MGB vs Sleeve

Hey-
I read a post yesterday that made me mad, but then it also made me think the poster had a point, he just didn't have any tact, and it seemed like he was trying to stir up trouble.  I hope he wasn't, but that's how I felt.
Here's what I have also wondered, and please don't flame me, I am serious, my husband had a VSG in 7-06, and I am (was in '06) very well informed about RNY and VSG.
Here's my "concern"  -  Why is it, that when you type in MGB in a search engine, Dr. Rutledge seems like he is the only surgeon represented?  Is it just too "new"?
I have read the e-book from cover to cover.  I also see a few places in Mexico that offer that choice.  Is there another name?  Was it derived from a different procedure - similar to the sleeve?  I advocate doing as much research as possible on legitimate sites, so

The first day I found his site, I was thrilled, it's just what I want....but I remember the old adage that if it looks too good to be true, it usually is.  Of course, I used to think that about VSG, too, so I've been schooled about that preconception more than once!

Can any of the folks who have had MGB or have chosen another surgery type over it please tell me their experiences?  I will be a cash patient, so I'm not biased due to insurance, I just want to do the right thing for me.  I have to live with it!

Thanks!
Kim

Hi there!

Well let me see.  The reason Dr. R is the only one that comes up is because he created the MGB.  If you contact his office, you will learn that the MGB is done internationally now.  It's like the hub in the center of the wheel.  He is the center hub and out from the hub are the other doctors who do this procedure.  Dr. Rutledge fell up on this procedure when he was a trauma surgeon.  He had to perform a procedure on a shot victim.  The patient lost weight.  After some revisions, the MGB was created.  He has done this and only this for over 11 years. He said he would do a gastric sleeve on anyone who wants it because it would be a partial MGB.  

He mentions that (this is a layman's version) he cuts this nerve which communicates hunger to the brain so, in my experience, my hunger is reduced tremendously.  This is a very powerful surgery and works extremely well.  Also, it can be revised if you don't lose enough or reversed if you lose too much or become terminally ill and need all the nutrition you can get to maintain health.

I would do this a zillion times.  Now, with all surgeries, there are risks and each person reacts differently.  Mine, was smooth sailing with no complications.  So I am basing my opinion on that.  I can't say yours or anyone elses will be the same.  I am hoping it would be. 

It is awesome you are doing a lot of research.  It took me a year of research to decide on the MGB and I am so glad I did.  Hope this helps.

I am 20 months out from MGB with Dr R.   I was 210 at surgery and have only lost 40 lbs.  Ya, wish I could lose more but my body just won't let go of the fat.  As with any bariatric procedure, some of  us lose a lot and some of us don't.  Anyway,  the good thing about Dr R is that his procedure is very powerful and his follow up is excellent.  I have studied his stats.  Most of his patients lose a lot of weight and most of them keep it off.   I'm the only one in my group that hasn't lost a lot of weight but then again, I was considered the  feather weight of the group so I didn't have as much to lose.    I guess it's all relative.     I was also the only one in my group  that had  complications post op.   I ended up being hosptilized for a couple of days.  Dr R took good care of me.   I just can't say enough about the excellent care I received from him and his staff.  They have excellent post op care procedures in place!   It made me realize why he has such strict rules on his patients staying in the area post op.  I would have been in real trouble had I jetted out the following day.   

All in all, MGB has saved my body and soul.  I am now in good shape.  My lab work is excellent and it has been easier controlling my weight.  I am no longer traumatized by the fear of weght gain.   I no longer have the psychological turmoil of stressing over everything I put in my mouth.  Also,  I still have choices with this surgery and that's what was important to me when I made the decision to get MGB.   If I want to lose more weight,  I still have the option to go back and have a modification of the bypass.  I really don't want to do that but knowing that I have the choice is comforting to me.   I am not knocking any other procedure (RnY etc..) but I wouldn't have had those same options had I not opted for MGB.   

