Question for all VSGers!

Hey guys! I'm meeting with my surgeon, nutritionist, etc this week to get my started on my weight loss journey. I was wondering if you guys could give me an insight into why you chose VSG over RNY.   I haven't decided, but I do think my surgeon will suggest RNY. Thank you in advance! 

My mind would never even remotely consider the RNY.  Vitamin deficiencies frighten me and I just don't like the idea of rerouting body parts.  The VSG is much more in line with nature.

How has it worked out for you?

It works great because I have finally got it through my head that it is not a diet that you can go on and off, but a total and permanent change in food choices and priorities.

First, both surgeries are valid approaches and this is just my opinion.  

I didn't like the idea of the malabsorption of vitamins. While the caloric absorbtion is temporary the vitamin problem is permanent.  In RNY, a stoma is constructed into the intestine.  This is a fundamental change in how food flows through the body.  The pyloric valve in the stomach is a very important part of the digestive process.  I really had trouble mentally getting my mind around why it would be a good idea to remove the pyloric valve from the digesting tract. The pouch from RNY includes some of the fundus.  The fundus can be stretched.  The sleeve removes the fundus and has a smaller chance of stretching.  Finally, RNY leaves the unused part of the stomach in your body.  This is a plus (possibility of reversal) and a minus (organ that cannot be examined).  Also the residual stomach is the part that produces grehlin and that hormone makes you hungry.  The RNY does reduce production but I believe that the reduction is greater with the sleeve.  I had always been able to lose weight (well at least 50 or 60 lbs) but keeping it off was the big trick.  The hunger reduction and the permanent nature of the sleeve was all about long term results for me.

Good luck with your decision.  I also recommend you search for Frisco's description of how the pyloric valve works.  It is a great tutorial on why that is important and also how to use it to your advantage.

Terry

I completely agree with Terry. While I have relatives who had RNY, I knew that wasn't for me because I wasn't comfortable with the whole re-routing my insides. I decided the VSG was the best choice for me because it was the most natural, in that it kept the functions of the stomach, and how food is processed through, intact. My surgeon tried to change my mind for the RNY, which she called the "Gold" standard for WLS because the VSG still hadn't had a lot of long term followups. I told her I preferred the "Silver" standard then because I didn't want to fight my body for the rest of my life. Also, I HATE throwing up, and with RNY from everything I've seen and heard, it's pretty much a given. I waited probably 5 years longer to get WLS because I didn't want to go through that. I researched and at first wanted the DS, but then after further research realized I didn't need to go that far. So far my sleeve has been very good to me and I couldn't have asked for better. The weight loss has been steady. It's not always super fast, but I don't want it to be. I've been fat so long, sometimes its hard to wrap my head around the fact that I can fit into a size 12 jacket!! The other thing that made the decision for me? I didn't want the dumping syndrome should I eat cake at a birthday party. I wanted to be able to eat as normally as possible, since I have two small children who watch everything I do. Already my daughter won't eat as much because I don't. This surgery was the best decision (and most selfish) I've ever done for myself. Study the graphics and the side effects of both and make the decision that will work best for you. Some people like the dumping syndrome after sugar because it "punishes" them. I didn't need that. Maybe you do. So again, figure out what you feel is best for you and your body. You know you best! Good luck! We'll be here to support you!

I personally chose the VSG due to the lack of complications I had seen. I have several friends that had the RNY and several that had the VSG. Those I know with the RNY have had multiple ulcers, revisions, and even reversals. Mind you, that can happen with any surgery, but from personally seeing the trouble my friends went through (and are still going through), I didn't want that. A friend has even gotten to the point of being undernourished because of her RNY. She's 5'5" and weighed 95 lbs. She has to have IV nutrients until they can reverse it.

The GOOD thing about the RNY (from what I've heard), is that if you cheat, your body will pay for it. Some people need help with that aspect. Dumping syndrome SUCKS! Sleevers can also have dumping. I'm a prime example of that. If I eat, drink too much too soon, I will dump. (Either throwing up or diarrhea) Also, if something is too high in sugar, I will dump.

I also like the fact that I didn't have anything rerouted.

Best wishes to you in your journey!

I honestly chose it because of the less risk it provides. I have 3 friends, who had wls. 1 had RNY, and she is 2 years out with nothing but problems. She isn't at goal weight, she is gaining, she has iron deficiency which she was hospitalized and now she has to go every month to the hospital and get iron infusions. I have another friend who has the Lapband, she only lost 40lbs and still needs to loose more and she is gaining because it's not working anymore for her, almost 1 year out. I have another friend who has VSG. She is almost 3 years out, doing great, lost all the weight she needed 120lbs. She's keeping it off and she has nothing wrong with her.

My biggest thing was the deficiency after each surgery. With VSG there shouldn't be any. I think it's safer to, why would you want to re route your intestines.

That's my opinion, good luck with you!

I chose VSG because it's easier for me to wrap my mind around it.  Remove 80% of my stomach, versus moving this, connecting that...it just makes more sense to me.  My ex-husband had RNY and while he lost a lot of weight, he never looked good, or healthy.  He looked malnourished and a lot of people thought he was sick and dying with how bad he looked.  My surgeon called RNY the gold standard as well, but I'm very happy with my choice of going with the sleeve.

Hey, y'all --

I'm an old vet, four and a half years out, and I agree with everything everyone has said.  I've never had the first problem with my sleeve, lost my weight easily, and as long as I stay away from garbage food, I maintain without a problem.  Wouldn't trade my sleeve for the world!!

--Dorothy