Was considering RNY - but NOW SLEEVE ... help!

Hi -

Am a newbie, and understand that I'm a "lightweight" by some standards here (BMI 40.3, 235bs, goal weight ~ 127-135lbs).

Had been considering RNY, but very worried about malabsorption rates, etc.

Many people speak positively about the sleeve procedure.

Questions:
Why'd you choose it?
Where'd you have it? 
Who was your surgeon?  Would you recommend again?
Are you able to get post-op medical care back in the states?
What were the complications?

Thank you!

Theresa

I am sleeved, and the RNY is ok for some people, but you never know if you are the one it is not for until it is done and you can't go back. The vast majority of us who are sleeved, are meeting are goals with very little problems. My only problem is Vitamin D , mine is low. It could be where I live also. So I take Vit D. Big deal. I love my sleeve. My husband loves his also. between the two of us we are down 226 for me, and 190 pounds for him. He is 11 months out, and I an 3 years out. I hope this helps.

Rny can be reversed by surgery and/or revised to something else like the ds.

Edited to add, the sleeve can never be reversed but could also be revised into rny, though I don't know what you would do that.

 Hello Theresa,
Welcome to the forum. 
I don't think RNY would ever have been an option for me.
I choose the sleeve because I think it is the least invasive.
No malabsorption  and rerouting. It was just my conclusion after weeks of research. Of course it's very personal. Some people choose the band because they think it is less invasive. But to have a foreign object in your body like the band and a port is freaky to me.
I went to Tijuana. Dr Ramos Kelly was my surgeon and I had a very good experience with him and his team. If I would have to do it again I would certainly choose him .
I cannot answer your question about post-op care. if something would happen to me surgery related I am covered here in Canada. There could be complications like a leak or infection but they are quit rare. I hope I answered some of your questions. There are way more experienced people on the VSG forum so please check that one out. The "Mexicans" are on there as well.
Good luck on your journey!!

Hi there!!  I will answer you questions below but I will also say that I have already made my goal and I only had surgery 8 mos ago.  I started  out with a bmi of 33.7 and now I am at 22.something.  I lost 83 pounds and haven't had a single problem....for me it has been effortless.  I eat anything and everything I want with absolutely no restrictions and no dieting.  It is just that the sleeve keeps me from eating too much...I eat toddler size portions and even though I do still experience true hunger (some VSG patients lose all hunger) it is nothing like before surgery.  The only thing I track is my protein intake.


Why'd you choose it?  I chose it because it made the most sense to me and I never even considered RNY...didn't want anything re-routed and malabsorption scares me.
Where'd you have it?  In Tijuana, MX
Who was your surgeon?  Dr. Mario Almanza-Reyes  Would you recommend again?  yes
What were the complications?  None.  I felt like I'd been run over by a Mack truck for about 3 days but everything has been GREAT since!
Are you able to get post-op medical care back in the states?  Don't need any with the sleeve.

Thanks so much!

Not sure I agree that a 40BMI is a lightweight, I was a lightweight at 20.8 during my revision. ;o)  I was a 41 BMI originally and I sure don't consider morbid obesity a lightweight but YMMV.

I wouldn't get RNY, too high of a risk for failure and mega complications down the road.  The sleeve is the safest long term surgery available now.  Between:

Bands
Plication
Sleeves
RNY
DS
ERNY

Sleeves are safest long term and some studies are showing more effective long term than bypass.   Not all, but many.

I chose it because the band was killing me and I was at goal.  I already knew I was good to go with restriction alone.  I just needed something to keep me at goal and it did.  I revised to a sleeve 2.5 years ago and I've been at goal 3+ years.

I had mine done in Mexicali, MX.

Dr. Aceves, I wouldn't just recommend him again, I DID go to him again for my revision from band to sleeve.  I wouldn't have gone anywhere else.

Sure, the beauty of a sleeve is you are not stuck with bariatric surgeons for sleeves.  You can see a GI surgeon or a general surgeon unlike other surgery types.

I had complications but not related to the sleeve, I was very ill when I had my surgery and that caused minor problems and I did stay in the hospital longer.  I didn't have to buy insurance for this and I wasn't charged extra for this.