Why DS over RNY?

I think Haley's list kinda touches on just about everything, but I'm gonna post my reasons anyway, dammit!

I'm only 26. I have a LOT of years left to worry about possibly regaining any weight I lose, so I want the surgery with the highest success rate at maintaining weight lost--the DS.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in May, so I want the surgery with the best statistics for resolving (curing, sending into remission, improving...pick your terminology)  my diabetes--the DS.

I have a good 150 pounds to lose. It's not as much as some, but I'm no lightweight, so I wanted the surgery with the highest average amount of excess weight loss--the DS.

I have young nieces and plan to have children in the future. I want to be able to have a slice of cake and ice cream on birthdays without worrying about dumping (call me crazy), so I wanted the surgery that wouldn't cause dumping syndrome--the DS.

I know how to diet, so I don't need a tool that just forces me to continue eating low carb, low fat, and low calories for the rest of my life; I want a tool that will help me be able to eat as close to "normal" as possible by actually impacting my metabolism--the DS.

I have family history of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc...conditioned worsened by being morbidly obese, so I want the surgery that has the best chances of keeping me from being morbidly obese ever again in my life--you guessed it, the DS.

as a physician Pediatric Endocrinologist, this made the most sense to me
1) pyloric valve intact- can still take NSAID's that I need for autoimmune arthritis
2) partial removal of stomach, restriction plus with the removal of the stomach itself you have less ghelin produced ( aka "gremlin" produced in the stomach, acts in the brain to make you hungrier)
3)malabsorption- I already knew that my metabolism was shot, I did not eat huge amounts of food and had a very high BMI. I had dieted myself into morbid obesity. Very restrictive dieting, I had even done Optifast 600calories a day, as soon as I started eating , mind you my calories were almost 800 below the recommened for a woman 5' 9 1/2",  I gained weight!!

4) The DS had the best long term  excess weight-loss percentages.

RNY is the "gold standard" to RNY surgeons. It is the most common in the USA. That does not make it the best, rather the most frequently performed.
The analogy is that there are certainly more McDonald's in the United States versus an upscale restaurant-like Tavern on the Green, in NYC. Where would you want to eat??

You've been given the best reasons already! 
Add in there that those who have had the rny or lapband and posting about all their problems just were not happy and enjoying their lives,
and those on the DS boards were on here talking about where they went, what they ate and how much fun they were and are having.

The DS gives the best chance of weight staying off, being able to eat and enjoy the food choices, and the being able to take ansaids.

I already had the damage to my joints and Tylenol would not do as well as not being able to take other meds for my arthritis. if I had a man made stoma with dumping directly into my intestines as the RnY does.

Thank My Surgeon and those who had the DS before me!
I LOVE MY DS LIFESTYLE and the friends I have made on this fantastic journey

hi.........i can understand your confusion........when i decided i was going to seriously look into WLS, a friend, who is also on the same journey as me. found this site.  Originally we decided to go with RNY, because other than the lap band, we thought that was all there was. So we got our doc on board and started the process of applying to our insurance company for coverage. We drove all the from Ontario, Canada to Michigan, an 18 hr drive, for our consult with the surgeon.  Then a couple of weeks after that, my friend calls me up and says she found another surgery that sounded so much better for us than the RNY, told me where to find it on the OH site. She also told me read as much about it as i could and tell her what i tought.  Well i have to tell you, it nearly floored me and after i read every possible piece of info i could find on the internet.  I called her back and said, "i want that". She fully agreed and it was then that we knew that the DS was for us. We both contacted our doctor and informed her of our change in plans, and now she in the process of convincing our insurance that this procedure is far more suitable for us......especially the NSAIDS aspect, because i have arthritis and have to take ibuprofen on a daily basis..........
In the meantime, we both have been approved for the RNY, but have decided it is worth the wait to be appoved for the DS, considering how it will affect the rest of our lives.
So my advice to you is to read, read, read and then make your decision........good luck

You've been given the stats and there are plenty of studies to back them up.  As Lori put it, the DS is quickly becoming the Platinum Standard in WLS.

Personally, I couldn't come to terms with a procedure wherein I'd be physically punished for poor food choices.  Search YouTube for 'dumping syndrome' and you'll quickly decide you never want to go through that.  If I could achieve a good weight by eating only low-fat, avoiding sugar and fats and eating tiny bite by tiny bite....well, then I'd already be there without surgery.

What I wanted was an alternative that would allow me to lead a realatively normal life.  Normal, healthy eating, no worry about what medications I could take and I didn't want to stand out among peers with my eating habits.  Do yourself a favor...read the RNY and revision boards, then come back and read the DS board.  Nothing speaks the truth like word of mouth and personal experience.

