Seeking advice from people who had RNY at least 2 years ago

Unfortunately, I had to delete this post due to privacy concerns.

Hello,
I'm not a RNY veteran, but your story sounds exactly like my lapband journey! Mine was also placed in 2008! I originially was considering revising to VSG, but met with my surgeon yesterday who advised that I go the RNY route. I have metabolic issues and insulin issues and she thought this would be the best route for me! Boy, I know how I felt when I started down the "revision surgery road"! But congrats on making the decision to do the research work on revision so you can get yourself healthy! Its a tough decision, but I ultimately went with my surgeon's advice. Good Luck!

My RNY was in Nov 2008.

I have lost 150 lbs and kept it off.  So far, it's not really hard to keep it off.  I know it may get harder down the road, though.

Complications.... I got pneumonia after surgery, which can happen after any surgery but is not very common.  It was bad, though.  I got gall stones eight months out and had to have my gall bladder removed.  But my doc did not prescribe Actigall, which probably would have prevented that.  I developed gastroparesis about 18 months out but we don't know if that was actually due to surgery or not.  And it's well managed by meds.

If I had a choice, I would have VSG if I had it to do over again.  But my choices were band or RNY and there is no way I'd ever get a band.  I would do RNY again.

Kelly
I have just stated my wls journey , Had my first consult with surgeon who told me with my insuance I could choise any of the surgerys... I have been resheching both rny and the sleeve.. my bmi is 51 now have lost 10Lb in first month of supervised diet... My surgeon seems to think I would do better  with the rny...I feel the less i have to change my pluming and get to a heathy weight is  the *******so have a hard time takeing vitamins just mess up my stomach.. I was just wondering why if you had a second chace would you do the sleeve and what if you dont mind telling me was your starting bmi

Thanks

I think my starting BMI was 49.

I would do the sleeve if I could for two reasons.  I would LOVE to be able to take NSAIDS and the risk of nutritional deficiencies with RNY scares me.

Hi Shelli,
I am 3 years out. I would not change my decision to have RNY. My quality of life is better in some very important areas (no diabetes meds, no high BP, Triglicerides back to normal, no sleep apnea, etc) but now I am suffering a RARE complication of RNY. I have bacterial overgrowth somewhere in my GI tract due to the RNY and it has caused arthritis in my ankles, shoulders, and hands. It is related to a diagnosis called Blind Loop Syndrome, which was a complication of an old obsolete type of bariatric surgery. Anyway, antibiotics are the normal treatment for this diagnosis, but they haven't been effective so I may have a reversal if I don't get better here. Remember, my case is very rare, but I would recommend that you do your research very carefully as to the possible complications of WLS. There is a small group of us who have significant complications. I belong to some Yahoo groups called OSSG gone wrong and OSSG Osteoporosis. They are for people who want to discuss their experiences with complications following WLS. Please understand that a portion of patients who undergo WLS develop auto-immune problems, and Rheumatiod Arthritis is one of them. I wish you a careful deliberation. WLS was a great thing for me in many ways, I just am one of the ones who is experiencing complications. You must weigh the risks and then make the best informed choice you can based on what is best for you.

I will be 4 years out in August and I have maintained my 185-pound weight loss (well 180 pounds of it, anyway!) by continuing to follow the same protein-forward, limited simple carb diet that RNYers start out on immediately post-op.  Yes, i eat a lot MORE than I could when I was first post-op, but the emphasis is still on protein first, and lots of it.

I had NO complications at all in terms of eating, drinking, and vomiting (I did not throw up a single time until I was 18 months out, and have thrown up only a couple of times since then).  I never had a stricture, never had anything get stuck, and never had the "foamies.  I can eat almost anything (literally 5 things make me physically ill), and I have dumped only 3 times.  (Yes, I do dump, but it takes a LOT of sugar to make that happen, and I cannot afford that many calories from sugar!)

The only "complications" I have had were an incisional hernia (my RNY was open, not laparoscopic), had to have my gallbladder out (but we knew before surgery that I had gallstones), and a problem with my tummy tuck incision healing (necrosis!!!).

I am happy with my RNY, but the arthritis in my knees did not improve as much as I had hoped, so I really miss being able to take NSAIDs for inflmmation.  For that reason (and because the malabsorption from the RNY is only temporary), if I were going to do it all over again, I would lean towards the sleeve.

Lora

I'm about 3 years out and have pretty much maintained. I've gotten the 10lb bounce back but no more than that. Kinda just jumps around the same weight give or take 10 lb depending on TOM and eating/exercising behavior. I can pretty much eat what I want but I do dump so too much sugar and carbs bother me which is good because it keeps me in control. I still have issues w/ pasta so tend to avoid that. Since surgery I've not had any complications at all other than an allergy to the Liquid vicodin but that was minor. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I had RNY on May 10, 2006.  I've lost over 150 pounds at my lowest, and have levelled out at 150 pounds. It's the best decision of my life. BUT, it is a lifestyle change. Band surgery is very difficult for some people, and there are many RNY patients in my support groups who had a revision from band surgery.  You have to be diligent about taking supplements, drinking fluids, eating high protein foods, and exercise to get the most benefits from the RNY tool.  Attending support groups meetings is an important facet of continued success also.  I attend 3 support meetings a month, and I know other patients who attend at least 2 meetings a month.  Complications can occur from any surgery.  One of the complications that seems to arise from RNY surgeries, is the potential for ulcers--but this is primarily from patients who began smoking again after surgery. I personally know 2 people in my support groups who began smoking again, and both had ulcer surgeries within the past few months. DAVE

Surgery February 2005, so 6 years.

No complications.  Edit:  I don't necessarily consider gallbladder surgery in 2010 a complication since it was 5 years after but I did have to have my gallbladder removed last year. 

Yes I've maintained and still lose easily when I make good choices.

Do it again?  I think I would as I've been happy with the results.  I "may" have chosen the DS had I known about it prior to having surgery.

Look at all your options and then decide what you can best live with.