Second thoughts...

Ever since I have wanted surgery it has always been RNY. But I am so afraid of complications, so now I have been considering the sleeve which both according to my Dr. I am candidate for. I am so scared of all the complications that come with RNY, and I know there are some with sleeve but it just seems like not as many. PLEASE the people that have had good results and not major complications I need to hear your stories. Please

Which complications only occur with RNY?

I guess I didn't mean just with rny it just seems like it happens more often. Stricture, hernia, gallbladder issues, deficiency in vatimins and yes I know need to take vitamins, obstruction, leakage, perforation.

Well, certainly stricture is more common with RNY.  About 3% of RNY patients end up with one.  It's usually pretty easy to treat, though.

Hernias can occur with any abdominal surgery.  I'm not aware of them being more common after RNY than after VSG, but I guess that would be a good question for a surgeon. 

Gallstones are common with rapid weight loss, whether the rapid weight loss is caused by RNY or another WLS or just a very low calorie diet.  You can take a medication called Actigal which reduces the risk of gallstones from 32% to just 2%, which almost eliminates that risk.

Leaks can occur with either surgery.  I don't know if they are more common with RNY than with VSG.  I'm sure your surgeon could tell you that.

Vitamin deficiencies are more common after RNY but are easily treated as long as you get labs done regularly and take the necessary vitamins.

Thank you maybe I'm just seeing all the complications and freaking myself out.

I suggest asking your surgeon for numbers.  Ask him what percentage of his RNY patients develop which complication and which percentage of VSG patients develop the same complication.

The thing about internet forums is, people are more likely to post when they  have problems.  If they are scared or have questions or feel discouraged, then they want to post and ask for information and sympathy and support.  People that are doing great are less like to get online and ask if anyone else has done great, too.  They are more likely to be out living life and feeling good.

So while you can read about some of the problems people have here, it's not a place to get a balanced view of it.  It would be like, if you stood outside an emergency room and asked people if they were sick or injured, you would start to think everyone in the world gets sick or hurt all the time.  But if you went to an amusement park and ask people there if they were sick or injured, you'd think no one ever got sick or hurt because sick and hurt people don't generally go out to amusement parks.

This forum is a great place for info and support.  It's just not a good place for a balanced view.

Thankyou I really appreciate all your info! Especially about the vitamin to help prevent gallstones I am definitelygoing to research it.

My husband and I both have RNY and we went home in less than 24 hours after our surgery, I returned to work after one week, he did after two (very physically demanding job) and we've had ZERO issues. We thank God, our surgeons and insurance companies daily and work hard to be sure that these changes are lifestyle as much as anything. 

He lost over 160 lbs and is now on the lower end of the normal BMI range. I have lost 100 since surgery in May and am almost at normal and have 29 lbs to go before my nutritionist, surgeon and I assess what the real 'final' number will be. Husband went from a 54 pants to a 33 slim fit and I have gone from a 28 in January to a 12 now. I even have a pair of size 10 jeans...but I think they were cut generously. I am mostly a 12 on the bottoms.  48DD bra to a 38C. Couldn't be happier unless I were twins!

I do see a therapist to help me with issues related to my childhood and eating patterns that were long established and figure if I have the blessing of someone working on my stomach, I can work on my head. :)

I had the RNY just over a week ago, I am still in a bit of pain but getting around pretty well. I have no issues so far from the surgury except the pain, which is normal of any. I had the same issue was you deciding on which one that I wanted. My surgeon stated she would do either one that I wanted and we talked out the differences. She stated in her opinion that both about the same with side effects and results. I decided on the RNY because I have family members and friends who have had that surgery done and had wonderful results and no side effects. I have not know personally anyone who has had the sleeve. But I guess like aything else you have to weight the cons and pros.

One thing that is not noted is that if you do the sleeve, it has been said that some have gone from having the sleeve to changing into RNY years out. So might want to keep that in mind, that some who had the sleeve still ended up getting a 2nd surgery to change it to RNY.

Please don't let what you read discourage you. I was there and almost backed out, because of everything I was reading. I had my surgery a week ago and I feel great! I don't even feel like I had surgery, other than a little gas pain. I don't regret my decision for a second. Good luck to you!