Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Why did you decide to do sleeve instead of RNY?



Recommended Posts

I just met with my surgeon and she basically gave me the option of Bypass or Sleeve. She said she would recommend me for either surgery, but she would lean more towards sleeve because I am young and hopefully have a good 60 years ahead of me and that's a long time to be maintaining a pouch...like there are more risks and a long time of taking crazy amounts of Vitamins, etc. I was initially leaning more towards bypass because I am not doing WLS as a method to lose weight, I am doing it as a tool to keep the weight off. And I wanted dumping syndrome to keep me in line because high fat sugary foods are my slippery slope. I do have faith in myself and I am confident that I can do this if I really set my mind to it, with or without dumping syndrome, but I wanted that extra assurance. But I do agree with her, the sleeve is less risky and invasive and that's comforting. What made your decision?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I chose sleeve over RNY for many reasons:

  • No rerouting of my digestive system
  • The idea of my old stomach still being inside me, where it might develop ulcers or cancer down the road and be harder to diagnose/treat since an endoscopy could no longer reach it concerned me
  • I couldn't really understand what the loss of a functioning pyloric valve might mean for me. Like, does my stomach pouch still send signals to my brain for it to open and close, and it's just over there with my old stomach randomly opening and closing? Weird!
  • Also, since my pyloric valve would no longer be holding food in my pouch, wouldn't everything just pass right through into my intestines? What if it didn't have enough time to sit in my stomach juices and get broken down enough for my intestines to handle?
  • I liked the idea of eventually being able to eat whatever I want, just in moderation. I didn't want to give up all the foods I loved forever. In reality though, post-sleeve I don't really want a lot of those foods anyway. Still, at the time I was going through the process of surgery, it was reassuring to me to know I would eventually be able to eat those foods again.
  • I was concerned about the malabsorbative aspect of RNY and the potential for developing deficiencies.
  • I was self-pay and sleeve is much cheaper!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I second most of what Jamie listed. I was given the same choice and my doctor said the same thing, he'd recommend me for either.

At my age (29), he said I should do fine with either one. I went with the sleeve because it seems slightly less extreme as a first step, and the sleeve can be revised into a bypass down the line if necessary.

I'm 2 weeks post op today and feeling pretty great. Good luck to you either way!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I always think of it as the "drastic bypass". But I did think that if the surgeon recommended it, I would accept that. When I met with him he said he thought the sleeve was the best option for me, and would really only recommend the bypass for me if I had really bad diabetes.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I forgot to list my starting BMI as one of the reasons I chose sleeve. When I began pursuing WLS, my BMI was right at 40. Bypass is usually recommended for people with higher BMIs than that or other comorbidities (I didn't have any).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I didn't like the malabsorption of the bypass.

The whole dumping syndrome scared me. I ride horses including trail riding for hours at a time. I just can imagine needing to GO NOW and being in the woods somewhere dragging a horse behind me. It is one thing for a quick pee behind a bush but no just no for anything else.

I pay medical claims for a living. At one point I was paying only catastrophic claims. About 12 years ago my first claim that I paid that hit $1 million dollars was a RNY that went wrong. The staples popped and leaked while still inpatient. I read the case management notes, it was not pretty. I had another that was $500,000+. I do understand that complications can occur with any surgery but these stuck out for me since they were particularly high dollar for the time.

I also was talking to a case manager nurse and she told me about a bypass patient she had when she was a home health nurse. She had to pack the opening and could get her arm into the patient almost up to her elbow. That pretty much did it for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was aiming for a 100 pound loss, (no more) and didn't need the added component of malabsorption and the side affects\risks that come with re-routing.

I did not have diabetes.

I had mild reflux that my doc believed could be "fixed" with hernia repair done with the sleeve procedure. (R\Y is typically offered as the only option if your reflux is bad).

I wanted to avoid dumping syndrome, (I wasn't COMPLETELY successful in that as my sleeve WILL dump if I binge on sugar. Small amounts or the occasional treat is fine).

Turned out to be a good choice! Health problems including chronic reflux all gone and off all meds to control them within 6 months!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×