Please help me pick the perfect surgery?
 

First let me tell you a little about myself... I took my first class last night and am waiting for my first appointment. I currently weigh 330 lbs, i'm 5' 3'', and i'm only 21 years old (most of my dads family is overweight) so i've been told surgery was my best option. The only rare thing about me is that I am not on any medications and I have perfect blood pressure (which was suprising to me). I have read over the three options I have (lap-band, the sleeve, and by-pass) but i'm still not sure. I am married and my husband isn't helping much either so i'm hopeing someone can help. If someone would just talk to me about there story and how they like and dis-like there choose that would be so helpful. Thank you so much!!:?:Courtney

Yuu need to consult with doctors for something as major as this - not use opinions of others. Make an appt to find out what would be best for YOUR boday if medical intervention is your choice.

I am qualified for all of the surgeries I just dont know which one is better and would like to hear others journey through the process.

There is also a fourth surgery, the Duodenal switch (DS) that is also an option, but not practiced by all surgeons.

This site doesn't get much traffic from all surgical types. If you are interested in asking the question on a site with a lot more activity, send me a PM and I'll respond.

Each of the procedures is appealing in some ways and each has its drawbacks. Feel free to read any of my prior posts; I had a distal RNY (most RNY surgeries are proximal) and haven't had a perfect recovery, but I wouldn't change my decision for anything.

Out of curiosity, if you don't have any other comorbidities, will your insurance cover the procedure?

Here's a link that has a lot of sleeve folks who just found each other on here - http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...ctomy-vsg.html they're full of good information [and they all have a GREAT sense of humor!]

As you discuss your choices with your doc, one of the things to keep in mind is that the surgery is FOREVER, so it's really important that YOU do some heart and soul searching to decide how you're willing to live for the rest of your life. Each of the surgeries has quirks and issues, and, just like relationships, you have to pick the set that you can live with.

I've had the RNY - 11 years ago now. I'm doing well. I've regained, and lost more than half of the regain. That's what it's all about - giving us a level playing field so that we can manage our weight if we follow our rules.

But no matter which way you go, you'll have to commit to taking your vitamins, exercising and eating right [which is a little different than the way most people eat].

So, what's important to you?

This is true, however, surgeons are a for-profit business in the end and while most would not suggest a surgery that is inappropriate for your body (for example, the VSG is not the best surgery for those who have a history of GERD and a reputable surgeon would alert the patient about this), they may gloss over complications or not even tell a patient about the DS if they don't practice it.

I commend the poster for doing her own research and trying to find out more about the surgical procedures.

Annnd there's always the MGB, the procedure I had. It's a vertical sleeve stomach with a 3-6 foot bypass depending on your needs. My surgeon has been doing it for a decade, and average regain, if any, is about 20 pounds in year three postop, which is lost again and maintained in year four in virtually all his cases.

For me, the MGB, although less known than the other procedures, was the one that suited me best. But never just talk to people online to decide what's going to work for you. Research. Read. Talk to your docs, but be aware that most doctors have a procedure or surgeon friend they like, and that's what they'll recommend. Kickbacks do happen.

With my MGB, I found that most docs didn't know what it was or thought that it was the old loop bypass, which is no longer done, or were misinformed about the way the surgery was performed. Once I took in diagrams and showed my primary doc, he was amazed. He's more amazed that I've lost over 90% of my excess weight in under eight months. So it pays to be your own advocate, once you educate yourself about the various procedures.

RNY is the gold standard and there's lots of info about it online - most people I know who have had bariatric surgery had RNY and it's a great procedure. I liked the vertical stomach idea because it's very difficult to stretch, but I also wanted the bypass for malabsorption. I would have gone with the DS myself if there had been a surgeon nearby who did it - there wasn't. DS produces probably the most weight loss.

BTW - I had GERD, and I have a vertical sleeve stomach - and I haven't needed an antacid since surgery. I did have to take Prilosec on doc's orders for the first three months, but I haven't taken one since. My GERD is gone :)

I gotta say that, if the VSG had been available when i was looking at surgeries, i would have tried to have that one, with a malabsorption added to it. The fact that the pyloric valve is preserved is a big help. However, this one caveat: the surgeon way back then said that i was too ill to wait for a relatively slow weight loss. From what i've seen, though, VSG + malabsorption has initial, fast weight loss.

there's a lot to consider!

IMP! I haven't seen a post or pic from you in a while. You look AMAZING!! Congratulations on your success!!

Hi Kate! And wow, thank you! :) Good to see you too! :carrot:

Jiffy, in my case the pyloric valve wasn't preserved, but it can be. My particular stomach is shaped like the sleeve, but minus the pyloric valve - so the risk with my surgery is that not that the sleeve will stretch, but that the small intestine will enlarge to handle more food. This is why about 25% of MGB patients get a 20-25 pound regain in year three postop, then freak out and lose it in year four.

For me the regain risk was something I really wanted as low as possible when choosing a procedure, because I know me, and I was afraid I would cheat the heck out of a procedure that would let me.

There are advantages and drawbacks to every procedure, Courtney. As you research, you're gonna hear "it's a tool" a lot - because it is. The brain issues - the things that make us fat in the first place - are just as important to handle and deal with as the body issues.

And man, am I having brain issues right now. But as my butt just put on my size 4 jeans, I can live with some brain issues. Surgery, for many of us, is a literal lifesaver. Just know what you're getting into, take your time and choose the surgery that works for you. It's a whole new life, and there are a lot of adjustments - and I'd do it again every single day forever if I had to. :)