21 and considering RNY. Pros and Cons?

My name is Morgan Lewis. Literally todat I had the conversation with my endocrinologist about WLS. Weight has been something I've struggled with all my life. I have a history of type 2 diabetes. I have pcos and im insulin resistent which has made the weigloss process so much harder. 

From what I've been reading lap band isn't an option since I don't want to get a surgery and then need RNY to possibly fix it later. Bcbs doesn't cover VSG from what I've read. So it seems I'm left with RNY. 

I've been reading through many of the threads here and have seem many pros and cons so far. However, overall, it seems no one regrets their surgery. Being 5'8" and 245 (BMI 37) I have some questions. 

What should I expect? How hard was it to totally change your life style? What are the cons after WLS? Also, what's some things you wish you knew before getting RNY?

With RNY you can pretty much count on being 100 pounds lighter in a year.  You will have to follow the diet plan, both to lose the weight and to keep it off.  It was easy for me to change my lifestyle.  I was never hungry again after surgery and when I do eat, I can only manage a small amount at a time.

The cons are possible bathroom issues requiring Imodium, fiber supplements, laxatives, suppositories, enemas, and stool softeners.  Some people have no issues.  I have struggled with both constipation and diarrhea at different times.  You also have to take vitamins for life.  You cannot take NSAIDS or smoke tobacco because of risk of ulcers.

The NSAIDS issue is something that worries me since I have migraines. How do you deal with pain from everyday occurances?

The nsaids issue is a problem for me because I have daily headaches.  I also have liver disease and shouldn't take Tylenol.  Tramadol makes me dizzy.  So there is really nothing I can take for daily stress headaches.  

For my migraines I take Amerge (Naratriptan) when I have a migraine and it gets rid of the migraine for me.  There are other similar medications for migraines.  I also take Topamax (topiramate) to help prevent migraines.

I am on a migraine medication (rizatriptan). But, like you, I have headaches from time to time. Thank you for the info!

If I were you - I would fight for VSG..

I've had lots of trouble with getting Bcbs to approve anything they didn't originally cover. Do you have any advice?

Since VSG is well known WLS - if you find a good doc who is willing to fight for that - you can have it covered. At your age - I would thing long and hard before I would chose RNY. 

VSG - just makes a smaller stomach out of the one you have - giving you a chance of semi normal life. No blind stomach, no rerouting.  No malabsorbtion of most vitamins and minerals. 

I had RNY and I deal with some unfortunate long term side effects. Like food allergies and intolerances.  Plus a few others... 

Having a remnant stomch that can't be scoped - unless you are willing to have  a surgery...

I had my RNY at 48... If I could go back and redo it - I would have VSG.  Just because it has a potential to create a more natural - yet smaller stomach. 

RNY does bypass pyloric valve so the undigested foods goes directly into part of my small intestine. That in itself can create a number of issues. 

Originally, I wanted to get VSG. I'll try talking to my doctor more and see what he thinks. 

Like I mentioned in my first post, I was literally told I was a candidate yesterday so this is all very new to me. Thank you for your response and honesty!

I'm just curious... why?

I thought that with Diabetes, RNY was better for remission?