Is There Anyone Here "NOT" Happy W/ Their Sleeve?

Like everybody else said - I love my sleeve!  Would do it again in a second.  Love that I can take NSAIDS is I develop arthritis when older (can't with RNY), love that I don't have a "ghost" stomach that can't be scoped (do with RNY), love that I don't have dumping syndrome or malabsorbtion. 

Good luck making your decision!

Thats great! Yeah, That was my biggest concern with the RNY the dumping syndrome and it seems almost everyone who had the RNY has experienced that, scary. Congrats to you and thank you for sharing.

I love my sleeve. Just before my surgery date I had a little "thing" with my insurance co. They maybe wouldn't cover VSG but would cover RNY. I was sick to think I might have to have RNY. At that point I almost backed out - I'd rather not have WLS at all rather than go with RNY. Got the insurance thing sorted out and they discovered they would cover VSG after all. Thank god! 

I have a completely normal digestive system from top to bottom. The only difference is I have a teeny tiny tummy. I love my sleeve and I love my life.

For some people this is a hard decision. Part of it may be that RNY has been around longer than VSG so that's what people think of when it comes to WLS. I'm guessing that it won't take long and VSG will be the "go to" surgery and RNY will become less popular simply because weight loss will be good with VSG without all the other problems that come with RNY.

Good for you to be doing your homework. All the best to you.

 I really appreciate it. I have officially made the VSG my final choice. I am soo excited. I hope everything works out for me. And WOW! Congrats to you! You are only one pound away from your goal weight! Yay For You! Thank you sooooo much for all the info :-)

Not NO, but HELL NO ! ! ! I'm elated with my sleeve for so many reasons.

1) No malabsorption, no medication restrictions, no food intolerances, constant/permanent restriction

2) HIt goal in 6.5 months with 115lbs lost, and then lost an additional 20-25 pounds getting into maintenance, maintained my loss for a year until pregnancy weight started creeping in

3) Oh yeah, I'm 6.5 months pregnant, thriving, still never physically hungry, not having to take hoards of vitamins to protect me and the baby, just my normal regimen

4) No worry about a stretchy pouch and/or stoma that would allow me to eat more food and possiblity of regain even higher

I really like the fact that I have retained my little friend called a pylorus. It's a lovely mechanism, and I missed it when I had my band. Pouches suck, and just aren't natural. Plus, no big stomach left behind that is difficult to scope yet can still develop ulcers and cancer.

LOL! Wow! You look amazing! And congrats on your new bundle of joy. Thank you I really appreciate all the info :-)

The only regrets I remember reading is from people who are upset early out that their surgeon has them on a liquid diet post-op (up to the surgeon), they didn't lose a larger amount like 20 pounds in the first month (comparing themselves to much bigger people who lost at least that much), or are days out of surgery but in pain. Pain is more discomfort for most people, but some have worse gas pain (which exists for all the surgeries) than others.  My point is that these people seem to change their tune later and love their sleeve. So the key to any of these surgeries is to know your doctor's process and have realistic expectations.

My Roux-en-y friend had his surgery 6 months before me. He and his wife "prepared" me for a hard recovery and a lot of pain- never happened. He is in awe of how easily I have recovered.

Other than that, I have a lot more than you to lose and would not dare have the Roux-en-y. I think that you can reach your goal in a very nice time period with the sleeve.

Good luck

Awww! Thank you. I am sooo excited to get my sleeve, I cant wait. Congrats to you and thank you for sharing :-)

Love my sleeve.

Down 67.6 pounds since January 24, 2011, lost 34 pounds pre op. total weight loss of 101.6 pounds, lost safely, with doctor's supervision. Also lost having to walk with a cane, gained ability to exercise, still take antiinflammatories which I could not do if I had a RNY; and still losing weight.

Happy ???? Heck Yeah.

I don't regret a moment of it! This will be a bit long, so grab a cup of tea and sit for a few...

My starting weight is lower (similar to yours, 235.6 day of surgery). My recovery was difficult the first 5 days... and I did have a complication from bladder trauma (related to the catheter) that put me back in the hospital at 2 weeks post-op. (Again, NOT related to VSG). I still didn't regret it, as I KNEW it was part of the journey that would bring the end to a 10-year++ struggle.

After the 5 day mark, I turned a corner. No more pain, nausea, drinking fluids/protein easily. I'm now almost 6 weeks out. I've lost 32lbs, and eating/drinking well! I don't barf, am rarely nauseated (only when I go too fast or eat too much), and take meds/vitamins in normal quantities. (Multi + calcium +b12). I also take biotin and msm for skin/hair/nails, but that's personal preference.

I worked for almost 2 years counting carbs, calories, fat, weighing and measuring every bite. I worked out sometimes 3 hours a day... and suffered injuries over and over (from forcing my body so hard when I was still obese). It took me 5mos to lose 35lbs (what I've done now in only 5 weeks) and I was NEVER able to get below 195. During that 2 years I miserable and hungry constantly.

Now, I rarely have physical hunger. Early out I battled head hunger and cravings (which, thanks to my sleeve, would be impossible to fulfill). These are mostly gone, as I've found substitutes for things I love. I can eat anything I want... I just choose to give my body good fuel instead of junk.

I have several friends who've had RNY. They have all lost the weight, and have all regained at least some (a few as much as half or more)... who then had to diet and exercise to get it back off. The regain isn't a surprise (they still have hunger, and have a stretchy pouch)... but they also take TONS of supplements, are still losing hair at 2 years post-op, have needed blood transfusions, been hospitalized for severe reactive hypoglycemia, near death etc etc etc... These complications (for a LIFETIME) freaked me out. I didn't want this path... especially thinking of being a elderly woman... frail, malnourished, anemic, unable to absorb nutrients and meds, or take nsaids... I just didn't want that life for myself. I wanted a NORMAL life... just with restriction.

My surgeon says that initially RNY may (or may not)  lose more/faster, but when the calorie absorbtion comes back, most have rebound gain. At 5 yrs post-op average weight loss maintained is within 5-10% of each other, with many, many patients (rny vs vsg) having an equal percentage of weightloss. Meaning, for me... who has 100lbs to lose... that 5-10% is about 5-10lbs. IF it even happens (meaning I don't "equal" an RNY). Plenty here lose as much or more as RNY. (There are LOTS of "failed" RNY... check that forum, too).

It is NOT worth 5-10lbs for me to have...

dumping (or not having it if I want it)
reactive hypoglycemia (PLEASE look this up in complications forum, my BFF almost died!)
stretching pouch/regain
malabsorbtion of nutrients/meds FOR LIFE
blind pouch
pre-op hunger for life (stomach and it's evil grehlin are still produced!) 

I LOVE my normal body, normal digestion, and abnormally small tummy.