Any regrets?

[Jasley 23]

I am about 2 months pre-op and was expecting to have the sleeve from day one. Just learned after a Ph monometry that I will need the RNY due to reflux. I am very nervous about this WLS. Does anyone have regrets about the procedure and the drastic changes to eating?

[esskay77 785]

Somebody just posted this same thing yesterday. Go take a look and you will see that nobody has regretted it at all, except may regret that they didn't do it sooner!!!!

I was so against it for so long. Not that I thought it was the easy way out, not really sure why now. My brother in law had gastric bypass and I just rolled my eyes and thought "let's see how long before he gains it back." (Yes, that was horrible of me!!!!! I so regret that).

I was completely against it. But then my sister had decided to get it and sibling rivalry kicked in. There was no way I was going to let her do this and lose all this weight and leave me behind! lol It's actually not that simple--we had a lot of conversations about it but that is what it boiled down to. So we both took the plunge and had the surgery.

I was scared for sure and not sure I was doing the right thing. Even by a week AFTER the surgery, I was still wondering what the hell I just did! But then the weight started coming off and I haven't looked back. I am so happy I did this.

I haven't lost as much as I would like but I have my life back. I can move, I can cross my legs, I can bend down to put on my shoes, I no longer fear getting on a plane and wondering if I will need an extension for the seat belt. And I am now shopping in the normal size stores and departments!

You will freak out, you will get scared but then it will go away. Enjoy the rollercoaster of emotions!

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@Jasley,

Good morning! I was in the same boat as you are. I had my heart set on the sleeve after going through the classes and doing some on line research.

When I saw the bariatrician she recommended that I do not go with the sleeve but the RNY because I suffered from reflux. I was devastated. Mostly because like you I was afraid of bypass. She asked me what about bypass was I concerned about. I told her I thought bypass was more radical, the malabsorption as well as dumping syndrome.

She spent a lot of time with me. First, bypass is no more radical that removing 85 percent of your stomach. With bypass you could be reversed, with sleeve once your stomach is removed it is gone forever.

Bypass is the gold standard in WLS.

Then she explained that the malabsorption was actually a good thing that would help me to lose more weight as long as I took my Vitamins and had my labs completed by my bariatric team. By the way you have to do the same for sleeve.

Lastly she reminded me that dumping was not automatic. Many people do not get it. If I did get it, I would learn what foods triggered it and stop eating the.

After talking with her, I did get a second opinion from my gastroenterologist. He agreed that bypass was my best option given my reflux condition. If I had the sleeve there would be nothing they could do to treat it further as I was on the highest dose of the best reflux medication. The only way to treat it would be to revise to a bypass anyway.

I decided to go with bypass because I only wanted to go through this surgery 1 time.

I have never ever regretted making that decision. Bypass cured my reflux completely, no more diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stage 3 kidney disease and sleep apnea. They are all in remission. I am down 119lbs in 11 months.

Oh, and I don't suffer from dumping syndrome at all.

No regrets here! Best thing I have ever done for myself as well.

Good luck to you with whatever you choose to do. Please make sure you continue your research. This topic has come up hundreds of times on this site. You might want to search using the word revision to see just how many folks end up revising after lap and and sleeve because of the reflux issue.

If I were you I would follow my doctors advice.

[esskay77 785]

@@Djmohr -- how bad was your kidney disease? I don't know much about it but my mom is diabetic and has kidney failure (at least that seemed to be the way they stated it). She hasn't gone on dialysis yet but that is probably her next option.

I know you are not a doctor but I was wondering if having this surgery would help her or if she is too far gone now in the kidney area. How would I be able to find out? I don't live in the same state so can't go with her to her dr's appointments. Just had to ask because I really don't want her to go on dialysis.

And sorry to hijack the conversation.

[ANewMe83 21]

@@Jasley,

Good morning! I was in the same boat as you are. I had my heart set on the sleeve after going through the classes and doing some on line research.

