choosing dr

thanks to all of you for your input. another ??? what do you think of DS vs. RNY??

You're gonna get mixed answers with that one!  lol  those of us that had DS really promote it, and those that had RNY really promote RNY. It all just depends on you, and what post-op eating plan you are willing to follow.  For me, I wasn't willing to give up the foods I love, so the DS was a perfect fit for that.  But if you want to change your eating, in a more healthy way, the RNY can help with that.  ie: Dumping. Click here to learn info about BOTH procedures.

this is the training film for rny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjWhqo2u5-o

I think if you are going to have a WLS that causes malabsorbtion, you really need to be commited to a lifetime of suppliments and blood work.  It's par for the course with both the RNY and the DS.  I looked at the advantages and disadvantages of both surgeries, and had the DS, because I coudln't live with the downsides of the RNY.  The whole stoma thing freaked me out, I was reading posts by people 4 years out from the RNY (this is actually from susan maria and her bariatric eating site) who had 1/2 a tylenol stuck in her stoma for HOURS.....it was sheer torture until it dissolved. Then reading about dumping (there isa  link on the DS forum right now showing a woman dumping so you can get a good view of what it's like), and ulcers...and then the latent regain after 2 years with the RNY...i just couldn't do it. So i had the DS.....there were other reasons....I wanted to eat normally, I didn't  want to be the odd person out, eating 1 strip of chicken and 2 veggies at a meal......and I didn't want to eliminate sweets from my diet completely.  Lets face it, I want to eat birthday cake and when there is a party I want to celebrate with everyone else. Again neither surgery is right for both people.....and neither of them may be right for you...do your research...look on the forums (there is a RNY and DS forum) and make an informed decision.  Scott BTW you may have to pick a different surgeon if your surgeon doesn't do the DS.

i would like to provide my input and it is NOT on any RNY v/s DS debates or comparisons. the surgery decision depends on the individual, their health, what their body can tolerate and most important what their life can deal with the pros and cons of the surgery they chose. some have RNY and it has been a success and other had RNY and not had the outcome expected. those that had not experienced success or are experiecning certain longterm complications are the ones, seeking revision to have another bariatric surgery such  as another RNY or have been researching and seeking to have DS. that is all i have to say about that. as for me, when i started out my journey here on OH back in 2003, i was a RNY pre-op. through my pre-op testing it was determined my intestinal system would not be able to tolerate a gastric bypass and hence i was non-op or pre-op in limbo for a few years. i did have intestinal surgery after that for a disorder, but stayed suffering with morbid obesity disease compromising my health. last year, i was DS pre-op tested and it was determined that i would be a safe candidate for DS since you do have a stomach pouch and not a stoma as well as the plyrous valve being intact and not removed. since having my DS, i do not have or suffer anymore from intestinal disorders as i did prior to having bariatric surgery. my co-morbs are gone as well. i have not had any complications since having my DS surgery and am healthier and stronger than before. i got my health and life back. so honestly, it depends on what you can deal with and what you can live with if it doesn't go successfully. my best to you in your journey to better health and life.

Dr Inman does both types of surgery.  Talk to her and she can advise you as to what surgery will be best for you. I had the RNY (no real choice, it was the only surgery my insurance would pay for) and it has worked well for me.  I have never had anything get stuck, I don't dump and I eat normally.  I eat whatever I want, I just don't eat the tremendous amounts that I ate before surgery.  I learned to enjoy my food fully.  I get all the flavor and satisfaction from a 4 oz steak that I got before from a larger steak.  The same goes for everything I eat.  A big plus for me is that my grocery bill has been cut to about 1/3 of what it was before. Best wishes.

Dr. Inman will give you straight, unbiased answers.   I love my DS and the results I've had with it while still loving food.  I've read too many posts about RNY's regaining, strictures, and the dreaded dumping, that when I found a procedure with better statistical results AND a more pleasurable post-op life, it was a no-brainer.

Hi Heidi, Dr. Inman is going to be performing my revision to the DS a week from Wednesday.  When I first thought about having a revision from my failed SRVG I thought I was going to have the RNY (even tho' I wasn't that crazy about it) because I didn't know there were other options out there.  (Well, except the Lapband and I knew that wasn't for me.)  I went to Dr. Inman's seminar because she did my first WLS and I knew I wanted to go back to her.  When she went over the DS I just knew that was the procedure for me!  It fit my lifestyle to a T and it "just made sense."  I had to fight my insurance company for over 8 months to get the DS approved (they consider it investigational / experimental) but I perservered and I won against them.  If your insurance will cover the RNY, you can make them cover the DS in most cases.  Just depends on how badly you want to fight, if that's what it takes. Definitely check out the DS forum and the RNY forum, and check out www.duodenalswitch.com for more info.  Research, research, research, and then decide what is best for you and your lifestyle.  (For me, I wanted to make sure I could still take NSAIDS since arthritis runs in my family, I wanted to eat birthday cake with my son [who is only 3 and we have lots and lots of birthdays to celebrate] and I didn't want to vomit and get food "stuck" since I have already lived with that with the SRVG.) Good luck, and I wish you well! 

Oh my gosh you are sooo close!!!!!!!  Woohoooo!!!!!! Hugs!