newbie, confused about surgery choice.

Hello ,
Im scheduled to have RNY nov 21st, ive been super exited about my choice but lately ive been looking some post that say the DS is better than the RNY long term.  Has anyone else gone through this?? and how did you make your choice?/

Post Date: 9/25/11 6:13 pm
www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4280788/Repost-Request-Advice- for-Pre-Ops-with-Links/

This is the list of vites that are recommended you START on and adjust based on your labs:

www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/ProgramDRNY_ERNY_BPDDS3- 2010.pdf

These are the labs you need so you can adjust your vites appropriately:

docs.google.com/Doc

~Becky
  Research, Research, Research!!!!  Here is a list of sources provided by Becky , one of our best veterans.  Read everything you can.   Especially dsfacts.com.

Good Luck in your decision.

Donna

Vanessa,

"Good," "better" and "best" are all subjective terms...I'm sure that Best Food mayonnaise is "the best," and someone else may have a different "the best."

But in objective terms--dealing with facts and data, the DS is THE MOST EFFECTIVE weight loss surgery.  I'm sure that others will post stats and all, so I won't. 

Hi and welcome!
     Many, if not most of us knew about RNY and lap band first, as they are more widely publicized than the DS. But what you are hearing is correct: the DS has the best longterm results of any wls for percentage excess weight loss, MAINTAINENCE of that weight loss, and resolution of almost all comorbidities. Weight regain is a major problem with gastric bypass, and as you might imagine is very upsetting to people who have already struggled with their weight for years, who have been blamed by society for their failure, and who now blame themselves for failing yet again.
     In reality, gastric bypass has a substantial failure rate of about 30%, a number provided to me by the surgeon who would have done my RNY, and I remain grateful to this day for his honesty. And when you consider that "success" in the world of wls is defined as losing just 50% of your excess weight, which is not a very high standard, that's a very high failure rate. And what about all the folks who lost 50 - 60% of their excess weight? They are called successes. I don't know about you, but I would not have been satisfied with that kind of result.
     So keep on reading and researching. The DS is esp valuable for people with bmi over 50, but works well for lighter people as well. If you are interested in reading some great articles about the DS for yourself, just send me a pm. And be aware that there are NO reputable DS surgeons in your area. You would need to travel, as many people do, but IMHO it's well worth the effort.

Larra

where would I go to find the list of the reputable DS doctors ?

I was just about to get RNY when I learned about the DS too. I changed surgery at the last minute, and am so glad I did.

There are lots of folks here that already had RNY, failed with it, and revised to DS. Revision is much higher risk, so it's important to research as much as you can before getting cut. 

By the time I compared the pros and cons of the surgeries, it was a no brainer to go with the DS. I had a BMI around 49, had multiple metabolic issues, insulin resistance, PCOS, and knew I didn't want to live life with the possibility of dumping or reactive hypoglycemia. I also knew I couldn't take it if regained the weight back, so wanted the best chance to keep it off. I wanted to be able to take NSAIDs for pain. 

I recommend starting at DSfacts.com

Thanks , well i just read the page and it does seem like this surgery is a better alternative for me. I am 24 yrs old and woukd like something that will allow me to keep off the weight long term. I havent had kids yet, and my bmi is 50%. Now my question is .... my insurance requires a 3 month diet which i am completing with my surgeon now. My surgeon does not offer the DS. So would i loose the 3 months or will it count for a ds??

That depends on your insurance company.  Many insurance companies won't even cover the DS, saying it's "experimental".  In the US, it was, until just a few years ago.

Ask your insurance company if they cover that surgery -get the code for it- many still think the DS is a bypass, but it has an entirely different code.  Someone on this board might have it. Also ask them if you would have to do another three month diet if you change surgeons. I would think proof that you did the three months, which should be documented in your medical records, would be all that's required.  When you find your new surgeon, make sure you get your medical records from the current one.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to PM me if you need an answer to a question.  If I don't know, I can probably point you to someone who does!

I had to switch surgeons at the last minute, but all my prerequisites just transferred to the new surgeon, since they required the exact same things.