Question:
Did anyone else decide on BP/DS over RNY?

Through researching, I think that I have decided on the BP/DS procedure rather than the RNY. Was wondering if anyone else had to make such crucial decisions about which procedure and what were the outcomes?    — Arleen P. (posted on December 31, 2002)

December 31, 2002
Arleen YES!!! You are not alone! When I first learned about WLS all I heard about was the RNY, about how it is the 'gold standard' which of course makes it LOOK like the very best option for every person on the planet. However, after hearing about the BPD/DS I was intrigued and made the switch to the 'lesser known' procedure. It's important to remember and I always say that this is a personal choice and no surgery is better than the other, BUT it is in my humble opinion MORE important to know all of your options and make a very informed decision based on your needs and your surgeon's recommendations. I had my lap BPD with NO DS on June 3, 2002.. my surgery was textbook perfect, my recovery the same, I have had no complications. I eat pretty much everything I want and short of a brief problem with tap water, have had no food issues. My loss has been slower than that of an RNY patient, but I'm losing (down almost 100 lbs) and I feel better about not dropping it quite so fast. Feel free to email me I'll gladly tell you more, but you're making a very wise move by studying ALL of your options. Myself, I did not want to live the rest of my life restricted to 4 ounces of intake and I was afraid of dumping on the simplest of sugars. Dumping isn't a guarantee either. I have about a 7 ounce capacity and do not dump. YES I have a bit of smelly gas now and again, and my bowel movements (though regular unless I eat to much grease) are softer and more frequent post op, but it's a trade off. Have a happy new year and let me know if I can be of any further advisment.. ~Peace
   — Joscelin

December 31, 2002
If you are over 400 lbs or have a BMI of 65 or greater there is a Yahoo WLS support group you can join and I know a number of them have chosen the BP/DS and might be some good resources. It is WLS400plus on Yahoo Groups.
   — zoedogcbr

December 31, 2002
After many months of research, I chose the BPD/DS over the other types of surgery available. I did this knowing I would have to self pay for my surgeon. It meant alot to me, to have the greater quality of life afterwards. I can give you specifics if you are interested.Email me:[email protected] . Blessings,
   — Leslie E.

December 31, 2002
I had the Open Duodenal Switch on August 12, 2002. I am 4 1/2 months out and have lost 88 pounds. I am so happy I chose this for myself. I do not dump, have never had a problem digesting meat and my labs all came back fine. I had a cholesterol level of 237 pre-op it is now 160!!! I would suggest going to the Friday afternoon moderated chat done by my dr, Dr Simpson. He performs both surgeries and can maybe give you some ideas as too which surgery would be best for you. I lvoe that I had this DS, but remember it ultimately is your decision and your decision alone, nobody can make the decision for you. By the way I was back to work at 3 weeks post op.
   — Stephanie B.

December 31, 2002
Arlene: I'm 15 months post-op BPD/DS today. I have lost 134 lbs, from 304 to 170. I have another 25 lbs to go to reach goal. Eating is a joy--I've just made it through another holiday season and managed to lose weight! No more Weight Watcher's point counting or pre-packaged food. I can hit Manhattan salad bars and grab anything I want--in moderation. I've saved a lot of money doing just that! Where are you located? There aren't too many surgeons doing BPD/DS, but we have several in NYC. Visit www.duodenalswitch.com for all the info you need to make an informed decision. Good luck!
   — dantevolta

January 1, 2003
I chose to have the DS over the RNY because I wanted a normally functioning stomach, and I still got the combined effects of reduced intake from a smaller stomach and malabsorption from a shortened small intestine. I had absolutely NO complications from my surgeries. At 18 months, the doctor shortened up my carbohydrate absorbing portion of small intestine because my weight loss had slowed somewhat. He did it at the same time he was fixing a an incisional hernia which I got from lifting my invalid father. At that time, he also found that the connection from from the portion of my intestine that delivered pancreatic and liver 'juices' to the common channel had narrowed and he fixed that. My biggest challenges from the WLS journey came during the reconstructive plastic surgery phase when I had redundant skin removed after losing 250 pounds. I had some persistant seromas that required some strategic thinking to get closed up, but all in all, even that process (6 surgeries in 7 months, at my request so I could get them all done while I was laid off from work), went well. I feel great, eat pretty much anything I want (white sugar and yeast give me gas, but I still have a doughnut every now and then). I did increase the number of times per day I was eating during this period of recovery from reconstructive surgery (to get more protein in). As a result, the number of bowel movements increased, but I have just initiated retraining my bowels by eating only three times per day and I am getting the results of BM's only three times per day. I recently looked at the transit time (from eating to evacuation). Most regular people have a transit time of about 48 hours if they are meat eaters, 12 hours if they are vegetarians. My transit time, because I have only about 12 feet of operational small intestine is about 8-10 hours. I am focusing on this because I just got a job and am returning to a normal work schedule and want to minimize the number of times I have to go at work. So far, I am pretty much back to my normal morning and evening schedule with some movement if I eat a big breakfast after lunch. I think having to think about any of this is probably the worse part of WLS. However, I have an extreme shortening of the intestine with only about 2 feet that absorbs fat and protein, since I started out at about 500 pounds. I am currently 230 (size 16-20, top and bottom), and now that my 15 feet of reconstructive surgery incisions have healed, I am returning to my regular exercize routine and expect to lose another 50 by this summer. 180 pounds is my goal, but I will be darned happy to be at 199. I come from very stocky people and my mother, whose percentage of fat was always in the 'normal' range, weighed 205 most of her adult life, even into her 70's. So my doc says that is about what I can expect. I hope this helps. Good Luck to you on your weight loss journey~!
   — merri B.

January 1, 2003
I chose the DS over the RNY because it offered better long term results as well as a more normal lifestyle post surgery. I have lost 150 pounds in nearly 15 months, and expect to lose about another 50 before I am finished. I feel great - my labs are great. I no longer have aching joints, high blood pressure and chest pains. The only issue is the "poop thing", which can be problematic if I eat the wrong thing . . . currently pasta and godiva chocolate. Transit time is 8 - 10 hours for most foods, but for some reason, my spicy chicken enchiladas extend that to over 24 hours. Knowing this helps me plan for special outings, etc. It's totally a personal decision, what surgery you decide to go for. I like that my stomach functions normally, I can eat almost anything and in small, but not miniscule quantities. I wouldn't go back and change a thing. Good luck to you in your quest.
   — Spunkwoman S.