As for why the RNY (and other procedures like the bands and Stomaphyx) are performed more, the answer often comes down to marketing.  That, and I've heard that the RNY takes less training to learn and less time to perform.  Read the studies; they'll give you a clear indication of which surgery is better in the long run.  Whatever your choice, good luck!

You have already heard all of the reasons why DS over RNY.  I will give you just one more.  I have a band that restricts how much I can eat.  Just a few spoonfuls and then I start hurting and barfing.  RNY gives you a small pouch just like a band.  There is no way I want to go through that any more.  The DS gives you a sleeve that gives you more of a natural stomach so you don't get any of the side effects like a band.  That alone convinced me to get a revision from the band to DS.  I believe that most people get the RNY because so many more doctors do it and not the DS.  Take it from someone who has spent the last 2 yrs in pain, the DS is the way to go.  Just look at how many posts are on the main board today with people complaining about not being able to eat at all with the RNY.  DS ALL THE WAY!!!

Wow.  Looks like I asked a platinum-standard question.  =)

I've been reading a lot today, and there's more to read, I'm sure.  I thank you all very much for your posts. 

Thank you.  =)

Helen

Hi Helen,
I had a higher BMI than you to start, but I can just tell you that the RNY does not have very positive results for people with high BMI's.  When you are a success at 50% of your weight lost and maintained that still leaves you with a lot of weight to lose.  You have read every reason why I chose the DS from these other amazing DSers, but I just wanted to add my two cents.  Figure out what you would still weigh with only 50% of your weight lost.  Would that put you at a normal BMI? 

My hope is that I will be able to say with the DS that I will be able say that I am at a normal BMI.  I just need to follow the few simple rules that you have read above and I will get there.

Good Luck.

Jennifer

I am 2 year postop with the experience to know what it truly feels to be a DSer as many postop here do. First of all, to live the rest of my life, not having to focus, worry, freak over or count calories or fat because it will not cause me to gain weight. I am not going to give a personal reason why I choose DS over RNY. I will give you an example of my personal experience why the DS over RNY in regards to my lunch today.

Today, I went to eat at KFC, had 1 original chicken breast, 1/2 coleslaw and unlike the RNY, did drink with my meal, as it is allow and normal with the DS and had a 12oz fruit punch. With the RNY, drinking with meal is not allowed since it flushes the food out quickly due to the mechanism of their gastric bypass. DSer are able to drink with their meals, since the plyoric muscle is intact to allow the food to digest BEFORE it enters the intestine meaning no bypass is being performed here and an actual normal process of your digestive sytem is taking place. 

The meal I had today had a total of 620 calories and 25g of fat.

If I had the RNY, the actual amount absorbed into the system is the entire 620 calories because calories going in, all stays in your digestive system. With the DS, it is 310 calories, since only 50% of all calories is absorbed into the system.

For RNY, all 25g fat is absorbed into the digestive system, compared to the DS in which only 5g fat and 20% total of all the fat is absorbed into the system. This absorption level is for any food that I eat as a DSer. 

As a DSer or RNYer, we do have to eat food for the rest of our life. There is no avoidance of it. So, why focus or concentrate how much calories or fat you need to count for the day or have taboo of food that are consider not allowed. With the DS, you want to eat it as a choice that day, go ahead. Calories and fat are 2 things as a DSer, I  do not need to worry about or if it will cause me to gain any weight from. If you are hungry with the DS, go eat. No need to deal with head hunger. You are still feeling hungry, go eat. You want that ice cream, dessert, high calorie entree or fried food or that creamy sauce or gravy with your meal, go have it. Calories, fat and even complex carbs are malabsorb at a high rate. Do watch the simple carbs, as it is for any type of WLS. But, 1 out of 4 isn't bad, compare to obssessing or keeping tabs on 4 different categories such as calories, fat, complex carbs and simple carbs. As a Dser, you need moderate your simple carbs as needed, but doesn't need to be eliminated. That's 1 out of 4 things to focus on if you need. It is all about options and the choices in food selection and not freak out over it. I ate that KFC chicken and my focus on the high protein it had at 37g. The coleslaw was just as good and considered an add-on that I can have, but only could eat 1/2 a serving. I do not have any issues with weight gain or whining over head hunger or ever feeling hungry. If I'm hungry, no matter when or what time it is, I just go eat and it is simple as that. No b*tching, whining, feel guilty or getting dramatic over it.