Guidance on VSG

You are helping to relieve my anxiety over this decision. Thanks for the support and encouragement.

Glad to help! Feel free to PM at any time if you need to talk :)

Also talk to your rheumatologist. If you said which auto-immune I missed it (sorry) but all of them have an inflammatory component. My rheumy said that the VSG had an added benefit that much of the stomach tissue that is removed generates inflammatory factors. So just the surgery itself can reduce your systemic inflammation to a large degree. Not curative, but certainly helpful.

My psoriatic arthritis was a HUGE factor in my deciding to have surgery. And then between the advantages of the loss of stomach tissue and the need to take steroids/NSAIDs, the VSG was pretty clearly indicated for me. We thought I might be in remission, but a few months off my meds has shown that I'm not, but I am so much more mobile and active now than I was before, I'm dealing with the joint pain much better. And theoretically, the meds will work better for me now. (We'll see... next rheumy visit at the end of this month.)

Good luck!

I will answer based on my perspective (which may not be the same for all):

1) Personally, I think this is the better option. Less surgery time and less rerouting of internal organs. Thoughts?

I felt it was the better option for me - I was more comfortable with it. My surgeon felt either VSG or RNY was appropriate.

2) How long are you out of work for recovery?

2 weeks completely, then 2 weeks working from home. This was ideal, but if I had to I could have probably done only 1 week off completely.

3) Concerned with vomiting, etc.... how does that affect the stapling of your stomach? Tearing or ruining the surgery?

I have never vomited and only felt like I might twice when I ate too much. I also never had nausea, btw.

4) How long before you can really have a "meal" with others? When I'm reading things like "two tablespoons" of this or that, I'm concerned.

The first time was perhaps in a month when we went out to eat - I had soup. At about 10 weeks I went on vacation and ate out every night (just ate very small portions and took the rest as leftovers for another 1-3 meals).

5) Any reassurances or guidance on why you felt it was a good decision to do?

I feel that it is a personal and medical decision to be made with your surgeon after doing your research.

A few other points: It was the best decision I ever did and so far I am extremely happy with it. I also wish I had done it a long time ago.

1) Personally, I think this is the better option. Less surgery time and less rerouting of internal organs. Thoughts?

Rerouting of internal organs have their advantages, like enhanced metabolism. The sleeve does not have this boost, but not everyone needs it. Do you think eating much less is your answer to losing weight, or do you need to alter your metabolism? That you must figure out. For risks, they are about the same, really, in the hands of a good surgeon.

2) How long are you out of work for recovery?

I took off two months, because my job requires critical thinking. I'm glad I did, because it took about a month to get my head out of the fog, and another month to develop a workable routine for work.

3) Concerned with vomiting, etc.... how does that affect the stapling of your stomach? Tearing or ruining the surgery?

It shouldn't be a problem

4) How long before you can really have a "meal" with others? When I'm reading things like "two tablespoons" of this or that, I'm concerned.

It was a year or two before I could at least hit half of what was on my plate. When eating out with others, I would get someone to share their meal with me, and I might buy an extra side dish or something to finish off our meals.

5) Any reassurances or guidance on why you felt it was a good decision to do?

Know your body and weight history, learn all you can about the RNY, DS and Sleeve to compare what you know about YOU

1 - I do agree ... but there are some very good reasons to have a RNY too. Like if you have a problem with GERD or are a diabetic.

2 - That would depend on your job. Are you lifting heavy things? Are you getting up and down allot? (that was hard for me personally) I did sleep allot that first week (drugs) but I was basically back to normal after that ... only problem I really had was bending at the waist.

3 - I have not vomited so i don't know what that's like. But I will say that I haven't heard of this as being a problem.

4 - In about 2 months .... but you are really limited to the amount you can eat. I literally cannot finish a kid meal. If you want to eat with others to socialize, just get used to either leaving food on the plate or having leftovers.

5 - Well, the very best weight loss I ever had prior to surgery was 30 pounds while calorie counting, and I was constantly hungry which got worse and worse as the diet progressed ... leading to failure and regain. In the same amount of time as that diet I have lost double the weight with virtually no hunger. Besides the weight loss itself I'm seeing other health benefits ... like vastly reduced joint pain and better quality sleep. I have more energy and am in an overall better emotional state.

The biggest benefit to the RNY and DS is they change the way the body uses incretins and hormones. I'd argue that a large part of their weight loss is due to that mechanism. The malabsorption helps too, don't get me wrong, but that's a more significant benefit, since many of us have borked our metabolisms when obese. The sleeve does have a metabolic effect, mind, it just is not the same or as strong as any surgery with a bypass - including non-WLS bowel surgery.

I went back to work in a week. Do not do what I did. I'll be shooting for a month off for my revision.

I didn't actually vomit post-op, but I was nauseous a ton. Once or twice won't hurt it, however frequent vomiting will damage a typical un-altered stomach, never mind a gastrectomy. The real question is what's causing it, and how can it be fixed.

I had meals with people immediately. Just because your portion is smaller doesn't mean anything. I was always hypersensitive about the amounts I ate due to my eating disorder. Post-op I discovered that 95% of people didn't even pay attention, really. The ones who did were annoying twits and would have scolded me for eating too much prior to surgery.

As for guidance, the choice for me was simple: a chance at a normal life, or dying early. In my case, with my history, there was no other option.