Long Term Effects of WLS

Im 36 so you only have a few years on me LOL  I am horrible about taking anything every day that is why I went with the VSG I would never have stayed healthy on the RNY

Thanks!  That's one of the reasons why I chose the sleeve!

He was supportive of the idea of it, but once he understood exactly what was involved--an irreversible removal of the stomach--he got worried.  The fact that there is (understandably) no long-term data on sleevers concerns him because if there are issues 20 years out, there is no way to reverse it.

In other words, he probably would have been very happy with me getting the lapband, if I hadn't figured out that the sleeve was so superior, and now my husband sees that, as well.  My doc doesn't even do lapbands any more.

We will see the doc together tomorrow.  I am hoping the doc has the right answers to convince him!

 Best of luck to you :) 

Thank you so much!  You're an inspiration!

Hi there-

Here is a thread that I posted last week, because I was having the same thoughts:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4520401/Are-there-any- diseases-illnesses-that-could-not-be-treated/#37430788

I think that is my biggest fear of RNY (though my fear could be unfounded). I worry that I could get sick and would not be able to receive proper medical treatment because of my rerouted plumbing. I'm also scared of malabsorption. What exactly does that mean?  That you will malabsorb your medications? That seems scary. I certainly wouldn't mind malabsorbing calories-but not medications.  But I digress--you are talking about vsg specifically I'm sure.

The only thing that I have wondered about with vsg is what a smaller amount of ghrelin will do long-term. Sure-it's great for reducing one's appetite. But what other roles does the hormone play? You can find some threads on here where people have discussed this. I'm definitely not a good resource on this-but it is something about which I'd like to learn more.

And it's true that gastrectomies have been done for reasons other than wls for a long time-so I do find that reassuring.

I think that's the kind of issue my husband has, that long term if we have no appetite -- especially when we get older -- we will end up malnourished.

Oddly, when I look up long-term problems (4 or 5 years after sleeving) nobody seems to be too skinny.  The problem is people who have gained back weight because they're eating too much again.

My problem with eating will not be hunger (after the initial honeymoon w/o hunger ends).

It will be, "Oh, this tastes so good!"

That will be my battle.

 Here's some studies that I have come across and read.  Some of them are grueling to get through (lots of science and statistics) but all are interesting and at least worth a skim over:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/publicASMBS/GuidelinesStatements/PositionStatement/ASMBS-SLEEVE-STATEMENT-2011_10_28.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20622654

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550728909005309


I find that all of the folks on here are a fantasic resource as well.  Nothing like talking to the actual people that have had the procedures ; )

THANK YOU!  I will download and send to him.  That should keep him busy for awhile.

As I pointed out to him, if the biggest failure is people eating too much and gaining back their weight, I don't think losing too much and ending up malnourished is a problem, unless I'm one of those people who does it during the no-appetite period because I don't listen to my doctor and NUT and don't get my protein and calories in!  And since I intend to listen and follow those directions, that shouldn't be me.

 Because there is no malabsorption with VSG you have less long term issues.  It's one of the reasons I chose it.  At some point you gotta say life is a risk,  would you rather risk some far off possibility that you might be the one to have a complication or the fact that you will at some point have issues from being obese, knee replacements, heart issues etc.  It's your choice.