Why I am glad I picked the sleeve

Here are my reasons I'm glad I picked the sleeve over the RNY. what are yours.

- I can have NSAIDs, which is awesome. I have a family history of arthritis. I also like to take them when I have a cold, and with this cold I have now, I'm so grateful for them
- I have had very few complications, compared to Almost all of my RNY friends. for real. I know 8 people with the RNY. 5 had severe complications, one had minor complications.
- Almost no dumping. I like that i can occasionally have a sweat treat without getting sick.
- less vitamins
- with the VSG, I have to follow my plan to lose weight. It's an awesome plan that I can live on forever- no malobsorption that will fool me into thinking I can eat a lot forever, and then go away in 2 years.
- no monthly fills, like with the band

Hello!

I recenlty had the VSG on December 19, 2011. I have already lost 22 lbs, and am recovering greatly. I haven't had any complications and I feel great. At first I wasa little apprehensive and undecisive between the RNY or VSG. I am so happy with my VSG!

I'm scheduled for VSG on the 12th! The reasons you listed above all played into my decision of VSG over RNY. I've been going to support group meetings for 5 months and all of the above have been subjects we have discussed. One of the big ones for me was having to take all those vitamins for the rest of my life....ugh!

I'm more excited than nervous and can't wait for the new me in 2012!  Happy New Year!

After having the sleeve surgery, I discovered a great forum site I love, with lots of vets, but most of them had RNY.  We still have a lot in common, but it's been a real eye opener to me about the dietary restrictions some of them have to live with, and that I might have faced had I had bypass, which I seriously considered (I thought dumping might actually be a necessay dietary reinforcement mechanism for me.)  I knew it might make me lactose intolerant, and I had a hard time contemplating giving up cheese.  But it's the things that never crossed my mind.  Tomato sauce (some brands are too high in sugar).  Peanut butter (ok, that one might be best for me to give up, but it would be PAINFUL!).   I'm not 100% convinced our bodies won't start to betray us years down the road and make maintenance harder, but I like my chances better than with bypass.
I'm a very happy sleever.  I still have to work on watching my cravings for sweets, but I've had a super smooth recovery, no food intolerances, and have lost weight much faster than my surgeon expected for a sleeve patient.

Ditto... I feel like a "normal" person with the sleeve. Its not so obvious because we dont have all the extra hoops the RNY people have to go through.  I love my sleeve... woo hoo

I have weighed the pros and cons and the malabsorption issues really swayed me to the Sleeve. I am scared and nervous and excited all at the same time. My surgery is the 9th.

It is so good to see all the notes that people post to help with the nerves.


Thanks for sharing!

I love that I can have whatever I want, just in small amounts. An occasional treat keeps me sane, I'm convinced of it. The other day at work someone had brought fresh doughnuts. I cut myself a tiny sliver (just enough to taste) and handed the rest to a coworker. A coworker whose husband had RNY years ago said, "You can eat DOUGHNUTS???" Her husband gave into a craving once and tried a doughnut, and she said he was sick for hours.

(Caveat: the doughnut sliver is a very rare treat, not an everyday thing.)

Mine is a little odd and I think it's a stealth something that can lead to regain problems with RNY. Their intestines adapt and have been shown to start re-absorbing a lot of the calories they malabsorb at about 2 years out (but not reabsorbing the nutrients, those sections of the intestines can't).

Here's the thing: when a sleeve patient goes into maintenance, they figure out how many calories they need to maintain. Good enough. Now an RNY patient goes into maintenance and they need a higher number of calories than us to maintain due to malabsorption, which sounds great, right?

Except that two years later, suddenly their malabsorption decreases and the same number of calories they've been maintaining on may make them GAIN wait.

Has happened recently to two RNY patients in my support group and now they have to cut calories below what they're used to two years out - and it's hard!

Those are all my reasons! I am so happy that this procedure is available!!!