planned on VSG, now slated for RNY... eek!

I know that there's a lot of discussion here about which surgery is better (well, better within a degree of error, for individual people!) and though I always said that I was mostly willing to defer to the judgment of the doctor, my personal preference was always to do a VSG.  The reasons mostly being that dumping syndrome scares me a bit, as does the malabsorption (in particular, the horror stories from some people about bad things happening with their teeth and this sort of thing).

However, the decision has pretty much been made for me, as apparently my upper GI showed that my acid reflux is MUCH worse than I thought it was.  My surgeon explained that this makes me a poor candidate for VSG since it can in some cases actually make reflux worse.

I have several people in my life who have had RNY and have done very well, which makes it less scary.  However, I feel a little thrown for a loop since I'd been doing so much research on VSG and had kind of mentally prepared myself for that.

Has anyone else been in this position?  I really do trust my surgeon so it's not that I want to fight for VSG or anything.  I guess I just need to change my mindset and look into all the good things about RNY that I know exist!

Good morning!

I can speak to my experience with the RNY and acid reflux.  It's nothing short of miraculous to wake up and have it gone.

I had it so bad that I would wake up in the middle of the night fighting to breathe because I was choking on the acid.  I sometimes got reflux just drinking a plain glass of water.  One scoping actually showed Barrett's.  The medication I was taking did help; but it was getting expensive as I had to take it twice a day.  And heaven forbid if I forgot to take a dose! 

I am so sorry that you are unable to get the WLS of your choice.  But for every horror story to may read about dumping - there are many other for whom that is not a big issue.  It's about lifestyle changes - and no matter what WLS people have - there are adjustments to be made.

Be healthy!

Sandie

I was in the same situation.  Really wanted the VSG.  However, my acid reflex was so bad that it caused Barrett's Esophagus, which can, if not properly managed, become cancer of the esophagus.  I talked several times to my surgeon, my PCP, and my gastroenterologist and finally accepted that I would have to go with the RNY because:  (1)  I couldn't take the chance of doing anything like the VSG that might make the reflux worse and thus aggravate the Barrett's; and (2) if esophageal cancer did develop, part of the treatment consists of using part of the stomach to replace the diseased portion of the esophagus.  If I had the VSG, there would be no stomach left to use if it came to this.  With the RNY, you still have your residual stomach left.

I had RNY on 4/8/2013 and have had absolutely no problems.  I don't have dumping syndrome - only about 30% of people do.  So far this has been a good choice for me, I don't find the vitamin supplementation required to be burdensome.  And I'm glad i don't have to worry about what further damage I may be doing to my esophagus, as I would have if I'd had the VSG.

It took me a little while to come to terms with the fact that I would need to have the RNY, but after sitting down and laying out the pros and cons, it was easy to make up my mind that this was best for me.

Some surgeons have completely quit doing VSG because of the GERD and acid reflux problems.  Dumping is not really a big deal, in spite of some of the dramatic posts you read on here.  I have had it happen a few times, the last time I was cooking dinner, had not eaten in hours and decided a few pieces of candy would tide me over.  A few pieces turned into a lot of pieces and my heart started pounding.  I laid down for about 20 minutes until I felt better. 

As long as you eat properly, dumping will probably never happen.  If it does you will know what you did wrong, you don't dump from one cookie or one taste of something sweet.  It takes a lot.  RNY gives you that great malabsorption factor which makes weight loss so easy.  It is supposed to go away but I still have a lot of mine at over five years out.  I have lost all my weight and keep it off and look and feel great.  I have tons of energy, love wearing my size 4 jeans and am so glad that RNY was my surgery.  Many people do not lose as much or as quickly with VSG, because they still absorb every calorie that they eat.

Thanks, all!  This was just the sort of thing I was hoping to hear. :)

I still think that VSG is a great option (and when I was in my pre-op support group last weekend there were 8 people having VSG to 2 of us doing RNY) but I definitely don't want to risk the reflux getting worse.

The only problem I have with this is that you need to make sure your reflux is not from obesity or a hiatal hernia.  If it is, you fix the hernia and lose weight and reflux is gone.

MOST obese people have a hiatal hernia.  Personally I would not get bypass period.  That is for me, for others they like it.  I think it is too full of risks and complications down the road.  If you are positive your GERD is not related to obesity or a HH, then get your bypass.  But that is the first thing I would be checking into.

I had RNY 5 years ago, and it was the best decision I have ever made. You do need to take your vitamins, but if you do that, the malabsorption isn't a problem. I do dump, and I am glad of it. When people bring cupcakes to work, I don't eat them because I know that I will be ill (unfortunatly I have discovered sugar free cupcakes). A little too much sugar just makes me feel bad and have to lie down for a while, but it is a slap on the hand telling me I ate what I knew I shouldn't have. Sometimes you dump early on, but outgrow it as your body adjusts.  I went from a size 36 to a 6 and back up to an 8, but I figure 36 to 8 is great, so I don't beat myself up about the little gain. Since RNY reduces the amount of acid in your pouch, you do need to be aware that you disolve capsules and time-release drugs differently. Birth control pills aren't as effective (like when you take antibiotics with the pill), but I get a shot every 3 months and am happier with that than a pill every day. I avoid capsules, but tablets seem to be just as effective. If they have a protective coating on them, I often cut them in half. Support groups are important with any type of weight loss surgery or program you do. It will help you through the rough times and help keep you on track and get you back on track when you fall off. With any WLS, find a doctor who is very experienced and who is good about keeping patients informed and doing long-term followup.  Also, alcohol affects you differently with RNY, so you need to be careful about the amount you drink if you choose to drink.  With all WLS, crossover addiction can be a problem, so you have to watch the amount with other surgery forms anyway, so that isn't really a big difference. Good Luck with your surgery.

Probably a good decision to go with RNY. I had a VSG 3 years ago - no prior issues with reflux AT ALL but now I have it bad. I feel like a volcano constantly erupting. I cannot go anywhere without making sure I have antacids with me because even with taking a PPI I still have breakthrough reflux. Also, the PPI has caused a mineral deficiency so I have to take mega doses of calcium/magnesium and zinc. So rest easy - your Dr. is making a good decision on your behalf!

I'm a little late to the party here, but I posted nearly the exact same post you did, only a few months back. I had my heart set on VSG until I was scoped in prep for surgery and told I had acid reflux and excess bile, and that my quality of life would be much better having RNY. I was not happy to have to reconsider a malabsorption procedure again so I got a second opinion. Same answer.

I have a friend with VSG who had no problems with reflux pre-op. She is sometimes miserable with it now at 17 months post-op even with double dose meds. Her husband had VSG 2 weeks before she did and he has no problems with reflux. As with everything, it's a gamble.

I'm now 9 days out from RNY. I still wish VSG had been a viable option, but I'm confident I made the best decision for ME and my body's quirks.

Good luck on making your decision.

I don't blame you for being scared of dumping and reactive hypoglycemia, and I wouldn't have gotten a malabsorbtive procedure I had the DS) if I hadn't come to terms with taking the supplements for life.

My stomach is the sleeve made exactly by my surgeon the way he makes all his stand vsg sleeves, and my reflux is 100% gone. My reflux was because of my obesity. No way I'd sacrifice my pylorus.