It's a big decision. We'll walk you through recovery, results, and whether it's genuinely the right fit, honestly.
In short: if you're weighing surgery, the gastric sleeve is where most people start. It removes about 80% of the stomach, so you feel full on far less and feel less hungry overall. It's the most common weight loss surgery in the United States. Transform performs it as an outpatient procedure in its own surgery center, so every patient goes home the same day. Most people are back at a desk job within one to two weeks.
Bryan went from a playing weight in football to putting on weight. Working with Dr. Billing, he lost almost 200 pounds and regained his life.
Skye spent a lifetime struggling with her weight. After learning about her options and talking with Dr. Billing, she found a solution that was right for her.
Sean reached a point where he wanted a serious effort and a long-term solution for himself and his family. He lost weight and found a sustainable path forward.
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A gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy) is a minimally invasive surgery that removes about 80% of the stomach, leaving a narrow, banana-shaped “sleeve.” It’s the most commonly performed weight loss surgery in the United States.
It works in two ways, and the second one surprises people. Your stomach holds much less, so you feel full on smaller portions. But the part of the stomach that’s removed is also where most of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, is made. So it’s not just that you can’t eat as much. For most patients, they simply aren’t as hungry. That’s the difference between a diet and a sleeve.
Unlike gastric bypass, a sleeve doesn’t reroute your intestines.
Current national guidelines say weight loss surgery may be appropriate if you:
Insurance plans often use their own criteria, and your physician will help you understand yours. A sleeve may not be the best choice if you have significant acid reflux, since it can make reflux worse for some people. In that case, gastric bypass may be a better fit.
Most people picture weight loss surgery as a hospital stay. At Transform, it isn’t. In 2008, in Edmonds, Dr. Peter Billing performed the first sleeve gastrectomy ever done in an ambulatory surgery center, and he has performed thousands of outpatient bariatric procedures since, along with peer-reviewed research on the safety of same-day sleeve surgery. You arrive in the morning. The procedure takes a couple of hours. You have the same surgery, to the same safety standards, from a surgeon who has spent nearly two decades refining exactly this. And you sleep in your own bed that night.
For a lot of people, that one fact changes how the whole decision feels.
It’s easy to think of weight loss surgery as simply making the stomach smaller. The digestive system plays a role in hunger, digestion, metabolism, and hormonal signals, and different procedures change those signals in different ways. That’s why the right procedure matters, and why the choice depends on your health, your biology, and your goals.
Your surgeon will tell you plainly which one they’d recommend for you, and why.
Our week-by-week recovery guide goes deeper.
Most patients lose roughly 25 to 30% of their total body weight in the first one to two years. For someone starting at 280 pounds, that’s 70 to 85 pounds. Many patients also see type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea improve, sometimes within weeks of surgery.
Every surgery carries risk. With a sleeve, those include bleeding, a leak along the staple line, blood clots, new or worsening reflux, and vitamin deficiencies over time. The sleeve is permanent. Your surgeon will walk through your personal risks in detail.
Many insurance plans cover gastric sleeve surgery when you meet their criteria, which often include BMI requirements and documentation of past weight loss attempts. Because Transform performs surgery in an ambulatory surgery center rather than a hospital, self-pay pricing is typically lower than hospital-based programs.
Financing is available, and our team verifies your benefits before you commit to anything. We’ll walk you through the costs at your consultation.
Transform performs gastric sleeve surgery for patients across the greater Seattle area and Portland. Consultations, testing, and follow-up happen at our Lynnwood, Kirkland, Edmonds, or Portland clinic, or by video. Surgery takes place at our own ambulatory surgery center in Edmonds, Washington.
Bottom line: the sleeve is the most common weight loss surgery for good reason, and at Transform it comes without the hospital stay. Whether it’s the right procedure for you depends on your health, your biology, and your goals. It starts with understanding you.
About 80% of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow sleeve that holds much less food.
Yes. Transform performs weight loss surgery in its own ambulatory surgery center, and patients go home the same day to recover.
No. Because part of the stomach is removed, a sleeve is permanent. If more weight loss is needed later, it can sometimes be converted to another procedure, such as gastric bypass or SADI.
It can for some people. If you already have significant reflux, your surgeon may recommend gastric bypass instead.
Yes. Lifelong vitamin and mineral supplements are part of every sleeve plan.
Most people are back to desk work in one to two weeks and cleared for full activity in about four to six weeks. Your diet moves from liquids to soft foods to regular meals over roughly six weeks.
Many insurance plans cover gastric sleeve surgery when you meet their criteria. Financing is available, and our team verifies your benefits and walks you through the costs before you commit.
