Question:
Don't know which surgery is best for me?
I'm a 21 year old female. I'm 5 foot 3 and weight about 230lbs. I don't know which surgery to get. I know I don't want the lap band. Need help! Please!!!! — desperateromantic (posted on May 29, 2009)
May 29, 2009
It's a personal decision. Do all the research you can on the surgeries that
interest you and figure out which surgeries your insurance offers as well.
I also suggest talking to other people who've had the various surgeries to
see how life is like living with their particular WLS. Personally, I'm 22
female and about 40 bmi and I'm getting the RNY.
— mystimel
May 29, 2009
Katherine,
I agree with Crystal. Do your research go to seminars, ask questions. I'm
37 and weigh 215, I'll have surgery on June 10th, . I'm doing the RNY.
There several people at my job that have done both lapband and RNY.I
perosonally like the results of the RNY. No going back and forth with
fills. Good luck my dear.
— Dori M.
May 29, 2009
My personal preference is the VSG. I have lost about 115 pounds in a bit
over a year, and am quite satisfied with the results. I have about 30
pounds to go to reach goal, but I am much healthier NOW than I was before I
started. I suggest that you do your own research, and find out which is
best for YOU. I can give you a bit of a head start with some research that
I did. Go to my profile page at
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/hubarlow/ and look for my blog post
titled, "Surgical Comparisons." If you do not see it on the main
profile page, look for it in the March 2008 Archives. Read what I have
written there, but take it a step farther and DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. It is
vital that you become educated on what is available, since not every doctor
will perform each procedure. Those who do not perform certain procedures,
are less likely to RECOMMEND the procedure that they do not perform. I
hope this helps.
Hugh
— hubarlow
May 29, 2009
My personal preference is the VSG, I have lost 108 pounds since July 22nd
2008 and I only have 5-10 pounds for my goal, my blood work has been great
for the last 4 out of 5 times, protein was low on the blood work right
after surgery but since than, it has been good. My niece also had the VSG
done and has lost about 110 pounds since Oct. 2008 and her blood work has
been great from day 1, but it is surely your own preference to which
surgery you have, so like everyone else has said, can't ever do to much
research. GOOD LUCK!!
— [Deactivated Member]
May 29, 2009
I would discuss the options with your docor. I had the RNY 11 months ago
and reached goal weight in 9.5 months. I had 110 lbs to lose. However, I
hear they recommend lapband for younger people. Having said this...lol...my
22 year old daughter is getting the RNY next month. She is 5'3 and 280 lbs.
No kids and in grad school. She has seen thru me what she will be living
like, and feels its the best choice for her. I do not know much about the
Duodenal switch or VSG..only lap band and RNY. They were my only options.
Good luck to you!
— gpcmist
May 30, 2009
I am 3.5 years post-op RNY. I was contemplating Lap band, and glad I
decided against it. I see many people frustrated with it in my support
group. If the VSG was available, I'm not sure if I would have done it. I
see great success with it, however there is not any real long-term post-op
folks out there to know if it lasts. I suppose RNY or VSG success depends
on the person who has it. I am happy that I still have dumping syndrome. It
keeps my from straying and eating/overeating things that we know we
shouldn't.
FYI. I lost 110lbs with my RNY and have kept it off for this long. I'm not
going back........... :)
— dadebrito
May 30, 2009
Like many others have said, you need to do your own research. I am 29 and I
weigh 280 (started losing after my appointment with then physical last
month) and I am trying for the VSG, but if I can't get VSG I am going to
get RNY. I don't want the lap band because if I wanted to kill myself with
dieting I would stick with Jenny Craig! I find it hard to digest that there
may be a foreign object in my body.
