RNY vs DS
At my first consultation with the surgeon, we discussed the different wls options and I explained to him that I am interested in the RNY, mostly because my mother and sister have both had it done with great results and are a great source of "been there" support.
Due to my BMI being 52, he told me to consider the DS as we had plenty of time to decide because of its higher success rate with comorbidites and long term weight loss.
Since then I have done all my pre-op with the RNY in mind, including my nutrition classes and pre and post op nutrition requirements and diets. Not to mention following this board for RNY, reading online and books about the RNY, and mentally preparing for that surgery.
I received a call from the surgeons office stating that I had been approved for the DS... they had sent it to insurance for the DS, not the RNY. I explained this to the nurse that called, and she said it would have to be resubmitted. A few minutes later, she called back and said the surgeon wants to consult with me next week to talk about my options before it is sent back to insurance.
I have a feeling he will want to talk me into the DS, and I don't know what I need to say to him to let him know the RNY is for me. Does anyone have a good pro/con list that would be of help or anything like that?
He is the only local bariatric surgeon so I am commited to him doing the surgery.
Any advice?
It's your choice in the end!
Start with the surgeon and ask him/her to tell you why they feel the DS is better than the RNY for you. Since he/she does both, you may get some good insight.
Have you done the same research about the DS as you did the RNY? Read the books, etc?
Have you cross posted this on the DS board?
There is plenty of data on the www about the DS and the RNY and I'll bet you could find some comparisons.
Your doctor made some good points already-about your BMI and the success rate.
Help us help you--why do you want the RNY and why are you hesitant about the DS?
I can tell you my personal decision-I had a BMI of 53. I did not opt for the DS because it was too malabsorptive and I already have vitamin deficiencies and was scared of that getting into life threatening levels. I also didn't like the fact that I may have "digestive consequences" if I ate outside the plan (sweets/carbs). I was not willing to live forever on a mostly protein diet. I like variety and eat a very balanced diet (the first year it was primarily protein).
Just do your homework and really decide which surgery will give you the best long term results based on your lifestyle. No surgery is a magic bullet. Both RNY and DS are great surgeries with pros and cons for each.
I felt it was a better choice for me because 1) there were no surgeons near me that performed DS. 2) I live in a small town with no bariatric surgeons and my local hospital does not do WLS at all and if I had to go to the ER for something, I feel certain no one there would have a clue about DS. They don't know much about RNY, but at least they know a little. 3) the risks of nutritional deficiencies, while pretty high with RNY, are even higher with DS. I didn't want to have to take even more vitamins.
However, some good things about the DS are: 1) you can take NSAIDS safely. I really miss NSAIDS! 2) Statistically it does have a higher success rate of resolving things like daibetes, but only slightly higher - RNY does that for most people, too. 3) It does seem more people keep the weight off with DS, or some regain is more likely with RNY. But many people do keep it off with RNY, too.
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
My first line of thinking is that my mother (2 years out) and sister (3 years out) both had the RNY with great results and its a huge comfort knowing I have two people handy to rely on for questions and/or suggestions.
Secondly, when attending the seminar, it seemed that the DS is much more intense and it would be easier for me to screw it up. I am 100% committed to the process, but it just seemed more "scary".
Thirdly, the longer hospital stay and recovery time would not be good for me. My husband is disabled and for me to be away from home that long, and to be off work longer would not be good for anyone.
Debbie
Keeping track of my progress without a scale...Starting size: 28-Current size: 6-Goal size: 14
SAND...it's not a club...it's a frame of mind...
I had RNY 4 + years ago- and even though I lost all the weight I want and maintain - it is hard or very hard. As many post op RNY - I developed Reactive hypoglycemia (RH). I still can control that with me diet - but I am on a very restricted diet at this point (eating 5-7 times a day, very limited carbs, no starchy carbs like pasta bread, any grains....) Very limited fruits per day (and only after a meal with fats and proteins) and so on.
if I know then what I know now - I would choose just sleeve - VSG (it was not an option for me) or DS (I would have to travel - but considering all of what I deal with now - I would).
The first 1-2-3 years - it was not as bad is it is now. So many people regain after RNY due to the RH... and the way our body processes the carbs.
check this
http://www.dsfacts.com/
Bottom line - any surgery you get - you need to be able to live with - it is so good you are researching...
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
Also, does RH make it harder to keep the weight off? if so, why? I always thought high blood sugars made it hard to keep weight off???