Regrets?

Chronic vomiting isn't the usual outcome for RNY. While some people may have a problem early on, this isn't how people with RNY live. I see vomiting more often as a problem on the Lap Band forum than here. Time usually resolves any such issues with RNY, I'm thinking Lap band needs adjustments or unfills? As for incision infections, all surgeries have incisions, and have infection as a risk. I don't think you'll find many regrets from the posters on this forum.  I hope your choice is a good one for you, and you have a healthy outcome.

Thank you.  I am finding that even those who have had complications don't regret their decision.  That's good to hear.

Sounds like you are being very thorough and that is a great thing.   I had the RYN in July.  Generally, I can say I haven't had much pain and as far as nausea, I have developed a stricture recently and over the last two weeks I have been getting sick off and on.  But a stricture is something fixable.  It is when your body overheals where your pouch is connected to the small intesting.  They should just be able to stretch it back out.   I am very frustrated right now, but before this stricture was causing problems I was very happy with my decision and hopefully after the stricture is fixed I will be happy with it again!   Everyone's journeys are different and you are right in asking questions.  I would also encourage you to research the different types of surgeries listed in the forums here and maybe you will find one that you feel more comfortable with than others.  The only two offered where I live were lap band and the RYN.  I knew I wanted something more permanant than the lap band for myself.  I really didn't know much about the other procedures at the time. Good luck!

Hi, there: Thanks for your honesty.  That's one of the things that I like about this board...you get the good, bad and the ugly.  I wish you the best of luck with your stricture.  On "Big Medicine" tonight, a woman was having that problem.  Honestly, it seemed pretty miserable!  So, I'm hoping that you get some relief soon! Thanks again.

Thanks for your concern.  I am sure it will get better.  I am going to watch Big Medicine when it comes on the second time.   I can honestly say I am not regretting having this surgery done, just this complication so far! Good luck in your journey! 

I am in the same boat as stephaine.  I had the lap band first and am getting ready on the fourth of September for a revision to RNY because I have had horrible heartburn and just found out that I have a hiatal hernia.  Good luck t you what ever your decision is.  You can do it!

I can honestly say that I have no regrets.  My new life has been so easy that it's almost like it was meant to be.  I've had no complications except my recent gallbladder removal and an ulcer.  Both are minor.  I look back at my pre-op life and often wonder why I didn't do this sooner.

Well, I'm only a month out, but I have NO regrets!  Incision infections are not usually major.  I had one with my c-section, but I've had no trouble with these.  Debilitating nausea/vomiting?  I have only heard of that happening in about three cases, and each one took some responsibility for not following surgeon's instructions in the beginning (under- or over-eating, not drinking fluids, drinking alcohol, etc.), and their pouch was causing them a lot of trouble since then.  I have only had one instance of vomiting, and I know I contributed to it by eating past the feeling of fullness.  Strictures don't scare me, though I haven't had one.  They are easily fixed. I do weigh out (pardon the pun) the health problems I was having/headed for against the ones I'm having now.  These beat those every time.  Of course, surgery is drastic and can be complicated.  I will take the good with the bad as part of my journey back to health.  My surgeon and I will take any complication I have one at a time and fix them.  And the permanence?  That was a major plus for me.  I've followed tons of diets and even lost weight, but there I was, still super morbidly obese.  I want something that lasts. Good luck with your decision, Sally P.S.  On Big Medicine tonight, even after that rocky start, did you see how happy that woman with the stricture was once that was resolved?  Every birth, every wedding, everything comes with its own stories.  I choose to write the stories of my life with my weight going down, not continuously up, as it was.

Hi, Sally: You have a fantastic attitude.  And I think that going into this type of surgery with that "I can handle anything that comes my way" outlook is a major plus.  I think that, if I want this surgery, I too, am going to have to accept that there could be some complications and will certainly be some pain and unpleasantness.  I think that once I accept that, I will feel more confident in making the decision for bypass. And you're right...the permanence of it is one of its selling points.  I think I'm concerned that if something is wrong and can't be fixed, then I'm stuck that way until the end of my days.  But I'm pretty confident that the surgeon that I've chosen is very experienced and has had positive outcomes.  Thanks very much.  I hope things continue to go very smoothly with your weigh loss. Lisa

I'm 4 months post-op and have NO regrets (except that I didn't have the surgery 10 years ago). I am really learning about my relationship with food and eating, chewing... all of it.  Its amazing how little attention I really paid to eating before, and yet it consumed me at the same time. Now food does not control my life -- it can't because of the restriction, and this is the time for learning how to eat to live, not live to eat. I would do the surgery all over again in a heartbeat.  hugs, Elaine