— Papoose79
May 30, 2009
i had RNY about 5 weeks ago and since that date i have lost over 23 lbs. i
was 230 at my surgery date as well (i lost 30 lbs in the 3 months prior to
surgery). i can't tell you which procedure to have but i can tell you that
i am to date pretty satisfied with my decision. i think RNY is a more
common procedure than VSG (at least in my neck of the woods) and the doctor
i used was the best RNY surgeon in the state. you should discuss the
options with your doctor-- but i would go with either RNY or VSG. the lap
band seems like a more difficult option to me but you might not feel that
way.
— greenpunchbuggie
May 30, 2009
First off, keep doing what you are doing...research, research, research!
Talk to as many people as possible that have had the surgeries you are
considering. That being said, I personally could not be happier wirh my
VSG. I lost 125 lbs in my first year and reached my goal in ten months. A
poster above me mentioned that there is no long term proof out there about
VSG's not regaining weight. There are VSG studies at five years out, and
they are very encouraging and show as much success as the bypass. One thing
that is proven is that many, many bypass patients do regain weight. We read
about it all the time right here on OH and I've witnessed it with several
acquaintances. You are so young, you should seriously consider what you
will have to deal with for the rest of your life. Other than the band,
once it's done you can't change it back!
— corky1057
May 30, 2009
Given your age and your weight...I never really thought I would say this,
but I would probably go with VSG even though I love my RNY and wouldn't
trade it, undo it or change a thing! But when I think of all things you
young people do at 21 and all the living you have to do yet...I might want
some stomach acid and not have to worry about nutritional deficiencies as
much as with GB... Lapband seems the safest choice (reversible too)...but
if you want a superior to lapband surgery and comparable (so far anyway) to
RNY, you might do the VSG (not reversible) although it is risky being
experimental and new at this point...but like RNY you have your handfuls
that don't do well and the majority you never hear from because they are
out living their wonderful new life with little to no problems...I've had
RNY with nutritonal deficiencies...I don't think that surgeons teach enough
about nutrition and vitamins enough for long term care. If I knew back 5
years ago what I have learned the hard way...I would NOT have had vitamin
deficiencies because I could have prevented them with the proper
knowledge...But still, it is a lot of work...as are getting fills for
lapband and eating some 3000 calories of mostly fat and also taking high
potency vitamins in DS and I have no idea about long term VSGers...I have
yet to meet one more than 3 years PO...It's all novel the first year or two
for most of the surgeries...You need to find the long termers and see how
they are doing! That's often harder to do because like I said...They are
off living their lives and don't post often and those that do are USUALLY
(not always) struggling and here for support...Be wary of the horror
stories...they are real, but not as frequent as some try to make you
believe. You hear of the occassional person coming back saying they have
gained a lot of weight back and it's not because of the surgery (especially
lapbanders whose diet MUST be very strict forever) but because they didn't
make permanent diet and exercise changes in their lives...and we WILL see
more VSGers coming back eating sugar and simple carbs and gaining their
weight back too...Point is...YOU MUST MAKE CHANGES (follow the rules) to
succeed...NO matter what surgery you have...Know THAT if nothing else!
PLEASE research as much as you can and FIND as many people as you can that
are as far out as possible to see what problems they have encountered long
term after the weight loss stops! Read scientific studies too...You can
start at these sites: National Institute of Health (http://www.nih.gov/)
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (http://www.ajcn.org/) Also talk
to Hugh Barlow since he's quite knowledgeable about the VSG as an option!
It's definately best to talk to folks about the surgery they actually
experience/live with daily!
— .Anita R.
May 30, 2009
That is between you and your doctor. You lose more and keep more off with
RNY. There is nothing to adjust and maintain. You have the malabsorbtion
feature which is a great help which is a good thing. You don't absorb all
that you eat. The surgery is done and you don't have to go back and forth
to the doctor and have things filled and worry about slippage, or having
fills. I am 18 months out and have lost l00 lbs. I am 5 lbs from goal. I
have lost 100% of my excess fat. I would do RNY again. There are alot of
people who have lost all their excess weight with lapband. But studying on
here there are more that have not than have. Good luch which ever you
choose on your road to heath and well being.
— lesleigh07
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