Question:
For all the postop DS patients.

If the situation was that you wanted DS surgery, but could only be approved for RNY, would you still have wls done?    — Mary C. (posted on March 22, 2000)

March 22, 2000
Ok, I'm not a post DS, I'm a post RNY, but I'd like to put my 2 cents in anyway. When I was researching pre-op, very little DS info was available, and what I did run across wasn't either neg. or pos, there just wasn't enough, so I had the RNY. Now thanks to Fran, Melenie, and a few others, DS is being brought out into the open the way it should be, people should know "ALL" the different procedures. Now even if I was still preop, I couldn't have the DS, due to the fact that there are no DS surgeons in my state, my ins. wouldn't cover out of state surgery, and I certainly couldn't afford to pay cash, so yes I would still go for the RNY, I don't regret it, I've already lost 128lbs in less then 6 months, I am just now starting to feel good, (I had my problems). But if I had a choice, I may have chosen the DS, but now I'll never know. Thank-you ladies for sharing this surgery procedure with others, you could've always been stingy and kept it all to yourselves "LOL", but I'm glad you didn't, and I'm sure many others are glad too. One more thing, this is just my opinion, but after reading up on the DS surgery, I honestly think this would benefit a lot of men who are looking into wls. Thanx for listening, take care Debi :)
   — Debi K.

March 22, 2000
In a word.... *nope*
   — Kris S.

March 22, 2000
No Debi... thank YOU for such an upbeat post.
   — Kris S.

March 22, 2000
Absolutely, Yes, I would have a Roux-en-Y if the DS was not available. The bottom line for me was loosing weight and even though the DS was my first choice, if I couldn't have made all the pieces (like insurance, travel, distance, accomodations, and finances) fall into place, I would have had the RNY. I am 11 weeks post op and am doing fine. One thing I have notice from reading here and talking to many RNY patients (noone in any of my support groups has had the DS except me) is that even though there are problems associated with the RNY, just like problems with the DS, not everyone has the same conditions to deal with and not all possible complications and side effects happen to all people. Think positive and do what you have to do to get the weight off. Sometimes we can't have our first choice but we are willing to compromise. I can only speak for me but as you have asked for my experience, I can only tell you what I would have done.
   — Fran B.

March 22, 2000
Great question! I was approved pretty easily for the BPD/DS, but if I hadn't been, I would have fought tooth and nail to have it. Only if I had exhausted all my options (appeals, lawyers, media, etc.) and still were not approved for the BPD/DS, would I have the RNY. The RNY is an effective surgery, and it's VERY successful for its intended purpose - taking the weight off. That was not my only priority, though. Avoiding some of the common pitfalls of the RNY was very important to me. I didn't want to have to cut my food into teeny tiny bites, and chew them into baby food, and still worry about puking, ulcers, blockages, dumping, etc. Now, not everyone has these problems with the RNY, but I just wasn't willing to risk it. BUT - if I didn't have a choice... if there was no way on God's green earth that I could have the BPD/DS... then yes, I would have had the RNY and been grateful.
   — Kim H.

March 24, 2000
Absolutely, but only after a protracted battle. Once we decide on the surgery of our choice, we should all fight tooth and nail to get it, not settling for second choice until all avenues are exhausted. BTW - I would have chosen a distal RNY, but that's just me.
   — Duffy H.