Hind Site
this question has been asked but I have not seen it here. For you guys that consider yourself long tern wls recipients. What has been your pros and cons ( things you like, side effects like gas, etc)
Would you being a guy do it again and why, would you perhaps choose a different surgery choice. What other than the obvious finally brought you to have surgery.
Would you being a guy do it again and why, would you perhaps choose a different surgery choice. What other than the obvious finally brought you to have surgery.
Well it boils down to just one thing to me I was a stroke looking for a rock hard place to happen ....and taking all the pros and cons I would do it again today... the pros. No blood pressure pills anymore no c-pap not as bad snoring ...as my wife tells me. No more. Borderline diabetes ... no more knee pain walking. Climbing stairs. I can run and play with my son and ride horses with my slighter. Without worring about if the horse is stout enough or the fear of flying off his back and the abrupt stop at the end....I could go on and on but you get the pics.the bad about my surgery is easy learning to chew thourghy so I don't get plugged up ...not fun watching my sugar intake hence the dumping syndrome ( only need to experience that once to know to watch the sugars ) this brings me to. Head hunger. Menu people don't know what that is but it is real the head telling me im still hungry because I use to eat all dam day.its all in my head. You have to take the first six month twafter surgery to teach yourself how to eat healthy. And portion size ...I still don't use big plates. To eat from.I use small bowls. Saucer ....and I never drank water before. That has changed.....well I could go on here too but YES sign me up again. If you want to know more tricks I know feel free to ask anything. Oh almost forgot my wife and I love the new me in bed as I found 3 inches of unused penis and she loves the new me. Good luck guys
3 inches that alone is reason enough. Seriously thankyou for your response I too have all those medical things Im dealing with and they seem to be getting worse by the day. Im still heavily in favor of RNY but have been doing some reading on the sleeve the last week and just curious how others felt.. DS is off the table no matter how wonderful it is and how mcuh bettter it is etc etc. Just personal experience on RNY or sleeve if you care to share.
I'll ramble for awhile...Till I get tired...Just stuff off the top of my head. I would do it again in a second. I had RNY in 2006. Problems post op; I had to go home with a catheter and bag...For about 10 days. It happens every time I have a operation or given a sedative (like the cath lab for my heart). I had a heart attack 2 years post op, (second one...First one was 9 years before RNY). That was more because of bad eating habits and years of obesity doing it's number (stressing my heart). I also had 2 kidney stones removed...Maybe too much calcium...But I also need the calcium for the bones later on...Catch 22. What improved...I regular exercise, blood pressure is much better, HDL and LDL are great, my IBS cleared up, better in the sack, my heart pumps much better. I was dying before the RNY. I had an ejection/fraction rate of 35%...bad news. I have congestive heart failure. After the RNY I had a rate of 58-59%...was in the upper 5% of men in my age group. After 4 years it is at 50% normal. Every day from here on in is extra life for me.
Yeah, I was afraid before surgery...What if the doctor forgets how to do the procedure?? What if I die on the table?? Then there is the buyer's remorse..."what have I gotten myself into"!! As things settle down and the weight start to drop you know you've made the right decision. In 2006 they didn't have great track records on the different surgeries. Now they have thrown out the crummy ones (Mini gastric bypass, Fobi pouch (except I think Dr. Fobi still does them...But it never caught on with other surgeons). The big 4 are here to stay...Unless something better comes along. The big 4 are RNY, VSG, Lap Band, and DS. The VSG is becoming more popular. It is an ideal surgery for the person who is young and needs to lose between 60-125 pounds. Since there is less removal of key intestines and stomach, if something better (surgery) comes along you can get it done. The VSG can be converted to the RNY or DS later if you don't get the results you need. The RNY and DS is greatly suited (in general...Check with your surgeon for specifics) for the person who is older and have a very large amount of weight to lose. There has been stress on their heart and kidneys for many years and they'll probably need to make drastic moves to help prolong your (their) life. I feel the Lap Band is more suited for those who need to lose 60-100 pounds and who are young (below 50 years old). The regain for the Lap Band is greater than the other surgeries and people find ways to cheat...In general (don't hammer me on the one person you know). The Lap Band is also owned by corporation...Who makes money on every procedure. The doctors may not have your best interest in mind when it comes to the bottom line of which surgery is best for you if money comes into play with them...And again I am not saying all doctors...But some could be influenced by the $.
Why I made the choice...A local surgeon...Who I trusted (I was cash pay). The hospital had a cardiac unit...If my ticker went bad during the operation. You want a surgeon who has good hands. No, you're not going to get a lot of hand holding...They are just to busy. You may end up seeing the PA. That's OK...The PA's should know what to look for post op and to some extent pre op. You have to jump through the hoops (psych exam, labs, PCP approval, cardiologist approval)...But in the long run it is worth it. Got to go now and be productive...Brian
Yeah, I was afraid before surgery...What if the doctor forgets how to do the procedure?? What if I die on the table?? Then there is the buyer's remorse..."what have I gotten myself into"!! As things settle down and the weight start to drop you know you've made the right decision. In 2006 they didn't have great track records on the different surgeries. Now they have thrown out the crummy ones (Mini gastric bypass, Fobi pouch (except I think Dr. Fobi still does them...But it never caught on with other surgeons). The big 4 are here to stay...Unless something better comes along. The big 4 are RNY, VSG, Lap Band, and DS. The VSG is becoming more popular. It is an ideal surgery for the person who is young and needs to lose between 60-125 pounds. Since there is less removal of key intestines and stomach, if something better (surgery) comes along you can get it done. The VSG can be converted to the RNY or DS later if you don't get the results you need. The RNY and DS is greatly suited (in general...Check with your surgeon for specifics) for the person who is older and have a very large amount of weight to lose. There has been stress on their heart and kidneys for many years and they'll probably need to make drastic moves to help prolong your (their) life. I feel the Lap Band is more suited for those who need to lose 60-100 pounds and who are young (below 50 years old). The regain for the Lap Band is greater than the other surgeries and people find ways to cheat...In general (don't hammer me on the one person you know). The Lap Band is also owned by corporation...Who makes money on every procedure. The doctors may not have your best interest in mind when it comes to the bottom line of which surgery is best for you if money comes into play with them...And again I am not saying all doctors...But some could be influenced by the $.
