The DS vs. RNY

I'm not trying to start a war here like everyone does on the Main board... but I'm really curious about the DS. If the DS really does produced better results (i.e. most amount of extra body weight lost, more likely to get to goal, greatest chance of keeping the weight off overtime, etc) then why don't more people have THAT done than the RNY?? It seems like a stupid question in my head... I'd pick the one with the better results!!

I tried asking the dr (that works in my surgeon's office) who is doing my supervised dieting and he completly blew me off. He started talking about the VSG to the RNY 2-part procedure. I understand that my surgeon's office doesn't actually DO the DS but I would think they would be knowledgeable... RIGHT??

Anyways- I'm just looking for everyone's opinions. We're all really young and I don't want to risk gaining the weight back (even 20 years down the road!) nor do I want to worry about what I can and can not eat for the rest of my life!! (this does not mean I want to be able to pig out or binge... just eat NORMALLY!).

I guess the first thing I need to do is call my insurance company and see if they even COVER the DS and then maybe attend a seminar at a hospital that performs the procedure or even schedule a consult with another surgeon. IDK. FUSTERATING!!!!

Thanks in advance and sorry so long.

 This is totally going by what my surgeon's CNP said to me in passing conversation during my 6 month check up...this is not my opinion!  She said that they no longer do DS in the office because of a higher risk of vitamin deficiencies....there was no elaboration beyond that. Maybe that's why?  

Good question though! 

~Emily~

hey girl go to the DS forum there u would get more info. good luck with ur reserch!
hugs

Check out these websites, and also the DS forum here on Obesityhelp.
www.dsfacts.com  www.duodenalswitch.com they have alot of great info, and a list of surgeons that preform the DS. I started my journey as a RNY patient untill I joined OH and learned about the DS. I traveled over 2hrs to have the DS, and I'm very happy so far. The best thing you can do is research, research, and do more research & make the best choice for you. I wish you the best of luck & please let me know if you have any ?s !!!! =)

Definitely go to the DS board to learn more.  I was interested in the DS.  My insurance covered it and my Dr. only does them as revisions.  I could have gone to NY or NJ for the DS had I chosen to do so.

I decided against the DS for a few reasons.  Mainly I was worried about developing osteoporosis.  Obviously RNYrs can and do develop this too but, for me and me only, I was too worried about long term deficiencies.  I have read about a few DSrs who have had boneloss issues and that worried me.  This is not proven or gospel, just my opinion, but I need to sleep at night LOL!

That being said, DS has far greater success than RNY as far as losses and regain.  Hands down you will lose quicker and havee a greater chance of keeping it off.  The menu is also richer.  You can eat greater quantities and fattier foods because you will malabsorb WAY more than a RNYr.  In fact - you need to eat higher quanities of calories and fats etc.  I do think DSrs mus****ch their carbs though - they absorb em all.

As an RNYr I watch my carbs too.  I am lucky - no dumping no foamies nothing stuck yet at 3 months out.  I do not feel deprived because I do feel full.  I do sometimes want to eat just to taste the food though - no lies here!

Occasionally I wish I got the DS.  Other days I am glad I did not - depends on the day.  I am also not much of a heavy fatty food eater. 1/2 lb of bacon sounds yucky to me - even before surgery! 

You need to do all your research and ddecide for yourself which surgery is best for you. 

Good Luck!

Thanks guys. I have been lurking around the DS board (and the regrets and revision boards). It just seemed like the DS is almost "too good to be true". I was just curious what the downsides were because no one really mentions them and yet a lot of surgeons seem to be against the DS. Ah well. I'm going to figure out if my insurance covers it and then go to a seminar where there is a doctor that performs BOTH and see what their opinion is.

Thanks again guys!! 

Yeah... I would reccommend lurking on the DS boards. No offense to anyone here but from my experiences many DSers are very evangelical about their surgery and will fib or misrepresent to make it sound better than it is. A DSer once posted a study on many boards that used only 50 participants and tried to claim that the results held enough merit to place percentages on the entire population of WLS patients. (She claimed only 60% of RNY patients with diabetes are cured of diabetes, while the number given in much more in depth studies is 80%) It's my opinion that If you post on the DS boards with questions, those DSers who have had negative experiences won't bother posting a response and if they do it will be 100% positive.

