Why did you pick your type of surgery?

Hello All, 

I just started the process and i am talking a lot of time reading through all of the blogs. I was just wonder if you all out there could take a little time and tell me what type of surgery to picked and why? I have read all the facts I just want to know what were the deciding factors for you and if you had to do again would you pick the same procedure?

Thanks ! 

I had the Roux en Y. My doctor was not doing the VSG at the time so my two options were either the Roux or the Band. I chose the Roux because I didn't want a foreign device inside my body, it kinda creeped me out and the fact that you may have to get the band filled over and over again to get the best results from it seemed like a huge hassle. I've seen posts on here where people had to get it filled and unfilled around 10-15 times before they found their "sweet Spot".  I aslo saw that a lot of folks after having complications with the band ended up having either the VSG or the Roux anyway. That was just my experience when researching my surgery options.
Your doc may recommend one or the other.
I love my Roux, Never had any complications everything went perfect, but needless to say not everyone is the same.
Hope this helps a little.
-Amber

Thanks for the input! I was concerned about bypass be cause I am 26 and would like to pop out a baby or 2 eventually and I know bypass can cause complications? Was that a concern for you? With the sleeve I just feel like there is no way of knowing what the long term effects are and that worries me.

I have three little girls already so Iw as not concerened about having anymore LOL. For as long as I had researched the Roux En Y I had never heard about complications with pregnancy unless you got pregnant before you were a year out due to vitamin deficiencies and the amount of food you are limited to. I have heard great things about the VSG though.
-Amber

Well first and foremost...pick your procedure FIRST, then find a surgeon. As a surgeon that does not do all the procedures will advise against what he does not do. This is your body and your choice don't let a surgeon pick for you.

That said I had the DS (duodenal switch). I'm young, so long term results mattered the most to me and the DS has the best for 10+ years. I also am busy and on the go ALOT. I didn't want my life limited to 500 calories a day...I wanted to be NORMAL! That means eating normal foods, not chewing to a pulp and possibly getting sick after a sweet treat now and then (not a sweet eater anyway). I wanted a working stomach, so fewer risks than having a forgien object around it or having a pouch and blind stomach that has a good chance of getting ulcers. But knew I needed malabsorption, I have to eat more now in a day than I did before surgery...I was not a food addict or binge eater. I litterally was a HEALTHY fat girl. BP good, vitamin levels great, iron was never an issue, actually strong (not the oh they are bigger so they can handle more type...I could lift a small car with my legs). But had hormone issues which is in relation to the PCOS and at my heaviest was pre-diabetic also because of the PCOS. Can say I'm lucky that at 402lbs I was not yet diabetic. And because of the DS will pretty much will never be Type II diabetic. If someone doesn't know I had surgery, they will probably never know. I eat normal, look normal and don't have tell people why I eat like I do. I can go out and have drinks, no fear of dumping and such. I live in a normal fashion. My god I'm normal in that sense....not much otherwise though.

Yup I would pick the same procedure. Nothing else would have kept the weight off. I'm now 5 years 3 months post op. Worst I ever had so far was a 10 lb regain, which a month of strict protein first eating and a bit of exercise and it was gone. I love my DS.

Nicole thanks it seems we have the same issues im 5'6 and 300 lbs but for the most part I am healthy. I have no major issues such as diabetes im not a crazy eater but I do suffer from pcos. Do however like sweets. I want to have a normal life and I actually think im leaning toward the band. I put off having the sugery in my early 20's because I ddidnt want to miss out on anything socially during college lol. But now im ready I hadn't put much thought into the ds but now ill do some more research thanks!

The surgery I chose is the VSG. I've also been considered a healthy fat girl with no health problems other than low vitamin D. I chose the VSG because at 22 I want to live a normal life and it seems like the safest procedure. It has also been around the longest, just not monitored as a "weight loss surgery" until recently. If you visit the VSG board, most of them live a normal life. They eat and drink whatever they want and use exercise to keep of weight gain. Others stick to the low carb/low sugar plan because they don't exercise.

The only downside with the VSG is that it is not always approved by insurance. Definitely the right surgery for me though :)

I chose the RNY because I have seen the success rate and it was the same surgery my mom had. I saw that you said you want to have babies someday. Well...having this surgery is the only way I am able to say that I am now expecting baby number 1! I have had no issues so far and have seen MANY women who have had RNY that have had healthy pregnancies/babies! Good luck in your journey no matter what you choose to do!:)

I chose RNY because I assumed that dumping syndrome would keep me away from sweets and high fat foods. I've done pretty well, but the whole dumping syndrome is a hit and miss thing - I've never gotten it from sugar and generally I've only gotten it from VERY high fat foods that were just incredibly stupid to eat. 

Also, for someone in their 20s - the issues associated with having a foreign object in your body for the next fifty years *can* be as hazardous as the additional risk upfront with RNY surgery.  When you factor in everything, RNY may not be that much riskier than lap band surgery.

I sound biased because I chose RNY, but I think lap band is good for some people. There are other choices too, like the DS - but it was important to me that I choose something my insurance company was cool with and they did not cover DS at all.

You didn't mention if you were self-pay or not, but if you are - I wouldn't do it personally and I would certainly not consider a surgery that isn't covered over one that is covered on some insurance. When you opt for self-pay, you're generally opting to self-pay for anything relating to that surgery including complications. Finances are really the only reason I sometimes suggest holding off surgery just because the costs are astronomical, and they're much more than they appear at the outset. Complications can cost 3 or 4 times the amount of the original surgery, since they require in-patient hospital stays (from experience). It can potentially be up to $100k in medical bills. Just a suggestion, but if you want the DS find a way to make your insurance company pay for it and do not self-pay. If you can't make that work, find another insurance company. I see far too many people suggesting that someone should self-pay for a DS over having insurance pay for some surgery and it seems outright wreckless to me.

I have insurance the policy states that it will cover lapband, bypass or ds. I just have to decide which I would prefer.