Question:
Can anyone give a break down of pros and cons for VBG vs RNY?
I myself had the open RNY 8 months ago - down 102 pounds and happy with the continuing results. My husband, also overweight, has gone from completely against surgery - not even wanting to talk about it - to finally acknowledging that I have chosen the best option for me. He's even made some hints that he would consider some form of surgery - I do know that the life-long malabsorption issues and irreversibility of my surgery are still major issues. I wonder if the VBG might better suit him, and would like to know the major differences, pros and cons, etc. We have BCBS community blue PPO - and if anyone knows alot about insurances...should the type of surgery matter to them? My husband would be required to do the 6 months worth of medically supervised dieting, etc., but I really think he would benefit. I should also point out that he has a much higher level of willpower than I do - he has lost great amounts of weight in the past with strict dieting, the type I could never handle. I don't feel that he would 'eat-out' a surgery. Just looking for some feedback here - the divorce rates of an overweight couple that has just one person having the surgery scares me! And I want my hubby as active as possible and with me forever! Thanks for all support and feedback - this site helps me so much! — vittycat (posted on November 17, 2003)
November 17, 2003
I would not recommend the VBG as a first choice, because it seems to have a
high failure rate in the long run.
You may want to look at the Lap-Band instead (that's what I have, and I am
happy with it). The lap-band has the advantage of being a safer surgery
with a shorter recovery time, it is adjustable according to the patient's
needs, and it can be easily reversed. The disadvantage with the lap-band is
that it is a slower weight loss than with the RNY because there is no
malabsorption.
There are some people out there who are successful with the VBG, so if that
is the only choice available to him I'd definitely say it's better than not
getting surgery at all. However, VBG is major surgery with a level of
surgical risk comparable to the RNY, and yet it seems like it has a higher
failure rate, so I'd go with the lap-band instead if possible - since it is
safer. Godo luck to both of you.
— K M.
November 17, 2003
I think it depends on how much your husband has to lose. If it's like 100
pounds, I think Lap-Band would be good. But if he has to lose more, an RNY
would be better for him.
— mrsmyranow
November 17, 2003
I originally thought I wanted the VBG because it doesn't reroute you, but
heard horror stories of ravenous hunger despite major surgery plus some
icky detailed descriptions of rotton food lingering and or seeping through
to the other side of stomach. That's what changed my mind. There's
research out there about re-gaining that doesn't look favorable too as
others have said. If I had had a smaller amount to lose, I may have gone
with the with the adjustable lap band.
— Soosan
November 17, 2003
My surgeon says the divorce rate whrere just one of a MO couple gets WLS is
near 100%:( Thats terrible. He also says and I believe him the VBG failure
rate in 5 years is around 80%. The tight band makes it hard to eat good
foods while junk like chips and shakes go down great.:(:( Our supprt group
is filled with VBG revisions to the RNY. How sad to go thru 2 surgeries.
The good news is your hubby will very likely loose FAST all the way to
goal. See my profile. It bugs Jen my wife who never got near goal. I lost
essentially all in 6 months:)
— bob-haller
November 17, 2003
I'm so glad I have this site to turn to for answers!! My hubby has more
than 100 to lose, but I don't know how much exactly because he refuses to
tell me how much he weighs - but I would say about 200 pounds. It sounds
like this may be more than what's advisable with the Lap Band? It sounds
like RNY is the way to go? The good news is that I told him last night
that I posed this question here, and he didn't get upset or anything. He
just told me how much better he would be about his food choices than I am -
great, just what I need is for him to show me up! I agree with what Bob
was implying, though - men truly seem to lose with greater speed than
women...genetics or willpower, I wonder? It would be interesting to have
an analysis of men vs women. Thank you so much for all of your replies!
— vittycat
November 17, 2003
Hi Krista, I've had both the VBG and RNY. My staple line disrupted at
around the 5-6 year mark, post-VBG. I gained back almost 100 pounds before
I found out I could get it revised to an RNY. It's not a question of
"out-eating" the VBG, SLD is a common mechanical failure of the
VBG and even non-transected RNYs. The stomach cannot form a good line of
scar tissue with staples alone. I would advise your husband to research
both the RNY and the DS surgery.
— Ali M
November 17, 2003
I had the VBG over a year ago and have been very successfull and thrilled
with my decision. I wouldn't have it any other way. I wanted to be normal
after surgery and loosing weight. Look at long term things he would have
to deal with for either surgery. Short term - everything will be the same.
And failure rates for this surgery aren't nearly as high as some would
lead you to believe. There are possibilities of mechanical failures that
apply to any surgery, and no matter what he chooses, it will only work if
he works too. WLS is a tool, not a cure.
— salymsmommy
November 18, 2003
RNY is often recommended to those of us who are super morbidly obese, and
it may indeed be the best choice for him. However, I'd suggest gathering
info on the lap-band as well, because losing 200 pounds with the lap-band
IS possible. I myself started out about 200 pounds over my ideal weight
(although I'm only 6 months post-op, so I can't say yet what my final
weight will be). There are several people on the Bandsters mailing list at
Yahoo who have lost more than 200 pounds with the band (men in particular,
since it seems like men always find it easier to lose weight than women
do). The url for the mailing list is
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/bandsters/ if you want to read what
more long-term lap-band post-ops have to say. best wishes.
— K M.
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