Question:
What is the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY of Lap RNY's?

I would like to know the GOOD the BAD and the UGLY of Lap RNY from short and long term post-ops. Please, "Tell it like it is", I would love to be well informed about what I hope to get into, not just statistics. Thank you.    — [Anonymous] (posted on April 8, 2001)

April 8, 2001
The good is too much to list here!!! My whole life is different since surgery!! My attitude about EVERYTHING is different, not just my attitude about myself. The bad is a short list - the initial head hunger is a bit frustrating, the self doubt we all experience is a bit frustrating and EVERYONE has those days when they think "I'm going to be the only person on the planet that this surgery doesn't work for", occasionally the bad is when you have an insensitive and uninformed person heap their judgemental views of weight loss surgery on you. However, all these bad things can be turned into good things when you overcome head hunger and realize you really are stronger than the power food has over you. You can inform a judgemental individual and change their mind OR you can discover that you are big hearted enough to forgive them for their narrowmindedness. The ugly is when I look at this extra skin in the mirror after a shower. Ha Ha!! But even that is good because my wonderful surgeon can fix it!! My overall and well rounded and balanced opinion of this surgery is that the positives FAR outweigh the negatives and it's the best thing in the world that you can do for yourself and the people you love. Best Wishes.
   — ronascott

April 8, 2001
Distal RNY 10/94. Lost 150#, still weigh about 110#. Things are fabulous. I've had some nutritional deficits, as our doc was going through his learning curve on post-op supplemental nutrition. My husband lost 110#, still holding at 175 since 10/95. My mistakes saved him from at least one nutritional disaster-protein deficiency, but we both got fooled on the Tums vs calcium issue and both of us have osteoporosis. So, that's the worst of it. We also lost, sleep apnea, asthma, high BP, high cholesterol, shortness of breath, painful joints and feet, immobility and we EACH had 2 parents with diabetes. And the list probably goes on, but both of us had lung and cholesterol centered problems. Someone asked me if I'd do it again, even knowing about the osteporosis? AB-SO-LUTELY. I know it NOW, so we can take action accordingly. Even fragile bones are better to live with than crushed lungs and an utterly stopped heart. Morbid obesity is my disease and I'm not going to get out of it. I find it MUCH easier to live with the treatment than with the disease.
   — vitalady