VSG to RNY
Hi,
I have been having terrible reflux and nausea since my VSG 8 weeks ago to the point where I am on IV nutrition since I cannot consume enough calories. My surgeon is going to go back in next week to see if it is a hiatal hernia that can be repaired. If it is not a hernia, he has suggested that I convert my VSG to a RNY which should end the problem. He did not feel a DS is warranted. I am not thrilled about this as I really did not want to have to deal with dumping and other malabsorbtion challenges. On the other hand, the current situation is not maintainable. I can't live hooked up to an IV every night. Is there anyone who has had a VSG turned into an RNY that would like to share their experience?
Thank you
I have been having terrible reflux and nausea since my VSG 8 weeks ago to the point where I am on IV nutrition since I cannot consume enough calories. My surgeon is going to go back in next week to see if it is a hiatal hernia that can be repaired. If it is not a hernia, he has suggested that I convert my VSG to a RNY which should end the problem. He did not feel a DS is warranted. I am not thrilled about this as I really did not want to have to deal with dumping and other malabsorbtion challenges. On the other hand, the current situation is not maintainable. I can't live hooked up to an IV every night. Is there anyone who has had a VSG turned into an RNY that would like to share their experience?
Thank you
Jennifer ER VSG 6/29/11 RNY 10/26/11 
I did not have a revision, but I did want to maybe ease your fears about dumping a bit. On the high end of averages that i've heard only about 30% of RNY patients do dump. It seems like a lot more because you read a lot of posts about dumping, but that is simply because people never go out of the way to post about not dumping. As far as vitamins go, they really just become a part of your routine if you make the effort in the beginning. I love my RNY and wouldn't change my decision to have it for the world.
OMG, I have the same situation as you! Except for the IV nutrition, I have a lot of abdominal pain, probably adhesion, anyway I'm revising from VSG to RNY on Sept, 7th. Wow, you are the first I've heard of like me, everything is going to go fine and we'll be better for it!
"I'm not here to change lives"-Me
"You're no fun anymore"- Monty Python
VSG 9/2009
Revision to RNY 9/2011
"Let's try this again..."
"You're no fun anymore"- Monty Python
VSG 9/2009
Revision to RNY 9/2011
"Let's try this again..."
I had a sleeve as part of my previous WLS and I was revised to a RNY a little over a year ago.
I have to say that my sleeve was made very large. In my surgical report it said the surgeon reduced my stomach by 50%. Not a lot by today's standards but this was in 2002. My reason for my revision was because I was having issues having to do with malabsorption. I also regained almost all the weight I lost and I had terrible reflux. I often woke up in the middle of the night to vomit acid.
The surgery was to lessen my malabsorption and because I had regained so much weight even with malabsorption my surgeon created a pouch out of my sleeve.
I had a lot of fear going it. I had heard such bad things about the RNY but I was doing so badly at the time that I didn't think it could get any worse.
I have to say it was the best thing I could have done. In hindsight I should have taken my surgeon's advice and had the RNY. I do much better with restriction. My reflux is gone. I haven't taken a PPI since my 3 month post op and I never have had it again. My other symptoms of diarrhea, gas, bloating and fatigue are also resolved. I have lost all my excess weight and then some. I have no intolerance to any of the foods I have tried except sugar. I am one of the 30% that do dump but for me that is no problem because I had already decided that due to my addiction to refined carbs I was going to avoid sugar completely. I found out I dumped by accident when I bought regular syrup instead of sugar free. It only reinforced my commitment to stay away.
I also have been working on changing my eating habits, something I didn't do the first time.
At the time of my first surgery I didn't know that the sleeve would worsen my reflux or I may have not had it.
As I said, I have had no issues at this point. I haven't thrown up since I was 2 months out, I have never gotten anything stuck, in fact I feel pretty normal. If it weren't for the fact that I can be satisfied with smaller amounts of food I wouldn't even know I had anything done.
I still have to watch what I eat. I should of the first time out but with my sleeve so large I was hungry all the time and that made it hard to eat right. Now I am hardly ever hungry. The RNY is a tool that is working for me so far.
I have to say that my sleeve was made very large. In my surgical report it said the surgeon reduced my stomach by 50%. Not a lot by today's standards but this was in 2002. My reason for my revision was because I was having issues having to do with malabsorption. I also regained almost all the weight I lost and I had terrible reflux. I often woke up in the middle of the night to vomit acid.
The surgery was to lessen my malabsorption and because I had regained so much weight even with malabsorption my surgeon created a pouch out of my sleeve.
I had a lot of fear going it. I had heard such bad things about the RNY but I was doing so badly at the time that I didn't think it could get any worse.
I have to say it was the best thing I could have done. In hindsight I should have taken my surgeon's advice and had the RNY. I do much better with restriction. My reflux is gone. I haven't taken a PPI since my 3 month post op and I never have had it again. My other symptoms of diarrhea, gas, bloating and fatigue are also resolved. I have lost all my excess weight and then some. I have no intolerance to any of the foods I have tried except sugar. I am one of the 30% that do dump but for me that is no problem because I had already decided that due to my addiction to refined carbs I was going to avoid sugar completely. I found out I dumped by accident when I bought regular syrup instead of sugar free. It only reinforced my commitment to stay away.
I also have been working on changing my eating habits, something I didn't do the first time.
At the time of my first surgery I didn't know that the sleeve would worsen my reflux or I may have not had it.
As I said, I have had no issues at this point. I haven't thrown up since I was 2 months out, I have never gotten anything stuck, in fact I feel pretty normal. If it weren't for the fact that I can be satisfied with smaller amounts of food I wouldn't even know I had anything done.
I still have to watch what I eat. I should of the first time out but with my sleeve so large I was hungry all the time and that made it hard to eat right. Now I am hardly ever hungry. The RNY is a tool that is working for me so far.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
I'm sorry you're having so much trouble.
Just thought I would mention that only about 30% of RNY folks dump, so hopefully you wouldn't have to deal with that. Of course you would have to deal with the malabsorption. I would have had VSG myself if my insurance would have covered it, but I am very happy with my RNY.
Just thought I would mention that only about 30% of RNY folks dump, so hopefully you wouldn't have to deal with that. Of course you would have to deal with the malabsorption. I would have had VSG myself if my insurance would have covered it, but I am very happy with my RNY.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
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