Need Advice from the vets 5-10+ years

Hey vets! 

 

So just wondering, how is life when you are 5, 10 even longer out?     Is taking your vitamins a drag?  Do you have any complications related to the surgery that arose? 

Plese let me know!! I really need the advice. 

 

Thanks! 

M

I'm almost five years out.  I guess all the vitamins is a bit of a drag.  I'm in a routine with it now.  I don't think much about it.  I recently had to up my iron a whole lot, which means a whole lot more pills, so that was a bit of a drag.  But even that is not such a big deal.

Mostly it's comfortable.  It can be easy to start eating a little more than I should, or eating too much of the wrong things.  I have to be pretty diligent about my food choices.  I still have a lot of restriction though and I love that.

I would not say it's easy to maintain my weight.  But it's very doable.  Which never seemed to be the case pre-op.

9 years out.   Vitamins are no problem at all (never understand why some think it's such a big deal).   I have had blood issues for most of my adult life - pernicious anaemia and chronic anaemia - not any worse after RNY but I know some people get the same problems after surgery.   Iron infusion every 12-18 months is no great shakes for me - although could be expensive if you don't have good insurance.

Still have all my parts (gall bladder etc).   Type II diabetes has appeared but is kept well under control with Metformin and good diet.  I'm sure would be waaaay worse if I was still 100lbs overweight!

Have never had a day of regret and would do it all over again ...

 

Well theres another lady in the forum that said the malabsorption for 18 months out of surgery (quick weight loss) is nothing compared to lifelong vitamin and nutrition deficencies.  What do you think? 

For me, it's not a big problem - there are many VSG'ers who have to take vitamin supplements too - because they are unable to consume enough food for their vitamin needs.  

NSAIDS are not a pass for anyone either.   The only difference between a pouch and a sleeve is not who gets an ulcer from the use or overuse of NSAIDS, but that the sleeve can be scoped to find an ulcer whereas the remnant stomach can't.   Most ulcers are treated without scoping or surgery ...   Many people with completely normal stomachs suffer ulcers after NSAID use!!!!

That would be me.  

In MY opinion -- in general and considering overall health for people who do not have specific medical issues that make RNY a clearly better choice -- it is not worth altering the nutrient absorption of your body just to lose weight more quickly for a year or so.  Only 30% dump, so -- despite that being cited by MANY as one of their two primary reasons for choosing RNY -- chances are that isn't going to be a factor in overall success (or lack thereof), yet by choosing RNY there is a significant chance of developing reactive hypoglycemia, of having vitamin issues of one kind or another (anemia and osteoporosis are common), and there is an increased chance of kidney stones, none of which exist for the sleeve.

No, not everyone will develop nutritional issues, of course, as long as they take their supplements and stay on top of their lab work.  The problem is that sometimes problems occur DESPITE taking the supplements and having the lab work on schedule... and you have no way of knowing what will or won't happen. So, if the sleeve had been an option for me six years ago, I would have opted to take an extra 6 months or so to lose the weight and keep my body's ability to absorb nutrients as designed intact.  

My goal was to lose the extra weight AND get healthy, and -- again, IMO -- it is generally much healthier NOT to significantly alter your digestive system and your ability to absorb nutrients just for the sae of losing wight a bit more quickly or having to be less diligent abou****ching/controlling what you eat.

Lora

Hey Sin Kim,

Are you saying you developed Type II diabetes after your RNY?  If so, how long after?

Yep!  I had gestational diabetes during a pregnancy a year before my RNY.   Then two years ago (7 years out) I started feeling really sick and yes, it was back.  

It is very well controlled though with diet and 1500mg Metformin per day - HbA1c around 6.5

Diabetes is NOT cured by any WLS - it is only ever put in remission - the stats are better for longer term remission with the DS than with the RNY.   I get very testy when I see people saying they are cured ...  um, NO!!!

Other than a hernia operation( 17 in*****ision from the bypass didn't heal all the way) I have had no major complications. I have dumped more than I can count on 2 hands, and have had the intestinal distress, but these are minor sacrifices for my quality of life now. I'm honestly not very faithful on my vitamins, and never have been but so far it has not become a problem, my blood work has always come back normal with the exception of my protein levels, but that's a long story that I blame a negligent ICU staff for

edit: just read the end of this figure I should have specific that I was hospitalized in 06 for pneumonia, not bypass related at all but the nutritionist in the hospital ordered blood work after 2 weeks of me being feed through an IV and decided my protein level was slightly below average(starve me for two weeks and wonder why my protein is low, gee I wonder why?)

8 1/2 years out. No complications, some tweaking of vitamins when certain things get low. I have also had 2 rounds of iron infusions about 18 months apart. My last labs are good, I was quiet surprised to see my iron levels up.



Yes sometimes the vitamins can be a drag and I've missed some but I have never stopped taken them and won't. The deficiencies scare me.



Some people are ok with a smaller number. I take 19 per day so I feel like I'm swallowing vitamins constantly. I wouldn't change having WLS for anything though its one of the best things I've ever done.