how to convince my neice to get VSG

right now she is stuck on getting a RNY. This is a neice by marriage but I consider her a friend...anywho- her Mom and Aunt had RNY- My Mom (her grandmother in law) and My sister (her mother in law) had VBG and now I had the VSG.



Her aunt did get with RNY-her mother not so much. Her Mom is sick a lot and thinks the RNY caused many of her problems- plus she is larger than her goal weight now.

Obviously the VBG is baaaaaad and she sees my sister throw up almost daily even now 15 years later...and so many people equate VSG to VBG because the names are similiar.

I am still so new out, that she is not seeing the results she would like to have...and I cannot tell her much other than I feel fine but just eat less.....
She does have juvenile arthritis and I did point out that she would not be able to take the ibuprofen with RNY.....

She has NOT completely made up her mind but meets with the surgeon tomorrow. I know this particular surgeon and know he will push her to RNY especially wiht her BMI. I just want her to have some educated facts before she goes in. The  DS would probably be ideal but I am really afraid of the long term malabsorbtion since she is so young.

So, if yall can help me with some facts to throw out to her. I know she is thinking RNY because of malabsorption and she thinks she will lose it faster.

My motto is yes one day I want to eat cheesecake agin just not the whole dam thing!!!!Explain the Vsg is the most normal way for a future life mention dumping to her with all the facts and she most ikly will never have cheesecake agin (for life) no matter her weight.Tell her that runnig to the bathrom will be come the norm with dumping aqnd she may not make it lol .Then tell her I love my sleeve good luck!!!!

 Honestly you can't make  her do anything obviously but I would give her something that explains the benefits of the sleeve vs the RNY. The sleeve gives your body the same chance to absorb foods and goes through all the same intestines to get your vitamins and minerals. You are just eating less. With the RNY  they actually detach your stomach and re-route a lot of intestines so you don't absorb the nutrients that you need which makes you have to take like 10 different pills everyday for the rest of your life. The sleeve you will take not even half that and only because you don't intake as many calories. RNY she will face throwing up and diarrhea and throwing up if she eats even one bit to much or something with to much fat. Sleeve you can eat everything you ate before just a bit of it. You do not have to stay away from foods that you love and with the RNY you do. You can't eat things that you love if they have fat or grease because you will get sick. You need to get her something to review her options. Her weight loss will be the same if not better with the sleeve with many less complications. My clinic is actually referring people for the sleeve now instead of the RNY because there have been so many less complications and the weight still comes of like having the RNY. The sleeve is the way to go but if she wants to torture herself with being sick all the time and never being able to eat foods that she likes let her make that choice. I personally don't want to lose my hair either and that is a major side effect from RNY.. maybe you should tell her that. Good luck. 

Just an aside... you will probably lose hair after the VSG as well. Mine is falling out quickly and it's talked about ad nauseum on the forum here. It's pretty common after surgery in general.

If you'd like, you can print out my reasons, or copy/paste my personal reasons and email them to her, and all the stuff that has happened to me with my pregnancy (if she'd ever like to have kids, or is worried about future medication issues with RNY, it might be the information she needs to read). I also have articles, personal stories and links to support the information provided, but if she's not willing to research, maybe just some personal stories would help. I hope she listens to the part about the steroid use I've had to endure and what would have happened if I would have gone with RNY.

The VSG was my 2nd, and final WLS. I could have easily had RNY, but I fought to have VSG as my revision from the band. Some factors I considered in deciding on VSG. The pouch that RNY offers is similar to the pouch with the band. Least to say, a pouch sucks, I love having a normal tummy, just less capacity and still fully functioning.

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 38 weeks 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.

thanks I sent it to her via facebook, I just told her that I had posted here because I was concerned with her long term health with RNY....

For me personally, I opted for VSG because I did not want to drastically alter my anatomy.    If the VSG doesn't work for your niece, then converting to RNY could be an option later on...but not the other way around.  The risks of malnutrition and dumping syndrome is also a drawback with RNY.

 I think you really need to ask her why she is so stuck on getting the RNY.  Then explain to her the benefits of the VSG.  That is pretty much all you can do to help her.  If she cannot see for herself how much trouble her mother has had and how little trouble you have had, then end the end, it is her own choice. As much as we want to sing our praises about our VSG from the rooftops, we can only do so much.  We tell people how much we love our sleeves but they must decide what's best for them.  Why don't  you show her some of the before and after pics on this website and then she can see that she will lose just the same amount of weight without having to reroute her insides! And just make sure that you are telling that whatever she chooses, that you are there to support her. The last thing you want is for her to feel like your attacking her and pushing you opinions on her.  Good luck with the talk!

 Since you're extremely worried about the care/vitamins thing - maybe that'd a good argument. RNY requires all that constant care for the rest of your life too. My surgeon is a big fan of the RNY so I was ready to try to be persuaded but he actually suggested the sleeve to me just because of my age (24). My starting bmi was 56. I would just try to educate but don't be biased. RNY is still a good procedure for some people. But if she's not prepared to do the required upkeep and all the pills and tests - that's something for her to really think about. I bet if you showed her some before/afters of RNYs and VSGs she couldn't tell the difference.

she is only 21 and I would say her starting BMI is around that....