Considering DS....Why did you choose the DS?

Hello,

I'm new to obesity.com, and I'm glad I found you all :)

I'm in the process of being approved by my insurance to get WLS.  I've spent 2 years researching the different procedures and when I decide on the one, I question my choice and choose another.  I'm currently leaning towards the DS but I'm still not 100% decided. I was wondering if you all could share why you choose the DS and not the other options.

Thank you!

Barbie 

I wanted the best chance of success.  It has the highest % EWL of all the WLS.

Thanks huneypie. That is what attracted me to the ds, the high long term success rate.

Plus no dumping, you can take NSAIDs, no blind stomach that can't be scoped and fat and protein are pretty much free foods for DSers.  Have a look at www.dsfacts.com/ for more general info

Thanks, I will check it out.

Ditto everything she said.

You really have to ask yourself one simple question.  Is food restriction (making your stomach small so that it can't handle more than a cup of food at one time) going to be enough?   Because that is all the lap band and RNY are - restrictive surgeries. 

I know me.  I will stretch out that pouch and be able to eat twice as much as anyone. I will also get around any food rules, like eating 1 cup of food at a time.  I would just eat every 2 hours then, which defeats the purpose.  Yea, it would work for one or two years, I would lose 60 or 70 lbs, but eventually I would stretch the pouch out over time and be right back to where I was.  I just know me.  

I knew the DS can't be stretched out.  Yea, I have stretched my VSG out (and it's only been 10 months!) and I can eat a lot more food than before.  But the bypassed intestines continue to work for me and there is no way I can screw that up.  You can't grow more intestines. 

Is it a pain in the ass?  Sure.  The first 6 months were rough - kinda like making my way through an obstacle course blindfolded.  It was not easy.  But once I got my vitamins balanced with my food, water, protein powders, bowel movements, and so forth, things started falling into place.  I've never felt better in my life - and I am never hungry and I don't have to diet any more. 

And I don't have diabetes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure any more.  If you have diabetes, then go for the DS.

Thank you Jashley. You have some very good points, I have little self control...I know me too, and I don't want to stretch out the pouch, gain the weight back and have the surgery for nothing.
Thank you.
Barbie

I was all about the Sleeve, until Maintenance started and I couldn't "eat less and exercise more" enough, for three years, to keep from gaining! I am now having the REsleeve/ DS combo. I know it will make the difference. I had to have the malabsorption and be able to eat more than 1100 calories for the rest of my life! rdc

Oh and with RNY you lose the malabsorption by the time you're about 18 months out even though there wasn't as much to start with. I don't have the discipline to make RNY work.

I initially chose the RNY and it failed me.  I have revised to the DS and the only regret is that I wish I would have  chosen the DS the first time around.

If you have not already done so, research what types of WLS patients seek revisions.  This will tell you a lot.  You will find very few DS patients seeking revisions.  And from first hand experience, I can tell you that revisions can be pretty tough and are often more complicated then a virgin WLS should you ever have to go down that road.

Good Luck to you in whatever you choose.

SH