DS OR RNY PLEASE ADVISE

HELLO EVERY ONE

I AM 36 YRS OLD MALE. 5.7" AND WEIGHING 305 LB- BMI-47,HYPERTENSION FROM 5 YEARS, ON MEDICATION. NON DIABETIC AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS ARE NORMAL, HAVE VARICOSE VEINS ON MY LEG. MY BOTH KNEES ARE BOTHERING LATELY. 

PLEASE ADVISE ME WITH MY STATS AND CONDITION, AM I SUITABLE FOR DS OR RNY? I AM HAVING HARD TIME TO DECIDE.

ALSO, I LIVE IN TORONTO, CANADA, CURRENTLY RNY IS COVERED BY GOVERNMENT, BUT WAITING PERIOD IS OVER A YEAR, WHICH COULD CHANGE MY WHOLE LIFE IF I COULD GO TO MEXICO, SO PLEASE ADVISE OF GOING TO MEXICO AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR RNY OR DS.

I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING DR.LOPEZ, SO IF ANY ONE HAD SURGERY DONE WITH HIM, PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH HIM, WHAT PROCEDURE YOU HAVE GONE UNDER, AND ANY THING THAT I NEED TO KNOW. 

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR RESPONSES

THANK YOU

ANIL

You qualify for either operation - while some surgeons (and in the USA some insurers) have a higher bmi requirement for the DS, there is no medical justification for this. Anyone who meets the standard criteria for bariatric surgery is a suitable candidate for the DS, and in fact many "lightweights" have it done and do great.

So here is what may help you make your decision. The DS has the best statistics of any bariatric surgery for percentage excess weight loss, for maintaining that weight loss, and for resolution of almost all comorbidities. Maintenance is extremely important, and we see many people with RNY who do great initially but struggle with weight regain after a few years.

You should also know that if you have RNY, NSAIDs will be contraindicated for the rest of your life. For someone with knees that are probably arthritic, and that will continue to worsen as the years go on even with weight loss, that's potentially a big deal. With the DS we can safely take NSAIDs, in proper doses.

Also, with the DS dumping is very rare. Exactly what percentage of people with RNY experience dumping isn't known, but for those who do, it is NOT a weight loss mechanism, rather, it is a very unpleasant side effect that occurs with certain foods, different foods and different amounts for different people, and sometimes involves reactive hypoglycemia, which 1) can contribute to weight regain, and 2) if extreme is dangerous.

With both operations you will be required to take certain vitamins and supplements for the rest of your life, and get labs checked to make sure your levels are good. There are more such requirements with the DS than with RNY. It isn't difficult to take them, but it's a very important committment.

Regarding your choice of surgeon, the only surgeon in Mexico that most of us would recommend for the DS is Dr. Ungson. He's been doing it for years, and both he ad his hospital have great reputations.

Larra

Do your research but I have to say, "DS, HANDS DOWN!"

Pls contact me I also did ds in Mexico I would give you good info . I live in Canada too

I had RNY 8 years ago.  If I had had the choice and knowledge, I would have choosen the DS.  As it is, I WILL be having a revision from RNY to DS as soon as  I can scrape up the funds for it.  My back pain is back and worse than before RNY.  Knees are bad again, to the point that I currently cannot work.  I too will be seeking a reputable surgeon in Mexico to have the revision done, if one exists there.

Babs, at present there are no reputable Mexican surgeons doing RNY to DS revisions. The only DS surgeon in Mexico most of us would recommend is Dr. Ungson, who has been doing the DS for years and has an excellent reputation. He does revisions of lap band or sleeve to DS, but not RNY.

Revision of RNY to DS is a big, difficult and higher risk operation. It requires completely reversing your present RNY - taking down the connection of the small intestine to the pouch, putting the stomach back together, putting the small intestine back together - and THEN creating the sleeve gastrectomy and intestinal configuration of the DS. It is also much higher risk than a virgin DS. I say all this not to discourage you, but to explain why there are only a handful of surgeons doing this complex operation in the USA and no one in Mexico. So by all means keep working on your funding, but it's vital that you use only a highly qualified surgeon for such a risky operation.

I will also send you a pm.

Larra

DS the only one I have not seen a failed rate.  There are DSers such as my self that is not a twig and very happy. 5'4 1/2 160 I wear I size 12 and yes I weighed much less but I am happy.  I was not looking to be a stick and if I desire to lose more weight I can follow the DS much closer.  The only reason I would not suggest it is if you will not follow up on the labs and vits and protein.  I would have said any thing to get the weight off and I am sure many of us would.  There are aspect of it that are annoying but you have to be an adult and make a decision you have made a choice to have the DS and so long as you are making that choice you need to take of yourself to avoid the pit falls of be untreated DS who will eventually be miserable. 

Although this should be obvious I do not think it is stressed enough what ever demons you have in your head about weight will still be there after the DS and for the rest of your life.  You are altering your body physically you need to work through the psychological aspects as well.  In my instance I am a stress eater and find comfort in eating for example carbs.  Would be nice if my comfort food was protein or fat then there would be no issues.  As I have said many times I am a work in progress some times I am successful and other times not so much.  I force myself to break away and take a walk but it is not easy.