Opinions please...I am needing to make a decision.

Thanks so much Pete and good for you to hit that target! :)

If I had to do it all over again I would have been better in terms of finding out all the information and would not have needed a revision to DS from RNY. For me it would have been the only way to go if it is available to you.  

Thanks for that perspective! :)

Lana, you are so very fortunate that your surgeon recommended the DS for you! Many people are not even told that this option exists and end up with unsatisfactory results with other operations.

The DS has the best statistics of any bariatric surgery for percentage excess weight loss, for maintenance of that weight loss, and for resolution of almost all comorbidities. The part about maintenance is extremely important, as weight regain is a major problem with RNY (and probably with sleeve as a stand alone, though longterm results are not well known yet).

Given that you have diabetes, the DS is definitely your best choice for permanent resolution of your diabetes. The rate of permanent resolution with the DS is 92 - 98%, depending on what study you read. With RNY, the rate is supposedly about 84%, BUT for many people the diabetes comes back after a few years, making the real rate of permanent resoluiton much lower (probably below 50%). The DS also allows people to take NSAIDs, which may not be important to you now but could be in the future. As we age, whether we like it or not, problems like arthritis become more likely, and whatever damage your joints have already suffered does not go away even when you lose weight, though you will hopefully postpone serious joint problems by losing weight.

As far as extra risk goes, this is a fallacy. In the old days ( and still today due to the ignorance of some insurance companies) the DS was reserved for the heaviest and sickest patients, who of course are going to have more complications than lighter and healthier patients. If you compare patients of similar bmi and health, the surgical risk is almost identical, but the DS patients will lose more weight, and the difference in weight loss will increase as the years go by. It's true that we are at higher risk for nutritional deficiencies, but even there, most (though not all) of the people who get into trouble do so due to noncompliance. In other words, if you make the committment to being educated as to your protein and vitamin requirements and then follow those requirements for life, you will probably be ok.

Larra

Those who do two surgeries do not get the same results of those who do it all at once, so unless you have a health reason, do it all at one time.  Two surgeries means twice the risk, twice the cost, and twice the recovery and downtime.

The biggest risk of the DS is the experience of the surgeon.  In the hands of a vetted DS surgeon, it's no riskier than any other procedure, surgery-wise.

Thanks Valerie! :)

Hi Lana,

I agree with everyone here, they made important helpful contributions about the D.S. My surgeon impressed upon me to hurry with losing all my weight before the "window of opportunity closed". The body has ways to counter act extreme measures of weight loss, holding on to weight, and contributing to regain with all the types of WLS. A 2 part WLS is not the best choice unless there are medical reasons for it.  The D.S. is the most successful for maintaining losses. I am over 2 years out, maintaining for over a year at 120, plus or minus 4 lbs. I have done everything my bariatric team has suggested, helping me succeed in every category= nutrition, exercise, psychological improvements, surgical assessments( internal checks during gallbladder and hiatal hernia surgeries. Plastic surgeries for the lose skin. The D.S. is only one part of the equation for losing and  maintaining major weight loss. The education never stops. Don't think The D.S. will solve all your weight issues with just the surgery. It takes lots of on going work in all these categories to be successful and healthy the rest of your life. 

My insurance -BCBS of Mi would only pay for one WLS in a lifetime. I went for the biggest guns to attack my weight. I pictured life with each of the possible WLS.  I could only see  long term  happiness with the D.S. The D.S. is most like the Atkins diet I was most familiar with, the best healthy food choices, use of the pylorus for digestion with the ability to enjoy all my favorite foods in moderation. I know I made the right choice now at 2 years out, with the ability to eat as I always did, but smaller portions. I don't have to deprive myself of any food. Absolutely necessary : Follow the D.S. requirements for life= high protein foods with protein supplements of shakes, bars, meat totaling over 100g a day, hydration over 65oz fluids a day, vitamins and supplements daily amounts according to your labs. Primary care Dr visits for labs more than once a year, self advocating medical care with D.S. uneducated physicians. Very few of my Dr's have any other D.S. patients. I bring D.S. diagrams and printed info to every office visit. All my Dr's are appreciative for the info. Hospital medical testing also needs the D.S. info/diagrams. No Dr has refused to treat me because of lack of their D.S. knowledge. 

I was a virgin D.S. needing to lose 135 lbs in a short time to help prevent future cancer. I am a cancer survivor. My oncologist suggested I be as thin as possible for prevention reasons. My PCP says I am now the healthiest I have ever been in my life. I look forward to my Dr. visits, rather than avoiding them because of obesity. Nsaid use ability is important for me because of my hip and knee arthritis, disk and spine degenerative aging issues. Pre D.S. every step was so painful I could hardly walk to the mail box. Pain free now, walking 4 miles and weight lifting at the gym.  I'm almost 60, looking and acting like 30, says my husband. My whole family is D.S. supportive. Small issues with occasional gas are all the D.S. complications I have. Laparoscopic D.S. is the best !!!!!!

Wow Sandra, you have conquered a lot!  Thank you for your insights and sharing your story.  Best of luck in your continued weight loss success and cancer-free life!