Why I made the choice...A local surgeon...Who I trusted (I was cash pay). The hospital had a cardiac unit...If my ticker went bad during the operation. You want a surgeon who has good hands. No, you're not going to get a lot of hand holding...They are just to busy. You may end up seeing the PA. That's OK...The PA's should know what to look for post op and to some extent pre op. You have to jump through the hoops (psych exam, labs, PCP approval, cardiologist approval)...But in the long run it is worth it. Got to go now and be productive...Brian
Again thanks. I have about 130 to `150 to lose. BP and type 2 are my biggest issues. I had a heart catheterization last year heart all clear. Weight has caught up with me. Im tired, sore, fatigued, moody and just not my former self even when I was heavy I can drop thirty pounds pretty easily but I can gain 40 even easier and have done it man times. i am leaning towards rny. I meet my surgeon tomorrow and the new dietician tomorrow. I am having sugery at one of the biggest hospitals in WI and one of the highest rated heart and childrens hospitals in the midwest.. Insurance has been very supportive so far and are covering everything. I have finished six months of monitoring and my weight has been all over the place. My previoius doctor did nothing to help he had no nutritionist or dietician or any suggestions except to buy his diet plan. I finally left and went to a different facility. I have been lurking around this site for over a year and finally could not take my health anymore after three hospitalizations for bp in a year. Its controlled now but as I said I am tired, I take too many pills, I use a cpap, I have diabetes, my knees are increasingly sore, my hips are starting to hurt and I cant keep up with my schooling or my kids and I am only 45. So I need help. It has become very disheartening. I had to drop my nursing school rotation as I was fatigued and bp gof out of hand. I want to regain my life with what I understand will be considerable effort from myself. My wife and kids are behind me so here I am rambling on about all my miseries and listening to the great efforts of those of you who have succeded. Thank you again for all input offered.
You may want to look at the photos on my profile...You can see the before and progression of 5 years...good and bad with RNY. I would say I am pretty average for the weightloss and the regain over the years. I was (what is called) a lightweight. My day of surgery I was 282...I had less than 100 pounds to get to goal...190.
Other than a 15 minute period about 2 or 3 weeks post op I have never regretted my RNY. (I think most people do have a WTF have I done to myself moment) I have lost about 160 pounds and kept it off for almost 4 years. I know that a band would not have been successful for me, it does not work with my personality. A sleeve was not really popular at the time of my surgery and a DS was not a local option for me (It was very important to me that my surgeon be close to me). So I decided to go with the RNY.
The RNY works for me. My only regret is that I did not do this a long time ago. I am glad that if I don't behave myself I can have dumping issues. It keeps me away from the stuff I should not eat. I look at a woman I work with that had surgery 6 months ago and is a long way from hitting her goal weight and she is constantly snacking on sweets.
I think the reason I have been successful are:
1. I have a good support system in my wife. She had here RNY about 3 weeks after mine. We eat the same way, so I don't feel like I am missing anything.
2. I have changed the way I eat for the better.
3. I have added exercise into my daily routine. I hit the gym Monday thru Friday for my formal exercise and on the weekend misc activities of life.
4. I no longer measure and track my food intake. I have gotten to the point where I am able to measure out a proper serving size at home using my standard plate etc. I can't tell you how much protein I have a day, but I do know it is at least 80 grams.
5. I weigh myself twice a week. If my weight falls outside of my typical range, I know I need to watch what I am eating and kick up my exercise for a little bit.
Good Luck
Jim
The RNY works for me. My only regret is that I did not do this a long time ago. I am glad that if I don't behave myself I can have dumping issues. It keeps me away from the stuff I should not eat. I look at a woman I work with that had surgery 6 months ago and is a long way from hitting her goal weight and she is constantly snacking on sweets.
I think the reason I have been successful are:
1. I have a good support system in my wife. She had here RNY about 3 weeks after mine. We eat the same way, so I don't feel like I am missing anything.
2. I have changed the way I eat for the better.
3. I have added exercise into my daily routine. I hit the gym Monday thru Friday for my formal exercise and on the weekend misc activities of life.
4. I no longer measure and track my food intake. I have gotten to the point where I am able to measure out a proper serving size at home using my standard plate etc. I can't tell you how much protein I have a day, but I do know it is at least 80 grams.
5. I weigh myself twice a week. If my weight falls outside of my typical range, I know I need to watch what I am eating and kick up my exercise for a little bit.
Good Luck
Jim
Most Active
Recent Topics
