Calling all Vets of RNY!!!
Hello!!
I'm new to this board since I had been researching VSG as the surg I was going to go with. I just found out that my insurance will not cover me to have VSG because my BMI is not 50. My doc recommended RNY even if he could do VSG.
So I'm here starting my research from square one for RNY. I need to hear from Vets who have had this done for several years to hear how your health is. How are you with meds if you have to take them for other health issues and any other info that is insightful to me making this decision. The malabsorption is what one of the issues with this surg that scares me the most and of course having my insides moved around.
Thank you for any and all advice that is offered...good bad or indifferent.
~Megan~
I had a tough recovery from surgery but I"m happy with it. I didn't really have any complications though, I was just healing slowly and I had a BMI of 63, so all that walking they wanted me to do to help heal? I couldn't do that pre-op! It was alot of work right after major surgery.
The malabsorption stuff, you just check labs regularly and take your vitamins, iron, etc. I'm lucky in that I've only had problems with iron. And I wouldn't have had problems with that, probably, if I had supplemented since surgery but I didn't. All the other nutrients, I absorb the supplements well.
My health is great -- the low iron stuff isn't fun. But otherwise, I have no health conditions whatsoever. Sleep apnea and acid reflux were cured by surgery. I don't think I have many issues when it comes to taking meds. We can't take NSAIDS. Well, we CAN, but it carries a risk of ulcers so it's not a decision to take lightly and usually requires a round of PPI drugs like Nexium with it. I don't tolerate Vidocin anymore -- it just hits me too fast. Time release meds don't work for us. But I successfully took birth control pills post op and they're not "supposed" to be as effective anymore. If anything, they were too damn effective. Over time, I got to where the hormones were just too much. Even in the ultra low dose ones. But, that could be a quirk of only me.
I lost 200lbs and kept it off and am not living a nightmare of obesity anymore. I'm really happy with my choice. Without the restriction and malabsorption both, I don't know if that would have happened for me.
The malabsorption stuff, you just check labs regularly and take your vitamins, iron, etc. I'm lucky in that I've only had problems with iron. And I wouldn't have had problems with that, probably, if I had supplemented since surgery but I didn't. All the other nutrients, I absorb the supplements well.
My health is great -- the low iron stuff isn't fun. But otherwise, I have no health conditions whatsoever. Sleep apnea and acid reflux were cured by surgery. I don't think I have many issues when it comes to taking meds. We can't take NSAIDS. Well, we CAN, but it carries a risk of ulcers so it's not a decision to take lightly and usually requires a round of PPI drugs like Nexium with it. I don't tolerate Vidocin anymore -- it just hits me too fast. Time release meds don't work for us. But I successfully took birth control pills post op and they're not "supposed" to be as effective anymore. If anything, they were too damn effective. Over time, I got to where the hormones were just too much. Even in the ultra low dose ones. But, that could be a quirk of only me.
I lost 200lbs and kept it off and am not living a nightmare of obesity anymore. I'm really happy with my choice. Without the restriction and malabsorption both, I don't know if that would have happened for me.
Thank you so much for your reply. I'm trying to soak it all in. This is a life changing decision. I'm just worried that yes I have a weight problem, but I'm a healthy fat girl as I jokingly say. I'm worried that I may end up with issues after surgery that I don't have before. Thanks again for your reply!!
~Megan~
~Megan~
Megan,
Your concern is one worth thinking about. If you aren't at the point where you believe the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks, perhaps you should continue to think about what is best for you. It took me 7 years to finally decide that I had enough of this obesity crap and that my health and happiness were worth the small risk.
Just saying you aren't crazy for having these thoughts!!
Liz
Your concern is one worth thinking about. If you aren't at the point where you believe the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks, perhaps you should continue to think about what is best for you. It took me 7 years to finally decide that I had enough of this obesity crap and that my health and happiness were worth the small risk.
Just saying you aren't crazy for having these thoughts!!
Liz
Hi Megan!
I'm 7 years post-op, maintaining below goal. My surgery was textbook perfect. One night in the hospital then home. I took pain meds the first night home only, my pain was about a 3-4 on a scale of 1-10. No complications!
I did experience nausea for about 8 weeks, sipping on hot peppermint tea helped tremendously.
I take ZERO prescription medications. Have had a few vitamin issues that I've tweaked and have been able to get them back in range wth the exception of iron deficiency anemia. I'll be honest though I'm horrible when it comes to being compliant with iron. The anemia didn't happen until 5 years post-op and I've had 2 rounds of iron infusions in the past 18 months.
Good luck on your research.
