VBG and loose skin :-o

Okay here goes. I'm about a month away from a very important decision. I either have the choice of going VBG (Stomach stapling w/silicatic ring) or RNY (gastic bypass) per insurance coverage Lapband is not covered. I originally wanted the RNY but my doctor is highly against it because of the risks involved. So he has swayed me to the VBG but I'm still not totally convinced that this is the way for me. I don't want to have the VBG done and a few months or years be regretful of my decision. Considering that I've heard too many experiences with popped staples (what causes them to give way, anyways?). However, I don't quite know about the loose skin with the VBG. I know about the RNY and pounds of loose skin left behind but how about the VBG? I'm not really a compulsive eater. I don't find myself creeping around in the middle of the night trying to find food to eat, just for the sake of eating. If I eat, I'm hungry, and when the hunger is satisfied I stop eating. Its just it takes alot to fill my big ol' belly. I come into the equation that I want to lose as much weight as I possibly can. I don't want to be beating myself up wondering why it is that I'm on liquid and only losing a few pounds a week. But I'm scared of the RNY cause I have two small children. I don't want to die on the table cause of a risky procedure. But I don't want to kick myself for not making the right decision . Please VBG'ers let me know if you made the right choice or if I should make different decision. I'm 34 and 300 lbs with 2 children under 2. Many thanks for your input. Christine

Think about this. With the rny there is not enugh research about what the absorption rate of vitamins, meds and so forth. There are deficiences if you are not very careful and it is a much more invasive surgery. I had my vbg 11-17-2003 and went from 257 to 140. I fluctuate between 140 to 144. I still have to work at it because I could easily overeat sometimes. It is a continuous struggle no matter which surgery you have. Beleive me you can stretch your pouch even with the rny. I know people who have and have gained back their weight. These surgeries are just tools and everything is up to your committment.

As far as loose skin, exercise, exercise, exercise.

Any surgery you have, there is the potential for loose skin. It's up to you as the others said to use whichever "tool" you choose, to lose the weight, and to exercise to try and keep the skin to a minimum. You can do it with either surgery. You will lose more than 2 lbs per week on liquids. I lost 15 lbs my first week out from surgery. Since being off liquids, it's been tough. You've got to exercise or you won't reach or maintain your goal. It's still a hard lifestyle change no matter which surgery you do...you've got to teach yourself to eat better, more of the right things since you are eating less...and you've got to exercise. And, you've got to try and learn these habits early after surgery, to maximize your weight loss and change your state of mind. My surgeon is against RNY also. It is just so drastic to rearrange your insides in my opinion. There is the vitamin deficiency thing someone mentioned, and that is a huge risk.....what are the side-effects going to be when you are 50? And, you will have the "dumping" with sweet foods, more likely to lose hair, can become lactose intolerant, have more "bathroom problems" so I've heard, etc.... RNY was not a consideration for me....I was deciding between VBG and LapBand, and my insurance covered both...but I decided against LapBand since I didn't want to have control over the band and size of my pouch....I thought I might cheat on that. So, VBG it was. And, my surgeon also did something cool....may ask yours about this if you are worried about staples. I do not have a staple line. Where the vertical staple line normally is, my surgeon actually cut my stomach. So, I just have the pouch with the ring at the bottom leading to my larger stomach. He had seen too many problems with staple line disruptions, and he's been doing the cutting instead of staples for years. Anyway, good luck making your decision. I'm happy with mine so far. ~Kim Open VBG 9/1/04 292 then/ 245 now 5'10"

Hi Kim I hope you don't mind if I ask you a question. You said "but I decided against LapBand since I didn't want to have control over the band and size of my pouch....I thought I might cheat on that. So, VBG it was.". I have read other people saying the same thing but I guess I don't understand. Isn't the size of the pouch determined by where on the stomach the band is placed? I thought the adjustment on the lap band is done by adjusting the size of the stoma not the pouch. But more importantly how can somebody adjust their own lap band? I understand it can only be done by a surgeon injecting saline into the band using a floroscope. I assume a doctor wouldn't do that if it wasn't in your best interest.

Good Morning Christine; I am 2 years out from the VBG down -176 pound**** my goal weight of 155 4 pounds ago! I am very happy I had this surgery. I didn't have a choice (with this doctor anyway) but with inquiries about which surgery was best FOR ME, I feel this was my best choice. I try not to over eat since I pay the price afterwards, its just not the same feeling of overeating when are stomachs are normal. You'll hear pros and cons to any surgery the bottom line is what YOU think is best route for you. Good Luck and just keep praying for guidance.

I am very happy I had VBG. I have lost a little over 50 pounds (haven't weighed in a few days). I know several people who have lost 150-190 pounds with VBG. What I like is that I absorb my nutrients and do not have to pack myself full of supplements, and I haven't had trouble eating anything so I feel normal I just eat a lot less. My surgeon uses a gortex band, and as far as the staples he uses a gun that actually cuts as it staples (not sure why that matters) but he sad it causes scar tissue and since he started using it in 2001 he hasn't had a single staple-line disruption. I think the key is to find an excellent surgeon. I have found that problems seem to show up more with certain surgeons. Also, when I was in the hospital one of the nurses said the VBG patients do better than the RNY and I've heard that their skin looks better. Oh, another tidbit...my surgeon quit doing the bypass years ago because he had just as good of results with VBG and it is less invasive. You have to do what is best for you, but try not to listen to all the horror stories. RNY is popular right now, but someday another surgery might be popular and people may be dogging the RNY. I would educate myself as much as possible and talk with your surgeon to find what is best for you. Good luck with your decision!!

well Christine let me tell you I am like you I eat a little here and a litter there and I realy have to work at this even with the VBG I feel like I am on a dite but I have a very lager pouch and I have to say this is not working for me I am working. I do not lose more than 1 or 2 pounds a week and some tine none I must work out 5 to 6 days a week to do that this last mo I just let it all go to see what would happen and I gained so I am not that happy I will not say it has been a total lost because I do get full with less food but I must work at it and knowing this I want to make the changes I can not cop out I do not want eveyone to think I did it all for nothing and I have come this far and there is nothing else to do but you should know the lbs will not just fall off so well I think it is good to be ready to change a lot or it will not work and better than any thing elst in the long run . it is a big steep . it is hard to not just see the good things people are saying and miss the hard work people are doing to get there even with the vgb ro the rny allyson 268/235/? vgb