I just received the approval from my insurance and I will be receiving a date soon, and up until this point i have said I wanted the RNY! However now I'm second guessing my decision and want to know how you all concluded on which surgery was best. I'm just concerned that their are not enough long term stats on the VSG which is what led me to picking the RNY. Are any of you 5+ years post op from the VSG and can tell me how you have done thus far. My only concern with the RNY is losing weight too quickly, I want a more gradual weight loss believe it or not!! Please help

I cannot give you long range stats ( of 5+ years) as I am only 8 mos. out myself. I can tell you, however, why I made the decision to have the VSG and not RNY. Originally I considered Lap Band. But when I became serious about researching and starting the process I quickly realized that was not going to be for me. ( as I found the long range results of lap band are not good, and my surgeon's office even said they were phasing it out) It was during my research I came across VSG. I realize it is still considered "new", but all I read was positive. I always knew I did not want RNY because of what goes along with it. I didn't want vitamin absorption issues, or "slimies" or to be intolerant to foods. ( ok- sometimes now I wish I were a little less tolerant of what I can eat!!) I realize each and every person is different, but the overwhelming majority of RNY folks suffer these issues while the overwhelming majority of VSG patients did not. I also was encouraged that VSG had actually been around for a while, but it was actually a part of a different procedure. They realized using VSG as step one in a two step process that many patients loss adequate weight and did not require further surgery. And the mortality rate of VSG is much better. Maybe because it hasn't been around as long, or maybe because it is basically safer. I weighed all of the pros / cons and concluded I preferred VSG. Some days I do wish I had the RNY just to have lost the weight a bit faster. But I know I am much better off with the path I took, in my opinion.

For me, I made my decision based on age. Now, of course we sleevers should take our Vitamins and all, but our dependance on them isn't nearly as high as it is for RNY patients. I realize this will sound paranoid, but since I'm relatively young (27), I don't want to gamble on always having ready access to supplements for the next (hopefully!) sixty years. I have no idea how the world will look when I'm 60 or 70. Unemployment? No health care? Complete economic collapse? Who knows! If I were 50, it would be a different story. But I have too many years left to cover to risk dying because something happens to my access to supplements. Paranoid? Yes. Within the realm of possibility during my lifetime? Also yes.

For me, I did not want to reroute my plumbing, as it were. I did not like the idea of messing with my digestion. So when I was looking into getting surgery the choice was easy. Even though long term stats are better for bigger people with the RNY, I just was not comfortable with rerouted intestines and malabsorption for the rest of my life. Like WhoKnows, I'm only 37, I didn't want to have to deal with malabsorption for another 30 or 40 plus years.

This is a timley topic for me. I actually just changed from RNY to Sleeve. Let me share what I just went through.

I had my surgeon's appt last week. He said to me "if you were my sister, I'd tell you to have the sleeve". That totally took me by surprise. I was 100% going with RNY. I was prepared for what came with it.

I've done a ton of reading, etc. this past week, and I have to agree with him. (guess that's why he's the surgeon) I'm going with the sleeve.

I'm 51, have 70lbs left to lose, cholesteral issues, and type 2 diabetes. He is confident I will be just as successful with the sleeve without the risks associated with the RNY.

Although I have no wish to go through this again, the sleeve can be revised to a bypass. But I just assume think of this as a one shot deal.

I wish you the best of luck in which ever you decide.

I made my decision after speaking with my doctor and weighing the options. I opted VSG because it seemed safer, and the malabsorption was a concern, because I saw what a friend went through when she was having trouble getting the Vitamins she needed (she was getting shots and Iron infusions, etc.)

Good luck to you in whichever surgery you choose! I was originally thinking lapband as it's reversible. BUT, everyone I met with discouraged it...and quite frankly, I didn't want another surgery so having it fail & then going through a revision did not appeal to me (weird, right ). I had a vsg simply because I was worried about malabsorption issues....I know my bones aren't the strongest and don't want them turning to dust any earlier than they already will....yes, that grossly over exaggerated but pretty much my luck

I was going to get the sleeve but hit the rny I didn't want yo have anything permenant in case the sleeve cause severe acid forgoes or gout because once they cut it out it's out, with rny there is a longer history and it can be reverse, I am very please with my decision I was type 2 diabetic, had High chloseterial high blood pressure I went off all meds 3 days after surgery and I fell great I am 6 weeks out and loving life . Good luck trust yourself and listen you our doctor.

Congrats on your approval!!!