I'm 7 years post-op, maintaining below goal. My surgery was textbook perfect. One night in the hospital then home. I took pain meds the first night home only, my pain was about a 3-4 on a scale of 1-10. No complications!
I did experience nausea for about 8 weeks, sipping on hot peppermint tea helped tremendously.
I take ZERO prescription medications. Have had a few vitamin issues that I've tweaked and have been able to get them back in range wth the exception of iron deficiency anemia. I'll be honest though I'm horrible when it comes to being compliant with iron. The anemia didn't happen until 5 years post-op and I've had 2 rounds of iron infusions in the past 18 months.
Good luck on your research.
Proximal RNY Lap - 02/21/05
9 years committed ~ 100% EWL and Maintaining
www.dazzlinglashesandbeyond.com
Hi Megan - I know that you are trying to do research, just like I did before my surgery... but one thing I can tell you is that no matter what we all say, there is absolutely NO way to tell if you will, or won't, have any of the same things happen to you.
I am 16 months out and I've had my share of problems with strictures, vitamin defficenties, problems with malabsorbing some medications and other stuff. Everything, to this point, has been resolved. But, I know that because of the type of surgery that I had, things can crop up at any time in the future. I have to make sure I get my labs done, adjust vitamins if need be, make sure to take stool softeners, extra calcium and D3 because my levels are always low. I haven't had anywhere near the problems that others have had and had far more than some.
What I will say is that this surgery changes your life. I can't be more clear about that. I can not eat breads, pastas, potatoes (other than mashed), any types of dry meats, actually - I can't eat any meats that don't have gravy or some type of sauce to make them slide down. I have lost several of my favorite foods because they just don't tast good anymore. I can't eat much sugar at all because I dump, and I have reactive hypoglycemia (which means if I eat too many carbs my body dumps too much insulin into my system and my blood sugar drops drastically.) But, I have adjusted and I have found things that do work for me. I've learned to drink protein shakes and say "yummy - that sure tastes good!" I have found foods that I like and I actually enjoy eating again.
Now, with all of that said - NOT everyone goes through ANY of this. But it is something to be aware of. My question to you is - how important is losing weight to YOU? If these things, or worse, happen how will you handle it? And are you willing to do what it takes to keep the weight off? Because after the first year it gets much easier to eat larger quantities and a lot it starts becoming up to you, rather than just the surgery.
So now the big question - would I do it again? Yes, because my health issues are so much better than they were. My joints (I have a degenerative joint condition) are no where near as painful and I perhaps have avoided another joint replacement surgery.
I know I said a mouthful here, but go into this with your eyes wide open. If it's something you really want to do - then go for it...
I am 16 months out and I've had my share of problems with strictures, vitamin defficenties, problems with malabsorbing some medications and other stuff. Everything, to this point, has been resolved. But, I know that because of the type of surgery that I had, things can crop up at any time in the future. I have to make sure I get my labs done, adjust vitamins if need be, make sure to take stool softeners, extra calcium and D3 because my levels are always low. I haven't had anywhere near the problems that others have had and had far more than some.
What I will say is that this surgery changes your life. I can't be more clear about that. I can not eat breads, pastas, potatoes (other than mashed), any types of dry meats, actually - I can't eat any meats that don't have gravy or some type of sauce to make them slide down. I have lost several of my favorite foods because they just don't tast good anymore. I can't eat much sugar at all because I dump, and I have reactive hypoglycemia (which means if I eat too many carbs my body dumps too much insulin into my system and my blood sugar drops drastically.) But, I have adjusted and I have found things that do work for me. I've learned to drink protein shakes and say "yummy - that sure tastes good!" I have found foods that I like and I actually enjoy eating again.
Now, with all of that said - NOT everyone goes through ANY of this. But it is something to be aware of. My question to you is - how important is losing weight to YOU? If these things, or worse, happen how will you handle it? And are you willing to do what it takes to keep the weight off? Because after the first year it gets much easier to eat larger quantities and a lot it starts becoming up to you, rather than just the surgery.
So now the big question - would I do it again? Yes, because my health issues are so much better than they were. My joints (I have a degenerative joint condition) are no where near as painful and I perhaps have avoided another joint replacement surgery.
I know I said a mouthful here, but go into this with your eyes wide open. If it's something you really want to do - then go for it...
I rarely take medication for my joints now, but that was a serious concern because we don't do well with NSAIDs after RNY surgery. I talked to my doctor about Celebrex (which is what I take) and he said that it was much better tolerated than most NSAIDs. I take a Prilosec about a half hour before I take the Celebrex and I haven't had a problem. However, I would talk to your doctor about that to make sure that it is ok with him.
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