vsg vs rny

 so ladies, ive got a question for you. im now wondering if i should have vsg or rny. i was really gung ho, and still kinda am, to have the rny. but now im wondering.... do i really want a life time of mal-absorbing nutrients for a couple of years of mal-absorbing calories. i just feel if im going to do this im going all the way. but maybe im wrong in thinking that way, the go big or go home thought process. maybe i can have just as good of results with the vsg? is the weight loss comparable? 
at my highest i was 350 or 360, im now 285, i used meal replacment shakes for most of that weight loss. but after seeing the dietician in edmonton on nov 30/11 ( which is where i am again right now) she has me eating normal food. im doing really good at it too! i gained 4lbs over xmas but quickly lost it and a few more lbs to boot! i have always eaten pretty healthy stuff and consider myself well educated that way, but portions, and the occasional cravings, and the lack of excercise due to pain issues, is what hampers any huge weight loss. im 5'5 and my bmi is around 47.8 my dream goal would be to get into a size 10 or 12 again. not really sure what weight that would be. anyone out there 5'5 ? what weight were you at a size 12 or 10? i kinda guessed that a goal would be 165? maybe ? i really dont know... i avoided scales for so very long.
so in a nutshell, what are your opinions? any thoughts? i guess it will really boil down to what the surgeon says, right? but id like to at least make up my mind before then in case i do get a say in it.
thankyou all!
niki 

I had the VSG 8 mths ago and am down 70 pounds, a little on the slow side. I was your weight and am 5 5. I got to pick my surgery, but not everyone does because of health issues.
I think you will find most people are happy with there surgery, be it VSG or RNY. Make the dissicion that is best for you.
I am in size 14 jeans now so 165 sounds like a good number, but I will know my new weight when I get there, I'm not focusing on the scale either,
Good luck with your decision
Shannon

Hello Niki, I had the VSG done Feb 14/11 and have lost 125 lbs +.  I too do not weight myself very often.  When I did my research I was going for the non malabsorbing/vitamin deficiency options, so I chose VSG.  In comparison, the recovery of both procedures were not that different.  I didn't think it was a bigger step that the RNY,except it is permanent. I went into the office with an very research based attitude and discussed the other options very briefly, cause I had my mind made up. I knew what procedure was right for me.  I love the results of the sleeve.  I have had an excellent weight loss.  I was able to start exercise at 6 wks out and I have been able to increase the intensity to where I am running, skiing, dancing, and nothing hurts! I do however have acid reflux, which I had before surgery and I take Prevacid every day.  All in all,  I am very very very pleased with my procedure.  I AM SO THANKFUL for this opportunity to live.  I wear size 10 now, not sure how much I weigh. I am 5'3.
Good luck with your decision.
Sherry

I think you'll be happy either way. I did a ton of research before I went to my initial consult and was POSITIVE that I was going to get the sleeve...I watched videos, blogs, etc. But then I changed my mind to the RNY for various reasons. But I'm sure I would have been just as happy with the sleeve, as most have good results. I had nasty reflux and didn't want to risk that I'd have that as a side effect. I was taking multi-vits, vit D, iron and calcium anyways (for the past 10 years), so taking another (vit b12) wasn't really a big deal.
My weight loss has been fast. I had my surgery almost 4 months ago and I've lost about 75 pounds! I hope to lose another 25. I am 5'9" and currently 188...hope to be around 160.
I can almost eat anything...I have never had any 'dumping' symptoms, even though I do eat some rice and some carbs. Occasionally I have trouble with constipation, but solve that with some naturally laxative tea.
I get full very quickly. I can eat about 1 chicken thigh and then I'm done!
The thing I miss the most is having long gulps of water or milk. Sounds silly, but I don't miss anything except that! Sometimes I forget and will just start chugging water after a work out but either get the hiccups or lots of pain until I burp.
Good luck with your decision.

It is a difficult decision. I went with the RNY because I had more to lose and I have a problem with sweets. My surgeon also thought it was my best chance at fixing my high blood pressure and my sleep apnea. I sometimes wonder if the VSG would have been better for me but I made the best decision I could at them time with the information available. Regardless, the decision to have WLS was the best decision I have made in my life! I have no regrets. It has not been an easy ride but it was the only chance I had for success, and it worked! I am still struggling to lose the last pounds but I would never have gotten as far as I have without this tool.

Good luck with making your decision. Either way, you are making a choice to improve your health - way to go! Best wishes!

Tanya

I am 5'2.5". I was 258lbs when I went for surgery after it taking 1 year for me to loose 11 lbs. I went for surgery Jan 17/11. I lost 90lbs and 12.5 inches off my midsection by Sept 2011. I now wear a size 8-9 pant/jean. At around 200lbs I was wearing size 11. But, I am top heavy and still wear at least an extra large, normally a 2X for my shirs and blouses.

I got the RNY and I do love it. I haven't been eating properly and have still been able to maintain a weight loss of 90lbs from surgery or 101 total from my heaviest. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (Oct '09) and left the Vic diabetes free. That was my main reason to chose the RNY, it has a better chance of knocking it into remission.

Please don't let anyone pressure you to chose one over the other. They are both wonderful proceedures with proven (within our group) results. Which ever one you pick, it will be the right one for you.

Mich

I am also at the point in my journey where I am considering my options. My family doc who is well informed on the two sugeries suggested I research the RNY first, as my major probelm is portion control & RNY from the research does cut down this problem the most.   From all the research I have done the RNY does have a better percentage of wieght loss.  I have over 100 lbs to loose, so this was a big factor.  I also have high blood pressure, which from the research shows the RNY to provide better results at reversing HP.  
The sleeve is a permanent procedure in the fact that they remove most of the stomach.  You don't want to have that as a thought of "if it doesn't work out, oh well, I can just reverse the RNY", but if you do run into serious complications they can try and fix things, with the VSG it's not the case as the rest of your stomach is gone.  I have also heard that acid reflux is pretty common with the VSG.  But the RNY has it's negatives too of mal-absorbtion and other difficiencies, along with dumping.  They both have their positives & negatives.  Just comes down to what results you want most, along with what the doctors think will best suit you & your health.

Have you had your first group meeting with the surgeon & the dietician, from what I hear that is very imformative.
Best of luck to you & your decision!

Hi Niki,
I recently been wondering should I choose VSG or RNY...yes even after I made my mind up and told my surgeon I want VSG. I was going against his surgery preference for me so naturally I took a couple moments panic to rethink it all but still came back to VSG is still the best choice for me. I got all my loveliness over years of eating so taking it off slightly slower than RNY will be ok... It'll give my head a chance to work out a few lingering issues in the process. I know in long haul it will work equal to RNY but I will still have as close to naturally formed stomach attached... just smaller. A permanent surgery YES but its not like our stomachs have done us any real favors and WLS should be considered permanent anyway. 

Another reason I put it all to rest is after I came across someone that asked me to really consider where I wanted to be in five years.. tied to a sometimes grueling schedule of tracking vitamins, nutritional intake on top of a new lifestyle or focusing mainly on your new lifestyle with a couple daily vitamins & protein intake.

I got this from mainboard "RNY, After the malabsorbtion ends in a couple years you still have the lifetime of nutrient requirements & vitamins"  

Niki, my reasons for VSG are my own for choosing it over another. This is just part of my journey written here as It took a while to make sure but I am happy with myself on whats to come. Don't pressure yourself or let another do the same.