I know plenty about the DS but I still think RNY is best for me for several reasons: I don't have much to lose so I really won't need so much malabsorption. I don't have any medical complications that are better solved by DS. My insurance wouldn't cover the DS most likely and I want surgery now, not next year. My mom had RNY and it will be great to finally be eating the same things as her. I am a sweets and carbs junkie, and the fear of dumping will be my friend. People with the DS don't see such immediate side effects from eating sweets and carbs. I know I could have plenty of carbs on the DS and feel fine, which would probably lead me to doing so, and doing so more than I should. Most DSers * do* have to be careful about what they eat, no matter how much many say they don't, otherwise their bowel movements may be not to their liking. I don't like the idea of spending a great deal of time in the bathroom. This is why I never tried the WL drug Alli... Although they don't dump they can get acid reflux, while RNY patients almost never have that problem after surgery. Also, the DS has a much higher risk of malnutrition because of the really high malabsorption. The long long term results haven't happened yet so nobody really knows the outcome over a lifetime. Also... I plan to have kids someday... and since the DS is highly malabsorptive.. I'm not sure how well a baby would do with it.

The DS is great for a lot of people, but it isn't right for everyone. I myself suggested the DS to my own Dad a couple of days ago even. He has diabetes and many many problems medically because of that... DS has a greater cure rate for diabetes than RNY.. though the RNY rate is excellent as well. He would probably love that he could eat fatty meats all he wanted, while I hate very fatty meats. Although I really don't know my dad well at all so I could be wrong. I also suggested the DS to another friend of mine looking into WLS  who has a lot of food allergies and was afraid RNY would restrict her even more making it very very difficult to get proper nutrition.

Both surgeries require major life changes, and neither is a magic cure. You have to follow the guidelines in order to be successful and healthy with either surgery or you can fail, or become nutritionally deficient and possibly very sick.

Do as much of your own research as you can and get to know yourself and your personal eating habits. The DS and RNY journeys are very different ones, but neither one is neccessarily better for everyone. Good luck!!!

Hello everybody!  I had the RNY Nov. 7, 2003.  I was 326 and the first three months, I got down to 270.  I was not hungry and measured my food.  I was told that in the future the most i should ever eat is one and a half cups at one meal, for the rest of my life.  I took my vitamins religiously.  At the end of three months, my hunger came back worst than it has ever been in my life.  I would eat and not feel full and felt starved at the same time.  My surgeon said just eat three times a day and continue to measure your food.  Well, I never lost anymore weight and at this point I have gained it all back.  I eat anything sweet without dumping syndrome.  Oh, you feel just a small wave of something, but not enough to matter or stop you if you want something sweet.  And my stomach stretched out to the size that i can eat a 12 inch subway sandwich.  My daughter had it done, 2 friends of my daughter and a very close friend of mine had it done.  none of them got to goal.  It is like they lost enough to not be really fat, but are still chubby....like a 70 pound loss when they should lose 100 or 125.  One of the girls gained all her weight back with interest.  I am now facing a revision surgery, but this time i am going to Dr. Husted to be revised to a DS.  Yes, I found out there are vitamin deficiencies but as long as you are religious about taking vitamis and protein shakes or eating meat, you will be fine with a DS.  You have to do the same thing with a RNY.  My surgeon promised me I would get down to 195 he said in spite of myself....yet never got below 270.  It was such a dissapointment...I did not know the pouch would stretch back to the degree it has.  So, it is after a while, like not having any surgery and back to the old dieting again...the rollercoaster. 

I respect your decision to have RNY but there are a few things I feel the need to reply to.

I've spent about half a year on the DS board now and have come across less-than-stellar stories.  They are rare, however.  I've found that while the first few months of living with a DS are very difficult for people because their tummies are swollen and their digestive tract is still healing, most people further out are happy with the surgery.

I am in love with my DS.  And I don't spend a "great deal of time" in the bathroom, btw.  I can see where that misconception would come from, but honestly it is exactly that: a misconception.

All that having been said though: I don't think the DS is for everybody.  It is only for people who will be SERIOUS and VIGILANT about their supplements.  It takes work and some people aren't willing to do this so they should not have this surgery.

Also: I am planning to have kids someday too.  I've seen plenty of women post about their pregnancies after the DS and as long as you stay on top of things, pregnancy can be entirely healthy.

Thank you!!

I agree about how the DS'ers speak very highly of their surgery.. Sometimes on the RNY boards, I'll see some of the DS'ers trying to infiltrate the boards and steer people over to their side. Anytime someone mentions ANYTHING remotely negative about the DS, they take offense and then have to back up their statements with some article that they found. I was leary to post this question on the DS forum (although I'm sure they would love it and they've heard the question a million times before) but I was afraid of all the bias. If I posted it on the main board, then there would be a war. That's why I LOVE this forum.. you guys tell me like it is!!

Thanks!