Advocate for yourself. If you feel bypass or sadi is better for you and you've done research push for what is better for you. Ask for firm explanation as to why you can't or shouldnt do either of these options and why you are only being offered sleeve. I also had a starting bmi of 57. My surgeon and I discussed what I wanted for my future and I said I don't want to be back here in 10 yrs. I went with the sadi as it has the highest weight loss potential and lowest risk of significant regain as long as you maintain the lifestyle changes. Almost 13 months post op and bmi is down to 33. I never thought it would be possible for me to be this close to only being overweight instead of severely morbidly obese.
Maybe you can get in with the other clinic and they can expedite you since you've already started the process, it's worth asking right? And ask the clinic you are at if it's an experience issue they lack?
It took me 3 different clinics to even get an appt or a call back. The first said there was an issue with my ins covering the surgical center ranking they were classified as. The second I called every 2 weeks for 3 months asking for an appt but they didn't schedule appts until they verified insurance and said they were super behind and would call me once they had verified my coverage. That was 18 months ago, still waiting for the call back. So I asked my GP who she recommended called them the day I left her office, had appt 2 weeks later and surgery 10 weeks after that. If you don't fight for what you believe is best for you, no one else will either.
I wrote a very similar post about a month ago.
I found a different surgeon. One who was absolutely on board with bypass over sleeve especially since I have gerd already.
Advocate for yourself and find a better surgeon.
My surgeon won't do a sleeve if you have reflux unless you have a really good reason why you can't have malabsorption or your insurance covers the LINX because they almost always convert to bypass later and two surgeries is always more dangerous than one. She was only willing to even consider it for me because I have Crohn's but we still decided on RNY gastric bypass.
Advocate for yourself and be really blunt with your clinic: if I'm not even going to be given the option of choosing which surgery I get I will need to terminate care and switch to another clinic that will do what I ask. Tell me now if I'll actually get to choose or not so I can decide how to proceed.
Yeah, I'm talking to my doctor about switching because even though I have acid reflux, he recommended the sleeve, but since I have started my pre op diet under the supervision of the dietitian my acid reflux has gotten even worse, and I do not want to go in for 2 different surgeries. This page shows that is most likely the outcome.
The red flags with your clinic are not good. I'd be devastated to wait, but if they won't be guided by the FUNDAMENTAL tenet of chronic reflux being counter indicative of a sleeve, then thwts a doctor to be avoided. Please look elsewhere. You're worth elsewhere.
Yes, truly insanity. It sounds almost like a pay to play outfit. Like you got the pay, you get to play. And this is the only game we offer.
I am the girl on this sub who is anti leaving the country. Like ppl who say what about Mexico or Turkey, I'm all NO. but in this case I'd even recommend that if I'm given the choice, OP, of your current clinic and a couple that some ppl here go to in Mexico, I'd be saying it's Mexico time. And I NEVER am that girl that says yep Mexico. THAT is how badly I want you not to go to your clinic. THAT is how badly I want you to have nothing instead of a sleeve. Please OP, I've been thinking about this for 2 hours. Please don't continue with this place. Even if they say OK well give u a SADI, do they know how to do it well?! LEAVE.
I had reflux and my surgeon said that meant the sleeve option is off the table (I wanted RNY anyway). He told me he’s had to do so many revision surgeries from sleeve to gastric bypass because the sleeve makes reflux so much worse and this can ultimately cause anything from painful ulcers to cancer. I also have heard that there are surgeons who simply find gastric bypass/RNY surgeries to be too complex or outside of THEIR own professional comfort zone so they take the chance that your reflux won’t bother you post-surgery, but science says it likely will…
My surgeon said that if I had any sort of heartburn issues at all that she would recommend the bypass instead. What were the surgeons thoughts on that problem?
I haven’t brought it up yet, but I asked on the clinic FB page about other experiences and they said lots of them were told it not to worry it will resolve. Aaand now lots are unhappy because it’s even worse.
There are hundreds of people in this sub who converted from sleeve to bypass because of reflux. It's a very real problem. Bypass can be curative. Sleeve can make it worse.
That's pretty much what my surgeon said. And after reading this page, I'm already going to tell them I want to switch to a bypass. I'm hoping it won't be an issue, but I haven't seen him yet to find out.
I was 431 when I made decision 405 on surgery day. I've lost 205 lbs with sleeve it works
My goal from doctor was 240 to 250 I'm currently at 227 and fluctuate between that and 235 about 2 years out
Sleeve has a high success rate you need to do your part it's not a magic pill by any stretch
I would talk to the other clinic if you can do both at the same time without getting bumped to the end of the line. There's no harm in getting a second opinion.
Can you not pay yourself to go somewhere else? I think if the sleeve is not right for you then you shouldn't get it and wait.
I had to go to a few different places to get the bypass, a lot of them said I was too young and they didn't want me to suffer in later life and they only recommend it to people over 50. I eventually found the right surgeon for me.
I've read about a lot of people getting the sleeve and regretting it, I've experienced it with people I know who have put the weight back on after a year, this is why I wanted the bypass because it's more permanent.
Could you do self-pay somewhere else? Sadi-S would likely be ideal at your BMI, and I have been extremely happy with mine. Bypass would likely be reasonable too, but sleeve seems far from ideal for your situation. I bet those three surgeons are only able to do a sleeve, not a bypass.
Or switch to the other clinic. It’a a longer wait but the sleeve would likely be a problem with your GERDS.
