Surgery on Monday and questioning the surgery. *cross post*
Ugh! I am revising from band to RNY, (at the advice of my surgeon). My initial feeling was VSG. But my surgeon thinks I will have better success with RNY and mentioned something about it being "reversible" and not a "permanent" removal of the stomach. But I read sooo many posts on here about the whole "malabsorption" issues some have. And that scares the poop outta me! I am pretty young at 39, and really heatlhy and considered a "light weight" at 250 pounds and 5 foot 6 inches tall with a BMI of 41. I am also ADDICTED to sugar and sweets and probably could live on cake and ice cream for the rest of my life!! I thinks that is also another reason my surgeon suggested RNY. She does perform both surgeries tho! Only she said she has been doing band to VSG in a two-part surgery with taking out the band and then later, after stomach healing, going back in to do VSG. I'm just sooo confused and worried I will be the ONE to have crazy complications with RNY. Just how rare are "major" complications with RNY? Or significant malabsorption issues? I see so many "bariatric vits and iron", are'nt these enough? UGH! I am soo confused! I need some help!
Advice anyone? Maybe this is just normal surgery jitters, but seriously... I am freaking out! What should I do?!?
help!
need some reassurance!
thanks
Advice anyone? Maybe this is just normal surgery jitters, but seriously... I am freaking out! What should I do?!?
help!
need some reassurance!
thanks
I was considered a light weight when I started too - I had RNY and almost 10 yrs later I still am thankful EVERY day I had it done. Malabsorbtion may be an issue at first but the body corrects itself and it's not an issue for most after the first couple years. I can eat normally, I am a normal weight, I do whatever I want - exercise wise, I go out, I have friends I meet for lunch, dinner or coffee. My life is full and fun. I hike, bike, kayak, canoe, rock climb, horse back ride, ski, play with my 3 yr old grandson, run circles around my younger friends and I couldn't be happier. I've followed the rules (or pretty close most of the time), I've maintained my loss, kept up on my vitamins and changed my lifestyle. Good Luck to you - this is an amazing journey and you'll be fine!!!
Jen 9+ yrs post op.
Jen 9+ yrs post op.
thank you, thank you Jenn! I don't know if I'm going "crazy" or if my nerves are getting the best of me or just being over-whelmed because it is sooo close to surgery! I just want to make the "RIGHT CHOICE"! Maybe I'm too sensitive because of going through wls in 2008 with nil results and mega-reflux as my only "result"! I feel pressure I guess! And fear! I guess you'd be crazy to not feel the fear!
I guess my worries are because I thought the band was the "right choice" in 2008 and all I had were complications and no weight loss and now I'm just so afraid of "failing" again!
I just want my health back! But I'm afraid of only getting "complications" again!
I guess my worries are because I thought the band was the "right choice" in 2008 and all I had were complications and no weight loss and now I'm just so afraid of "failing" again!
I just want my health back! But I'm afraid of only getting "complications" again!
The RNY should NOT be considered reversible! Yes, they leave the remnant stomach, but the surgery to reverse a RNY is extremely complicated and carries a lot of risk!
If you or your surgeon are considering the RNY because of the possibility of dumping, you should be aware that only about 30% of people with a RNY dump on sugar (and some of thsoe lose some of the fumping reaction over time). So the chances are MUCH greater that you will be able to eat sugar even with a RNY.
With RNY you will have LIFTEIME malabsorption of vitamins, which means taking vitamin supplements for the rest of your life. That would include (but not be limited to) calcium citrate (3x/day), a multivitamin (one or two per day), iron, sublingual B12, and (probably) Vitamin D. So, no, just taking bariatric vitamins and iron is not enough! Also, if your levels drop too low for other vitamins, you may need to supplement those as well. The caloric and fat malabsorption is only good for about 18 months, however... whihc means that after that time period you will absorb most of the calories and fat that you eat, so you will (beyond that point) essentially just have the same "help" with retriction only that you would have with the band of the sleeve... but will still ahve vitamin malabsorption and will not be able to take NSAIDs (motrin, aleve, celebrex, etc.) or aspirin (that is also "for life" because of the risk of ulcers).
