Gotta Get Off the RNY vs. Sleeve Seesaw: Heads or Tails, help me out!

[gina171 626]

I'm about ready to flip a coin, I'm so tired of trying to decide.

Heads....RNY

Tails.....Sleeve

Of course I won't REALLY decide on the flip of a coin, but i DID just flip a shiny penny and it came up tails and .... My immediate reaction was relief. Hmmm.

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[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

long term it really doesn't matter much, short term it does some.

I always knew sleeve was the only thing for me.

What are about the 2 surgeries is making it hard for you to choose?

[1Day1Life4Now 882]

I'm about ready to flip a coin, I'm so tired of trying to decide.

Heads....RNY

Tails.....Sleeve

Of course I won't REALLY decide on the flip of a coin, but i DID just flip a shiny penny and it came up tails and .... My immediate reaction was relief. Hmmm.

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It all depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you are in the higher weight ranges, the RNY might be better. The Sleeve is a bit easier but then it's easier to cheat which could cause you from losing all the weight you need to lose. I had the Sleeve 2 1/2 years ago and I love it. I still have restriction and it's just so easy. The bad thing is that I have horrible gastric reflux and meds are not helping. I am scheduled for a revision to a RNY bypass in August. They are both tools, they both work but the RNY is malabsorbtive, which could cause dumping and there is the issue of taking Vitamins the rest of my life. Ah well.... Good luck to you.

[Blue1213 122]

I had the sleeve in March of 2015 and have lost 140 lbs. I didn't want to risk the malabsorption issues with the bypass.

So you can lose a lot with the sleeve you just have to follow your doctors guidelines.

[gina171 626]

I'm about ready to flip a coin, I'm so tired of trying to decide.

Heads....RNY

Tails.....Sleeve

Of course I won't REALLY decide on the flip of a coin, but i DID just flip a shiny penny and it came up tails and .... My immediate reaction was relief. Hmmm.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It all depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you are in the higher weight ranges, the RNY might be better. The Sleeve is a bit easier but then it's easier to cheat which could cause you from losing all the weight you need to lose. I had the Sleeve 2 1/2 years ago and I love it. I still have restriction and it's just so easy. The bad thing is that I have horrible gastric reflux and meds are not helping. I am scheduled for a revision to a RNY bypass in August. They are both tools, they both work but the RNY is malabsorbtive, which could cause dumping and there is the issue of taking Vitamins the rest of my life. Ah well.... Good luck to you.

Great points....my BMI IS 51, I have 160 pounds to lose....so that clearly points to RNY. But I have a real fear of playing with my intestines, since they already seem rumbly and mildly unhappy 4 days a week....maybe I have chronically inflammation and have just always lived with it? But even more worrisome, my mother had her intestines resectioned in one place during a cancer surgery, and she never healed right, had bowel obstructions, developed a fistula from her intestines through to her belly button, it was awful. And I am afraid maybe I would heal like that?

Your GERD must be awful to "leave it" for an RNY....it really is unbearable? It must be, if you are willing to through all this again.

The sleeve seems like so much less trauma to my body. But maybe I am underestimating myself, and maybe I could handle the extra trauma of the RNY.

Another plus for RNY....I only have 1 chance to do this with my insurance. So maybe I just go for the RNY, if I might wind up there one day anyway?

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[gina171 626]

I had the sleeve in March of 2015 and have lost 140 lbs. I didn't want to risk the malabsorption issues with the bypass.

So you can lose a lot with the sleeve you just have to follow your doctors guidelines.

OK....you give me hope!!!

Any problems with GERD?

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[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I was sleeved April 20, 2015 and couldn't be happier with my choice. I have lost a lot and I have a lot to lose.

Unless you have something that specifically precludes the sleeve, then personally I think it is a great choice. Your digestive system remains intact and you don't lose the functionality of your stomach and it is a shorter, less risky surgery.

I think when you were relieved that it came up tails that you should pay attention.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[Blue1213 122]

I had the sleeve in March of 2015 and have lost 140 lbs. I didn't want to risk the malabsorption issues with the bypass.

So you can lose a lot with the sleeve you just have to follow your doctors guidelines.

OK....you give me hope!!!

Any problems with GERD?

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No GERD thankfully! I never had problems with that before surgery. I even had a hiatal hernia with no symptoms.

Good luck with the decision. Does your doctor have a recommendation?

[gina171 626]

Blue1213, i meet with my surgeon on July 14, I am going to tell him all my concerns about healing, but also how important it is to me that I lose ALL this weight....I won't be happy if I only get halfway there. I want my best chance to get to a healthy weight, with as few healing complications as possible.

Tall order, huh?

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[James Marusek 5,244]

Generally if you have severe acid reflux (Gerd) they recommend RNY gastric bypass surgery because the sleeve will generally make the condition worse.

[KristenLe 5,980]

I have similar stats and my surgeon recommended the sleeve. I don't want the malabsorption part either. I think you know what direction to go in - just follow that.

