Bariatric Surgery-Need Advice

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

I've finally decided to do it, after being morbidly obese for 10 yrs, I went to surgery consult today. I am wondering what are your educated thoughts on realize band vs sleeve surgery. My husband says I should get the band so I can lose the weight slower. I talked to a couple of patients that say they wished that they'd have gotten the sleeve instead of the banding, because they generally didn't lose much weight. 6 nurses on my unit have got sleeve and are very satisfied...and to be honest, the weight that they have lost is totally amazing. I generally like a less invasive approach, but I'd really love that weight loss. I'd like to know everyone's thoughts on this, because this is probably one of the most important decisions I've ever made about my body, next to having kids. My goals with the surgery, in order are:

Get off all of the meds. I take 13 daily for diabetes, blood pressure, hyperlipidemia and high cholestrol, and depression.

Lose 60-80 lbs (more would be great too, I just want to be realistic)

Wear the wedding ring that my husband bought for me (size 4, haven't been able to wear it for years)

Long term goal-overall better health, maintain healthy weight.

Weigh in (no pun intended) with anything that you think might help me decide....I'm so torn.

Well, I cannot really give you advice about the sleeve or banding as I had RNY done, but I can tell you this: This surgery changed my life for the better. I no longer require meds for diabetes or high blood pressure and I can do things I have not been able to do for 20 years. At nearly 45, I now feel like I am 25 again. I have lost 60-62 pounds since my surgery, plus 34 prior to surgery, so almost 100 pounds. I would not change a thing. Whatever you decide procedure wise, ultimately I think you will be happy with your long-term results.

I've finally decided to do it, after being morbidly obese for 10 yrs, I went to surgery consult today. I am wondering what are your educated thoughts on realize band vs sleeve surgery. My husband says I should get the band so I can lose the weight slower. I talked to a couple of patients that say they wished that they'd have gotten the sleeve instead of the banding, because they generally didn't lose much weight. 6 nurses on my unit have got sleeve and are very satisfied...and to be honest, the weight that they have lost is totally amazing. I generally like a less invasive approach, but I'd really love that weight loss. I'd like to know everyone's thoughts on this, because this is probably one of the most important decisions I've ever made about my body, next to having kids. My goals with the surgery, in order are:

Get off all of the meds. I take 13 daily for diabetes, blood pressure, hyperlipidemia and high cholestrol, and depression.

Lose 60-80 lbs (more would be great too, I just want to be realistic)

Wear the wedding ring that my husband bought for me (size 4, haven't been able to wear it for years)

Long term goal-overall better health, maintain healthy weight.

Weigh in (no pun intended) with anything that you think might help me decide....I'm so torn.

Unfortunately, the data is very new on Bariatrics, the water loss is with a band is very slow but the band is removable. The recovery is similar for both surgeries. My advice is to go to an accredited center where they perform lots of procedures with little complications. Good Luck with your surgery, it is a life changing one.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

I am working with an accredited center, but the surgeon told me that he doesn't make specific recommendations, because it is such a life changing event. He feels that the patient should be very involved in researching and investigating. This helps to make sure that the patient is on board with what's going on, and can actually "buy into" the care that they plan with him and the center. I'm happy for that, but I've read so much information in the last 6 months, especially the last 2 weeks, that my eyes are bugged, and I feel like I could recite verbatim what both surgeries entail, and what the expectations are. I hope that others of you all have some ideas from self, or what you have seen from patients.

Hello, I had the rouxen-y gastric bypass in 2005. I went from 300 to 150. Literally half the woman I use to be. I have no regrets, I am happier and healthier and I would do it all over again-Good luck!!:heartbeat:nurse::heartbeat

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I had RNY gastric bypass on May 26 and have lost 65lbs so far. It was the BEST decision I have ever made. I don't regret it and never will. I feel so much better physically than I did. Remember gastric bypass or banding is NOT a cure, it's a tool and you will have to use it wisely. I strongly recommend going to a "center of excellence".

