RNY vs DS

Hiya!

When I spoke about a more "normal diet" I wasn't refering to hunger pangs. What I meant was that I didn't want to be limited to certain foods as though I was on a diet-- I'd practcically spent my life on a diet, and it did me no good whether it be low-fat, low-carb, slimfast, weigh****chers or just plain old calorie counting-- and I was sick of it.

The 30% risk of RNY dumping were not good odds in my view, and since eating wasn't the cause of my weight problem (PCOS/IR/Metabolic Syndrome was) I didn't need - or want- the horrid symptoms of dumping to condition a pavlovian avoidance to foods should I happen to fall into that 30%. I'd just be on another low-fat/low-carb strict as hell diet for the rest of my life, or carefully plan my life around the dumping so that I'd at least be at home for the brunt of it.

There is no dumping with the DS because it preserves the pyloric valve. The worst thing one can expect with a DS is bad gas or a food type the new, smaller stomach just can't handle anymore (I hear apple peel causes a lot of problems with other DSers but not for me). Post op my stomach does not like the texture of broccolis, artichokes and pears. However, I can eat apples with the skin on, strawberries, all melons, bananas, stonefruit and most other veggies. Brown rice and legumes give me wickedly bad gas, but I can eat sizable quantities of white rice, white flour, pasta, sugar, ice cream, butter, fatty meats, rich creamy sauces, rich creamy soups and cheeses without any digestive problems at all. Since I do not have a sweet tooth or a carb addiction, I don't overindulge in them.

Today I was in Chinatown running some errands, after a nice lunch of peking duck I grabbed a mini egg custard tart from a bakery and ate it- I didn't have to worry about it at all, no thought of "Am I going to dump? How much longer do I have before I NEED to lie down or find a bathroom? Am I going to have regain from eating that?". The DS is very liberating from these kinds of food woes. Two weeks ago I went on a cruise and ate rich foods several times a day (here's a thread of the food porn if you're interested in seeing how a 9month post op DSer can eat).

I'm finally at peace with food instead of being at war with it. It's wonderful!

I think only you can make this choice for you. Read and research all you can about the various pros and cons of all the surgeries, and talk with your doctor.

I'm happy with my RNY, but I'm still in the honeymoon phase. I am vigilant with my regimen hoping to avoid long term complications.

Good luck with your choice!

I'm glad you have the chance to consider the DS before you have any WLS.  When I first began looking into my own surgery, I had never heard of the VSG or the DS.  I thought I was going to have to live with the RNY (the lapband was NEVER an option for me), and wasn't too thrilled with the idea.  When I learned of the other two main choices I was so relieved.  I first considered the VSG, it just sounded not so "extreme".  But after taking a good hard look at myself, my past behaviors, etc.  I knew that I would need the surgery that would  1) give me the best chance to lose all of my excess weight and 2) give me the best chance of keeping it off long term.  That equalled the DS for me.  I am out 2 1/2 years and so far so good.  Eating is good.  I maintain my weight (so far) very easily.  I take quite a few vitamins every day, but that's become an easy habit that I don't even think about any longer.  

Take as much time as you need to make this decision.  It's a biggie.  Unfortunately, I am not aware of any DS surgeons in your state, so you will likely have to travel.  Many have done so, as there are not that many DS surgeons out there.

Good luck with whichever path you decide to follow.

read read and read...
if I could do it again - I would opt for VSG... or DS...

I had rny back i*****  Personally, I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I have stayed right around 160.  I have gained 10 pounds but what do you except with having three boys since then. (2007, 2009, 2010)  Do what you feel good about.  Research and research.  Just because one chose one way and another chose another way doesn't mean it is right for you. 

If you have any questions, now is the time to ask before the operation.
I had an rny 25 months ago and am at the beginning stages of leaveing the honeymoon stage.  I have no complaints about what I did.  I'm at the point where I don't feel like I'm on a diet.  I had to change my lifestyle. Nothing is off limits to me.  I have pizza, candy, ice cream,etc.  But I do everything in moderation,  I make sure that I meet my nutritonal goals for protein, vitamins, fluids, etc.
It comes down to what is best for you and being able to maintain your weight loss.  Both ds and rny have many good points to them.  Keep researching until you feel comfortable with your decision.

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4454843/Considering-the-RnY- Please-educate-yourself-These-threads/

Becky

 Even though I was 524 pounds to start, I chose the RNY procedure because in my opinion there are more doctors, nurses and hospitals that understand the RNY.  If I had internal problems in the future, for myself, I feel more secure with my treatment I would receive from the, in my opinion, more widely understood WLS.  If RNY and DS were practiced and supported nearly equally across the medical community, I would have chosen the DS.  Maybe the DS will catch up in the future, and maybe the RNY will decrease, I don't know.

I had rny in 2003, the ds revision in 2009. I wish I'd had the DS first.

Take a look at the revision board, and see how many have the RNY. Some choose a band over bypass, some choose an ERNY, some choose a DS. What's scary is the number of people who need a revision, and many aren't doing it because of regain, they're doing it because of reactive hypoglycemia, severe dumping, or other issues. I spent so many years in pain, I'm sorry I didn't revise sooner.

Thank you guys,  I would think that to have the ds would be a good option for me, and if there was a surgeon in my area, i would deff choose that no questions asked after all the research, however 1. I'm scared that if something goes wrong i wont have the proper surgeon to rely on, 2. the fact that you have to take your vitamins or you can make yourself really sick(i read the info and it seems as if with the rny you have time correct the issue vs the DS you can end up with irreversible damage)scares me , because of my line of study i may forget.(just being honest) 3. I kind of want something to help me change my eating habits, it seems bc the Ds needs so many calories, i would end up eating junk, just because i can. So i think I'm going to stay with the RNY.

Ps if i misunderstood any of the info i read pls correct me :)