400 pounder... should I sleeve???

On the very top right of your screen, there is white search box. You can search by any word to scan through past posts. Do a search for USAF Wife. I'm pretty sure she was not at 400 lbs, but she has many good past posts on why she chose VSG over RNY. She has some very good points :)

At my highest, I was 366. My surgery was 6/21/11. As of this past week, I have lost 101 lbs so far. Now, that includes pre-surgery weight-loss. Since surgery, I have lost 76 lbs.

I have not had one regret over chosing the sleeve. I won't lie, it has been hard to keep on track, but it's worth it every day! I was never able to control portions or eat healthy for long periods of time before surgery, without falling way off the wagon. My sleeve allows me to have a small cheat every once in a while, but can easily get back on track. I have lost some weight every single week so far. I have yet to have a stall (knock on wood), but if I do, its not the end of the world. I will be 5 months out on Monday, so I am EXTREMELY pleased with my progress so far.

I don't want to bash any other surgery, but when you weigh the pros and cons of VSG compared to RNY...I would chose VSG every time.

I'm the same as you, in that I don't care if I get to my doctor's goal of 165. I would be happy around 200 or a little less. I don't want to look like a toothpick! LOL

Good luck on your decision and keep reading more posts. There is a LOT of GREAT information here!!

Jennifer

I have been in your shoes - i used to be 420 lbs. I went through the same "what surgery to get" - my options were RNY, VSG or DS (which you might want to consider)

Ultimately, after enough research, I went with the sleeve.

Either surgery will help you lose a substantial amount of weight in a short period of time. The outcome of any surgery though - depends entirely on you (short of some mechanical issues with the surgery)

You really have to get in the frame of mind that this is a tool and you are going to have to do your part no matter what you chose. You will be responsible for what you put in your mouth each day. If you are ready to commit to the life long changes that any surgery requires, then you can look at what surgery type will be beneficial.

Had I not lost a lot of weight during the pre-op time, I would have went with a DS even though the bypass part scared me. When I went in for surgery, I was confident that I made the right choice with the VSG and that'll get to my goal. Regain will be the biggest issue for me - and if you look at RNY regain stats, they are scary. The malabsorption wears off after a period of time, and it basically becomes a restrictive only procedure (except...vitamin malabsorption remains) and the pouch and stoma are always at risk for stretching. The sleeve portion that is left is not as easily stretched and you get to keep your pyloric valve to regulate how quickly food leaves your stomach. This is a big key to satiety and managing hunger.

I believe that you (or anyone else) starting at 400 lbs can be successful with the VSG (search for Jimbo - he's at 330 + lbs lost or something) if you are committed. The surgery wont lose the weight for you - you have to do that.

sorry for the rambling - too much coffee!

JimboVSG lost 330 pounds I think.  Simply amazing!

I'm so happy you asked this question because I'm over 400 and 5'11. I need to lose at least 200 to be in a more safe range. 

My date is only a few days after yours! Oh my gosh. Did you for sure pick the sleeve?

Yes I did and at first I was going with the RNY until I found out my insurance started covering the VSG. I wanted it from the beginning anyway so when they told me I had another option I was too happy. You just have to make your sleeve work for you and just like everyone else said you need to follow your surgeons rules.

I've was always aprehensive about the RNY and then when I heard about the sleeve I fell in love but since I keep hearing that it might not work for someone my size, and also because I have the hormone issues that make it difficult to lose weight, it scares me. I think I've made up my mind though. :) I'm excited!!!

I know our starting weights are very different, but I also have PCOS and have not had any trouble losing weight with the VSG.  Try doing a search of "PCOS" and you should get some good discussions from people that were wondering the same thing as you....whether they could successfully lose with the VSG and PCOS.  Good luck to you!

Please do NOT get an RNY. It is butchery.

Given your BMI and your known hormonal issues, you really should research the DS as wbut if you MUST choose between the RNY and the Sleeve, GET THE SLEEVE.

I don't think you'd be happy in the long run with the RNY, and the RNY is the most difficult form of WLS to revise to a different procedure. If you go with the Sleeve you'll still have a fully-functional stomach, and if it doesn't take you---or, more likely, keep you---where you need/want to go, you'll still have the fairly easy option of adding the 'switch' for a full DS.

I think you can *probably* lose about as much with the Sleeve as you can with the DS, but whether or not you can maintain that loss without the DS is anyone's guess. The DS makes some dramatic, permanent changes in our metabolism, and I knew that I needed that.

The DS is not offered by my insurance but I did look in to it and it seems like a more serious surgery than the RNY as far as malabsorption and vitamin deficiencies. I liked the statistics on long term success and the fact that you can pretty much eat what you want and maintain the loss. What do you mean about the permanent changes to your metabolism? Did you do the DS all at once or in the 2 phases? What are the reasons you chose the DS over the others? I've read in multiple places that people eat thousands of calories and high fat content with DS and maintain their goal weight. I don't know how that made me feel...

Thank you for commenting. I really enjoy hearing people's experiences and reasons for choosing what they did.