When I saw the bariatrician she recommended that I do not go with the sleeve but the RNY because I suffered from reflux. I was devastated. Mostly because like you I was afraid of bypass. She asked me what about bypass was I concerned about. I told her I thought bypass was more radical, the malabsorption as well as dumping syndrome.

She spent a lot of time with me. First, bypass is no more radical that removing 85 percent of your stomach. With bypass you could be reversed, with sleeve once your stomach is removed it is gone forever.

Bypass is the gold standard in WLS.

Then she explained that the malabsorption was actually a good thing that would help me to lose more weight as long as I took my Vitamins and had my labs completed by my bariatric team. By the way you have to do the same for sleeve.

Lastly she reminded me that dumping was not automatic. Many people do not get it. If I did get it, I would learn what foods triggered it and stop eating the.

After talking with her, I did get a second opinion from my gastroenterologist. He agreed that bypass was my best option given my reflux condition. If I had the sleeve there would be nothing they could do to treat it further as I was on the highest dose of the best reflux medication. The only way to treat it would be to revise to a bypass anyway.

I decided to go with bypass because I only wanted to go through this surgery 1 time.

I have never ever regretted making that decision. Bypass cured my reflux completely, no more diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stage 3 kidney disease and sleep apnea. They are all in remission. I am down 119lbs in 11 months.

Oh, and I don't suffer from dumping syndrome at all.

No regrets here! Best thing I have ever done for myself as well.

Good luck to you with whatever you choose to do. Please make sure you continue your research. This topic has come up hundreds of times on this site. You might want to search using the word revision to see just how many folks end up revising after lap and and sleeve because of the reflux issue.

If I were you I would follow my doctors advice.

Hi DJMohr,

Did you need a hiatal hernia that needed to be removed in order to help with your reflux issues?

[aelovelady 243]

I actually looked in to the sleeve, but when I researched it and read about the higher percentages of weight loss with the RNY I changed my mind immediately! I am 10 months out and 107 of 111 lbs lost. I have 4 lbs to go. I had a text book surgery and recovery with absolutely no side effects. So, no, I have no regrets. Nothing can compare to the feeling of pulling on size 4 Levi's and not having to pull hard to get them buttoned.

[esskay77 785]

Wow! Size 4!! That is so exciting @@aelovelady !

How did you do so well? Any tips to share? What was the biggest thing that led to your success (other than the surgery)?

Awesome--congrats!

[foodfighter78 258]

Even if I had very hard time for the first 4 months, right on the 5th month I feel lots energy, start work out, lost 70 lbs in 5 months, no more high blood pressure or sleep apnea. No knee pain, no back pain. Only little pain for working out. Still been very careful on what I eat. I only take Multivitamins, and B12 I can't tolerate Calcium. I'm finally living my new stomach!

[Jasley 23]

Thank you so much for the kind and encouraging words. I am new to this site and need to learn more about navigating so I probably would have read previous comments on this subject. But if I had, I wouldn't have gotten these stories from you. Thank you thank you.

[red37 116]

No regrets. No complications. Three months out. Happy and adjusting well, it's takes some getting used to but I feel better than I ever have in my life. So worth it!

[aelovelady 243]

I basically followed the rules, the first was the not drinking for 15 minutes before to 45 minutes after meals? To help with this I use the bariatric timer app on my phone. It really helps. The second is to eat for 25 full minutes, small marble sized bites spaced 1 minute apart and thoroughly chew. The longer food stays in your stomach the longer you stay full and third is to not take in any calories from liquids, which I follow pretty closely; even alcoholic drinks, I minimize calories wherever possible. Every day is not perfect, I slip up frequently? But I start every day with the intent to flow through and for the most part I stick wit it. My final suggestion is to track your intake, every bite, not that it's necessary, but it builds a consciousness about what you are eating, I use "my fitness pal"

[Erron1970 11]

What timer app do you use ??

[aelovelady 243]

It is just called Bariatti Timer, the author is called Amit Farkash I think it is the only one I have seen. Really helpful!

That was Bariatric Timer