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

The surgeon that our hospital hired to open our bariatric center came from a center of excellence, and that was the reason he was chosen. In fact when he first arrived at my hospital he told the board of directors that they had 30 days to do this, this and this; things that they had promised him had already been done. He promised he'd leave on day 31 if these things weren't completed--not just in the works. He told them that this type of surgery is dangerous without the correct skills and tools. I have no qualms about his skills or the venue at which this will be performed. TurnLeftSide, I'm so glad that you mentioned that this is a tool, not a cure. So many of my friends have told me to just do the sleeve, because it will cure everything. I can't seem to get it through to everyone that without the proper eating habits that go with each type of surgery, it won't work.....I'm really still leaning toward the banding d/t less invasive. I'm getting excited thinking about it. I do want to thank those of you who have shared your successes so far. I hope in the next year, I will be able to add a story to yours. Now, if I can just decide which one........

Specializes in Med/Surg/Pedi/Tele.

I'm going through the appointments for my realize band surgery and hope to have it done by end of September. I researched it and found that I would like the less invasive surgery and I'm hopeful that I can loose the weight. I'm ok with a slow lose as long as it stays off which I'm finding on most of the forums and chat channels I've found is true.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Specializes in Medical.

Leaving my concerns about bariatric surgery to one side, and bearing in mind that my advice is wholly uninformed by clinical or personal experience, I would recommend lap banding. Less invasive, less disruptive to your normal digestive process (and therefore less likely to cause long term side effects), and more easily reversible. The weight loss may be lower, but your weight gain also took time. Good luck whatever you decide.

Specializes in High Risk Antepartum.

I had the Realize band done a year ago this past April and have lost 85lbs. About 35 of that was prior to the surgery thanks to Aetna's mandatory 6mo supervised diet period (and really, I didn't try that hard - it was a matter of cutting out the soda and extra food that I really didn't need).

I chose to do the band because I wasn't so keen on permanently altering my body and didn't have a really significantly huge amount of weight to lose. (I'd like to drop maybe another 15-20lbs, and could probably do it quickly if I was more stringent about how I eat.)

No matter what surgery you choose, unless you're in for a complete mental overhaul about how you think about your relationship with food, you're going to struggle. There are always going to be ways to 'eat around the band', or find foods that are easy to get down (milkshakes from Maggie Moo's, anybody?).

My biggest problem is dealing with the dreaded "Head Hunger". I know that physically, I am not hungry. However, mentally, I have a hard time leaving food on my plate. Or not having a goody while surfing the web or watching a movie at night. I have to think twice about when I want to eat and ask myself I truly need to eat or just want to. This is going to be a lifelong thing for me and I accept that. But by being aware of it, I can make my choices and then live with them. Lately, it's been the Hershey bars. But at the same time, I've not gained anything, because I work them in to what I eat for the day. It's a give and take, kwim?

As far as how it's affected my health? I've not had to take Nexium for GERD since the day before my surgery. This past winter was the first time in four years that I've not had to go on steriods to knock out asthmatic bronchitis (two years ago, I was on prednisolone for three months straight and was threatened with hospital admission if the last kicked up dose didn't work). My ankles don't hurt anymore, I haven't had an asthma attack in over a year, and my betablockers for my sinoatrial tachycardia have by knocked back by 60%.

Best part of it all (well, besides collarbones!), my kids have a healthier Mom. THAT'S the real reason I did it.

Check out lapbandtalk.com. I found it to be a wealth of information before my surgery (as well as after).

Good luck to you in whatever you decide.

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I wanted to add that I've had absolutely no complications after having the RNY. Everyone has different views about bariatric surgery. I didn't get the band because I didn't want a foreign object in my body. My friend, who also had a RNY, said if I'm gonna have bariatric surgery, go all the way and get the RNY. When I went to the seminar at the hospital where I eventually had the surgery, I felt the stats were better for the RNY.

Also, I did want to mention that while I am completely happy that I had rouxen-y, I did go through a depression from missing food. It was almost like I had lost a friend, but I worked through that and learned coping skills. It was my dysfunctional relationship with food that caused my obesity. I just wanted to point out that emotional aspect of it-still it is worth doing, which ever you decide.:heartbeat:nurse::heartbeat

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