Going in Crazy Circles - HELP - Band to... RNY or VSG?!?!?

Hi All! I currently have a LapBand (which did nothing I might add - yay for you if it did). I want to revise, have a found a surgeon, have great insurance (just submitted for an RNY to insurance and should know by Friday), but now am having SERIOUS doubts about the RNY. Dumping? Eek! No wine ever again? Yikes! (my Dad owns a vineyard for cryin' out loud), Vitamins 3x a day for LIFE? OMG! I am seriously in a quandary here and looking for input from both LB to VSG and LB to RNY. Especially if you're somewhat of a veteran! However, I want to hear ALL sides from anyone, how and why did you choose what you chose? So please, start this post a rollin'!

I have the lapband and feel like you, it is just not a fit for me.  I am at a total loss of 17lbs since my surgery just over 2 yrs ago that's with ups and downs in weight loss.  I am planning to have a revision, but not real sure if I want the sleeve or go all the way and get the bypass.  But not real sure about dumping?  Eww that sounds worse than sliming.  I want to get rid of being stuck and slimming!!

Hi Jen! Not sure how much you slime after RNY, if at all. From what I've learned it is nothing like that stupid band. And one of the things that makes me lean towards the RNY is that IF it doesn't work, it's revisable, but the sleeve has issues with that I've heard. Not that ALL revisions don't have issues, but if we can minimize them it's better all around, right? And IDK, dumping has its good points... for those of us with sugar addictions I see it like those pills alcoholics are prescribed that make them really nauseous if they drink - I mean if it's a deterrent to an addiction isn't that a good thing?

I think you are confused.  The RNY is NOT EASILY revisable.(edited)  It is a very major surgery that very few surgeons are qualified to do!  It also has a high leak and complication rate!

The sleeve is the what was the first part of the DS!  This surgery is easily switched to a DS.

As far as dumping, only 30% of RNY dump and surgery can also cause problems with the sleeve.

The sleeve and RNY have a 2/3 year results about the same.  The RNY does have lifetime nutritional issues the sleeve doesn't.

I would do lots of researching of the two to make sure you are picking the right one for you.

I wrote "revisable" not reversible. I know it's not reversible, but it IS revisable to another operation if it's medically required. It's not an easy operation, but it IS doable.

Yep, my bad but, that is what I meant the RNY is not easily revisable.  It is easier to go from a VSG to RNY or DS than from RNY to another surgery if needed down the road.

Hmmmm... ok, now I'm really confused. I read somewhere on here that revising from the VSG is difficult because there isn't much to work with when your "stomach" is the size of a banana. Is that not so? ARGH - am so confused and overwhelmed! I just wish someone with great and all-knowing wisdom could tell me with utter certainty, THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU. Ahhhh... wouldn't that be lovely? LoL - a pipe dream!

They use the top of the sleeve for the RNY pouch and do the RNY routing.  You just have a tiny blind stomach.  

You also just do the DS routing to the sleeve and have a TRUE DS.  The DS was done in two stages on high risk patients.  They did the sleeve and sent them home to lose enough weigh to safely do the second stage switch.  What they found was that some did so well the didn't go back or choose not the do the more risky mal-absorption that caused the need to strictly follow supplementation guidelines.

After seeing how well people could do with just the "sleeve" they got approval to do it as a stand alone.  Also people that had VSG, or a partial gastrectomy for ulcers or cancer, found they were able to lose weight and maintain a smaller size.

I just read this on one of the doctors websites I have been looking into.

"In addition, the gastric bypass works on behavioral modification through dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome is a constellation of physical symptoms that can occur if a patient with a gastric bypass eats something high in simple sugars (i.e. a cupcake). This can cause symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, flushing, diarrhea – you feel horrible! This psychologically will change the way you look at sweet foods, thereby helping patients stay away from foods that got them into trouble in the first place. It can be a valuable tool to help patients stay true to a healthy diet, thereby keeping the weight off long-term. This phenomena is only seen with the gastric bypass procedure. We are big fans of dumping syndrome."

Yes, but I've heard that only about 2/3 of people dump... if I'm not one them that's a Big Problem. I mean I understand I have to avoid sweets and simple carbs... I get it. But a guy at the support groups said even after ONE chocolate Kiss he got sick as a dog... and if I don't dump I can see that chocolate calling out to me on occasion! Oh well, it is what it is!

So, back to the original question: RNY or VSG?