Curveball...

I was given the news yesterday by my surgeon that the chances are pretty good that I will wake up from surgery 2 weeks from today with a sleeve and not a RnY pouch. I am not sure how I feel about this, as he also indicated that once we get my weight into a range that makes the RnY a safer option he wants me to have that.  I knew all along this could be a possibility, but after yesterday's meeting it looks more like certainty that just a possible option.

Anyone out there in Bypassland have that done? Had a sleeve first and then was converted to a RnY pouch?

That's really unfortunate.  So you're too heavy for an RNY but not a VSG?  Do I understand you correctly?  That's a real shame because I started right about where you are now according to your ticker and my surgeon had no problem doing an RNY.

So much of it has to do with where a person carries their weight.  He said since I carry mine in my mid section he is pretty sure that once he takes a peek inside he will not feel comfortable with the RnY for safety reasons.  He feels that there will be too much stress on the new connection to the pouch.  I understand the safety part and I am all for it.  I am a gambler by nature, but not when it comes to this.  I want to err way on the side of safe vs. well we could try this.

I'm not sure what all I would do if I had that news to deal with. I know that there is a lot of success with just the sleeve even for patients that were told they would do the sleeve and then RNY. The VSG forum is hoppin so you could likely gain a lot of insight to the differences and experiences of VSG. Also, the revision forum would be a good place to ask this question too.

I'm just sure, for me, that the type of eater that I am is why I chose RNY and likely you came to similar conclusions so the VSG thing would scare me a bit, but that being said it may very well work so good that you don't need the revision. I think I would be more upset at thinking that I would need a revision. I mean who wants to do this twice right?

Did your doctor give you a weight limit that maybe you can get to through aggesive dieting quickly so he can do only one surgery? I have no idea what his/her cutoff is and where you are in comparison. I'm just throwing thoughts out there in hopes that maybe in your frustration you hadn't already thought to ask.

I love your blog by the way

Not really a weight limit as it is tied to my body size.  Said I carry all my weight in my stomach and I replied well apparently you haven't checked out my ass!

Thanks for the props on the blog!  Glad to see you reading it!

What is the reason(s) that the surgeon isn't sure he can do the RNY during the first surgery?

I've heard of a sleeve and then a DS later (since the sleeve is part of the DS) but not before the RNY....although I'm certainly no expert!  If you trust your surgeon, then you should be confident that he/she has your best interest at heart.  Just make sure you 100% understand what will be done and why it will/won't happen and that you are comfortable with it.

Maybe teh sleeve would work for you and they you would not need the RNY?  I would like to have the sleeve.... I had RNY and now - 5 years later - it is just diet  diet diet... very limited due to RH (reactive hypoglycemia) My friend with  VSG can eat small and doe snot have to eat as often. (I HAVE to eat every 2-3 hrs) 

Ok, I know NOTHING about this but I don't understand why he cannot do the RNY.  Without getting personal what are the reasons to a possible sleeve?  Many people much heavier than you have had RNY and it you are going with all these surgeries this sounds more like a DS but that requires a special surgeon.  Not all surgeons do it, and its's SO important to get a reputable one.

We have a poster here that had the DS and she might be the one to talk to about this.  Here name on here is MsBatt.Go to the DS forum and ask questions there.    She could really help you with information that I just don't have.  I wish you the best of luck and keep us posted!   Jane

Thanks Jane...the biggest reason why as I stated above is a safety issue.  The surgeon is afraid that there will be too much stress on the new connection between the small intestine and the pouch.  He is not ruling out the RnY, but the picture he painted was that the "stars" would really need to align perfectly in side my body for him to perform it safely.  But in talking to him it really sounds that I have a better chance of waking up from surgery with a unicorn in my room.

Not sure how tall you are but my hubby was 450 and got an RNY he is 6 2 I was 386 and had an rny i am 5 11 we both are doing great. Look luck its not the journey or how you get there the point is that you can get there.