I had a similar operation (sleeve gastrectomy) in early 2011. I went from heaviest weight of around 27 stone to about 12/13 stone now. I got it on the NHS - takes a couple of years and a lot of hoops to jump through but definitely look into this route over paying for a cheapie. I also tried a gastric balloon - waste of time IMO.
Also look into the sleeve over the bypass - it expands slightly over time and gives you more freedom to eat slightly more normally as time goes on, whereas I know bypass patients who struggle with a lot of foods and get a lot of throwing up fits. At one point surgeons were favouring it as the gold standard of weight loss surgery, but have a research into it.
Would I recommend it? For me personally, it transformed my life. I was half dead and depressed at my heaviest weight. I'm now active and have a new lease on life. I'd never have got out there and met my DP and done half the things I've done in the last six years as my big self.
But don't get me wrong. It's extremely hard (and yes, I spent nearly 25 years on various failed diets before so I can tell you it's not the "easy" option as some think). I felt like I'd been hit like a bus after the op. Couldn't sleep lying down for weeks. Had to take a month off work as was too weak to move due to the tiny amount of mush I could eat (think lick a spoon dipped into yoghurt and feel violently sick and full). But the weight does drop off at first. Once you recover, you'll love the results.
In the long term, it still has massive downsides. I will always, always have food issues mentally. This won't cure that. I know colleagues whose surgery has failed as they want to go back to their "normal" way of eating, just a bit reduced. I don't have multipacks of anything in the house as I know I will demolish the whole thing. Things like chocolate and crisps will slide right through your tummy without filling you up so you can still eat ,masses of those if you don't restrain yourself. I have slips where I go through a patch of bad eating and put on weight. It is possible. I hate my loose skin more than I could have imagined, but my DP has made me so much more comfortable with it so that helps.
I can now (after 6 years) eat a tiny starter and a small main meal and I will be stuffed. And I mean stuffed. You will always have people commenting on why you're "not eating" or getting offended you don't like their cooking or get panicky about you not having enough etc. Some foods will be off the table forever - I can manage about four chippy style chips before they make their way back up again. You have to eat regularly every few hours and not "save yourself" for a big meal later on, as your tummy gets so tight you get stuffed up after a few bites.
At the end of the day, it depends on your circumstances and what you feel you want and you have the energy to manage. I know I've sounded a bit of a downer in this thread, but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat personally. you have a long think about what's right for you. I honestly wish you all the luck in the world in whatever journey you find yourself on.