What is the worst side affect of the DS?

 I wish I had loose watery stools!  I struggle daily with constipation!  Yes, the bms and the gas are stinkier than before DS, tis true.  I am going on 18 mos out, and have never had to make a bm in public, or at another person's house.  I go once or twice in the am, and then am done for the day.  I carry Ozium spray and matches in my purse just in case.  If you don't eat a lot of carbs, then the gas is manageable, and can be confined to the restroom.  It is not as a big a deal as managing all my fat issues use to be.  I always hated going out in public, hated shopping, hated traveling, etc...  Now, my life is so much more fun and lots easier!   The DS is a big surgery, and you have to be committed to the lifestyle of making sure you get your daily intake of protein, vites, and water.  It has become second nature for me!

Best to you in your decision!

this question is very difficult to answer as everyone is different, and it depends a lot on how your surgeon makes your limbs.  I have NEVER had diarrhea,or loose stools  ever and I take a fair amount of magnesium.  I can eat anything, and still not have diarrhea or oil slicks, I choose not to eat carbs, especially simple carbs, I consume about 50 grams of carbs a day or less, except for "fat friday" as my son calls it, in which I eat about 150 grams of carbs, I do have a bmi of 22 now,  but i have tested my ds by eating cake, ice cream, white bread, milk, etc -nothing (except gas) I have a longer than normal cc, which obviously has something to do with it.  dont assume that if you get the DS it will "stop" you from eating certain foods, via punishment (diarrhea) as I am a case that does not have any GI issues (except gas on fat fridays.)  I have also NEVER taken a PPI, I took it for 4 years before my revision to DS. 

You can have loose and stinky bowels. But it is manageable. I find eating low carb, limiting sugar alcohols, and taking lots of calcium citrate seem to make things a whole lot better. Now I often times find myself reaching for the stool softener rather than the immodium.

The intestinal part of the DS will not have any affect on your acid reflux.  That is more connected with the sleeve part which you already have.

I wouldn't go from the sleeve to an RNY. You already have the first part of the DS. Just go for the rest of it.

DSers,  I really appreciate your input. 

Thanks again to all of you for replying!!!

I think eveyrone will experience things differently. After the DS my worst complication was painful trapped air inside abdominal cavity that made it almsot impossible for me to eat or drink anything and took weeks to disipate, but was told by doctor that's a common things after abdominal surgery. I was a bit lactose intolerant before the DS so after I'm more lactose intolerant and need to take a Lactaid pill if I'm going to drink milk, but have no problem with the cream I use for my protein shakes. I also had bad acid reflux and occasionally would get heartburn before my DS, only had acid reflux a few times after, then no more. I only had stinky, oily diarrhea or loose stools the first couple of years, and as time went by and I ate less carbs that got so much better. Now 3 years out my stolls aren't any stinkier than anyone else's, and they are pretty normal, meaning not loose but well formed. I go to the bathroom once or twice a day usually soon after getting up, unless I eat a lot then I might go again at night. I've always been a big carb junkie and even now I still eat more carbs than I should, and tend to eat more when I'm stressed or bored, but have been able to lose most of the excess weight and only got about 6-8 lbs. to reach my goal weight. When I eat carbs I take an anti-gas pill to prevent bloating and stinky gas. The worst complication I've had so far after the DS is iron deficiency anemia and nutritional deficiencies caused by malnutition, which could have been prevented if I had been compliant with taking my required supplements and enough protein each day. Now I need to have iron infusions and take mega doses of supplements to correct the deficiencies and get rid of the anemia. As with other WLS such as the RNY, you will have to make a life-long commitment to taking nutritional supplements and consuming the right amount of protein and fats. The DS is the most successful WL surgery and the one with the best long term results. I recommended highly to anyone I can.

Sonia

 The worst side effect of the DS is the tragic results that can occur if you do not take in enough protein or are not compliant with your supplements.     Even with adequate supplementation, invidual needs vary, and deficiencies can crop up.  That's why you ABSOLUTELY MUST have a full set of labs drawn once a year, preferably twice.  If you do not have insurance, you will want to make sure you budget for this expense accordingly.   Likewise for your vitamins.    Really, truly, the DS is not for people living on a shoe string financially.     It seems that when the light bill needs to be paid, the vitamins are what gets sacrificed.   

Other than that, too many carbs gives me nasty, rotten gas and frequent looser stools.   Not diarrhea...that's a bit of a fallacy.     

I would say the gas is the worst, but it's completely controllable.  I only get it if I'm eating things I shouldn't be.  I do indulge, I must admit, if it's really worth it, and I deal with it.

For the stool smell, and the gas to some extent, too, I find that eating yogurt daily does a lot to lessen that.  Many here take probiotics regularly, but for me, what I get from yogurt is just what my body needs.

Yeah my poop stinks worse than it did pre-op, but it's not a big deal. I just carried around some orange-oil air freshener and use it liberally in the bathroom before and after I poop to cover the smell.

I work in a small office and have to share a bathroom with some rather prissy *****es who think their poop don't stink (lol- yeah right!). So far none of them have said anything about my poop stinkin', although the "hey, anyone eating an orange? It smells like oranges in here?" question is asked on occasion.

I didn't have acid reflux pre-op, but have a bit of it post-op, but nothing major. I just need to take a prevacid a day and make sure I avoid tomatoes and orange juice. On the bright side, it seems to be getting better over time.

I think the worst part is that if you're stomach isn't in a good mood, it can be difficult to meet your daily protein quota.

 
I had LOTS of nausea and vomiting, 3 days per week for 7 months.  I didn't vomit food, just stomach bile.  I didn't expect it because no one talked about experiencing that side effect, only RnYers.  I had to go on TPN for malnutrition because I couldn't get protein shakes in during that time.  I'm good now.

I didn't have GERD before surgery, but I do now.  I knew that could happen.  I'm on a 40mg dose twice per day of GERD meds, and it seems to be keeping things under control for the most  part.

I think those side effects were mostly from the sleeve portion of the DS surgery, so if you have a sleeve already and your GERD is under control, you're not likely to experience these.

Other symptoms early out included an occasional "oil slick," which is a fatty, liquid-y bowel movement.  These have only happened about 2-3 times for me, and usually occur very early out and/or if people take in an overabundance of fat, which DSers malabsorb at a rate of about 80%.  If you're aware that it can happen and take the necessary precautions, it's nothing to worry about.

My DS is a dream now.  I have no complaints!  If you're looking to revise from a sleeve, the DS would be a much better bet than the RnY.

Hi Victorious one, 

Love that name.  Yes, with the sleeve I do have acid reflux but it's controlled with Protonix.  I have a haital hernia, maybe the doctor can repair that at the same time.  I am looking forward to be victorious with the DS.  This will be my 3rd surgery. 

Thanks for replying.

Blessings to you!