Deciding between VSG & RNY Still not sure which is best for me. What was the deciding...

So currently I am just beginning the process for weight loss surgery. Have 2 appointments in November for the seminars so I know they will clarify all of this for me. But until then I am still doing my own research online and talking with people who have already gone through this experience. I was wondering what the major difference was from RNY and VSG and what made you chose the procedure you did? What was the deciding factors for you? Honestly I was leaning more toward the VSG only because from what I read... it seemed to have less major side effects/complications. However, I heard you lose more with the RNY and faster. However, I was wondering how bad the side effects of it were. Like hair loss, food getting stuck and vitamin deficiencies. Most of the people I spoke with only knew of the RNY which they had done. I realize the VSG is fairly new. Appreciate your input thank you!

People I work with have had RNY.  A couple of them told me that if it had been an approved surgery they would have rather had the VSG.  I am biased because I am STOKED about getting the VSG, but for me it's the malabsorbtion issue I don't want to deal with.  I am already anemic, b-12 and D3 defficient.  I have to inject myself weekly with B-12.  So, I just do not want to deal with the malabsorbtion.  I have seen GREAT success stories with VSG that compare with RNY.  It's all about the work you put into it. I wish you luck in your decision, and hope that whatever you choose, you will be successful.

ditto!  it's a personal choice, but for me it was definitely the malabsorption and the fact that with the VSG your digestive system is still intact so you process food basically the same way.  it's also a simpler surgery (just staple and cut) and it made more sense to me.  i'm 9 mos out, feel totally normal, take the usual vitamins a non-VSG person would (multi, calcium) and have gone down 4 sizes.  pretty darn pleased with my choice.  and RNY folks may lose a little faster, but EVERYONE has some weight gain a couple of years out and RNY-ers are no exception.  plus, all those vites and supplements!!!!  and the intestine rearrangement!!!!

good luck in you choice.  i think the seminars will be a big help.  (((((((hugs))))

RNY doesn't necessarily lose any more or any faster than VSG. The stats show just a 3-5% difference between the weight loss numbers. It still all boils down to what you want for life. For me, it wasn't about losing the fastest, who cares how fast you lose it, if you gain it back or have long term complications??? I'm not sure I posted on any of your other posts about why I chose VSG over RNY, and I could have easily had RNY as a revision, but I fought for VSG and I'm eternally grateful for many reasons. And, VSG is not "that new" so don't get caught up in the "newness" of VSG vs. RNY. Make sure to research all the surgery types. If I would have wanted or needed malabsorption, DS would have been my choice. However, I was not willing to live the DS lifestyle. It wouldn't work for me or my needs, and I knew that going in.

Check out the revision board for how many people are looking at revisions for both surgeries, and you'll see that many more RNY patients are looking at revisions for several different reasons, and not just weight regain. I'm not saying that VSG is the gold standard, platinum standard or above any other surgery type, but it's what I wanted for LIFE. Which is way more important than just losing weight for the frist 6-12 months.

1) No blind stomach left behind that can be difficult to scope yet can still get ulcers and cancer.

2) 2 years max on calorie/carb/sugar malabsorption, but a lifetime of vitamin/nutrient malabsorption. This process is called adaptation, and it happens with intestinal bypass surgeries.

3) I had a pouch with the band, and it sucked. I'm pretty fond of my pyloric valve and the sleeve let me keep it. I love having a normal functioning stomach, just smaller in capacity.

4) Regain stats and #of RNY patients seeking revision truly scared the poop out of me

5) I have too many friends in real life that struggle with vitamin deficiencies post-RNY, and most of them either never got to goal, or have gained back a significant amount of their weight.

6) The long term complications with RNY were too numerous for my comfort level. Pouch or stoma dilation, strictures, vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, ulcers,

7) I researched gastrectomies that had been performed for stomach cancer and ulcer patients, and found comfort in the long term results and minimal complications of patients that had lost most or all of their stomachs had dealt with over several years.

8) I was a volume eater, and knew a restrictive only procedure would work for me. That was my thought process when I got the band, and I thought I could beat the odds on complications. Sadly, the band only lasted 8 months before I had to revise.

9) I did not want to have food or medication restrictions. I chose WLS to have a "normal" life, and I think it's normal to eat a couple of cookies. With RNY, I wasn't willing to go through the possibility of dumping if I wanted to have a couple of cookies, or a slice of cake on occasion. The big scare for me is medication restrictions for life. NSAIDS and steroids are a NO GO for life with a RNY pouch. I realize that I may never be diagnosed with a condition or disease that requires steroid use, but it is possible. I want the best long term results with the least amount of complications. Malabsorption is not anything to play with in my mind, and I was not willing to take that risk.

I lost all my weight in my ticker with the exception of 7lbs with the sleeve, and I did it in 10.5 months. The 115lbs fell off the first 6.5 months, and then the rest I lost as I was getting into maintenance over another 4 months.. It's been a fabulous journey, and I'm easily maintaining with zero issues for nearly a year at this point. I want to add that every WLS regardless of your choice will require discipline. Only a percentage of RNY patients dump on sugar/fat, pouches and stomas stretch, then you have the medication restrictions. I'm not trying to convince you, but these were my concerns when I knew I had to revise from the band. I started at 263 the day of my revision and today I weigh 127lbs. I bounce on the scale 125-130lbs any given week, and I couldn't be more ecstatic!

Best wishes in your research!

P.S. I wrote this before pregnancy. And, just as an update, I'm 8.5 months pregnant and thriving.  I have zero issues consuming enough calories/protein/carbs to support my body and another developing human. My labs have remained stellar throughout the pregnancy, and life is pretty good. I am over 2 years out at this point, and couldn't be happier with my decision to have VSG over RNY for my revision. It's been an amazing journey.


