New to the world of DS

I was lap-banded in 2008 and lost 120 pounds from my highest weight which was 367. I am now at 309 and am still working the band as hard as ever, but one baby and numerous medical issues later I am struggling with both ferocious hunger and no appetite, extreme thirst and not wanting to drink anything, getting all my protein in no problem to not being able to keep anything down. I am doubting a band slip as I dont seem to match those symptoms (at least not daily), but I think my pouch size may have increased. I have 9.0ccs in a 10cc band. I am meeting with the nurse at my surgeon's office next week to look at my options as far as revision surgery. DS is currently my top choice due to the great track record and lack of a dumping syndrome. Sweets have never been a big problem for me, it has always been a little more my love for the breads, but that is a different story. My past experience with DSers was people that would come to the lap-band board to tell newbies about the DS and I cant say it was a good experience. I am looking forward to meeting people who are working their surgical tool, living life, enjoying foods, and are realistic about the pros and cons of this surgery. Thanks all!

Welcome aboard. I hope your surgeon will give you an open minded assessment concerning the DS but I don't have a lot of hope unless you'll be seeing a DS surgeon. They aren't that many and most other surgeons will try to talk you out of any surgery they don't do...follow the money.  

If you have done your research, and it sounds like you have, and think a revision is the way to go, let us know and we might be able to suggest some DS surgeons in your area. Good luck!  : )

--gina

What do you think (or have heard) of Dr. Michael Bono in Hazelton? I read up what I could find here and online.

I haven't heard of him. The 2 I've heard of are in PA, Dr Bonanni and Dr G. They may not do RNY to DS revisions but they may do band and VSG to DS. Worth checking out.

--gina

http://www.obesityhelp.com/profiles/bariatric-surgeon/dr-fer nando-bonanni/

Pennsylvania
Fernando Bonanni, MD *

Abington Memorial Hospital
Institute for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
225 Newtown Rd, 2nd Floor
Warminster, PA 18974
Phone: 215-441-6800
Fax: 215-441-6810

Read more:http://weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=dssur geons&action=display&thread=2084#ixzz2dOcBmlEk

Your surgeon isn't going to recommend the DS because he doesn't do the DS. No need to take my word for it, though those of us who have been in the DS communiiy for awhile know who the players are. Check out his page on OH for yourself. He offers lap band, gastric bypass, sleeve, and, or all things, vbg, which is so outdated that it is no longer a standard of care operation.

I think your decision to revise to DS is a good one, both because you are having some kind of problem with your band, and also because it clearly isn't working for you. At 309 lb, you are probably still SMO, depending of course on your height. While the DS works well for anyone who meets the standard criteria for bariatric surgery, it is esp valuable for those with higher bmi's, because it provides the highest percentage of excess weight loss, the best maintenance of that weight loss, and best rate of resolution of almost all comorbidities of any bariatric surgery. On the other hand, lap band has the worst statistics for all these measures,and that's what you have now. Lap band also has the highest rate of reoperation of all the bariatric operations, in part because of poor weight loss, in part because of late complications.

Whether or not you have a complication going on, or course I can't say. But people do develop band slips or erosions long after the band is placed.

And it is unfortunate that you found the posts of non-lap band patients on the lap band forum disturbing, but those posts (and I was not one of the people making them) were intended to let people know that there are more options than what you hear about from TV commercials or from surgeons who only do one or two procedures and don't inform their patients about other operations that are standard of care. Far too many people have the operation they hear the most about, or that is easiest to get approval for, can be done close to home, has the fastest recovery, is "least invasive", etc, without realizing that it is the longterm results that really matter. I'm not saying that was the basis of your decision, but for many people, it is, and that's a shame.

We are seeing more and more people enquire about revision to DS from lap band all the time. You are not alone. As one former lap band patient posted on the lap band forum, every lap band forum eventually turns into a failed lap band forum. And no, that wasn't from a DS patient, it was a lap band patient who learned the hard way.

Larra

My surgeon I have listed is the one who did my lap-band. I am just following up with them to see how much more I can get out of my band because I obviously don't want to have surgery again *eye roll* - tangent: easy way out my ass. I am looking at Dr. Michael Bono in Hazelton who accepts my insurance and seems to have some good reviews on here and stats - although it seems he hasn't done too many revisions, but I don't know how recent that info is.

While Dr. Bono SAYS he does the DS  on his OH profile page, his web site does not list it as an option.

Ask how many DS's he has done. (under 100, don't bother)

What method does he use? (Hess is preferable)

How many lap band to DS revisions...(anything under 100 is not acceptable here either).

Open or lap? (Open on lab band revisions are better as adhesions can be found better that way)

Liz

Can you tell me more about the open being better or point me to somewhere I can read about it. I wasn't able to find anything on my own. Makes sense though.

The post was on here SOMEWHERE...but I be blasted if I can link it.

I do remember reading the post thinking it made a boatload of sense as lap bands can cause horrific adhesions and if the surgery is done lap to remove the lap band and to do the DS, those adhesions could easily be missed. By doing it open, less chance of missing any adhesions and more chance of a good recovery. (Notice I didn't say easy recovery as no surgery is that easy and that particular one is long and complicated).

Well, at nearly ten years post-op, I'm NOT "working my tool"---my DS is still doing the job all by itself. (*grin*) Oh, I don't pig out daily on carbs, but neither do I stress out about eating them. I eat protein and fat FIRST, and then anything else I want and have room for.

I don't own a scale. I only weigh at the doctor's office. My weight is pretty stable---it bounces up and down by about 5 pounds. Recently, however, I weighed in 4 pounds lower than my previous low weight---and I wasn't 'dieting'. It's just the DS still doing its thing.