A gastric bypass procedure is more complicated than a gastric sleeve. This is also called a Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, and it was once the most commonly employed in the US. The stomach is not removed, rather, it is sectioned off, and the lower intestine is altered to connect to the newly created pouch. When you get a gastric bypass procedure, your stomach is typically reduced to the size of a walnut.

The gastric sleeve has recently become the more popular option among gastric surgeries.  Up to 80% of the stomach tissue is permanently taken out of the body, and the surgeon will sew the remaining portion into a pouch, larger than that of the bypass. The amount of your stomach that gets removed will depend on a number of different factors, including your BMI and other health issues you might be having. 

Gastric Sleeve vs Gastric Bypass: What To Think About

Everyone is different, and no operation is perfect for everyone. You’ll need to choose the right operation with advice from your doctor, and be sure to tell them anything you can imagine that might be important. Speak extensively about any other health issues, and together you can make a decision. Here are some things to ask yourself:

1. Do I need to lose more than 130 lbs?
   
   ‍If it is very important for you to lose somewhere around 150 lbs or more, the bypass will likely be recommended. Patients typically lose more weight after the surgery at a much faster rate. 

2. Do I have several comorbidities?
   
   ‍The surgery you should choose will have a lot to do with your pre-existing conditions, and again, you should have extensive discussions with your doctor about this. Only they can have a solid understanding of your history and what will be best for you.

3. Do I have a lot of time to recover?
   
   The recovery process after a gastric sleeve procedure is typically faster than that of the bypass. If you can’t get out of the daily grind for long enough to make a full recovery, bring it up with your doctor. 

4. Do I have trouble controlling my diet?
   
   The gastric bypass creates some negative effects when you eat foods with too much sugar or fat. It’s called ‘dumping syndrome,’ and it happens when you eat too quickly. The undigested food can go straight to your intestines, leaving you nauseous and in pain. This encourages better eating habits, as you are more keen to avoid the foods that cause pain. 

5. Do I want the option to reverse it?
   
   You shouldn’t expect to ever reverse the surgery as there are very, very few situations in which it happens. However, with a bypass, it is actually possible to put the pieces of your stomach back together, since they aren’t being completely removed.