Question:
Pros and cons on each?
Hello my wonderful and supportive family, I have been approved, and the doctor that approved me does only VGB and RNY I was leaning towards DS but when I was approved I am going with it and running Ya know, I am on state funded insurance(medical) and if I turn him down there is no telling when I would get another chance. So now I want the low down dirty truth on both, I searched the questions area but didnt come up with much. i thank you in advance — Christina B. (posted on June 26, 2002)
June 26, 2002
Read Karen Fisher's profile. People that have the VGB don't have as good of
an outcome that people who get the open RNY, which there are two
procedures, Distal (more of the intestines bypassed)and Proximal (shoter
length of the intestines bypassed). You'd have to ask your surgeon which
procedure he would do on you. Studies have shown the people who have the
distal procedure have greater sucess at losing large amounts of weight and
keeping it off.
— Emily L.
June 26, 2002
I picked the RNY because many VBG patients end up eating easy to get down
high calorie foods like milkshakes and junk food. I know a few of these
folks personally and its sad they have trouble eating good wholesome foods.
I would go with the RNY again in a heartbeat, 313 became 185 or so today,
At goal.
— bob-haller
June 26, 2002
Generalizations don't work when it comes to the surgery. All procedures
can succeed and all can fail. I'm a successful VBGer who can and does eat
"good wholesome food." I've lost more and faster than some of my
RNY friends. None of the procedures is without its drawbacks. You have to
go with what sounds right for you.
— BethVBG
June 26, 2002
I would advise anyone who's torn between the VBG and the RNY to check out
the OSSG-Revision Yahoo group
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ossg-revision). It's true that the VBG has
worked for many people. It's also true that most people seeking revisions
of their weight-loss surgeries are those who've had the vertically-banded
gastroplasty or other purely restrictive surgeries.
— Kay B.
June 26, 2002
First of all -- I know NOTHING about the DS procedure, but I know LOTS
about VBG and RNY. The way I understand it, from my surgeon, the nurses at
the hospital and people on this web site, the VBG can be very successful
for binge eaters. It prevents you from eating a lot at once. The
"window of opportunity" for this one is typically estimated to be
six months. RNY prevents you from eating a lot at once AND makes some of
your caloric intake unable to be absorbed. This by-pass part of the
surgery then puts you at higher risk for nutritional deficiencies -- a
lifetime of vigilance and supplements can be expected. For some, a high
sugar/fat food also causes the negative reinforcement of the "dumping
syndrome". The window of opportunity for RNY is considered to be 18 -
24 months. If you are a snacker and/or like sweets or high-fat foods
(like me), the VBG is considered inappropriate in your circumstance. I was
never a binge eater. But I am (was) a champion snacker. Thus, after a few
months, the VBG didn't really restrict what I was eating, other than
prohibiting me from eating meat and indulging me in a daily vomit-fest.
But Pringles and Oreos would be sooo soothing to my tummy. All day. Eeks
-- I just gained 50 of that 90 pound loss! Someone posted that they never
snack but eat huge meals. VBG would be great for that person. Finally,
choose carefully. Revision patients lose MUCH more slowly than those
first-timers. Good luck! 5 weeks post-op -- down 24 1/2!!!
— Karen F.
June 26, 2002
Hello :) My surgeon only performs one surgery -- laproscopic RNY (unless
open is neccessary). His reasons for this are as follows: with the DS,
the malabsorpative problems are HUGE, so you do end up with a thinner
patient, but one very likely to have huge complications down the road, with
the VBG you are less likely to have success, less weight loss, greater
chance of weight regain, with the RNY you combine the restrictive
(inability to eat large portions) with SLIGHT malabsorption, which helps
prevent weight gain. His theory is, he'd rather have a healthy patient
long term then a "model-thin" one. I am driving almost 300 miles
to go to this surgeon, because he is the best at lap RNY, but his logic
only reinforced my idea that RNY was the best and safest procedure for MOST
people (not all, but vast majority).
— Heather K.
June 26, 2002
I should say the best on my health plan at lap RNY. Sorry, didn't mean to
insult any other surgeons.
— Heather K.
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