Soo many questions from RNY peeps

I have had a lap band since 2008, I have tried to have a revision for several years, finally my insurance is covering it. From what I am reading, its best to go from a Lap Band to a RNY. I spoke with a co worker, I was told that once you go with a RNY you have no control over how much weight you lose. That you better have at least 150 lbs to lose. Is this true?

Thank you.

I wouldn't say you have no control over how much you lose. I will say that I would not have RNY if I had less than 100 to lose-- unless I was also trying to resolve diabetes...

With all due respect your co-worker is misinformed.

There are RNY people have had less than 100 lbs to lose and do great. You don't have a RNY and waste away to nothing. You control what you lose by your food choices. You will work with a nutritionist who will help you learn the best way to eat post-op to lose the excess weight and to help you maintain that loss.

There are a lot of us around and we would be happy to tell you our experience of living with WLS. I am sorry you got such bad information but I am glad you checked in to find out the truth.

Thank you. I also asked her about "dumping". I told her that I didn't understand what it was. She said that anytime you eat sugar you will get sick, sweaty, weak/faint feeling, and sometimes sudden diarrhea. I said, every single time you any type of sugar? She said yes... forever. I thought that I read that the dumping thing happens in the very beginning? I am not much of a sugar eater to begin with. Once in a while I will have a McDonalds cone, but that is about it. Are sugar free things ok? Sugar free creamer?

Only about 30% of people have dumping syndrome. Some people can actually eat quite a bit of sugar before they dump so they are careful to limit the amount at one time.

I found that I dumped by accident. It is not pleasant and actually helps me avoid eating sugar, which was one of the main causes of my obesity. But some people who dump know how much it takes to get them there and are careful to avoid large amounts of sugar. I avoid any amount of sugar before it causes me to crave more and I think it would be worse for me to have a little and stop than it is to just not have any.

I think it has happened to me maybe 3 times in 7 years, all when I had something I thought was sugar free and it turned out it wasn't.

I am long time RNY and didn't know only 30% dump. I am an extreme I dump at about 10 mg of sugar and sugar alcohol in sugar free stuff. I totally avoid sugar but unfortunately that was never food addiction of choice to cause weight gain salt and crunchy carbs which digest easily with RNY and grazing helped me gain a LOT of weight back. Considering a revision now I am much much more educated and experienced and more co-morbids than before from age and weight.

Omg my dumping happens worse with lactose and sugar every time for 11 yrs. Sugar free anything gives me diarrhea. Just fyi so you know Mc D's cone may be out of question especially if you are driving. I need to lay down for an hour and get severe stomach flu symptoms and diarrhea most times. Good luck but dumping is absolutely the only thing that keeps off what weight loss I have left. Not left wt that it what I didn't gain back.

Hey Lady, I am a long time RNY can I just add make sure your dr said what you said or go to a different dr they should be making you do that and if not run they either didn't have enough experience or don't do enough surgery to be educated. That was my case and was to excited to educate or listen to experience. Just wanted to make sure people have better experience than I did. 5'11 hw 350 gw 160 light wt 200 cw 309. See why didn't have enough information on diet or even soc work vist or counseling. I was my doctor's 2nd pt!!!!! I suggested he register on obesity help he had never heard of. Thank you appreciate your advice about revision I have been thinking about RNY revision.

I don't believe everyone gets the dumping syndrome.

And the 150 lb threshold isn't true either.

Everything your coworker told you is untrue.

With any surgery we ultimately control how much we lose. Many start to gain back if they aren't careful about what we eat. Most people can eat a little sugar, but too much will make you feel like crap. I think that's a good thing.

Really, RNY is by far the best bet after the band. Your stomach likely has a lot of scar tissue from the band, and people who insist on VSG are much more likely to have complications because of it. Usually, they can go from the band to RNY in one operation. Most of the time, doctors require you to heal for several months for those going from the band to VSG.

Good luck.