Surgery got switched from Sleeve the RNY

Went to my surgeon for my preop this past Friday.  Originally I was going to have the RNY but after learning more about the sleeve I wanted to go with that. Since I had given up coffee I didn't have any problems with GERD but that was short lived an it came back :o(  When I went to the preop I didn't say anything to him about the GERD symptoms coming back and he told me that based on the test they did the small about of reflux they see can be a problem. I could go on medication if it bothers me but who wants to be on meds if they don't need to plus there is always risk of osteoporosis with that and I'm already at high enough risk for it as it is.  Plus the acid can erode the esophagus and cause throat cancer eventually.  He old me he sees better result with RNY and to him there are less risk because with the sleeve there can be strictures that can develop must more easily.  Also postop it is more difficult with the sleeve than the RNY.  He also said that if it was his family member he would recommend RNY over the sleeve.  I trust him because he has a very good reputation at being the best.  He has very low complication postop.  I have personally know 5 people who have had RNY and one sleeve.  The sleeved person is just 3 months out and doing well, but they didn't have GERD prior.  The 5 who have had RNY are also doing great and have all been able to keep their weight off. One is 10 years out, the others are all about 2-4 years out. All said they are happy with the results and would do it again in a heartbeat. Anyway, so my doctor said to take the weekend to think about it and call him on Monday.  After speaking with everyone I know about their experience with RNY I feel better about it. I know me and I am such a worrier. So I'm sure that I'm more worried/scared than I need to. I'm sure once everything is said and done and I am recovered and back to a new "normal" or adjusted to my new life I will realize that it wasn't so bad after all and wondered what I was all worried about.  Anyone feel like that as well?

I feel exactly the same way.  I was going to have the sleeve and my nut told me because of my eating habits now that in 6 mos.  I would back in her office vey unhappy with the sleeve.  I figure these specialists who work with Bariatric patients everyday know more than I do.  Plus the sleeve is not reversible so once you have it done that's it.  No room for changing your mind later.

I think the important thing is how you feel about it.. and it sounds like you feel pretty good about it and you trust his judgment :) I'm a worrier too, so I know where you're coming from but from the sound of it this is a great choice in your situation. I work with someone who had the RNY last year and she's doing fantastic!

And..not to hijack the thread, but Castine can I ask more about the eating style that makes it more difficult to make the sleeve work? I'm still in the early stages and I suppose I can change my mind so I'm waffling a tiny bit lately lol I was sure I wanted the sleeve but I have to admit there's still a niggling little bit of doubt in the back of my mind.

Thanks. My surgeon says that with the sleeve you loose average 70% of the excess weight and with RNY it's 90%. With the sleeve the way people gain weight is it's easier to turn back to the old way of eating making it easier to regain. With the bypass you malabsorption some calories and with the sleeve you don't and with the sleeve you can eat a little more. My surgeon also says that they are seeing a lot of revisions now that it's been around for a while now specifically sleeve to RNY. The main reason being new or worsening of GERD. 

Malabsorption with bypass doesn't last forever. Unfortunately your body learns to compensate for the changes forced on it by surgery. 

It is true with the sleeve you MUST change your eating habits to keep the weight off..  But isn't that what it is all about?  No WLS is a magic bullet. You can eat around any WLS.  I know many Bypass patients who have gained a lot of their weight back.  I am not trying to be mean at all, but you cannot rely on the surgery , you must also commit to lifelong change in your eating habits or the weight will return.  also with the small capacity of food we can eat our diet needs to be packed with nutrition. You can't just continue to eat poorly and rely on the vitamins to make up the nutrition gap..  Again this is not said meanly.  For ANY WLS dietary change needs to come post op, for your continued health and success.

Anne

Actually, the long-term, maintained weight-loss stats are about the same---around 65-70%---for both the RNY and the Sleeve. Malabsorption of calories is temporary with the RNY, but the malabsorption of certain vitamins and minerals is forever.

I eat and crave a lot of sugar and fat.  These are cravings the sleeve won't solve but with RNY, according to my nut, my tastes will change.  Plus if I eat carbs I will get dumping syndrome.  I also didn't like the fact that if you needed to have a RNY after the sleeve that you couldn't.  Also, like the RNY is reversible if you have too many problems.

This doesn't make sense to me since the sleeve is the surgery that removes the part of your stomach that produces the hunger hormone, only 30% of RNYers dump, and the malabsorption doesn't last forever. 

They're both great surgeries, of course, but there's a lot of misinformation going around!

just want to inject here that dumping syndrome is not caused by excess carbs, but by excess sugar.  you'll eventually be able to eat non-sugar carbs til the cows come home.   and excess fats make some sick, but by no means all.

in my experience, it's just as easy to re-gain with the RnY as with the sleeve.