Why did you choose this procedure over Lap Band, DS and Sleeve?

Thank you. I do have episodes of Acid reflux so that will have to be a questions I add to my list.

I had a proximal RNY nine years ago because it was the most effective type of surgery I could get as a lightweight ( my top weight was around 220 lbs and I'm 5'9" tall) .

I am also an early stage type two diabetic ( when diabetes develops later in life usually from uncontrolled eating habits )

Diabetes, like someone said earlier is best controlled by DS then RNY- as a matter of fact ( very proximal ) RNY's are often given to diabetic patients in Europe who don't have weight issues just too put their diabetes into remission.

Like Tek, I knew I was lifelong binge eater and I also knew I'm a defiant personality that doesn't follow diets at all well so I knew I would need the maximum help possible.

If DS had been presented to me as an option I might have chosen it - the first few years I definitely WANTED it .. because I never quite got down as far as I would have liked and my eating/cooking/ food hoarding obsessions never really got any better.

Over the years my body finally learned to accept just eating a few bites- and then waiting the ten or fifteen minutes necessary to feel full. This made it a lot easier to eat say commercially prepared food which is exponentially higher in fat content than my very low fat homemade same-tasting recipe hacks .

Right now my body actually looks better than ever.

I DID have the tremendous advantage few WLS recipients get of repeatedly getting liposuction and also some excess skin removal surgery. This is HUGE in controlling regain because empty fat cells put out a lot of estrogen ( which promotes the release of gherkin, the hunger hormone) .

Liposuction done in the years BEFORE my WLS may also have been a big factor why despite daily binging I was a lightweight going into surgery ( I also almost always exercised seriously ( for several hours usually) every morning even pre-op)

Like someone else said, I too consider sleeve the modern and better equivalent of the lapband - the malabsorption component of the RNY is still hugely important to me .

For instance when I DO indulge in a fatty meal- I see most of the fat ( even nine years later !) come out in the toilet the next morning in the form of yellow and soft poo. ( sorry to be gross)

The yellow is an indicator of high fat content and indicates that my body is still malabsorbing ( luckily) .

Of course I never abused the privilege of malabsorption in the " honeymoon " period either like a lot of WLS patients who go back to eating fast food and slider foods like ice cream while they are still happily losing weight in the initial stages.

Most of these folks regain most or all of their weight - and sometimes even gain MORE essentially outeating their lifesaving and potentially life-altering once-in-a-lifetime surgery.

Please remember WLS IS basically a ONE-SHOT-DEAL !!

Revisions are hit and miss at best and ( from what I've seen on here ) really hardly work in terms of restarting the rapid weight loss.

Most revision recipients ( from what I've seen on here over nine years reading and posting ) either end up with severe health issues from say, unwisely revising to a DS ...without being prepared to manage supplementing and balancing a huge amount of vitamins for the rest of their lives ..

or end up in exactly the same boat most unrevised WLS recipients eventually end up in- - having to control calories and exercise to maintain a constant, healthy goal weight.

I control my weight ( and mental health and happiness !)now basically through daily exercise, not a rigid diet.

But I invested MANY years and countless hours of all-out effort doing competitive sports both as a child and young adult and now ( though now I mostly compete with myself which makes me a rare exception among WLS patients - even among the elite and highly successful group that use this site.

Good luck with your choice !

so people still eat the same foods and expect different outcomes, but still loose in the first year? how does that work? And I will have to look more into this honeymoon period you mention.

I hadn't really thought about having to go through surgery again with a revision... oh god.

You seem to have really done well and thank you for providing some valuable information.

Almost 12 years ago, I chose the LapBand, thinking it was adjustable and less invasive. It was a newish procedure at the time and no one knew what the inevitable risks would be for all of us. I don't know anyone who kept their band and has not been incredibly sick. Anyway, fast forward to 5 years ago when I got my revision surgery approved. The surgeon let me choose between the RNY or VSG. I knew that the VSG was getting good results, but it was also relatively new, and I didn't want any surprises. The RNY has 70+ years of results at this point. The risks are known and there would be no surprises. Now I am reading about a lot of people getting revisions from VSG to RNY because of GERD and I am thrilled I chose the surgery I did for my revision. RNY has been wonderful. No regrets except for not choosing it the first time :)

ok, I hadn't even known about having two surgeries, but I am seeing that for some it was necessary. Thank you for adding your experience. I will definitely steer clear of the band as I am seeing a trend that a revision would be in my future. I didn't event know RYN was around for that long! Thank you!

If your surgeon's office is still doing the LapBand, go find another surgeon! No quality surgeon who cares about patient safety would still be performing them.

RNY is the surgery that people revise to when things go wrong with other surgeries. I think it is best to start there :)

I am not even at the point of seeing a surgeon. I just got through with my primary doctor. Not even sure I want to go this route, but those who have walked the path, like you, seem pretty level headed and stead fast with the decision you've made which makes me that much more intrigued!

I was an insulin dependent diabetic. The RNY provided an immediately metabolic change and I was 100% off all diabetes medication within days of surgery. All Type 2 diabetics can reduce or eliminate the need for diabetic medications with weight loss (with or without surgery), but vs the VSG, the RNY was better for me. As for the DS, they are require a higher supplement requirement that I am not sure I'd be 100% compliant with. Also, I made pre-op changes and lost a bunch of weight prior to surgery. I was 240 pounds on the day of surgery. I feel like the DS is for people who are heavier (please correct me if wrong). I didn't even consider a lap band.

Very interesting that you were off of your insulin DAYS after surgery!? So DS requires more supplements after? There is so much to learn!

I had to take metformin pills twice a day for several years pre- WLS. My surgeon too took me off the diabetic drug while I was healing in the hospital and I have never had to take one since- my blood sugar ( which gets constantly tested ) is in the totally normal range...

That said - I was very lucky the diabetes didn't come roaring back when I indulged in 4 years of nonstop drinking- basically living on sugar and being very inactive. I still see some damage from that time though- the ball of my left foot is permanently numb- the beginning stage of diabetic neuropathy . I'm very lucky I didn't do MORE damage.

I also neglected my iron, my vitamins when I was drinking- resulting in anemia, low energy due to low iron and low B12 levels.

I was able to restore my health fairly quickly after a blood test determined what was too low with vitamin supplementation- had I had a DS I probably would have been a LOT sicker after neglecting my health.

Choosing a DS is really a huge lifelong commitment to regular testing and serious daily vitamin supplementation.

What if you can't afford the dozens of vitamins because your income level falls ( or you retire on cat food like I'm going to lol) ?

What if you get REALLY sick and then your vitamin levels go seriously awry and you're hit with an exponentially larger problem because almost no doctors understand both post-DS care and say ... post radiation care or MS care or Leukemia care ?

When I made my decision to get the tried and true " gold standard " RNY I also considered the likelihood of solving the serious potential health issues that WILL crop up as I get older which I certainly want to live through and efficiently heal from...

Statistically the RNY is the safest WLS surgery long term ... ( though the sleeve is also up there but it hasn't been around nearly as long)

Good luck with your choice !