although there are statistically more complications with the RNY, neither surgery has particularly high complication rates. Or at at least major complications. There are minor ones associated with both surgeries, most of which are tolerable, manageable, or "fixable".

I had a stricture with my RNY - those usually occur (when they do occur, that is) 1-3 months post surgery. Easy fix. They supposedly happen to about 5% of RNY patients, and as such, they're one of the more common complications (if you can call 5% "common").

If your girlfriend has GERD, they'll usually recommend RNY, since that often improves if not outright cures it. VSG can make it worse. It doesn't happen to everyone, or even to the majority, but it happens to a significant enough minority that they'll usually steer you to RNY if you're a GERD sufferer.

outside of the GERD issue, it pretty much comes down to personal preference. I'd suggest doing a lot of reading to see if she's more comfortable with one or the other. They're both good surgeries and you'll find people on here who've been successful with both.

Hi there, my girlfriend is wanting surgery and she is not at all sure which one would work best for her. She's just under 280 lbs and about 5 foot 3 or 4 inches. I overheard her say her BMI is about at 47. I'm completely unaware of what is the best or worst surgery, but I'm naturally worried about her undergoing any surgery. Has anyone had complications you can share?

Hi all, 13 years ago my body began to change. Within the 13 years, I've learned quite a lot that I'd love to share with you.

a. Always be kind to yourself. It's not always possible because I wrestle with my own demons about weight, but be gentle on yourself.

b. Try sensitive toothpaste. If you have gerd, that may help.

c. If you describe yourself as fat, you are the only person that can change that mindset. The struggle is real for me, and I do battle with self talk every day. I still consider myself a heavyweight but I know that I'm not.

d. If you get off track, get back on track. Gaining weight back sucks.

e. I got down to 110 (because of a breakup) and now flux between 125-135. Know what works best for you. 135 does not work for me, but I'm back on track.

f. Exercise. Move your body. Think health. Don't make excuses. If you can't move, crawl, stretch, whatever it takes. A little goes a long way. 1 day at a time.

g. Chocolate is still delicious.

While I could go on and on, I'd like to give you the advice of don't give up. If you fall down, start over. Lean on this group as we are all in the same boat together. Repeat after me... you are loved, you are worthy, you are beautiful.

With love and less Cheetos,

Rhonda

Hi Haley,
It's really impossible to say without more information. Things like height, sex, and age matter. For instance, I weighed 277 on surgery day and am down to 157 less than a year later (I am actively trying not to lose any more weight as a man standing 5'9")

My weight loss is not typical at all, but it is possible to lose an extreme amount with this surgery, quickly even. The logic I used was that my problem was always that I ate way way way too much at meals, I simply needed a smaller stomach. If a person is the type to snack here and there all day, or drink too many of their calories, the RNY (bypass) seems like it might be a better option because you won't end up absorbing all the calories you are putting in your body here and there all day long. If you're like me and getting all your calories in 3-4 big meals a day, the VSG could be what you need to succeed.

RNY may be a little more effective long-term and produce faster results, but there is the trade-off of it being a bit more of a complicated procedure with more possible complications, and the fact you won't absorb what you're putting in your body as well (think vitamins and essential nutrients). There are probably a lot of minor differences as well, I notice a bit of difference in which foods I tolerate well compared to my partner, who had the bypass.

So to answer your question, maybe you'd lose a little more with the RNY and have better success long-term. It's all going to come down with how well you stick to eating right and exercising, whichever choice you make. I wouldn't want to steer you strongly in one direction or the other, that's for you and your medical professionals to decide.

Would I lose more if I had bypass?