I don't have any answers about long term sleeve success and am still pre op (tomorrow is my day). The decision for me to go with the VSG was due to the absorption issue. I'm on an anti estrogen adjuvant medication for the next 4 years and need to be certain I'll get the full benefit from the medication.

Good luck with your decision!

I just received the approval from my insurance and I will be receiving a date soon, and up until this point i have said I wanted the RNY! However now I'm second guessing my decision and want to know how you all concluded on which surgery was best. I'm just concerned that their are not enough long term stats on the VSG which is what led me to picking the RNY. Are any of you 5+ years post op from the VSG and can tell me how you have done thus far. My only concern with the RNY is losing weight too quickly, I want a more gradual weight loss believe it or not!! Please help

I chose the sleeve because I did not feel I wanted to reroute my plumbing. Also felt I could keep my vitamins and minerals easier in check. I also take extended release meds and you cannot take extended release with RNY, so I chose the sleeve. Best of luck to you.

I was worried about having surgery in general as this was my first operation ever and RNY has more risks than VSG overall and VSG has demonstrated almost as good results as RNY. I did not want any restrictions on what I could eat in the end and VSG gives you that though as people have stated that can be a bad thing if you do not have self control on what you eat. I am just past one year and have had no issues with VSG and am now down to goal weight with the doc telling me not to lose anymore so could not be happier. Still it is personal choice I just did not want to have more surgery than required but the lap band requires too much maintenance for my liking. I am sure whichever way you decide to go you will lose the weight, key is to give yourself a chance and have some kind of WLS.

Like others, i didn't care to have my plumbing rerouted, but originally i too had chosen RNY.

I have severe GERD and hypertension, PCOS, insulin resistance, and on and on...

My doc had a serious talk with me about TWO things he thought were pertinent regarding my choice: the fact that I am under 40 and have about 80 lbs to lose. He was concerned about the fact that I will likely have a normal longevity, and dealing with malabsorbtion of Vitamins for another 40+ years will be taxing on my system.

The other issue was something called 'blind stomach'. I had stomach issues including the GERD and ulcers and other stuff. His BIG concern for me was the fact that with rny they essentially staple off the majority of your stomach and it sits there, closed up forever. there is never again a way to see inside of that organ other than to scope it externally from your ribcage area. he told me that a scope would be necessary every couple of years and that scopes are not meant to be inserted from the outside of your skin through an incision and it would require surgery and eventually revision of major scar tissue. YUCK. didn't want to deal with all that!

after that appt it was VERY easy to decide!~

I'm 10 months out and went into my first consultation with the same question... R\Y vs Sleeve. For me, my surgeon did not have strong feelings one way or the other. For other patients, he's flat out told them, "I won't do a sleeve on you because... You are only a R\Y candidate". But with me, he led me through a series of questions until I came to my own decision.

It boiled down to the amount of weight I had to lose - about 100 pounds, maybe a bit less

Comorbidities - mine were BP, cholesterol, asthma, joint pain, and pre-diabetic sugars. I was not bad enough for insulin yet

I was okay with slower weight loss

I was concerned with malabsorbtion issues and the long term consequences of re-routing

The sleeve just seemed... Simpler. So far it's been the best gift I've ever given myself. I'm active, in my goal range, off all pre-op meds and all stats are perfect. Life is GOOD!

I won't be much help, sleeve was my second choice. My surgeon said gastric bypass was too dangerous for me post op because of medications for Multiple Sclerosis and it's effects. I have done a lot of research since and. Am very comfortable with it.

I was going to do lap-band, but after ther research I changed to the sleeve. Last week I actually meet 2 of my 2nd cousins out of state for the first time and they had the sleeve 4 years ago and are still loving it. Both of them are healthy and are actually beachbody coaches now! Seeing the long term benefits they have experienced was really inspiring. I'm glad I decided to go with the sleeve.

Good luck with what ever you choose!!

1. VSG can be converted to duodenal switch (DS) if the initial weight loss is insufficient. In both cases, the pylorus remains intact, so food is let out of the stomach gradually. Both have a much lower risk of dumping syndrome than RNY, and the weight loss outcomes of DS are even better than RNY.

2. More foods tend to be tolerated after VSG/DS than after RNY, mainly due to the intact pylorus and size of the stomach. VSG also allows regular nutrient absorption and doesn't cause as many embarrassing bowel/gas disorders.

3. Weight loss can be more gradual after VSG than RNY, which can result in somewhat less loose skin. No guarantees!

4. RNY is a better option for people who graze or eat junk food/fast food, though, because the sleeve only controls portion size and sometimes hunger, not eating frequency or food quality.

5. RNY may also be better for people with reflux, as VSG can worsen it over time.