Why did you decide to have the RNY over other surgeries?

My surgeon has me reconsidering the type of surgery I am interested in having performed. I respect his years of experience and expertise and the points he made for the RNY over the VSG are valid. I am looking for advice on the RNY and websites or recommended books to help me make my choice. I was set on the VSG because it appears to be a safer surgery in my opinion and research. The RNY always seemed to have many more downsides and higher risk of complications, since it is the oldest surgery being performed it must be much safer with the best short term and long term results. Advice please?!

This is only what my doctor told me specifically, not really advice.  He said that RNY has a much greater long term success rate than VSG.  He also said that it would in all probability completely rid me of diabetes (which it did).  It is a discussion for you and your surgeon though.  I'm sure that if you make a list of questions they will be sure to answer them for you.  Good luck in your decision making. 

Thank you phibbmom. It seems like everything is going well for you since your surgery in October. Have you had many side affects like the hair loss, gaseous stomach, or other things that can happen? HAs any of those things happened have they been easy to correct or avoid?

I have had some hair loss.  I am hoping that it comes back in time.  I also had the gaseous stomach.  I found that walking really helped.  My doc recommended walking 10 minutes every hour.  I also walked right after eating every meal.  I don't know whether feeling better was mental or physical, but it really did seem to help the gas bubbles.  My recommendation is sip sip sip and walk walk walk.  It really worked for me.  The sipping is really important.  I was dehydrated two days after I came home and had to go back to the hospital.  I thought something was really wrong, but my stomach had been upset and I hadn't been sipping enough.  So they told me the water was more important than the food.  Keeping yourself hydrated and moving is really important.

I am facing the same choice, but I am planning on RNY. My surgeon said that either would be great for me, but he does slightly lean toward VSG for younger patients because of the possible long term complications with RNY. But I feel more comfortable with RNY. He has performed both operations hundreds of times though. If he did not have much experience with one of the operations, that would also factor into my decision. One of my biggest concerns is heartburn. I do get a lot of heartburn, and I could still get heartburn with VSG. Also, I am hopping that the threat of dumping will train me not to eat too much sugar and carbs because those are definitely my week points right now. My other concern is that the long term effects of VSG may not be understood as well. RNY has been around a long time, so I am more confident that the information on it is accurate. It is a difficult choice. You really have to determine which one you are more comfortable with.

Maria27,

Those are a lot of the same thoughts I am having about my decision. The long term success is documented, the surgeons are more familiar with it and there is more data and research o the RNY. I am 45 and I want to avoid the health problems that I have in my family. Dad is a diabetic with cardiovascular problems, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and heart disease. I am treated for high blood pressure and hypothyroidism now and my cholesterol is borderline high. Dr. Schauer has 20 years experience, an excellent reputation and is at one of the top hospitals in the country. It makes his opinion carry a lot of weight. Let me know how your decision works out and I will keep you posted on mine if you don't mind?

kdemeter299,

I would love to hear how it works out for you. I am hoping to have RNY in March. Right now it is just a lot of waiting. My biggest obstacle at this point is getting insurance approval.

I have to have a sleep apnea study done in February after the results and consult with the doctor in March I can go ahead and request my surgery be scheduled after insurance final approval. I am hoping to have surgery in April or May, but I have no idea how long the approval will take.

If you suffer from GERD you really don't want VSG because it can exacerbate the problem. There was a poster on here a few days ago who had been hospitalized because her post VSG reflux was so bad. I felt terrible for her.  GERD can become a cancerous esophagus if not controlled. 

That is one thing I want to avoid is GERD, I take an OTC antacids now. Since the RNY can eliminate that it looks like a better option.