Dr Rutledge is the best in my books!

You should look into revision to the duodenal switch if you want to lose more weight. The sleeve is the first half of the DS surgery. Sometimes sleeve or MGB patients need the more powerful malabsorbtion of the DS.

Hi Kathy,

I had the MGB with Dr. R in 2006 and was at a starting weight of 210 as well.  How much did he bypass in you?  I think with me, he got mixed up and thought I needed to lose a ton of weight, so he bypassed 8 feet of intestine.  Now the reason I know this is because I got malnurished and down to 82 pounds.  I was a walking skeleton, but barely walking.  I had a conversion to a gastric sleeve, and all my intestines were hooked back up and the pyloric valve put back in place.  I no longer suffer from gas and diahrrea 8-20 times a day.  The gastric sleeve saved my life.

I think if he had only bypassed like 4 feet, I would have been fine.  But since my revision, I am no longer lactose intolerant.  and I can eat and drink anything.  I've maintained my weight since my revision 3 years ago, which, wasn't done by Dr. R.  I just lost trust in him.

Wow!  I can not imagine how scarry that was for you.   You're lucky you were able to get back on track.  This bariatric business can be tricky.  As for myself, I knew that full well going in. 

Dr R  bypassed 5.5 ft on me.    I wish he would have taken at least 6 ft.    It's all guess work and sometimes he guesses wrong but he admits that to all his patients at his clinic.  I went to his clinic for follow up and expressed my dissapointment and he offered to do a revision and by pass more intestines.   I really don't want to go that route as I am doing very well with food intake, vitamins, gas etc...  But I am now at 173 and the scales will not move.    Did the doctor that did your revision indicate that too much intestines was taken?   Did you confer with Dr R on how much he took?    Is it possible that the MGB was just too powerful for your particular body system?    Everyone is different.  For me, I absolutely have to have the bypass (malabsorption) because my body just wont give up the fat.  It has been that way all my life.    It didn't matter how little I ate or how much excercise I did, I could never loose the weight.  At the risk of sounding extreme, I would even bet that if the Dr had bypassed 8 feet on me, I would probably have been able to loose a little more and  would have come out fine.  Of course, I could not get Dr R to bypass 8 ft on my 210 body.   I do realize that I couldn't get any good doctor to take that kind of leap.  

Anyway, I am glad you are at a stable point.    I still maintain that the MGB is a good procedure for most.  Think of it this way;  at least you were able to go in for a modification and make some changes that better suite your body system.          I hope that makes sense. 

Hi my name is mag I am having gastic  bypass surgery later this year would love to talk to people that have had it done so as to know what to expect post op .  anyone out there want to chat  or just pass on info ?????

HI Kim,

I am seeking information about the MGB, but my reasons are different,
When I had my surgery in 2005 the doctor explained to me the RNY, after 6 years I had lost 150 pounds which has been a great success but still I am considered obese, so I went back for a revision and since this is a different Doctor from the one that did my surgery, she wanted me to have some test done. Yesterday I went to her office to go over the results, and to my surprise and hers I never had the RNY and had the MGB. Now we are wondering our options if this is the problem my weightloss has stahled or is it that I wont be able to loose more weight. So many questions, when u look at the MGB the way they cut the stomach is very different a when it is cut in RNY. The MGB the stomach is cut kinda long ways like an original stomach isso after the years the pouch will stretch like it's original form, with RNY it is a smaller round pouch and it looks like when it gets to stretch is not as much, I don't know yet what will happen and which one is best. BUt when I went into surgery I went with one type of surgery in mind and now I found out they did a different one without me knowing, taking away my choice of what I asked for. And it is true when I looked up MGB that is the only doctor that comes up , and I checked with different search engine , so not sure how much this doctor is paying these company to be the first one to come up,.Anyway I sure don;t have an answer for your case but did wanted to share my observations and my case at this point. Wish you luck and if intrested I can keep you posted.