[gina171 626]

Generally if you have severe acid reflux (Gerd) they recommend RNY gastric bypass surgery because the sleeve will generally make the condition worse.

As of now, I don't think I have GERD.... I just get heartburn about 3 times a month when I eat too much, only happens at night, and 4 tums takes care of it.

I think that's just normal occasional heartburn?

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[1Day1Life4Now 882]

I'm about ready to flip a coin, I'm so tired of trying to decide.

Heads....RNY

Tails.....Sleeve

Of course I won't REALLY decide on the flip of a coin, but i DID just flip a shiny penny and it came up tails and .... My immediate reaction was relief. Hmmm.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It all depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you are in the higher weight ranges, the RNY might be better. The Sleeve is a bit easier but then it's easier to cheat which could cause you from losing all the weight you need to lose. I had the Sleeve 2 1/2 years ago and I love it. I still have restriction and it's just so easy. The bad thing is that I have horrible gastric reflux and meds are not helping. I am scheduled for a revision to a RNY bypass in August. They are both tools, they both work but the RNY is malabsorbtive, which could cause dumping and there is the issue of taking Vitamins the rest of my life. Ah well.... Good luck to you.

Great points....my BMI IS 51, I have 160 pounds to lose....so that clearly points to RNY. But I have a real fear of playing with my intestines, since they already seem rumbly and mildly unhappy 4 days a week....maybe I have chronically inflammation and have just always lived with it? But even more worrisome, my mother had her intestines resectioned in one place during a cancer surgery, and she never healed right, had bowel obstructions, developed a fistula from her intestines through to her belly button, it was awful. And I am afraid maybe I would heal like that?

Your GERD must be awful to "leave it" for an RNY....it really is unbearable? It must be, if you are willing to through all this again.

The sleeve seems like so much less trauma to my body. But maybe I am underestimating myself, and maybe I could handle the extra trauma of the RNY.

Another plus for RNY....I only have 1 chance to do this with my insurance. So maybe I just go for the RNY, if I might wind up there one day anyway?

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi Gina. I have to say I absolutely love my sleeve. It's awesome. After all this time I still have restriction. Maybe not as much as I did but I can still only eat small meals. I've had GERD for years but the surgery did make it worse. I've tried so many pills and though sometimes the meds help for awhile, nothing cures it or gets rid of it. My esophagus is inflamed, I have erosive esophagitis now because of the reflux. If I don't convert to the RNY I could end up with cancer, not to mention that the meds for reflux damage your bones. If you don't have the problems I do, you will love the sleeve. If you are truly afraid of the malabsorption issues then don't put yourself through the stress, just go with the sleeve. It's a much easier surgery. I was off work one week, went back to work and managed fine. At 5 months I traveled out of the country and did great. They are both wonderful surgeries. I prefer the sleeve and hate to have to change but my health requires it now. Good luck to you and get ready for some really big changes in your life. You are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. Oh, btw, don't go overboard buying clothes during your weight loss. Shop second hand and thrift stores. You can't buy a new wardrobe every month for the new size you are. :-)

[Renkoss 420]

Gina, I had RNY and I don't believe I had a difficult time healing or with the surgery or immediately afterward. I am 2 months out from surgery and feel fantastic. As far as taking Vitamins the rest of my life, I was doing that anyway, so it was no big deal to me. I have had situations with eating a bit too fast and vomiting, and also with eating just a bite more than I should have and felt sick, but as far as "dumping"? I don't know that I've experienced that completely. I've never gotten diarrhea from anything since liquid diet phase, and I really don't recall the rapid heartrate, or shaking, or anything like that. Just a horrible pain in the chest from being too full and then vomiting which resolved the pain in the chest. With that said, I chose RNY because of difficulty with controlling my Type 2 diabetes. The RNY showed the best chance for control with the blood sugar. So far everything is working as it should and my blood sugars are very controlled.

I think ultimately you need to be sure you are informed on both surgeries, what each pro and con are for each, and then apply that to your situation. Also, trust what the surgeon has to say.

I hope you are able to choose. This is a life altering change. Choose wisely.

[Sophie74656 1,572]

I'm about ready to flip a coin, I'm so tired of trying to decide.

Heads....RNY

Tails.....Sleeve

Of course I won't REALLY decide on the flip of a coin, but i DID just flip a shiny penny and it came up tails and .... My immediate reaction was relief. Hmmm.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It all depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you are in the higher weight ranges, the RNY might be better. The Sleeve is a bit easier but then it's easier to cheat which could cause you from losing all the weight you need to lose. I had the Sleeve 2 1/2 years ago and I love it. I still have restriction and it's just so easy. The bad thing is that I have horrible gastric reflux and meds are not helping. I am scheduled for a revision to a RNY bypass in August. They are both tools, they both work but the RNY is malabsorbtive, which could cause dumping and there is the issue of taking Vitamins the rest of my life. Ah well.... Good luck to you.

it's not easier to cheat...if your mind is set on cheating you will cheat regardless of the surgery.