got2bthin

I need to lose 120-140 pounds and I am not sure if the sleeve would get me those kind of results. My surgeon says that r en y is the best. But I workout and think that the sleeve is a better choice. Has anyone lost 130 pounds or so? What was your time frame to do so? Does anyone workout? Basically any advice would help thanks guys.

To all the comments who
Just say read other posts, I do read them, however sometimes it's easier just to ask my own question and btw if ur just going to put read the posts then feel free not to post on my post.

Yes. My doc submitted on Tuesday. I was approved on Wednesday! Quick

Me too!!!

Awesome! Fingers crossed for a date!!! To join the August sleeve club and the losers bench!

Congratulations!! A new journey soon to be started. By the way if you happen to get an August date we have a forum going were you can meet other August people, and "FutureSkinnyPants" also has a schedule date going in there as well where she is putting everyones name and surgery date. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/38113-august-sleevers-where-yas-at/

Yay! Good for you! My doc submitted insurance on Tuesday! Hoping to know by Monday!!!

Congratulations! How long did it take? My surgeons office is faxing my file to insurance this week! So the waiting game is about to begin for me!

Congratulations!!!
I had to move my appt because of scheduling conflicts...
I'm looking at late September now.
Best of luck!!!
Let us know how it goes!!!

Hi guys I can't believe it but i am approved!!!!
In less than one month I will have my wls

Hi guys I can't believe it but i am approved!!!!
In less than one month I will have my wls

Hi guys I can't believe it but i am approved!!!!
In less than one month I will have my wls

Perhaps those are people who aren't getting in their Vitamins? A good friend lost 120 pounds with RNY, looks great and is very happy. He has maintained his weight for a few years now. In fact, his doctor would like for him to gain a few pounds. Still, it isn't a procedure I would consider for myself. I definitely agree that it depends on the person's situation and goals.

I'm not reading through all the responses so these may or may not be duplicates.
Sleeve pros:
Can be "easily" revised if needed
Reduction of ghrelin (note: the stomach is NOT the only place that produces ghrelin).
Limited likely hood of "stretching"
Reduced risk of dumping (it is still possible to dump with the sleeve... actually it's possible to dump with a fully intact GI system)
Intact pyloric valve
Limited long-term regain
Recuded chance of malnutrition

Sleeve cons:
Risk of food intolerances
Chance of increased heartburn/reflux (can lead to other complications such as Barret's esophagus)
No dismembered stomach left behind <- this creeps me out
Not malabsorptive - you are still responsible for what you eat. If it goes down your throat and doesn't come back up, you will metabolize it.
As a revisional procedure, greater risk of leak
Weightloss is slower, on average

RNY pros:
Reduced responsibility for what you eat, better for "free pass" weightloss
Dumping can be a great behavioral modification tool for long-term dietary changes
Long history, still the "gold standard" of WLS
Most frequently approved procedure (no longer experimental)
Weightloss tends to happen faster (good for people with urgent health risks)

RNY cons:
Pouch seems to stretch considerably
Unimpressive long-term regain stats
Weird poop (happens with DS too)

For me the raw pros & cons were about even. It was a matter of what mated best with the lifestyle I wanted, and the degree of responsibility/ownership I wanted for my diet. I did not really consider RNY. Had the sleeve not been an option for me, I would have most likely gone with a DS. I truly see RNY as a last resort, but there are people who are at the stage of last resort and I think it's a great tool for them. See what I mean? It just depends on what's a good fot for where you are.

Alsoto OP, I think I caught one of your responses as the above was posting.
Re hairloss: if it happens, it will happen regardless of procedure. And it's probably going to happen.
NSAIDS are not "recommended" for either the sleeve nor RNY (nor the band, but that's not a topic in your question). There's probably about equal risk to people taking them with either procedure. It really boils down to the likelihood of ulcer (ulceration in my reasoning is at greatest risk with the band), and the small amount of tissue left/difficulty in making a repair. If NSAIDS are needed, there are protective measures that can be taken for both procedures.

You have really, really good insurance!
If you don't mind, which insurance do you have?
I have Cigna.

im 7 months out and 130 pounds down. im around 1200 calories each day and about 90 grams of protien. Each person is a little different on what they need to sustain the wieght loss. Try increasing your proiten intake to break the stall. That seemed to help me out when i hit a stall. Good job on the 71 pounds that is great.

Wheetsin,
Thank you for your response.
I am not ready for PS, but
I may see a fee doctors just to get an idea of what to prepare for.

My PS (well, chosen PS, I haven't had PS yet) and I, along with my family physician, have been "building" a PS case for insurance approval for... 8 years now. At this rate, one of them will retire before I get rid of my excess skin. You can build a case but it takes time and persistence, and quite a bit of dedication from your providers.
Since I"ve not had PS I can't really answer OP's question, but I can give my guideline. Goal + 1 year of stable weight. My PS will not do reconstructive procedures on WLS patients who have not maintained their weight (loss is OK but no gain) for at least 12 consecutive months.
Cost is estimated around $6200.

A quick note on approval - what happens most frequently is that part of the PS someone wants is considered medically necessary, while other parts are not. Often you can self pay the additional surgical costs and use the approved portion to cover hospital fees. I don't know the exact breakout, and I don't know percentages at which this is done or anything.
Just for example, you're far more likley to get approval for a panniculectomy than a brachioplasty, but the brachioplasty may end up having OOP costs of, say, $2200 versus $4000 standalone.

Hi Got2BThin,
Thank you for your response!
Do you have to jump hoops to have insurance pay?
My insurance company told me I would have to prove
that it is considered "medically necessary."

I have elected to have the sleeve (july 9th) because the stomach and intestines remain fully functional, the stomach is just smaller. The RNY is designed to bypass the small intestines where the nutrients are absorbed, thus the nutritional deficiencies. Although it is apparently not the most difficult surgery to perform, I would suggest seeking out a doctor who has had more experience with the sleeve. It is likely he is pushing the RNY because thats what he knows best. Good luck in your decision, whatever it may be.

I was sleeved on 4/10/2012 at Methodist hospital. Dr Svendson was my surgeon. The surgery went great. I'm down 50 pounds and loving it.

A friend of mine had gastric bypass a year ago and we have had this discussion; hers didn't shrink; she is thinking about Lipo there because insurance won't pay for Tummy Tuck unless skin hangs below the pubic area.