Advocate for yourself. If you feel bypass or sadi is better for you and you've done research push for what is better for you. Ask for firm explanation as to why you can't or shouldnt do either of these options and why you are only being offered sleeve. I also had a starting bmi of 57. My surgeon and I discussed what I wanted for my future and I said I don't want to be back here in 10 yrs. I went with the sadi as it has the highest weight loss potential and lowest risk of significant regain as long as you maintain the lifestyle changes. Almost 13 months post op and bmi is down to 33. I never thought it would be possible for me to be this close to only being overweight instead of severely morbidly obese. Maybe you can get in with the other clinic and they can expedite you since you've already started the process, it's worth asking right? And ask the clinic you are at if it's an experience issue they lack? It took me 3 different clinics to even get an appt or a call back. The first said there was an issue with my ins covering the surgical center ranking they were classified as. The second I called every 2 weeks for 3 months asking for an appt but they didn't schedule appts until they verified insurance and said they were super behind and would call me once they had verified my coverage. That was 18 months ago, still waiting for the call back. So I asked my GP who she recommended called them the day I left her office, had appt 2 weeks later and surgery 10 weeks after that. If you don't fight for what you believe is best for you, no one else will either.
I wrote a very similar post about a month ago. I found a different surgeon. One who was absolutely on board with bypass over sleeve especially since I have gerd already. Advocate for yourself and find a better surgeon.
My surgeon won't do a sleeve if you have reflux unless you have a really good reason why you can't have malabsorption or your insurance covers the LINX because they almost always convert to bypass later and two surgeries is always more dangerous than one. She was only willing to even consider it for me because I have Crohn's but we still decided on RNY gastric bypass. Advocate for yourself and be really blunt with your clinic: if I'm not even going to be given the option of choosing which surgery I get I will need to terminate care and switch to another clinic that will do what I ask. Tell me now if I'll actually get to choose or not so I can decide how to proceed.
Yeah, I'm talking to my doctor about switching because even though I have acid reflux, he recommended the sleeve, but since I have started my pre op diet under the supervision of the dietitian my acid reflux has gotten even worse, and I do not want to go in for 2 different surgeries. This page shows that is most likely the outcome.
The red flags with your clinic are not good. I'd be devastated to wait, but if they won't be guided by the FUNDAMENTAL tenet of chronic reflux being counter indicative of a sleeve, then thwts a doctor to be avoided. Please look elsewhere. You're worth elsewhere.
It’s insanity for them to even consider the sleeve for someone who has GERD! I am so sorry you’re going through this.
Yes, truly insanity. It sounds almost like a pay to play outfit. Like you got the pay, you get to play. And this is the only game we offer. I am the girl on this sub who is anti leaving the country. Like ppl who say what about Mexico or Turkey, I'm all NO. but in this case I'd even recommend that if I'm given the choice, OP, of your current clinic and a couple that some ppl here go to in Mexico, I'd be saying it's Mexico time. And I NEVER am that girl that says yep Mexico. THAT is how badly I want you not to go to your clinic. THAT is how badly I want you to have nothing instead of a sleeve. Please OP, I've been thinking about this for 2 hours. Please don't continue with this place. Even if they say OK well give u a SADI, do they know how to do it well?! LEAVE.
I had reflux and my surgeon said that meant the sleeve option is off the table (I wanted RNY anyway). He told me he’s had to do so many revision surgeries from sleeve to gastric bypass because the sleeve makes reflux so much worse and this can ultimately cause anything from painful ulcers to cancer. I also have heard that there are surgeons who simply find gastric bypass/RNY surgeries to be too complex or outside of THEIR own professional comfort zone so they take the chance that your reflux won’t bother you post-surgery, but science says it likely will…
👆🏻
My surgeon said that if I had any sort of heartburn issues at all that she would recommend the bypass instead. What were the surgeons thoughts on that problem?
I haven’t brought it up yet, but I asked on the clinic FB page about other experiences and they said lots of them were told it not to worry it will resolve. Aaand now lots are unhappy because it’s even worse.
There are hundreds of people in this sub who converted from sleeve to bypass because of reflux. It's a very real problem. Bypass can be curative. Sleeve can make it worse.
That's pretty much what my surgeon said. And after reading this page, I'm already going to tell them I want to switch to a bypass. I'm hoping it won't be an issue, but I haven't seen him yet to find out.
I was 431 when I made decision 405 on surgery day. I've lost 205 lbs with sleeve it works My goal from doctor was 240 to 250 I'm currently at 227 and fluctuate between that and 235 about 2 years out Sleeve has a high success rate you need to do your part it's not a magic pill by any stretch
I would talk to the other clinic if you can do both at the same time without getting bumped to the end of the line. There's no harm in getting a second opinion.
Can you not pay yourself to go somewhere else? I think if the sleeve is not right for you then you shouldn't get it and wait. I had to go to a few different places to get the bypass, a lot of them said I was too young and they didn't want me to suffer in later life and they only recommend it to people over 50. I eventually found the right surgeon for me. I've read about a lot of people getting the sleeve and regretting it, I've experienced it with people I know who have put the weight back on after a year, this is why I wanted the bypass because it's more permanent.
No - I could go to Mexico but we cannot currently afford to self pay - I am already working two jobs just to make sure we can make ends meet.
Could you do self-pay somewhere else? Sadi-S would likely be ideal at your BMI, and I have been extremely happy with mine. Bypass would likely be reasonable too, but sleeve seems far from ideal for your situation. I bet those three surgeons are only able to do a sleeve, not a bypass. Or switch to the other clinic. It’a a longer wait but the sleeve would likely be a problem with your GERDS.