Need Advice for Weight Loss Surgery

[hollyrose062 0]

Hi, friends, I'm planning for weight loss surgery but I don't know about types or advantages or disadvantages. Anyone can pls help me.....?

[Mandybb 183]

I'm sure others can provide detailed descriptions of the available procedures, but I can tell you why I personally chose the Gastric Sleeve.

The Lapland is probably the least invasive surgery. However, I had issues with a foreign object being in my body and having a port just under my skin for Fluid insertion/deletion. There are many reports of the bands slipping, moving, or growing into the esophagus (which required additional surgeries and varied results) that I did not want to go through that possible trouble.

Bypass is the most invasive operation. It's almost just like the Sleeve but the amount of nutrients your body can absorb is decreased. I did not like this because I want what my body needs to be absorbed from what I eat. With the sleeve, you eventually will not need a Protein supplement or additional Vitamins to sustain yourself. Bypass patients will always need the extra bit of nutrition.

So I chose the Sleeve. It's the middle choice as far as invasive operations go. Half of my stomach was removed and I can only eat 3-4 oz. of food at a time. I don't have to worry about filling bands. However, huge sacrifices in the types of foods I choose to eat have to be made. If I eat something with too much fat or sugar, I'm very ill with something similar to "dumping " seen in bypass patients. Horrible sweats, diarrhea, and vomiting can follow. However, with the band you can still eat those foods without the fear of "dumping". I needed something that severe to keep me on track and from making poor decisions because I'm not a strong person where food is concerned. Plus I only need to lose 100 pounds. I'm not sure your BMI or anything but Bypass is recommended for people who have 100+ pounds to lose (according to my doc). Really what you choose is very personal and depends on what you feel comfortable with. I chose the Sleeve and couldn't be happier.

Good luck!

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[Travelher 915]

Let me start with saying the band is the MOST invasive surgery, not the least because the complication rate is so high (around 50%) that you could require more surgeries...that is my definition of pretty invasive. I can can post a link to a whole host of those studies if you would like, I had to have my band removed and revised to rny.

I chose rny because it is the gold standard been around for decades and proven to work. Sleeve hasn't been around for 10 years yet, so after my mistake of using the band when it was still new...wasn't gonna do that again. Also I developed acid reflux from the band and I knew the sleeve could make it worse and rny often cures it. Also I liked the extra insurance with malabsorption...most sleevers don't dump, the majority of rnyers do with the rny. I liked that it was insurance should I make bad food choice. I don't ever plan have another bariatric surgery.

Both sleeve and rny require additional Vitamins. I like the Patches..easy to use and don't know they are there.

Having said all this the sleeve is getting close to the 10 year mark and looking like a good alternative to rny. It was my backup if the band had done too much damage and an rny couldn't be done.

[catwoman7 10,972]

I went with RNY because I had acid reflux pre-surgery and didn't want to risk it getting any worse (it often gets worse with the sleeve). I also liked the fact it has lots of long-term data behind it.

RNY isn't the most invasive - DS is. And RNY is technically reversible, the sleeve and DS are not (DS has a sleeved stomach).

According to the ASMBS (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery), you will have to take Vitamins for life with any and all surgeries, including the sleeve. There are more Vitamins involved with the RNY and the DS (DS requires the most), but you'll need to take vitamins regardless of the surgery.

you do NOT need to take Protein supplements for life with the RNY. I still take them at almost two years out because I malabsorb Protein (and may have done this even pre-surgery, but we don't know because they didn't do a baseline before my surgery), but most RNY'ers just do Protein shakes for the first few weeks or months.

also, there are both lightweights and heavyweights that do RNY and the sleeve (normally DS is reserved for people with higher BMIs, but not the other two). It makes no difference if you have more or less than 100 lbs to lose, as another poster claimed. In fact, if you ever watch "My 600 lb Life", sometimes people are too large for the RNY, so he does the sleeve instead. But for most of us, either surgery will work regardless of starting BMI. It comes down to personal choice and whether or not you have certain medical issues, like acid reflux, that may make one or the other more appropriate for you.

not all RNY'ers dump. The statistic I see thrown around this board all the time is that 30% of us do, but I don't know if there's any hardcore research behind that number or not. Suffice it to see, there are lots of us who don't. I never have.

Do a lot of research on the different surgeries before making your decision - there is a lot of info out there on them. And talk to your surgeon as well - he/she may recommend one over the other depending on your medical needs.

[James Marusek 5,244]

There are several different types of gastric bypass surgery. In the United States there are some surgery groups that are Centers of Excellence. They combine a full range of experts to walk you through the complex process. It is a full-meal deal. In Indiana, the St. Vincent Bariatric Surgery Center, located in Carmel, Indiana is a center of excellence. http://www.mybrandnewlife.org They provide free weight loss seminars that describe the various approaches and their advantages and disadvantages. If you go to their website and pull down the menu at top called "Weight Loss at St. Vincent" and "Bariatric Surgery Options", it provides a discussion on each procedure.

[Berry78 4,259]

I am laughing because of the various definitions of "invasive" given.

Ultimately you will want to find the Dr. you trust, and follow his/her lead.

I am in the same part of my journey! Personally I don't want the band. I think the sleeve sounds good to me, but if my Dr. recommends the RYN, I would go along, as long as they have a good reason.

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[bikerchick519 202]

I had the sleeve in Nov 2011 and had a revision to mini gastric bypass in March 2016. I needed the revision because my sleeve had stretched and I had a lot of acid reflux. I originally lost 88 pounds with the sleeve but then regained about 36 pounds. I wish I had done the rny or mini bypass from the start and only needed one surgery. Having gone through two surgeries I would never recommend the sleeve to anyone. I've talked to too many people that had to have a revision. But ultimately it's your decision and whatever your surgeon recommends. Good luck.