I know its been asked a million times before

But I was set on having VSG, and my surgeon does both and is experienced in both, but thinks in my case (312lbs, diabetic) that I would benefit more from RNY. Thoughts?

HOnestly, the thought of RNY has always terrified me, but I don't want to go to the extreme of surgery and not lose all my weight and still have diabetes.

I'm scared and confused, when just yesterday I felt hopeful and confident.

I was you this time last year, I weighed 230 & I was borderline diabetic.  About 50% of my family on mom's side are diabetic & I had gestational diabetes so it was just a matter of time. I went to see the surgeon w/ absolutely no intention of having RNY, I was going to get the band. No way no how was I going to have my organs altered in such a major way. Then I spoke to my surgeon & he gave me info on the RNY, Sleeve & the band. Told me how they worked, etc, he also told me how successful RNY was w/ curing diabetes but told me  to do my homework on all 3. So I did just that, I scoured the internet & was able to confirm what he told me about the RNY & diabetes. Diabetes aside I looked at statistics I had in front of me of success cases with the RNY vs the band. I know 5 people who had weight loss surgery, 2 had RNY & 3 had the band. Both RNYers were successful & look amazing years after surgery. 1 Lap bander out of the 3 had initial success but has gained about 50% of her weight back.

I had my surgery on 3/4/13 & I am down 80 pounds, my sugars & cholesterol are perfectly normal. Have I had struggles YES, is it getting easier YES. Do I have food issues YES, are they getting better YES.

I am thrilled I did the RNY & would recommend it to anyone in a similar situation as I was.

I had RNY a year ago and I was a diabetic with kidney failure and heart failure after suffering a damaging heart attack several years ago. Diabetes kills. It kills your organs and your body finally gives in to it. Having the RNY was a life saver for me. I came home from the hospital with no diabetes meds and NO INSULIN. I hated that disease .I never want it back so I have done exactly what my surgeon told me to do and I am now down almost 90 lbs.I've had no complications at all. Nothing. I ate what I was told and I walk for exercise and do some light weight training now and then. I am 61 yrs old and I have never felt better. Don't be afraid of RNY it really has been a life saver for many of us. Stay hopeful and confident in the RNY surgery it will change your life for the better.  

thank you so much for your response.  I definitely don't want the band. I'm so happy for you that it worked out so well. My Dr. also said that let's sign me up for sleeve bc I told him my reasons, but asked me to research more and I can change my mind later if I want. I don't feel he's pushing me to change, but that he genuinely thinks that in my situation it would be best. 

This has been asked a lot but I love reading the posts every time because I always learn something new. 

I assume your surgeon does both types of WLS and has experience with patients with both?  So he probably knows if patients around 300 lbs and diabetic do better with RNY, right?

Hi,

I wanted VSG, and thought my decision was defininate, then I meet again with my surgeon who basically stated the driving point behind me having WLS is my diabetes and RNY is more successful with blood sugars. I was afraid that having RNY was too extreme and would hurt more, be more difficult, etc.

But I did more reserach and decided to do it. My surgery was 9/6 and it wasnt bad at all, just nauseousness in the first few days, my blood sugars are great, I am not on insulin for the first time in 23 years and I am so hopeful for the future!

This question has been asked and answered a LOT, so I would suggest that you use the search function (top right of the page) and search on "RNY VSG" and "RNY sleeve" and you will be able to read through many more responses than you will get just in this one post.

Be sure to consider things like not being able to take NSAIDs and having to take significantly more vitamin supplements with RNY (at least 4 times a day),  the potential for reactive hypoglycemia, the risk of complications like strictures, etc. rather than just focusing on the potential weight loss between the two surgeries.  Getting the weight off takes only a year or two but you have to live with the restrictions of the decision for the rest of your life (which surgeons often ignore... They seem to focus on the short term only sometimes).

FWIW, personally, I started at 330+ pounds (but was not diabetic, just had rising sugar levels each year) and had RNY because the sleeve was not available 6 years ago, but if I were doing it now, I would opt for the sleeve. If you search on older posts about RNy vs sleeve you will notice that a number of us who above been living with our RNY for several years would opt for the sleeve instead (whereas, understandably, people who are still in the losing phase have nothing but wonderful things to say about the RNY... But they would probably say that about anything that was getting the weight off... I know I would have.)

Good luck with your decision.

Lora

I felt the same way.  VSG seemed less "invasive" somehow (though you can argue both sides of that issue). BUT I knew so many people in real life who had had RNY and remained successful years after surgery. I just didn't know anyone personally who'd had the sleeve. So I was a little nervous about that AND I did like that there was more long-term data on the success of the RNY. But RNY just seemed a little more extreme to me.  But, like you, I thought-if I'm going to do it-I might as well do it all the way-lol! So when I met with my surgeon, I told him that I was really on the fence as to which surgery to have. He said that he was leaning more toward the sleeve for me but he wanted to do an upper gi to see if there were any issues there.  His worry was that reflux can be exacerbated by the sleeve (not always, though) whereas RNY pretty much cures it.  So we did the upper gi and he said that he most definitely would recommend the RnY.  I always ask my doctors-"What would you recommend for me if I was your sister, mother, family member, etc.." And he definitely said RNY (knowing that my upper gi showed significant reflux). And I haven't looked back since! I LOVE the tools that this surgery has given me!  I haven't felt deprived at all.  I LIKE the fact that eating too much sugar makes me feel a little jittery and sweaty (I think that I dump "lightly'). I LIKE knowing that going back to full blown regular Coke is not going to be an option beacuse it really will makeme feel awful.  I can honestly say that I have not had any issues thus far, thanks to the Good Lord and my amazing surgeon!

 

I know that I'm in thehoneymoon phase of this jouirney but it just feels so incredible.  Here I was a size 22 6 months ago and I am now wearingsize 12 jeans that are really gttnig a little loose for me. I'm telling you--I literally will CRY ina dressing room when I discover that I can wear an even smaller size than Ihad anticipated. It is just such an incredibly journey and  Iam so thankful that I went with the RNY

 

For the most part-I feel like I eat how a naturally thin person eats. I eat a taco (ie) and there is no way that I could eat another. My body gives me the limit to say, "no more!. It's incredible!

 

Good luck with your decision!

 

Hugs,Pam

 

I had my rny 13 months ago and my type II diabetes is just now stopping. It's actually happened quite suddenly and keeps going a bit low (hit 43 the other day), so I've stopped taking the meds for it. Hopefully, it'll all even out pretty soon!