Hi there, I'm new & wondering if anyone wishes they

Thank you all so much for your replies and concerns. I live in Ontario and my surgeon is trying to tell me that I don't want the VSG, I want the RNY but I think it is due to OHIP. He says RNY is the gold standard operation with a high succes rate. He said there isn't enough data to know how long VSG would be sucessfull for due to it only being done for the last 5 yrs.
He also said if I didn't exercise for 1 hr. everyday, I would only lose 30lbs, which would be 210 for me.

you need to find a different surgeon..

I am about 2 and a half months out from surgery, and i am 3lbs away from hitting 50% of my weight loss goal!  I have not been doing any kind of hardcore working out... I do 20-30 minutes on wiifit about 3 times a week if that.. I just started doing this too.  I am down 66.5 lbs in 12 weeks (including 2 weeks preop liquid diet where i lost 20lbs).  Just take a look around this forum and see the success rates.  Also, I believe your surgeons statistics are off.  My surgeon told me that this procedure was done for years but as a stomache cancer surgery and the side affect was losing weight.  The procedure has been done for the last 10 years for WLS.  My doctor already told me that they calculate 60-65% of weight loss with the sleeve because they go by statistics..and more and more the results are tremendously bypassing..the  bypass... and there are way less risks with the VSG. and mind you I am sticking by the vsg even after I had a 1% risk happen to myself in the hospital..I became a part of the statistics when  I had to have a blood transfusion (4 units of blood) because my blood pressure went too high and caused me to blow a clot and lose blood.. i chalk that up to one of the reasons I did WLS to get rid of my high blood pressure...this wasnt because the surgery was faulty, but because of my blood pressure.  I am happy to report that i went from 5 prescriptions (2 for blood pressure, 2 for diabetes, and one for high cholestoral) down to 1 prescription for blood pressure..which the dose is already cut in half.. and i suspect the next doctors visit, i will be off of it completely.. all of this in just 10weeks...

That is often based on their comfort level of performing a particular surgery or their amount of experience. If your surgeon does not have enough comfort or experience with VSG, do not get it from him/her. Get another surgeon. I know that is inconvenient, but you want your surgeon to be capable.

I agree you need to find an educated and experienced VSG surgeon. His stats are off. I lost 138lbs with VSG alone and I didn't exercise for 4 months post-op, and then it only lasted for 4 months. I'm over 2 years out, and you couldn't pay me to have RNY. To this day, I don't work out, or exercise formally. Yes, I'm more active, but I hate exercise.

CHeck out the revision forum and see how many RNY patients are having to revise to either ERNY or DS because of the complications associated with RNY or weight regain.

I had the band, and bottomline, it sucks.

Do not allow someone else to determine which surgery you have. He gets to cut on you, you get to live with the surgery. Which person has to suffer the consequences or reap the benefits of surgery choice??? YOU, have to, not him.

Every surgery takes diligence and compliance. And, his information on being able to eat more with VSG is false. I have several friends in real life that can eat twice as much as I can, and they're several more years out than I am with my VSG. But, at 2 years out, I still amazing restriction.

If you go back a couple of pages, there are 2 - 4 topics about RNY vs. VSG, and there are fabulous replies from many of us on why we chose VSG over RNY.

Here is my standard reply when this pops up every couple of days:
This is my standard reply when this question pops up every couple of days. I won't try to sway anyone one way or another, but I'll give you my reasons for choosing VSG over RNY for my revision from the band. You can also check out the revision, failure, and food issue forums on here to get an idea of some long term RNY patients. For me, it was never an option. The cons outweighed the pros.

The VSG was my 2nd, and final WLS. I could have easily had RNY, but I fought to have VSG as my revision from the band. Some factors I considered in deciding on VSG. The pouch that RNY offers is similar to the pouch with the band. Least to say, a pouch sucks, I love having a normal tummy, just less capacity and still fully functioning.

1) No blind stomach left behind that can be difficult to scope yet can still get ulcers and cancer.

