Duo what ?!

Hey all... Things have finally started to calm down around here. Now that I am an old married woman of almost 2 weeks I have some time to breathe ! IN OUT.... Anyway... I was talking to the new hubby and we got on the topic of WLS. He had been reading a profile of someone who had gotten the Duodenal Switch surgery. It seems like they are able to eat so much more without any problems than those of us with RNY. So here comes the big question... Who looked into other types of WLS and what caused you to make the choice of surgery type that you did ? He is not game for the RNY cuz of the way it is so "life altering" but from what he has read so far thinks that this switch thing maybe easier for the long term. So let me know what ya all think... Thanks all ! -Terri

I did research on RNY i had never even heard of the switch till just reciently. BUT come on...its cant be that way..you can eat all you want and never gain the weight back....sounds to good to be true lol right? but i am ver happy with that i did and if i hacve to modify then i modify. but good luck to him in what ever he choses J

Hey Julie, DSers can have the apperence of eating anything they want, while it's close, it's not an accurate picture. As a DSer I do eat a diet thats high in fat and protein, lower (not low...but lower) in refined carbs. On a typical day I eat about 1800-2000 calories, usually 50 percent of them come from fat. I'm able to eat like that because DSers malabsorb 80 percent of the fat that they eat, and 50 percent of the protein that they eat, but 0 percent of the simple carbs that they eat. So while I don't dump, I don't go carb crazy either because simple carbs slow down weight loss (for any WLS patient). Now I won't lie and say I eat low carb, like today I had a piece of regular cheese cake with a mixed fruit topping, and a cheesy gordita crunch from taco bell, and a ear of corn on the cob. The cheese cake was not my average day type food, but we had dinner at a friends house and I had a slice for dessert. So can i eat anything i want, yes...but just because I can doesn't mean I do or want to...why would I have WLS and go eat candy all day and stop my weight loss? that would be crazy. Scott

The research on the 'net showed *a lot* of problems with malabsorption and nutrient deficiency. I went to a seminar at NYU and they said that is was a very radical procedure, of course, they were pushing the lap band, so I didn't go with their group anyway. I am sure there are good and bad stories out there, I'd suggest he look at the DS board here and of course, find out as much as he can before he talks it over with his doc. xosm

Hey Terri, I had the Duodenal switch or the DS as it's commonly called. The actual surgery is called a sleeve gastrectomy with a biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch, it is sometimes abbreviated as bpd/ds. It is a combination of several surgeries, the first part being the verticle sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), which is a stand alone WLS, and an intestinal rerouting. Actually OH has put together some very good information on the DS on their forum with pictures and everything (thanks to Amy Williams, the OH site moderator, *****ally does try to make sure every surgery option can be explored accurately). I had the surgery on Feb. 17th of this year weighing in at 472, and as of 2 days ago I was weighing in at 280. I've dropped 190 lbs in 8 months, and am still losing at a rate of about 3.5-4 lbs on average a week according to fit day (i track my weight loss on it), and fully expect to reach my goal weight. The DS does have certain advantages, you can read my profile (or have him read it) for details about why I had the DS over other surgeries. You might want to send him over to the DS forum on OH and to www.duodenalswitch.com both places are great sources of info about this surgery. On the topic of long term weight loss retention, I have an article on my profile from the University of Chicago study that just came out this month, and it shows that the weight loss retention of DSers is higher then any other surgery. Dr. Hess's (one of the people that brought the DS to the united states about 18 years ago) study showed that DSers were able to maintain a 79 percent loss of their excess weight out 10 plus years at a rate of 95 percent. Meaning 9.5 people out of 10 were successful in maintaining weight loss long term. This is one of the main reasons I had the surgery. On the DS forum we have a saying "you know the saying if it sounds too good to be true it probably is, well the new saying should be "if it sounds too good to be true, it's probably the DS." Scott

Wow, Scott, I am sure I didn't know you had the DS before now [can anyone say self-absorbed?], I just thought you were losing weight like a MAN lol. I read some of your profile and I AM SURE that RNYers ARE INDEED jealous of what you can eat. On one hand, maybe a hand an a half, I'd LOVE to eat like that again ... and you are right, I didn't do more research into the DS because I found a lot of negative stuff to start off with, and I guess it scared me away. But, regardless, I don't regret my choice [though I sure would love to eat a 3 egg omelette with lots of Swiss cheese, just on those PMS days, maybe if I did, I wouldn't be so GROUCHY;)] I *hope* it will be what ends up being best for me. And no, I'm NOT going to the DS forum so I don't get more ~jealous~ - but, honestly .... YIPEE for you [I don't even think I can fit into a XL yet!]. You said your cholesterol levels are good [mine have always been good, even at over 300 lbs and not fasting, it's just good genes]. How are your vitamin levels? How do you deal with that part of the malabsorption factor? xosm

Hey GG, Malabsorbtion is great for losing weight and maintaining it, but DSers (actually RNYers too) have to be extra vigilant about taking suppliments daily. My daily vitamin regime includes: 2 multi vitamins 1 Dry A&D 4 Calcium pills (1200 mg...sometimes i trade off and get chewables) 1 B complex and 2 times a week I take an extra vit. D. This was a trade off for me. I wanted to be able to eat a more normal diet, and not have to worry about calories, and intake as much, with the understanding that I'd be commited to getting regular blood work and taking suppliments for the rest of my life. The added benefit of malabsorbtion is being able to eat a high fat diet, because DSers malabsorb 80 percent of the fat we eat (it gets pooped out), so I don't even have to worry about cholesterol or heart issues. It's kind of weird, I mean for all those years bacon was an evil food, and now it's a good source of protein for me. This surgery was good for me. I eat out a lot, and in mostly social situations, so I really didn't want to be the odd man out. I still can't eat as much as I did preop, nor will I ever be able to again (thank GOD), but I can eat like a normal 175 lb man who eats lite...lol. I will end with saying that whatever surgery we had or have, we have to work with the surgergical tool. I mean i can't go around eating candy all day and expect to get to goal weight, I do drink about 120 oz of water a day (sometimes more), and I do exercise most days....(I LOVE YOGA...I do it at home through tapes, but man it's such a great work out)..and when the scale isn't moving as fast as I want, I use fit day to make sure I'm doing what I'm suppose to be doing, and I strive to eat about 120 grams of protein a day. It's a life long commitment (even for DSers). Scott

Hi Scott, thanks so much for sharing. Your vitamin regimen is almost EXACTLY the same as mine [I don't need the extra Vit D anymore]. I take two multis, 1200 mg of Calcium Citrate, sub-lingual B-12 daily, Biotin daily and Milk Thistle [for my LFTs]. I am surprised it's so similar because of what I thought of DS. I don't get as much fluids as you, though I do try, sometimes 32 ounces go down really easy, sometimes it takes a while, but I get at least 70 ounces a day. I was getting 100+ grams of protein, though with WW I don't count the grams as much, though I know I get at least 46 [protein shake] and then try to eat the high protein route. I think it's neat that although we had different surgeries that our bodies still need the same thing, maybe just in a different way [I can't physically eat enough to make my protein goal without the supplement]. I too, feel like I eat more like a normal woman now and feel like it's possible to live my life this way happily! Again, TFS! xosm