I have a question that's been haunting me for a while.

Why would anyone pick the least effective surgery for their particular needs (obesity level, food addiction, prior health issues, other mental health concerns,etc)?

Is it lack of research or self sabotage?

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

On 08/24/2018 at 04:52, Matt Z said:

This study had a 2.5% failure rate requiring revision

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5406732/

Exactly my point. That seems pretty low to me! Certainly not high enough to suggest the procedure might be self sabotage/not choosing the best procedure.

Hmmmm I shall give this some thought! Oh FYI I was wide awake for my colonoscopy, didn't know that was not usual, didn't hurt and WAS fun to watch. They put a mo,igor some I could watch it, like a living anatomy lesson. No polyps , no diverticuli,just clean shiny pink colon the whole way! Not due for ,another until September 2020! But I was sound asleep for my EGDs, someone told me in Europe they do them wide awake and sitting up. Not on MY EUROPEAN VACATION !

It could also be what each surgeon performs. I’ve seen surgeons in my area that only do one procedure, so maybe that’s all that is offered to them that their insurance will cover. Could also be a health risk thing too, i’ve seen surgeons refuse to perform the switch due to complications and recommend either the sleeve or bypass. And some people aren’t really given options but rather told what they need by their surgeon.

On 8/24/2018 at 6:17 PM, jess9395 said:

On 8/24/2018 at 7:52 AM, Matt Z said:

This study had a 2.5% failure rate requiring revision

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5406732/

Exactly my point. That seems pretty low to me! Certainly not high enough to suggest the procedure might be self sabotage/not choosing the best procedure.

It was a question based on a few factors: some people honestly admitting to choosing VSG vs. RNY to specifically avoid dumping, the number of posts where people seems willing to break protocol earlier out seems to be mostly VSG patients, higher regain and revisions for non malfunction/medical reasons appears to be mostly from the VSG pool. BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM BEING WRONG ABOUT THIS...

its all observational/anecdotal.

I think it’s important to remember message board posters are not representative of the population. People who post and look for validation or complain are a specific type. Sorta like how people who review a restaurant or hotel or whatever on yelp usually had a strong reaction—positive or negative—and you don’t hear the silent majority.

And you will definitely see more revisions from Sleeve to RNY because what would RNY revise to? Can they revise to DS? Many insurances don’t get cover DS and there are still a lot of surgeons who don’t do it yet. Nowhere to revise to from RNY

Well sometimes they can plead or resize the pouch if it gets too large,they can resize,the stoma if it has narrowed but I doubt,that happens very often.

4 hours ago, jess9395 said:

I think it’s important to remember message board posters are not representative of the population. People who post and look for validation or complain are a specific type. Sorta like how people who review a restaurant or hotel or whatever on yelp usually had a strong reaction—positive or negative—and you don’t hear the silent majority.

Jess is making an excellent point. There are lurkers here, and many others who rarely, if ever, participate in forums such as this one. We're a bunch of outliers and people who pop in for whatever reason need to understand that.

Should we then , not view any of these posts as potential cross sections of bariatric societal norms in higher concentrations? Only extremes?

I was offered all three options but chose the sleeve.

They tried to push me to have the bypass but I wasn't having it! My daughter had the sleeve and was very successful with it. My son had the band and he had a lot of problems with it. The bypass scared me as it seemed such a big step and the malabsorption really worried me. I didn't even know about the dumping part of it until after I had the operation and started reading these forums but even so, it would probably have made me more inclined towards the bypass as a way of keeping control.

Question though, I have never really had a problem with acid reflux, except maybe a couple of times since I had the sleeve operation. How long does it take to manifest if it is going to appear?

I would guess fairly soon but I am pre-surgical, well maybe peri'-,surgical. within a week so we shall see what we shall see, but hopeful for the best. You see I am already on Dexilant and heading for RNY but we shall see. I do remain in hope for lessening.

3 hours ago, Neversaynever said:

I was offered all three options but chose the sleeve.

They tried to push me to have the bypass but I wasn't having it! My daughter had the sleeve and was very successful with it. My son had the band and he had a lot of problems with it. The bypass scared me as it seemed such a big step and the malabsorption really worried me. I didn't even know about the dumping part of it until after I had the operation and started reading these forums but even so, it would probably have made me more inclined towards the bypass as a way of keeping control.

Question though, I have never really had a problem with acid reflux, except maybe a couple of times since I had the sleeve operation. How long does it take to manifest if it is going to appear?

It can happen at any time (immediately or years) but when it is not well controlled with medication or specifically tested for that your team will determine if you have develop a complication. Are you (still) on a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) ? Update your team if your reflux doesn't get better.

Edited August 26, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

21 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

It can happen at any time (immediately or years) but when it is not well controlled with medication or specifically tested for that your team will determine if you have develop a complication. Are you (still) on a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) ? Update your team if your reflux doesn't get better.

I had Lanzaprosol for 1 month only but haven't had it since except two times in the 2nd month when I had a little bit of acid reflux. I haven't had acid reflux since then.

So if it can happen years down the line, I'm not in the clear yet then!

I chose VSG bc DS is a much riskier surgery and more difficult to perform and I did not want the blind stomach left inside me as with bypass or the dumping. I watched my aunt fall into a sleeping coma and sweating every holiday that she took a bite of pie. I do not want that at all. I also did not want the jejunum messed with. I wanted it to be as much my normal body as possible bc intestinal issues run in my family and I didn’t want to change anything affiliated with the small intestine. I am not interested in malabsorption. I am interested in having VSG as a tool to help me, not something that will allow me to binge without consequence. I want to deal with all the issues related to my obesity, not just make it so I can continue in these behaviors and not gain weight. That’s why I chose VSG!

I wanted the RNY from the beginning but was told that it was irreversible and the band was. I chose the band which was a big mistake. When I had the revision to remove the band I once again wanted the RNY. Again I was told the sleeve was effective with less complications. A year later I was suffering from bile reflux and ultimately ended up getting the RNY which I originally wanted 9 years ago.