If the sleeve had been an option for me 4 years ago, I would have opted for the sleeve instead of the RNY. (I don't dump unless I eat a lot of sugar, taking the vitamins for life is a drag (but you do get used to it), and not being able to take anything except tylenol for pain is a PITA.) My concern for you, though, would be that you have already had one sugery to put the band in, and if your surgeron is talking about a second surgery to take the band out and then a third surgery to do the sleeve, that is an extra surgery (which is hard on your body to keep undergoing anesthesia AND creates additional scar tissue... and scar tissue (adhesions) can cause problems if the adhesions involve your intestines). If she wants the stomach to heal before doing the sleeve, does the surgeon also wait for the stomach to heal before doing the RNY?
I cannot tell you what the statistics are for serious conmplications, especially since that would depend on what you consider "serious", and I', not sure what you mena by serioous mnalabsoprtion issues (are you takling about serious vitamin deficiencies or people losing too much weight while they still ahve the caloric malabsoprtion, or something else?
RNY is a serious surgery(and sometimes surgeons seem to downplay the post-op aspects) so I think it is good that you are thinking it through while you still have time.
Lora
If you or your surgeon are considering the RNY because of the possibility of dumping, you should be aware that only about 30% of people with a RNY dump on sugar (and some of thsoe lose some of the fumping reaction over time). So the chances are MUCH greater that you will be able to eat sugar even with a RNY.
With RNY you will have LIFTEIME malabsorption of vitamins, which means taking vitamin supplements for the rest of your life. That would include (but not be limited to) calcium citrate (3x/day), a multivitamin (one or two per day), iron, sublingual B12, and (probably) Vitamin D. So, no, just taking bariatric vitamins and iron is not enough! Also, if your levels drop too low for other vitamins, you may need to supplement those as well. The caloric and fat malabsorption is only good for about 18 months, however... whihc means that after that time period you will absorb most of the calories and fat that you eat, so you will (beyond that point) essentially just have the same "help" with retriction only that you would have with the band of the sleeve... but will still ahve vitamin malabsorption and will not be able to take NSAIDs (motrin, aleve, celebrex, etc.) or aspirin (that is also "for life" because of the risk of ulcers).
If the sleeve had been an option for me 4 years ago, I would have opted for the sleeve instead of the RNY. (I don't dump unless I eat a lot of sugar, taking the vitamins for life is a drag (but you do get used to it), and not being able to take anything except tylenol for pain is a PITA.) My concern for you, though, would be that you have already had one sugery to put the band in, and if your surgeron is talking about a second surgery to take the band out and then a third surgery to do the sleeve, that is an extra surgery (which is hard on your body to keep undergoing anesthesia AND creates additional scar tissue... and scar tissue (adhesions) can cause problems if the adhesions involve your intestines). If she wants the stomach to heal before doing the sleeve, does the surgeon also wait for the stomach to heal before doing the RNY?
I cannot tell you what the statistics are for serious conmplications, especially since that would depend on what you consider "serious", and I', not sure what you mena by serioous mnalabsoprtion issues (are you takling about serious vitamin deficiencies or people losing too much weight while they still ahve the caloric malabsoprtion, or something else?
RNY is a serious surgery(and sometimes surgeons seem to downplay the post-op aspects) so I think it is good that you are thinking it through while you still have time.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
always remember that people with no problems go on about their lives and don't necessarily post here. that said .. i've had no problems so far (knock on wood).
Ask your surgeon which of the surgeries have the best resolve rate for reflux - I think it's RNY.
Best of luck - research the heck out of the surgeries and it will help you decide.
Before/after pic in my profile.
Surgery: Dec 2009, lost 100 lbs
I had my RNY 9.5years ago and I know that at the tme I tried everything there was so I don't have what ifs I do wish that what is available now was out 10 years ago. I am not saying to not do the surgery or to do it, you are the only person that knows if they are ready. If you want to talk more about my feelings on surgery you are welcome to inbox me. ((HUGS)))
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