Trying to decide RnY or Sleeve

My surgery date is May 18th.  I go for my next appt May 12th where I will have to decide which surgery.  I had thought all along I would have the Sleeve but after seeing Dr. Zane  he was suggesting that the RnY might be better for me.  I do have diabetes, thyroid, BP.  Now I am really confused.  I know no one can tell me what to do but I was wondering if there was 1 thing that made everyone decide to go one way or another.

There have been plenty of sleevers to have Type 2 diabetes and high BP resolve with the weight loss after having VSG. Thyroid may or may not improve (has nothing to do with which WLS)...I will always have to take my levothroid.

Go over the sleeve message board for any specific questions or concerns.

Good Luck,

Thank you for your reply.  It does seem the sleeve also helps with Diabetes so I really do not understand why my Dr recommened the RnY.  For me I just think I am more comfortable with the idea of the sleeve.

The sleeve is really a powerful tool and very easy to live with. Ultimately the decision lies with you as to which WLS you want to work with. I have no regrets because I knew this is what I wanted to do.

PM me if you have any questions I can answer :)

So go with the sleeve.  The Dr. is there to guide you, not to make the decision for you.  If in time, you and your healthcare providers are not happy with your results, the sleeve can easily be converted to an RNY

\well if there is one thing I have learned on this site, ( and I have learned alot!), but everyone thinks the surgery they had is the best. We even have stupid wars over this. You have to do what you think is best for your. Maybe when you go on  the 12th you can talk some more with your surgeon and he can tell you why he thinks the RNY is best for you. For me personally, I would trust my surgeon or find a different one. Good luck with your decision. Just do what your feel is best for you.

Denise, I suspect, but of course don't know for sure, that the surgeon recommended the RNY over the sleeve because of your very high bmi. There is no long term data on results with the sleeve, but the longest data available (about 5 years) shows that results are not as good with the sleeve for people with a bmi over 45, AND that weight regain starts about year 4-5. Now, some surgeons are trying to combat this by making the sleeves tighter than they used to, but again, there is no long term data to say that this will solve the weight regain problem, or if this will just postpone it.
     With your bmi, you really should be looking at the DS, which has been shown in many excellent studies to have the best results in terms of percentage excess weight loss, maintainence of that weight loss, and resolution of comorbidities of any wls available. For type 2 diabetes, resolution with the DS is as high as 98%, and the lowest figure I've seen is 92%.  And because the diabetes is resolved mainly by metabolic changes caused by the DS anatomy, it won't come back in the future, as it may with the sleeve if you regain weight. The metabolic benefit is also seen with RNY, just not to the same extent.
     I suspect the reason your surgeon didn't recommend the DS for you is that he doesnt do it. There are other bariatric surgeons in CA who do the DS, and even if your insurance doesn't cover it, you can force them to cover it for you by going through the appeals system of the DMHC (dept of managed health care).
     It's true, as someone else said, that we all tend to like and support the operation we had ourselves. It's also true that there have been "surgery wars", and I'm not trying to start one here. But the benefits for the DS have been clearly documented for people with bmi over 50 (though it works well for "lightweight", too).
     I realize that you are close to your date and that going for the DS would postpone your surgery, but that's better than having an operation isn't your best choice. This is a decision you will live with for the rest of your life. Someone else pointed out that you could "easily" be converted from sleeve to RNY if things don't work out. Well yes, it can be done, but "easily" - no. It's another major surgery, and this time with scar tissue to contend with. Better to get it right the first time.
     Be on the lookout for a pm!

Larra

Larra,

I think your response was excellent. Thank you for your thoughtful way of presenting the facts.

Elizabeth

"Denise, I suspect, but of course don't know for sure, that the surgeon recommended the RNY over the sleeve because of your very high bmi. "

Except there are plenty of studies showing results with a sleeve are comparable to that of RnY including diabetes resolution and long-term weight loss.

I'm a cynic on this one and I suspect he recommended it because it's the surgery he's the most comfortable with.

Denise: If you want to compare the sleeve to RnY, I have some links on my blog to studies that do that. But I agree with Larra that you should at least look into the DS. I also think you should decide what surgery you want and then go find the best surgeon to do that surgery in your area.

Hi, I am glad that I took a look at the CA board this evening so that I could respond to your question. I had been working for years to get the RNY. The best thing that ever happened to me was discovering the DS. Take a look at DSFacts.com. I was lucky to have my surgery done by one of the foremost DS surgeons in the world. (maybe I am biased LOL) There are a number of great DS surgeons in CA but Dr. Zane does not do this surgery so, of course, did not suggest it. Please do your research before committing to anything else. Your preparation for surgery so far should easily transfer to another surgeon. Good Luck to you! BTW I had many co morbiditys and they have been turned around by the DS.