P.S.S.
Since the pregnancy, I have been diagnosed with a genetic clotting disorder and the ONLY treatment (zero cure) is a daily aspirin therapy. With VSG, this treatment is possible, if I would have gone with RNY my doctors (surgeon, 2 ob's, PCM) are unsure how this condition would have been treated especially during the pregnancy. Grant it, I only take a baby aspirin every day of my life, but it is an NSAID. Least to say, when my high risk ob found out I had a partial gastrectomy and NOT RNY, he was elated because there really is zero other option for treatment at this point, and the aspirin therapy is working well with my platelets and if all goes as planned, I will be able to have an epidural for my c-section instead of having general anesthesia. Maybe a small issue to some, but being awake for the birth of my daughter is top priority for me.

As a very recent addition; as of 10 days ago, I was advised I would have to be given a steroid(dexamethasone or prednisone) to help get my platelet count up as they have dropped. If I would have had the RNY, this would NOT be possible, and pretty much general anesthesia would be required for the csection. We're looking at other options for delivery such as a spinal block instead of a full epidural, but the doctors are positive the steroids will get my numbers up. At any rate, if I would have chosen RNY, I would surely not be able to have steroids. Looking back, I can't tell you how grateful I am that I was able to choose VSG.

Wow thank you all for the wonderful advice and input. The more I hear and learn about VSG the more and more clearer it is for me. I am just about set on the VSG. Just praying that the insurance will cover it. I will find out more when I go to the seminars. I really am not comfortable with all the side effects and complications associated with RNY. And actually a friend of mine had RNY done 2 1/2 months ago. And she actually recommended I go with a VSG. So that is what I am planning as of right now.

The VSG is NOT new at all.  It is only new as a specific weight loss procedure.  In fact, this surgery has been done for over 100 years, for stomach cancer, severely bleeding ulcers, etc, and was just called a "partial gastrectomy", which means removal of part of the stomach.

The BIGGEST reasons why I chose NOT to have the bypass (in ANY form)  are as follows:

1,  Long term studies are showing more and more serious problems with the intestines some 10-15 years down the road.  You can Google "complication with the intestinal bypass to find that, and a lot of other major complications that occur with that surgery. (and the complications that happen with the sleeve, with the band, etc.).

2.  There are MANY medications that you can never take again after having a bypass.  Since I HAVE to take heavy doses of NSAIDS, and they are not allowed with the bypass, that alone was reason enough for me to reject it.  You also can not take a lot of "time release" medications with the bypass. 

You can take ANY medication with the sleeve, but if it is one that irritates the stomach, you MUST take it with a little food or some milk.

3.  The rate of weight loss is very similar with both types of surgery.  There is NO REAL DIFFERENCE WITH THE RATES OF WEIGHT LOSS BETWEEN THEM. 

BUT, the rate of weight regain is a LOT higher with the bypass.

3.  Vitamin deficiencies can occur with either form of surgery.  The answer with the sleeve is to take supplements.  With the bypass, you may have to take liquid vitamins, or even injections, as the intestines can not always absorb vitamins.

Hair loss is caused by very rapid weight loss, and will occur with or without surgery.  It is no big deal, it is temporary (it DOES grow back).

Instead of "talking to people" about surgery, do some real research.  Go to Google (or Yahoo or whatever), and type in "Complications with ---" (fill in the name of the surgical procedure you are looking at).  Get the real skinny about it.

The learning curve is steep when researching these surgeries.  I have some friends who had the bypass. I decided on the vsg after a lot or research. I talked to a lot of people and read a bunch of articles. In the end its a personal decision and you really can't listen to anyone but yourself.
Now to answer your questions:
I chose the VSG for a few reasons... 
Being younger (27) I still wanted to live my life as normally as possible in the sense that I will have 40+ more years of birthdays/special events and I want to enjoy a bite or two of cake without the possibility of dumping and I want to enjoy eating the foods I like in my new much smaller servings.
I didn't want to have my bowels re-routed and I didn't want to have my leftover stomach just floating around in my abdominal cavity (generally(not always) with Bypass your excess stomach is left inside you where as with the VSG it is removed). I also didn't want to experience dumping.. My friends who have had the bypass get extremely ill eating any kind of sweets... One told me she can't even look at candy without sh*tting herself.
Many people who get bypass end up with malabsorption issues and since I am already Anemic I didn't want to create further issues when the nutrients aren't being absorbed from my foods.
My younger friends that have had the RNY have told me numerous times that they wish they had spend more time studying what life after bypass would be like, and they have told me that they would have still had the surgery just not the bypass. I work with an older lady who has had bypass and loves it though... I think its all about lifestyle and what you are willing to change... 

Anywho.. Good Luck with your decision 
Either way you will find tons of support on these boards!!! 
Happy Losing! 

Thank you for your reply. The more and more I talk to people who have had it done the more I want the VSG. I am pretty set on it in fact. Only thing I am worried about at this point is whether or not my insurance company will cover that particular procedure. I really pray that they do cause I would like to have the option. The Dr. office is supposed to call them for me and find out since they are being so vague with me when I try to find out myself.

 That's so frustrating when your insurance company is vague. My surgeon gave me the procedure/billing codes for the 3 surgeries so I could give them to the company, and once I did, the answers I got were a LOT less vague! 

Yea I am hoping the Dr.'s office can get some more details for me that I wasn't able to get. That will make my life alittle easier. Sounds weird but it's almost like.. as soon as I mentioned weight loss surgery to the rep from my insurance company, all of a sudden their attitude changed for the worse.