Why did you choose the RNY?

Doing lots of research.....Im leaning toward the DS, but not 100% commited yet.

Share your exprerience with why you felt RNY was best for you....thanks!

I chose RNY because knowing myself I needed the malabsorption and the control of the hunger hormones. It's what my surgeon recommended for me. We did not discuss ther DS.

Most people choose the RNY because their insurance pays for it or their surgeon does it or they never heard of the DS or it isn't done near them.
A lot of people may have chosen to have a DS if they knew about it or it was more available to them.
If you have the choice and are willing to do what needs to be done then you probably would be better off with the DS as it has better weight loss and maintenance and resolution of comorbidities.
If you don't think you will be able to do the supplements and follow ups with the labs then the VSG would probably be your best bet because their is no malabsorption.  The problem with the RNY is that while the malabsorption of calories isn't permanent, the malabsorption of vitamins is.  If you are willing to take on the responsibilities of malabsorption then the DS is the way to go.
It has it's down sides, just like all the WLS.  I guess you just need to research all of the WLS and their risks and benefits and decide what are willing to live with.

Taz: 

I always wanted to ask this but would not DARE do so on the Main Board because the DS supporters would jump all over this and I really don't feel like getting into surgery wars. 

Two questions:

1.  What are the disadvantages of DS and

2. Why don't many doctor's perform the DS?  Doctors are not stagnant in their training (just want to perform the surgery that they know).  The response that doctors just don't want to train themselves to do the latest and greatest procedures....or they are not talented enough to do the DS doesn't fly with me.  Doctors are always updating their skills, so why do SO FEW DOCTORS do the DS?  To me that is a red flag.

To answer the original poster's question....I was self pay and could choose any surgery that I wanted.  Here are the reasons why I chose RNY -

1. I really liked that there was so much medical history/research related to the RNY.   The doctors KNOW what to expect in the future.  The others are just too new for my comfort.  RNY has years of data related to the health and well-being of the RNY patients in the future.  I feel more comfortable in knowing what our probable future is as opposed to the newer surgeries - where the newer surgeries future health and well-being is not as certain as the RNY patients.
2.  I felt weird about disposing of my remenant stomach.  (that's just me)
3.  I liked the mal-absorption of the RNY.
4.  My brother is a physician and referred me to my doctor - he knows the capabilities and talents of this surgeon and my brother would not lead me astray.  My doctor, who I trust a great deal, recomended that I have RNY and he does not do the DS.  So I trusted my doctor and did the RNY - so complications.

So those are the reasons why I chose the RNY.I am so thrilled to have had it done and would do it all over again.

I hope that this helps.  Remember do your research and do what is best for you just as I did what was best for me.  Good luck in your decision making process.
 

I can only answer for myself as far as disadvantages go.  Many people have no issues or find that their issues are easily resolved.  I had terrible diarrhea from the beginning.  I also had bad gas and bloating.  I was nearly always in pain or uncomfortable.  It was mainly due to the fact that I ate a lot of refined carbs, which can affect some people that way and also I had chronic intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which can be a risk of the surgery and eating refined carbs makes it worse because the bacteria thrives on sugar.  Even when I eliminated the refined carbs I still had the problem.  I was having accidents and also the smell was very bad.  I would get some relief from Flagyl but it always came back.  I tried all kinds of probiotics but they never helped.  It affected the quality of my life to the point where I decided that I could never get married again or live with someone because I was so embarrassed.  The reason I was prone to bacterial overgrowth may have had something to do with the way my surgeon performed the surgery because apparently this wasn't uncommon among patients that had their surgery where I did.  I don't really hear a lot about it now so maybe they do it differently.
Apparently it is supposed to be rare to have this extreme of problems, although I have talked to several who did.  They don't usually post on the DS board here because it usually isn't well received and they are blamed for their problems.  I know my eating didn't help matters but I was a refined carb addict before I had the surgery.  I had no way of knowing about how bad it could get.  Remember, this was 2002 when there wasn't nearly as much known as there is now.  I believe now, if I had gone into things with my eyes open I could have made better decisions.
Another disadvantage is the cost of the supplements.  It can get very expensive to take everything that should be taken to maintain your health.  It can cost a lot to get in all the protein and probiotics are very expensive.  The sad fact is that many people aren't very compliant with vitamins after WLS anyway and with a surgery like the DS it can be much more dangerous, much faster.  
That brings me to another disadvantage, which is the fact that noncompliance could be fatal or at the very least cause problems that may be permanent or not easily resolved.  I believe that is the reason that more surgeons don't perform the DS and in fact push the lap band.  There is a fear of liability if a patient doesn't do what they need to do.  Malabsorption is a very serious condition and I guess few surgeons want to impose that condition on someone intentionally, especially when they could get sued if things go wrong.
I think a lot of problems could be resolved with careful screening of people before they have the DS, along with a lot of education and follow up, which a lot of doctors and hospitals are not doing even with the RNY and VSG.  I had absolutely no pre op education, no instructions on how to eat except to eat low carb, all I was told was to take a multivitamin and 1500 mg of calcium citrate a day.  The labs they do at the hospital I had my surgery at were way too insufficient.
I still think it is a good surgery.  It has it drawbacks but so do all the other options.  I guess you just pick what you are willing to live with.

I have several co-morbidities that made the DS and VSG a risk for me - so my surgeon and I agreed upon RNY.  My recommendation is that you find a surgeon who does multiple types of surgery, and have an open discussion about the pros and cons of each of them as it relates to YOU.  That's what I did, and I'm very satisfied.

I had this conversation with my SIL last night, (she had the lap band 3yrs ago and lost over 100lbs, but has it all back and then some).  Thus I'd seen the LB fail and knew I'd probably do the same thing she did.  I had RNY because of several comorbidities, the same ones that contributed to the early death of my mother.  My surgeon gave me both RNY or DS options, but explained why RNY would work better for me.  And, it has been the right choice for me.  Almost ten weeks out and I'm off of 2 out of 3 diabeties meds (hopefully the last will cease in Jan), BP med is cut in half, my Crestor is gone as well as 49 lbs to date.  The realization that this is a lifetime commitment is very real to me and one that I'm willing to make.

Nelda

I started with a really high BMI (59) and I was never given then option to have a DS, and while I probably could have fought for one, I was too anxious to wait though the insurance denial/ approval  process.

I'm happy with my RNY results and I would still do it again in a heartbeat, but I wonder if I would have made it to goal if I had the DS...

Still, my issue is carbs, and there is no surgery that helps you beat that demon!!

Good luck, I hope you choose what's right for your body!

:Danni

Here are my reasons:
Longer track record. The side effects and complications are well known, can be identify rather quickly and treated
Malaborsoption and hunger hormones control
RNY was covered by my insurance
DS was not offer but my doctor thinks there still a long way to go for all the questions the medical community has to be answered

 Simply because its what my insurance would pay for.  I was disappointed that I could not have the Vertical Sleeve, but all in all I am happ with my choice.