RNY v. MGB (was Re: Tofu (was Re: Smoothie))

[Guest guest]

> In a message dated 6/18/00 11:13:58 AM Central Daylight Time,

> ChoctawGal@H... writes:

>

> << My partner had an open RNY about 2 1/2 years ago, and we've

learned >>

> How much weight has your friend lost and how does she feel? I

would

like to

> hear more reports from people that have had this type surgery

several years

> ago.

RNY and FOBI statistically lose between 61-65% of their excess weight

but regain some of it, resulting in an overall loss of around 50% of

the excess weight.

Fobi has his own statistics on his webpage. (Fobi does a modified RNY)

http://www.cstobesity.com/

If you want to see some ghastly pictures of what an open FOBI or RNY

looks like after surgery and read some stories about how long the

recovery takes, let me know. Bleah.

You can read the Alvarado clinic's RNY reports online. I think they

are at the ASBS site, but if not, just do a search for Alvarado and

16th Annual Conference. They do lap and open, but their lap still

takes 4 hours on the table and 2-4 days in the hospital.

I've read them all. The MGB has the best stats, documented, signed

sealed and delivered.

See Dr. Rutledge's report to the 17th Annual Conference of the

Amercian Society of Bariatric Surgeons:

http://www.clos.net/mgb-paper/MGB-Paper061300.htm

The MGB has

-- a *much* shorter surgery time, 35 minutes as

opposed to 4-8 *hours,* (so less anesthesia, less risk of

dying from anesthesia, less shock to your body, lower

hospital cost for both the operating room and the

anesthesiologist);

-- less time in hospital (24 hrs. vs. 2-4

days, because you feel fine within 24 hours. This

also means lower hospital costs);

-- faster recovery time by far (1-4 days);

-- much lower post-op complication rate (leaks, bowel

obstruction, leaking incisions, vomiting, too little/too

much weight lost; ulcers, esophagitis, with the MGB

running 0% for esophagitis and some miniscule percent

for ulcers, whereas the others have a 3-9% ulcer rate

after surgery);

-- Weight loss with the MGB? 82% of excess weight.

Stack that up against anybody's statistics.

Now right now is not a good time to ask me about weight

loss because I have a body that retains fluid like it's

sacred and I'm angry about it -- not so much with the

procedure as with my Benedict Arnold, diet-conditioned,

fat-holding body. If a voodoo doctor came along right

now and offered me thin by tomorrow, I would probably

consider it.

Dr. Rutledge charitably chalks my current aberrant

personality up to post-surgery hormones.

But before surgery, when I was a lot more skeptical,

very unforgiving, and cold and calculating, and comparing

all the procedures, I interviewed 97 of Dr. Rutledge's

patients, just to see what they would say, too,

on top of reading everything I could get my hands on.

Even the few people who had complications said they were

glad they did it, it was the best decision they ever

made. Better yet, *all* of them love Dr. Rutledge.

Now, even if I knew for a certainty that there was

some other procedure out there that produced better

weight loss, unless it could beat the MGB on surgery time,

safety and recovery time, I might want the weight

loss, but I'd still go for the MGB. 82% works for me

(assuming it ever happens for me, grouse, grouse, grouse).

Don't underestimate the trauma that a long surgical time

does to your body, just from the anesthesia. Even a

short surgical time causes your body to shut down

enough that hair cells die (so your hair falls out

a month later). Think what effects it also has on

your brain and heart. And the thing is, modern

medical science does *NOT* know why anesthesia works.

And remember, we are *morbidly* obese, with about a

200% greater risk of dying than the non-obese population.

That holds true *during* surgery, too. Do you

*really* want to be out for 8 hours, flat on your

back on a steel table (think of the backache

later, too! Ack) with your heart laboring under

that anaesthesia, gutted like a catfish the whole

time? Not me, Jack!

Don't underestimate how debilitating a more

invasive and longer surgery will be to you,

physically, in terms of fatigue, pain, and

long-term recovery.

The first rule of the Hippocratic Oath is " Do no harm. "

My first rule of medical treatment is: Pick the one

that hurts least and does the most good.

Your mileage may vary.

Study *all* the options. That's the best way.

Kind regards,