Rny vs DS-absorption of mental health meds

Do any of you who have had rny and revision to ds, or anyone in general who have had rny or ds, know which surgery is best if you are worried about your system absorbing mental health meds.  What I mean is which one ends up with more absorption from mental health meds?

The rny has a pouch, but the ds still has more stomach and has the pyloric valve still intact, so if meds are absorbed in stomach, does that mean that the ds is better to absorbing the meds?

I am looking into revision from vertical banding.  I think I'd like the ds better, but I have mental health diagnosis that I don't want to screw up too much.  The doctor I talked to doesn't do ds, but does rny.  Am seriously thinking of seeing another provider about ds, but the closest one is 9 hours away.  If the ds absorbs more medicine, then it would be one more reason to go the 9 hours away to have ds.

Any help I could get in this matter is greatly appreciated.

southerngeorgiagirl(Dorothy)

I`d post this question on the DS board, they really know their stuff and it`s more likely that you will find anyone who can answer this question.

All the best!

From what I understand Southern Georgian Girl:

Both surgeries do have malabsorption problems. RNY and DS both have a malabsorption tool. But, because you would have a larger stomach I think DS might be the way to go for you with your med issue...

I'm not sure which Dr. you are referring to that is 9 hrs away. But if you're in George, isn't Kentucky close to you? Dr. Husted who is an absolute pro at revising RNY'ers to DS is there.

I don't think one could get much better than him for this transition.

Good Luck,

Janie

I'm not a doctor, and asked a similar question to my surgeon, and he basically told me that since the DS has a (smaller than regular but) fully functioning stomach with a pyloric valve (which has been cut and replaced with a man made stoma with RNY), that medications that need to break down and absorb in the stomach are usually fully absorbed with the DS, but may have problems with RNY.

He said there is some absorption with the RNY as well, but more trial and error may be necessary, and a larger dose may be needed to get an adequate amount.

Again, he was talking about meds that break down and absorb in the stomach, but if it absorbs somewhere else, then it may be different. I take migraine meds that dissolve in my mouth, and absorb under the tongue, so that wouldn't matter what surgery type.

Thanks for all of your answers.  There's 2 surgeons that I am looking into seeing(Dr Husted and Dr Voellinger).  I think I'll ask them.  They are both about the same distance from me(I live in South Georgia, about 15 miles from Florida line).  Dr Husted's facility won't be taking my insurance(Medicare) for about another 3 months or so, so I'm trying now to decide if I want to wait to see him or start process of seeing Dr Voellinger.  I think I will at least see one of them before I go the rny route.  I had vertical banding the first time around.  Thanks again for your answers.

It really depends on WHICH medication., In general, however, no matter which surgeyr you choose you can usually just take a higher dose of medication to  overcome malabsorption issues.  I wouldn;t recommend choosing a lifelong bypass surgery based on a temporary medication (even for people who have been on a particular med for a long time, it is often necessary to eventually switch to something else  and the new med may absorb differently than your current one).

Lora

There is also Dr Smith in Marietta.  He does not accept Medicare assignment but will file with Medicare for you to be reimbursed (you have to pay his fee upfront).

Becky (waiting) in NC