RNY VS. Sleeve, cant decide, need your reasons for why you chose?

 I thought I was set on RNY, but after reading forever on these boards, I can't make a concrete decision.  a lil about me, I'm a band removal revision.  I still have the worthless POS inside me.  I am a chocolate fiend and thought a chance that I may dump would scare me past the sweets.   I understand MOST don't dump, but the fear of it I was hoping would keep me from trying.  BUT I am NOT a high maintenance person and really don't want to have to be contolled the rest of my life by vitamins, supplements, etc.  But I do like the thought of the malsbsorption.  BUT that ends after time.....  ugh!!!  Dont know what to think and I'm going to Mexico in June for one or the other.  THAT is not negotiable! So many Pros/Cons that my brain is running in circles.   Too bad its not my ass or maybe I would't be 250 lbs at 5'2!  I really appreciate your stories of why? success? failure, etc.... 

My wife had the RNY 4 years ago, no real issues except occassional dumping, but the malabsorbtion can be tricky for all vitamins etc. I am 10 weeks out from sleeving, and it has been good. Still got aways to go but it is working. Both options are permanet so choose wisely, but the sleeve could be converted to a RNY if necessary or medical conditions warant. I considerd the band, but know a few with issues or no loss just problems. The RNY is a bit tricky as there are 2 complete reconnects of the intestine plus the staple line along the pouch so there is more chances for leaks and intestinal leaks are nasty. With the sleeve all systems operate as normal, just a large portion of stomach is permanently gone. With care and dilligence the sleeve can be as good or better then the RNY, it is all how you treat it. But again after a sleeve there is still 1 option left is needed. Good luck either way you will enjoy the new you.

I wanted to preserve my pyloric valve and minimize the likelihood of malnutrition due to malabsorption. Having said that I STILL need to be vigilant with supplements and keeping track of my labs, as my iron has been dropping since my surgery, even with supplements...

The sleeve is the way to go in my opinion.  You only have the malabsorption for about 2 years with RNY and you have the potential for many health issues.  I see bowel obstructions, seizure disorder, reactive hypo glycemia etc. all too often with RNY people yet I don't see their success rate for the initial losing or maintenance being any different that ours.  So I just think why take a chance on all the health issues.  I rarely hear of health issues with the VSG...I just don't.  In my personal experience, life with the VSG cannot be beat.  I lost easily and I have maintained easily albeit it is getting a little trickier than it was.  I feel absolutely wonderful and healthy and I'm pretty sure that I will never have health issues related to my sleeve and that gives me a lot of peace.

Edited:  Dang typos!

thanks I was trying to figure out which way to go I was pretty sure I wanted VSG but wasn't positive until reading this. so thank you. I look forward to being part of the losing team.....

I wasn't willing to consider any surgeries that cause malabsorption of nutrients. I don't think it would be appropriate in my situation, though I can see it being beneficial for others.

Hi, I just got my sleeve Feb 24th so friday is 4 weeks! I will tell you how I decided cause my doctor also asked me this question, he told me he was always interested in why someone in the medical field chose one over the other, and I am an RN so anyhow here's why I decided what I did. The sleeve removes "the excess" portion of your stomach, almost all of it really but that's it. The RNY requires staples and sutures to create a pouch and then reroutes the intestines and sews them in their new spot. To me this means there is a little more surgery to be done with the RNY, the more cutting and sewing and rerouting the more surgery and the more you do the more chance for complications. Now I had also heard from my doctors office the difference in weight loss is minimal if any, and that more long term studies are showing the results are about the same if not better for the VSG. Also with the sleeve there is much less chance of dumping and malnutrion, which are common problems with the RNY. So, choice made. I am VSG all the way!!!

Do you know of any long term studies for VSG?  I google them but haven't been able to find any.  Thanks :)

I didn't read any studies myself, but I did my reserch on my doc and his staff, so I trust what they tell me about WLS.  Just like I expect my patients to trust me.  I got the information verablly from them about the long term effects and what studies are now showing.  That being said, second opinions are valuable as well.

http://vsgfaq.wordpress.com/

At the bottom are some research links along with personal stories.