Another twist in the road

Greetings Lightweights!,

Today I went to my PCP to follow up on my EGD results (gallstones/h pylori/Gerd). 

When I first started researching WLS I started with the band and quickly realized that was not for me.  I quickly got intrigued with the Sleeve and started reading everything I could about it.

The doctor told me today that my stomach issues and Gerd would get worse with the sleeve.  He said the RNY would be the better operation for me.

As a LW I visually think of Star Jones and Carnie Wilson when I think of the RNY.  I am at 40% bmi so yeah I am fat---I guess I thought RNY was better for the bigger folks.

I'm all confused now.  If you are a LW and had RNY what made you choose that surgery?  I have heard so many negatives and this is really making me rethink surgery period.

I started around 40 BMI and had RNY.  I had read and decided I wanted a sleeve but my insurance won't pay for it.  So my choices were band or RNY and it was an easy decision.  I didn't want the potential problems, slipping, refills etc of the band so I went with RNY.  I have been so happy.  I am about 4 months out and have had no real issues.  I'm 61 so even at my age, recovery has been pretty easy.  I have had no nausea, sickness or anything.  I get my protein and water in, no foods have caused a problem.  You will find a lot of lightweights who have had and been very happy with RNY.

The whole Malabsorb issue scares me.  I went over to the regrets board and man oh man it was a lot to take in and think about. 

Can the RNY be reversed/revised?

I am pretty much ditto with Price. My surgeon offered Lapband or RNY, I therefore never researched VSG, which I may have been a good candidate for.  I initially thought I'd want to be banded as I was a lightweight, and was quickly derailed on that idea. Once I researched seriously I was only interested in RNY. I am doing awesome i think, and have had no setbacks. The few times I had a problem with something I ate, it was more that I didn't chew long enough. The learning curve fixes itself quickly once you become uncomfortable. I need to be very careful with chicken.

So far I love my RNY!

I had the RNY a bit over 2 years ago.  My BMI when I started was just below 40.

I went to the seminar and listened to the explanation of each surgery.  I decided upon the RNY because I wanted the malabsorption factor.  It has been great for me! 

Jodi,
     How do you know when your body starts absorbing again?  I heard there is a weight gain around the 2-3 yr mark. 

A big factor for me was having diabetes. Within days after my RNY, I was off meds with normal blood sugar counts. Yes, RNY has its inconveniences but I get my daily protein, take supplements, and follow the plan. It is not always easy, but it was definitely worth it for me. I've lost 29 pounds since my surgery on 11/29, and I feel so much better.

As for the lapband, in addition to the slippage risk, I was concerned about the adjustments. I was told by my doc that I could not travel for 10 days after each adjustment. That restriction would not work in my job.

Good luck with your decision!

I'm coming up on two years  in March since my RNY. I had a BMI of about 36 with co-morbidities.  I might have gone DS if my insurance would have covered it.  My diabetes is "cured" as well as my high cholesterol and high bp.  I didn't have any GERD issues so don't know about that. 

I don't think weight gain is automatic.  I still have to watch what I eat.  When I don't follow the rules, I gain a couple #s, but once I go back to eating how I know I should, it comes back off.  My labs look pretty good, so I'm not dissappointed there, but you do have to stay on top of the vitamins and supplements.  Good luck.  Love my RNY.  Lin

I started with a 42 BMI. My surgeon offers RNY, band, and sleeve. I felt that, given my eating habits and general health, I needed the malabsorption of calories initially while I relearned how to eat healthily, and then I needed continued restriction.

So that knocked out both the band and sleeve.

I've been VERY happy with my rny - comorbidities are gone, I'm learning (I don't think I'll ever be done learning!) how to manage my food intake for optimal nutrition, and I'm able to be so much more active!

GERD can get worse with the sleeve but it can also get better. It depends on what causes it. Mine was out of control pre-op due to a hiatal hernia. I had that repaired along with the operation and now my GERD is very manageable and even goes away for months at a time.

That said... there are people who get sleeved who had no problems and develop them after surgery. It's definitely riskier to get a sleeve if you have GERD issues and RnY is safer for that.

As for diabetes, resolution rates of diabetes are similar between RnY and Sleeve so that's not a reason to get RnY. Neither is weight loss ... those are also around the same.

Yes, RnY is reversible but it's a big hairy operation and not done unless you are having really serious problems.