Surgery in 10 days. VSG or RNY?
Hi, I am an emotional wreck over trying to decide whether to revise from a lapband to VSG or lapband to RNY. I had the band in 2008. Started at 220. Got to 180 and that was it. Had lots of problems vomitting. Restriction was unpredictable. couldn't eat a piece of chicken except late at night. I learned to eat around it. Developed acid reflux. But with all those negatives, I have to say that when the band was tight, I wasn't as hungry as before.
Now got insurance approval for revision to sleeve (and I'm sure the bypass would be approved as well). But I have so many fears about the sleeve:
will it be enough?
acid reflux?
will I feel hungry?
long term consequences of not having grehlin (premature aging?)
It seems like the tried and true surgery is the RNY but of course I'm terrified of that because of the rerouting of the intestines and the nutritional deficiencies.
Anyone have any of their experiences or advice to share? would greatly appreciate it !!
Now got insurance approval for revision to sleeve (and I'm sure the bypass would be approved as well). But I have so many fears about the sleeve:
will it be enough?
acid reflux?
will I feel hungry?
long term consequences of not having grehlin (premature aging?)
It seems like the tried and true surgery is the RNY but of course I'm terrified of that because of the rerouting of the intestines and the nutritional deficiencies.
Anyone have any of their experiences or advice to share? would greatly appreciate it !!
If you are aproved for lap band to sleeve, don't rock the boat. When I was getting approved for the band, the surgeon put in that I wanted the band when I told him I wanted to research more before deciding. I didn't realize and my PCP put in for a rny. They approved the band when the surgeaon put it in than approved the rny when the PCP put it in. When I told the PCP I wanted the band the insurance told the PCP "If I changed my mind agian they wouldn't approve anything"
I personally would do the sleeve. If down the road you need more help, you can get the DS for rerouting.
I personally would do the sleeve. If down the road you need more help, you can get the DS for rerouting.
BAND REMOVED 9-4-12-fought insurance to get sleeve and won! Sleeved 1/22/13! Five years out and trying to get that last 15 pounds back off.
Amy Farrah Fowler
on 9/21/12 7:26 pm
on 9/21/12 7:26 pm
If the band was working, then the sleeve may very well work for you. As it stretches over time, that may be another thing, but we don't know yet.
If you think you need the help of malabsorbtion, then I'd go for the DS or RNY any day, as the DS has a better record of weight loss, maintenance of that loss. The DS also allows you to take NSAIDs for pain (NOT an option with RNY, and it's for life) and you can't get dumping syndrome as with RNY, or the added risk of reactive hypoglycemia that many RNYers are getting a few years out. The surgical risks are statistically the same.
You should read the studies on the different surgeries that you can link to at DSfacts.com before you get cut (there is lots of good information there too).
Think twice, cut once is what they say.
If you think you need the help of malabsorbtion, then I'd go for the DS or RNY any day, as the DS has a better record of weight loss, maintenance of that loss. The DS also allows you to take NSAIDs for pain (NOT an option with RNY, and it's for life) and you can't get dumping syndrome as with RNY, or the added risk of reactive hypoglycemia that many RNYers are getting a few years out. The surgical risks are statistically the same.
You should read the studies on the different surgeries that you can link to at DSfacts.com before you get cut (there is lots of good information there too).
Think twice, cut once is what they say.
I revised to the RNY due to acid reflux...I had it with the band and it caused damage to my esophogus. If you currently have reflux it could get worse with the sleeve (or it could get better, or stay the same) however, with the RNY it will get better.
If you don't currently have reflux, I wouldn't worry about it for the future....
If you don't currently have reflux, I wouldn't worry about it for the future....
Well, the real "tried and true" surgery for long-term, maintained weight loss is the DS. (Take a look around on this one board, and see how many people are here looking to revise their RNY!) The Sleeve is the stomach portion of the DS, and given your relatively low start weight the Sleeve *might* be all the help you'll ever need. And if it isn't it's a lot easier to add the Switch to an existing Sleeve than to put an RNY stomach back together, make a Sleeve, and add the Switch.
How did you get the revision approved? What did they find wrong with your band? I know every insurance is different, but my band removal was denied because it looks fine.
Revision Lapband to RNY 2-6-2013 HW: 286 Pre-Op Diet: 277 Surgery Day: 265 Goal: 155 CW: 155
Plastic surgery 8/28/2014: Brachioplasty, mastopexy, & abdominoplasty.
Plastic surgery 1/27/2015: Butt Lift
My insurance is blue cross blue shield federal employee plan. they will allow you to have ONE revision surgery if the first surgery did not result in more than 50 percent loss of the excess weight. Since I started with a BMI of 40 at 220 and I ended up at 180, I did not lose the required amount of weight and so they approved it.
I beliieve my doctor also documented all the problems with vomiting I was having in the band and the two times that it tighted up so much I couldn't drink, but there was nothing wrong with my band per se. Like it wasn't slipped or anything.
I feel very fortunate that they approved it and that's why I want to get the second surgery right.
Ironically, they did not initially approve my band approval 4 years ago because my BMI was 39.9 and I had one co-morbidity (high cholesterol) but they were questioning the fatty liver. I hired obesitylaw.com and paid them $800 to appeal my claim and that did the trick.
I beliieve my doctor also documented all the problems with vomiting I was having in the band and the two times that it tighted up so much I couldn't drink, but there was nothing wrong with my band per se. Like it wasn't slipped or anything.
I feel very fortunate that they approved it and that's why I want to get the second surgery right.
Ironically, they did not initially approve my band approval 4 years ago because my BMI was 39.9 and I had one co-morbidity (high cholesterol) but they were questioning the fatty liver. I hired obesitylaw.com and paid them $800 to appeal my claim and that did the trick.
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