question for rny-ers : )

First a little background: I'm currently waiting on insurance to approve my preferrence (vsg), which they will in the next 24-72 hours as they put a "rush' on my request. They have already approved the rny...

Now the question: What made you decide to go with the rny when you're so young and would have to live with it (and its side effects and complication down the road) for the rest of your life?

That's really my decision at this point--choosing what I can live with forever. Can anybody help me? (and btw I am not putting down any surgery type, obviously lots of people have had success with the rny without any complications, I'm just scared atm)

Thanks to all *****spond.

hi kikuri.

i decide to have rny, `cuz its the surgery i know the best. a lot of people i know had this surgery. and with great results. i talked to my dr. ( dr. robert davis) about lap band, vsg and rny. and we both agreed that rny was the best option for me. cuz the long terms results. as me been so young we wanted to go with a surgery who was save and proved for long time.  i have not had any complicatons at all. all my blood levels ara fine, my vits. everything. but he also told me that the vsg its a very good option for young people.
its your decition. i believe you`ll do fine with any kind of surgery they all are good. just make sure your dr. its and expert in the surgery he is gonna do on you. and its importatn 2 the after care. make sure your dr. tell you all that
good luck
and hugs.
mariana.

Everybody I know personally who had WLS has had RNY... I have friends over 7 years out. My best friend spent a lot of time researching surgeries and surgeons and chose the RNY... her success inspired me to take the plunge (along with other reasons). My insurance also only covered RNY, I know you can fight them for other procedures but RNY was what I decided on after doing my own research and talking to the surgeon.
Anyways as for living with side effects and complications... I have had none so far. In fact my friends that are farther out have had no physical side effects/complications (my one friend has struggled with transfer addicition issues). I know the malnutrition portion is a concern because we do not know the long term side effects but I stay 110% dilligent with my supps/vits and stay up on the current research and make the changes to what I do as neccesary... also I keep up with getting my bloodwork done (I go every 6 months personally) so I can 'catch' something before its too big an issue.

I decided to go with RNY after meeting with my surgeon. Prior to meeting with her, I had met a few people who had gone under the lap-band procedure and were experiencing complications. Like the person above me touched on, the further you are out from RNY, the possibility for any complications decreases dramatically.RNY has also been performed for decades and I felt like it was the best option for me. VSG and RNY both do a great deal to re-arrange your plumbing, so I don't see how youth would really be a factor in terms of making that decision.

I chose my RNY due its drastic methods.  I chose my surgeon because of his skills, manner and success rates.  My RNY has an added benefit as my surgeon placed a ring above the stoma to help in maintanance.  This ring is called the silastic ring.

I do not plan to have complications in the future.  I take my vitamins (more so now since I am more proactive) and exersize.  I make sure I'm doing things right.  If I have a complication in the future, we'll go over that bridge then, but for now I'm relishing in my three years of health.

When I first went to meet with my surgeon, I was convinced I would get a Lap-Band because the thought of a gastric bypass scared me to death.  It was only after he explained the two procedures to me, I really took the time to dig deep inside of me and realize that the gastric bypass was really the way to go for me.   It's really a personal decision that everyone has to make on their own as to which path to take.  

I don't forsee me having major complications..at least because of something that I did.  If it so happens that there is a complication from something that is beyond my control, then  I will deal with it.   No food is worth going through complications from a major surgery.  

I have no co-mobidities but that's the point...I don't want them...that's why I decided to have surgery in the first place.  I mean, it was either now when I'm 26 and healthy or when I'm 50 and possibly have diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.  I don't feel like I'm now limited in any way compared to anyone else with what I can do with my life...I actually feel like I can do more. 

Good luck in making your decision.  

~Emily~

I didn't know how to choose either...  So, I asked my Primary Care Physician (who I have been seeing since I was like 10) and she said I could eat around the lap band...  and not keep the weight off...  SO I was like "F-that" I'm having RNY!  I never want to be FAT again!!!

=)  Hope this helps! 

 I went for my 3 month check-up with my Bariatric Surgeon and I have lost 80LBS!!!  

I was so excited about having the lapband but after speaking to my doctor I realized that wouldnt be best for me. I'm a grazer and a nibbler so I'd  cheat this diet. The RNY would help me stay full longer and truly limit my intake. That was ideal to me. I also saw my mother have the RNY about 10 years ago and the results were amazing...she did have complications but the surgery is different now. Also 10 years out my mother is completely fine and HEALTHY!

I figured at 26years old. I needed to take some risk so that at 86years old I'd look back on my life and think "Thank God at 26, I was brave enough to get a handle on my life so I could appreciate 86!" Everytime I meet people who have had the surgery they always say they wish they had it sooner!

Hey Kikuri,

I struggled with lap-band vs RNY vs DS.  To be fair I never really considered the VSG too much, not sure why.

I decided on the RNY because I felt I needed drastic.  I liked the experience with it.  I liked the decreased ability to "cheat" it.

As for being young, I figure that just helps us heal faster :P

Remember also, the RNY, is completely reversible if necessary in the future.

Hi I too struggled and am still struggling a bit with the decision of which surgery to go with.  My struggle is that my provincial insurance has decided to be more picky about which procedures it will cover.  I was deciding between VSG and DS, however I may end up with RNY because if insurance.  Just in research (since I have not actually had WLS yet) the things I liked about VSG as opposed to RNY were that the pyloric valve stays in tact and functioning, you can take NSAIDS, you don't have a blind stomach that can't be scoped, they totally remove the portion of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone, the part of the stomach that remains is mostly muscle so you get less stretching over time. However with VSG you don't have the added benifit of the malabsorption, and because it is a newer procedure you have to take a "leap of faith" since there are no really long term studies of weight loss maintiance.  This is mainly why I ended up deciding to go with the DS.

I also lurked around on the fourms of all of the surgeries and read how happy people seemed to be with their choices and how they were post op, what they could eat, complications etc.  And read the regrets and failed fourms to see if there was anything that stood out.

Not sure if this help any!