8 years post RNY...

There are just things you learn in life as you go along.   First of all, obesity is a treatable condition and surgery is the best chance we have of getting a better life and permanent weight loss to help int along!

I am glad i did it.  Had great success , and though i have gained back weight by my own lack of diligence I am still so much less obese and so happy to be free from that nagging pull to eat more and more and more. 

But...there are now some very serious consequences.   The basic nutritional and vitamin deficiencies are very hard to manage.  I think in spite or the good supplements I take,  a lot of things simply do not get absorbed and this is causing long term weakness and serious crap to deal with way beyond the simple process of aging.  I also have rheumatoid arthritis.  It runs in my family and not being able to take advil, or non prescription pain meds is a seriously and sometimes very difficult situation.   Medications don't work so well in a lot of other cases too, probably because of the malabsorption created by the RNY.  I could get into the issues but will just say here that if you are considering undergoing the RNY..I think you have better options.

My husband, about 4 years after had my surgery, decided to look into doing the same for himself.  In his case he had a dual knee replacement about a year earlier and felt strongly that he would need advil and pain meds to function in his life.   He waited until the gastric sleeve procedure was approved to get his surgery and the results have been just as good as mine, without the vitamin deficiencies and inability to take his advil when needed.   His appetite is equally diminished.  His weight loss was quick and permanent and his adjustment to the procedure was quite simple by comparison.   ( and as a side note... this man goes to bed with the first sniffle and i go to work with walking pneumonia,  So dont think its a matter of character or tolerance in any way...!)  He has no vitamin deficiencies either... I think maybe because the full absorption is still in place, unlike in my case.  

Ok so bottom line in this big overlong speech is DO look into sleeve over RNY.  I think is a healthier long term option for a lot of people.   I would be in a lot less pain and better health today (i am almost 60 ) if i could extract full value out of the foods I eat and take medications to ease my pain.   The weight loss is not the entire issue, because even after that you will need to live and deal with the consequences of aging.  Nutritional problems make them much more difficult..   so my two cents is go with the sleeve and get the full value from your food and meds for the rest of your life.   

I am also 8 years out and have not had any of the issues you deal with. I do not have any deficiencies and I have kept off 100% of my excess weight. RNY was the right choice for me.

I hope you find relief for your pain.

If you stay on top of your labwork, there is no reason to suffer from nutritional and vitamin deficiencies. VSGers need to keep a close eye on their labwork as well.

The ASMBS now recommends sleevers not take NSAIDs also. And they certainly aren't good for anyone long term.

As more WLSers get sleeves, and now have a longer track record, the number that end up suffering from GERD is growing. Many have to rely on PPIs for life, and the evidence on horrible effects of long term PPI use is also growing. A significant number of sleevers end up needing to revise to RNY in order to escape acid reflux.

Choice of surgery is not nearly as clear cut as you described. I couldn't be happier with my choice.

Well out,Grim! My surgeon no longer allows his sleeve patients to take NSAIDS either.

I second what Grim has said. I had VSG done 5month ago.  No Advil for me and I already have vitamin deficiencies.  I'm working hard to find the right combo of vitamins but my pill drawer has become a whole shelf.  Multi, biotin, D3, iron oh god the iron, C, calcium... Each lab comes back a bit lower than the one before.  With luck I'll find the right combo and or things will adjust with time but VSG certainly isn't the: you can absorb WLS choice.

I am thinking pre-opers researching WLS options will equally appreciate your two cents and the replies to it.  Recently, a local hospital has added the gastric balloon procedure as yet another option to medically-aided weight loss for those who don't have insurance coverage, don't want invasive surgery, or see it as something worth a try.  Opinions and options...

I think people in these forums have to be careful unless they are specialized doctors when it comes to suggesting the kind of surgery one should get.  This is very dangerous.  Patients simply don't to to their doctor and say I want this kind of surgery!  Let's leave it to the professionals.

I agree to a point. However, my own doctor left it completely up to me which procedure I wanted. I honestly think he's a great surgeon, but he cuts...that's it. I told him about my history of terrible GERD with the band, but he still thought the sleeve was a good option. Bottom line is, it's up to the PATIENT to make an informed decision using all the information available, including this forum and their surgeon's recommendations.

"Patients simply don't to to their doctor and say I want this kind of surgery"

-Oh, I DID!  I wanted DS so bad. My surgeon refused.  I got so mad. I went to my nurse practitioner, that didn't know my surgeon from Adam, and complained that my surgeon was so ignorant and mean.

She backed him up.

I got RNY instead, and have had great results.

I am 8 years post op also...and also deal with a bunch of issues. It sucks... I also think VSG would have been a better option for me. But ..what's done is done... 

Good luck..