I'm Officially Less Than 1 Week Away From Surgery And Have Some Questions.

[GoState 12]

I'm convinced I'm making the right decision to have surgery although I'm researching just to make sure for myself the sleeve is better for me than Roux-N-Y. I'm the type to over-research and laughingly ask myself "are you SURE you know what your about to do to yourself?"

My PCP is well versed and mayo trained. He went to a Harvard Symposium last Summer that really focused on long-term gut hormone changes w/ RNY as well as long-term safety data, which leads him to recommend RNY whereas my Surgeon feels Sleeve would be a good fit for my specific body type but will do whatever I am more comfortable with. (FYI I'm 38,M, 6'2" and 298 with sleep apnea and edema in my legs). My research and meeting w/NP at bariatric clinic indicates the Sleeve is pretty comparable to RNY when it comes to hormonal changes and the Sleeve seems to make better sense than rerouting all my internal plumbing and dealing with nutrient deficiency, although I am concerned with the lack of long-term data for the sleeve.

I was wondering:

• How many of you have heartburn? Was it only short-term or is it a case of being on a PPI for life?
  
• Do any of you have dumping syndrome with the sleeve? (some research says it's possible)
  
• Have any of you had any complications out of the norm/ not easily resolved?
  
• IS anyone aware of any studies with Long-term efficacy of the sleeve (5+ years out?)
  

I'm excited about having surgery, but it's a life-altering experience and I want to make sure I'm making the right choice with the sleeve over RNY.

Thanks for any input you can share!

[michele911 4]

I am only 3 weeks post-op, I dont have dumping syndrome, apparently it could happen but is rare. everything is going fine. Ive lost 28 pounds so far. I did alot of research myself on both surgerys. All the research I have read indicates this is equal to or safer than RNY. Which makes sence, since they are sealing only one potental leakage spot with this surgery ( stomach ) and several in the RN (the pouch, the rest of the stomache, the intestine conection and disconnection locations) I was also not wanting to get to skinny. I know several people who got the RNY and they look deflated, and sunken in. RNY surg can bring you to 95% loss of exess weight loss, and the sleeve is estimated between 85 and 80%. I still want to have a little softness, I dont want to resemble skelator.

[ereneeh 77]

I was wondering:

• How many of you have heartburn? Was it only short-term or is it a case of being on a PPI for life? Rarely get heartburn and I take no PPI. Dr prescribed right after surgery, but have not taken any for 6-7 months.
  
• Do any of you have dumping syndrome with the sleeve? (some research says it's possible)
  No dumping issues. Sometimes when I eat certain things, it doesn't agree with my new stomach, but doesn't happen very often.
  
• Have any of you had any complications out of the norm/ not easily resolved? No complications and I have lost 93 of my 100 lb goal.
  
• IS anyone aware of any studies with Long-term efficacy of the sleeve (5+ years out?) No info on long term, but at 9 months out, I still can't eat a half a sandwich for lunch. I eat a lettuce, Tomato, and meat sand and throw the bread away. Wouldn't trade this for anything. Hope this helps.
  

[Lissa 2,631]

I'd do a sleeve over RNY any day, which only makes sense because I have a sleeve. A good friend had RNY 10+ years ago. I watched her lose weight very quickly, but she had huge trouble eating. We'd go out for lunch and she'd eat 3 or 4 bites of food, then be running for the bathroom to puke. Her weight came off SO fast that she required major plastics to look "normal" again, even though she was in her 20's at the time. She also has malabsorption issues with Vitamins and literally couldn't take more than 1 pill in half an hour, like Vitamins.< /p>

In contrast, I've been sleeved for 11 months now. I have gotten sick 3 times, all related to eating bread, drinking Water too soon after eating. I can take all of my vitamins/meds in just a few minutes every morning/night. My labs are stellar as far as Vitamin absorption and, after my initial 75 pounds lost in six months, my weight loss has slowed to a more normal 8-10 pounds a month. That means fewer skin issues, plus enough energy to actually work out and help keep muscle tone.

I like the fact that the sleeve doesn't require re-routing of my intestines and that it leaves my options open for future surgery if I can't reach my goal weight with the sleeve. However, I don't think that's going to be an issue either.

[paulsgirl1297 18]

I was sleeved June 21 and I haven had any issues with dumping or heartburn. I did have some vomiting but mostly it was my own fault, like trying to advance too fast or I didn't eat slowly enough. I do miss gulping my Water when I'm thirsty,most I have to make sure to sip my water often to prevent the thirsty feeling. Getting in enough Protein is tough for me right now, but imagine the RNY would be more difficult to get the benefits of protein also.

[GoState 12]

Thanks for all the input! I agree, Michelle, I don't want to look like skelator, either, LOL (one of my questions last Dr. visit was can you really lose too much with this). The Dumping Syndrome scares me the mose with RNY, moreso than the potential of heartburn with Sleeve. The whole malabsorption element is a big detterant to RNY (although studies I've read theorize THAT component is what appears to help w/diabetics).

Also- CONGRATS on the success! I hope I'm on the way to weight loss this time next week (I'm scheduled 7/31).