Question:
How does eating style determine best surgery type?
I have read that the kind of eater you are should tell you what kind of surgery to have. Would someone please explain it a little better for me? I just don't understand yet! Thanks, Kathy — Kathy W. (posted on May 7, 1999)
May 7, 1999
I always say that the surgery you choose depends on your eating habits. I
researched 5 surgeries. I decided to have mine based on the fact that I am
a volume, fat and sugar eater. The gastric bypass with biliopancreatic
diversion/duodenal switch is the surgery I had. My doc left me with a
larger stomach. 10oz this was important for me, because I didn't want
throwing up to be a possiblity. Roux in Y is another alternative, the side
effect for overeating or eating sugars is vomiting and dumping(cold sweats
feeling faint Nauseousness). The RNY leaves you with about a 2 oz stomach.
The Vertical banded gastroplasty VBG is just a ring around your stomach. It
restricts intake, but does not function with malabsorbtion of calories like
the other two do. The VBG has the lowest success rate long term, and can be
outeaten with milkshakes and icecream. I have a friend who did it. Then
there is the Fobi pouch. Combo of VBG w/RNY. They bypass some of the
intestines as to add the malabsorbtion feature to the VBG. This is
good for sugar eaters, and small all day snackers. So is the RNY. This is
all my own opinion and my conclusions that I came to based on researching
all the surgeries. It is a very personal decsion and I wish you the best of
luck, whatever you choose!!!
Hugs,
Allison
1-9-97 358 lbs
5-4-99 165 lbs
-193 5'6" tall
— Allison Mupas
May 7, 1999
First off...there is NO evidence that the VBG is the least successful of
all the surgeries. People state that..doctors who prefer one surgery over
the other will state it...but there is no documentation to say one is less
likely to loose with.
Yes..it is according to how you eat that the surgeon will determine which
surgery is the best for you. I would choose a doctor that did BOTH
surgeries as he won't be biased towards one over the other.
Hope this helps
Carole in OK
— Ben R.
May 7, 1999
In discussions with my surgeon we talked about big eaters (bingers) and
grazers. Both types of eaters benefit from weight loss surgery. The reduced
stomach size is particularly useful to bingers and the malabsorption (the
gastric bypass) adds to that and this is true for grazers too. For sweet
eaters, the bypass offers the opportunity to eat normally because the
bypass can lead to "dumping" ifyou eat sweets (you get really
nauseated and get the runs). The stapling alone (VBG) seems to be a bit
outdated these days. For the super obese, many surgeons do a distal
bypass.. bypassing more of the small intestine and leading to even more
malabsorption. That's on the drastic end of this surgery spectrum.
All the RNY and Fobi type operations restrict food intact and malabsorb
calories (and nutrition) and require a good deal of work to stay healthy
afterward (following the rules) but that's not really tough. Believe me. it
is sure worth it. I've lost 90 or so pounds since Christmas and feel like a
new happier person
Susan
[email protected]
— Susan C.
May 8, 1999
I was both a 'grazer' and a 'binger.' My aunt was a 'binger,' and her
sister was a 'grazer.' The three of us had very similar procedures: We
all had part of our stomach permanently removed (about the same amount).
This served to limit intake. We all had part of out small intestines
bypassed. This causes malabsorbtion. The two grazers had more of the
small intestine bypassed, so if we grazed in the future, it would not be
absorbed as much. These are the only differences I know! Hope someone
else can help too.
— Elizabeth W.
May 8, 1999
There are several variations on the gastric bypass. It seems that many
doctors have their own modifications. It is my understanding that the more
small intestine bypassed, the greater the need for supplemental
nutrients--also the faster the weight will come off. I am having a
proximal RNY, and my surgeon will bypass my stomach and 3.5 feet of my
small intestine. My surgeon is somewhat conservative, but he wants to make
sure that his patients live as normally and healthily as possible. I
probably should lose about 250 lbs, but I will be happy with 200. My main
goal is to feel better, and to be able to go out of the house once again.
As far as the VBG goes, I am evidence that it doesn't work. I had it in
1985 and within 3 months I had a ruptured staple line due to excessive
vomiting. Others do well with this surgery, but based on my personal
experience, I wouldn't recommend it.
— Peggy51
May 12, 1999
Most Dr.s say that a sugar eater should have Bypass surgery because it will
give them dumping syndrome if they eat sugar. If you are an over eater you
should have VBG because it will allow you a more varied diet but limits the
amount of food that you can consume.I had VBG.
— Donna D.
June 27, 1999
I don't know I let my MD determine the typr of surgery- I figured he had
been doing it for 15plus yrs I trusted him
Beth R
— [Anonymous]
August 29, 1999
I do not know.
— Beth R.
August 29, 1999
The way things were explained to me is if you are a sweet eater then you
would benefit more from an RNY, mainly because of malabsorption and
dumping. Where as if you are more of a quantity eater, a VGB would do
fine. Talk to your Dr. he/she will be able to tell you which would work
better for you . good luck!
— Julie M.
October 10, 1999
I'm not sure. I think roux en y is most successful.
— Beth R.
October 10, 1999
Not sure
— Beth R.
October 10, 1999
Not sure
— Beth R.
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