VSG vs RNY hard decision very confused :(

[christy38 17]

So I had my first appointment with Dr. Choi at Montifiore Hospital on December 20th and I must say I felt real comfortable with her. She's a great surgeon and has great feed back. Only thing that really made me sad was when she asked me with surgery I was looking into to get. I said VSG of course! Lol and she said she Doesn't recommend VSG for anyone with really bad Acid Reflux and a Hiatal hernia which would be repaired but she said might return in about 5 years. Bummer!!!! I really was looking into vSG and now this whole thing puts everyone on to another path.. Has anyone had a hiatal hernia repaired and or acid reflux and has had VSG? I need some advice !! She says she Would be happy to do either surgery , but i just have to know that there would be a risk of my reflux returning and being much worse then before surgery.. That would put me on Iron , Calcium and antacid medicine for the rest of my life! Help!!!! Lol

[Dobeigh 69]

Why not get the vertical sleeve surgery first and if it is too bad to tolerate then get the gastric bypass. That's the beauty of the vertical sleeve, you can get it changed to a bypass.

[ByeByefatgirl. 82]

I've seen people on this site that had the sleeve and had the hernia repaired at the same time. In fact there is a youtube video on that. I have acid reflux, but i'm not letting that stop me. Plus my surgeon says I can continue taking omeprazole, or if that doesn't work anymore I could try something else.

[*Dean* 1,594]

The best advice I can give is find a surgeon that your happy with (read trust) and take their advice.

I met with 3 surgeons before I went ahead. I would follow what ever advice my guy gave.

Good luck,

Deano

[DebbienTX 0]

Well, my husband was the one sleeved, on 10-19-2012. He didn't have acid reflux before, but now has a severe case. Even had an Upper GI done yesterday because we didn't know what had been causing the nausea and gagging/throwing up. Will be so glad to see him feel better. He's lost 85 pounds since the beginning of the pre-op diet and I want him to enjoy the loss. He only regrets now. He's been taking Prilosec for months, as a preventative from earlier surgeries, but not working. They prescribed Protonix this morning. I've heard good things about it. He did also have a large hernia repair done at the same time.

I too was all set to be sleeved after my insurance required 6 month wait. 1st, my insurance will only pay towards the band or the bypass. I'm not doing the band. I do have occasional reflux so thinking maybe the sleeve isn't a good idea for me anyway. Looking forward to learning alot here.

Debbie

[clk 3,519]

Unfortunately this is just something you need to research and decide for yourself. The reality is that any examples you find here are most likely to be folks that chose VSG - this is VST, after all! Many of us are a bit biased because we chose this surgery over the other options.

It's also impossible to say how your body would react afterward. I have read both positives and negatives about reflux post op. While just about everyone is on a PPI for some period of time in the first year post op, the vast majority of us are off of them by the time we reach one year. That doesn't mean everyone is, though. I've seen a handful of posts from people that continue to take meds years post op, and yes, even posts like the one from Debbie - where someone has a very serious issue with reflux that requires prescription meds.

I think the hernia is less of a concern as I've read a huge number of stories about hernia repair being done with the sleeve and I've never once read a complication or recurrence post. But you'll need to do your own research on this one.

I have a dear friend that opted for RNY recently. She lost 220 pounds and reached her goal within 14 months. She looks amazing and for her, the RNY was a better option for a few reasons. One, she had a very significant amount of weight to lose, and while VSG could have gotten her there the journey would have been much slower. Two, her insurance covered RNY and didn't cover VSG, so that was a no-brainer in her case. And perhaps most importantly to her, there are far more RNY surgeons and support groups where she lives - she needed a weekly meeting to help her through the surgery and it isn't always easy to find in person support because the VSG really is a newer surgery with less surgeons and patients. That's why VST is such a thriving community. I know a number of WLS patients in real life and only one of them has had the sleeve!

There are very serious things to consider besides hernias and reflux. The RNY means a lifetime of supplements and testing, while the period we need these things with VSG is far shorter and many people never experience long term deficiencies. You also need to consider the cause of your obesity. Are you a habitual overeater? Be aware that a pouch does stretch over time, and therefore your lifetime diet requires more diligence on your part. The sleeve has very little give and is far more difficult to stretch. If you want malabsorption, the RNY is a better choice, but you should not count on this benefit beyond the first year. Again, do your research and read as many real stories, both positive and negative, as you can.

However, there is no denying that people have had great success with both surgeries. You'll need to weigh the pros and cons and perhaps get a second opinion before you make this choice.

In the end, your chosen surgery is just a tool. People say that over and over again but it is absolutely true and it's something you won't truly understand until you're post op and living your new life. There are failures and regains with every WLS out there. Many of the same issues will need to be addressed regardless of what you choose. You will need to learn to eat properly, to use moderation, to stop overeating, to stop emotional food triggers, etc. The burden is really on you to learn to use the tool for long term success, and in my opinion, either option can be perfectly successful if you work hard enough.

Good luck whatever you decide.

~Cheri

[valdostaGA 149]

My surgeon won't do VSG on patients with reflux either but I never had a problem with reflux before surgery or after do far

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[christy38 17]

Thanks so much for all your advices! I'm still leaning more towards VSG. I know that it's still a new surgery but for some reason I feel it's much more safer and less risks after surgery. Reflux can always be treated with antacids or PPIs . I myself do not like medicine but I guess I have to test and see which antacid will work for me. I have my first nutritionist appointment on the 30th of this month. My doctor said 4 visits and then she would send me to get my pre-operative testing and then we can talk about which surgery I've decided on. Hopefully VSG will me my first & final decision. Prayers! Prayers! That's all I will need! Thanks all! Best of luck to all of you in your journey! ❤

[jhkrn 8]

I had the sleeve and hiatal hernia repair on 12/27. I've actually noticed a decrease in my reflux.

[Dobeigh 69]

You can always get a bypass and insurance will cover it.