RNY surgery

RNY is one of my surgery choices but kind of nervous to have this type of surgery but don't feel like I would lose enough weight to be worth it with just the sleeve gastrectomy. I was hoping to hear some people's experience with the RNY and if you would do it again. Thanks so much Michelle in NC

I lost all of my excess weight with RNY.

I wonder if I would have done as well with no malabsorption.  I don't think so.

Due to my co-morbitities, I was recommended for RNY surgery.  I have lost a great deal of weight during these past 4 months and I have been cured of almost all of my diseases except for diabetes (which is almost in remission now). I would do the surgery over because it helped me get a HUGE jump start in changing my life.  regardless of any surgery that you get, you have to change what you have been previously doing. the surgery is a valuable tool but you have to take care of it.  

I would do it again in a heartbeat. My BMI was similar to yours and it is going great.

I had rny almost 2 years ago and would do it again in a heartbeat. I went from a bmi of 41 to a bmi of 19.5. I am a normal sized even tiny person for the first time ever as I was over weight even as a child. My high blood sugars,high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all normal now and I no longer have constant knee and back pain. I love my new active healthy life and am thankful every day for the chance to have surgery.

I am 7 years out from RNY, and have maintained a 190 pound weight loss, and don't regret having had it all all, BUT the sleeve was not available when I had my surgery 7 years ago, and if I were making the decision today, I would opt for the sleeve instead.

I say that partly because there isn't the same restriction on taking NSAIDs with the sleeve as there is with the RNY, but mostly because I personally don't think that losing the weight a little bit more quickly with the RNY (it all evens out after 2 years) is worth a lifetime of lack of vitamin absorption and the risk of reactive hypoglycemia and kidney stones (neither of which are an issue with VSG).

I also say that because studies show that long term success (5 years, 7 years, or 10 years, depending on the study) is based more on compliance with new healthy eating habits than surgery type.  

Lora

Your thoughts on this are really interesting to me, Lora, as I'm a little further out than you and down 170 pounds with RNY. I've thought a lot over the past 8 years if, had I been given the option, I would have chosen a different surgery (whether it be VSG or DS). Knowing myself, and my body, I'm pretty thrilled that RNY was pretty much my only option at the time (other than lap band, that is). I truly think that I needed the malabsorption of the RNY to succeed - pure restriction wouldn't have done it for me. Alas, it doesn't matter much really - what's done is done. lol

Edited to add: And with the RNY, I wasn't particularly a "fast loser" or faster than friends with the VSG. I was well into my 3rd year post-op before I hit 135 pounds, which I figured was as good as goal. Now at 120, I actually think I still malabsorb some stuff, not just vitamins/minerals. I eat mindfully, but my RNY is pretty forgiving at times.