2) 2 years max on calorie/carb/sugar malabsorption, but a lifetime of vitamin/nutrient malabsorption. This process is called adaptation, and it happens with intestinal bypass surgeries.

3) I had a pouch with the band, and it sucked. I'm pretty fond of my pyloric valve and the sleeve let me keep it. I love having a normal functioning stomach, just smaller in capacity.

4) Regain stats and #of RNY patients seeking revision truly scared the poop out of me

5) I have too many friends in real life that struggle with vitamin deficiencies post-RNY, and most of them either never got to goal, or have gained back a significant amount of their weight.

6) The long term complications with RNY were too numerous for my comfort level. Pouch or stoma dilation, strictures, vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, ulcers,

7) I researched gastrectomies that had been performed for stomach cancer and ulcer patients, and found comfort in the long term results and minimal complications of patients that had lost most or all of their stomachs had dealt with over several years.

8) I was a volume eater, and knew a restrictive only procedure would work for me. That was my thought process when I got the band, and I thought I could beat the odds on complications. Sadly, the band only lasted 8 months before I had to revise.

9) I did not want to have food or medication restrictions. I chose WLS to have a "normal" life, and I think it's normal to eat a couple of cookies. With RNY, I wasn't willing to go through the possibility of dumping if I wanted to have a couple of cookies, or a slice of cake on occasion. The big scare for me is medication restrictions for life. NSAIDS and steroids are a NO GO for life with a RNY pouch. I realize that I may never be diagnosed with a condition or disease that requires steroid use, but it is possible. I want the best long term results with the least amount of complications. Malabsorption is not anything to play with in my mind, and I was not willing to take that risk.

I lost all my weight in my ticker with the exception of 7lbs with the sleeve, and I did it in 10.5 months. The 115lbs fell off the first 6.5 months, and then the rest I lost as I was getting into maintenance over another 4 months.. It's been a fabulous journey, and I'm easily maintaining with zero issues for nearly a year at this point. I want to add that every WLS regardless of your choice will require discipline. Only a percentage of RNY patients dump on sugar/fat, pouches and stomas stretch, then you have the medication restrictions. I'm not trying to convince you, but these were my concerns when I knew I had to revise from the band. I started at 263 the day of my revision and today I weigh 127lbs. I bounce on the scale 125-130lbs any given week, and I couldn't be more ecstatic!

Best wishes in your research!


P.S. I wrote this before pregnancy. And, just as an update, I'm 25 weeks pregnant and thriving. The baby is weighing 2-3oz heavier and is measuring right on target for length. I have zero issues consuming enough calories/protein/carbs to support my body and another developing human. My labs have remained stellar throughout the pregnancy, and life is pretty good. I am 2 years out at this point, and couldn't be happier with my decision to have VSG over RNY for my revision. It's been an amazing journey.


Here is the topic with many other replies
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4417333/how-did-you-decide/#36509232

Heck NO!

I would never have an RnY, because i need to take NSAIDS for my arthritis, and you can never take them with the bypass.

They are also discovering some real problems about 10 years post-op with the bypass.  A significant proportion of those patients are developing intestinal problems, severe intestinal problems.

I LOVE my sleeve.  I have kept my weight off, I feel great, and I wouldn't go back for all of the tea in China.

This was a post about a week ago that you may find helpful.  I have also posted my response on my questioning of Sleeve vs RNY. I spoke with RNYers and VSGers and was given such great information...but i especially apreciate what one RNYer wrote to me on her experience.  you can find my response on page 2 of this link...

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4425941/In-need-of-hel p-from-my-fellow-sleevers/page,1/action,replies/topic_id,442 5941/

Thank you all so much for the info. I am going to be asking for the VSG. I see my surgeon on Aug, 16. Will keep you posted.

NOt me either...i love my sleeve and the whole entire experience of it.  I knew it would help me the minute I made the decision to have this surgery.. I wondered before about rny but I love having all the nutrients from my food.  I love not getting sick if i do decide to take a bite of a hot fudge sundae and I love the fact that my sleeve stops me from overeating anything...hope this helps.