Meeting with Doctor soon!
I am meeting with Dr. Houston in Nashville this month. While I originally thought I was going to be getting an RNY, the more I read on this forum and the more research I do, it seems for people with high BMIs like me, the DS is a better option. I just have a few questions:
Do they ever do the DS in just one surgery instead of doing the VSG and then later adding the DS?
What is the excess skin situation like? Is there a way to keep from getting too flappy other than surgery?
The book that Dr. Houston's office sent me said that I would never be able to take whole pills again in my entire life. However, my mother who had a very successful DS takes whole pills several times a day and said that there is a huge lack of consensus on this point. Where do you weigh in on the whole pills issue?
Did the doctor try to pressure you into getting a different surgery? If so, how did you stand up to him/her?
Thank you!
I'm 5 months out and have no problem taking whole pills.
My Doctor suggested the DS based on my BMI so no problem there. Before my Doctor would
do the surgery in a single step I had to lose about 75 pounds, otherwise he would have done it
in two stages.
I've heard for high BMI patients there isn't much you can do about the excess skin. The younger
you are you may have less skin but you will probably still end up with some - you either live with
it or go the plastics route.
I hope things work out for you.
HW 552 CW 198 SW 464 4/15/13 - Lap DS by Dr. Philip Schauer - Cleveland Clinic.
The DS is almost always done in one operation, NOT two. there are some people who, for medical reasons, can't have it done safely in one stage. And nowadays, there are (unfortunately) lots of people with other bariatric operations who are not satisfied with their results and are revising to the DS, sometimes in 2 stages due to the complexity of the revision, and sometimes from VSG to DS in an originally unplanned 2 stage approach (i.e., they thougt they were just going to have the VSG and it didn't work out as well as they thought it would).
Pills - take them all the time. Never heard that one before!
Skin - if you lose a lot of weight, you will end up with excess skin. That's just a reality. You might decide to have it removed, you might not. It's a personal decision.
And any doc that would try to talk me into a different surgery would not be my doc for long.
Larra
I struggle ALOT with my vitamins. I don't have a problem swallowing them, but I do get very nauseous each time, and I occasionally throw them right back up. I took the list of everything I was taking (including components of Multi-Vit) to the NP at my surgeons office. She's going to work with a compounding pharmacist to see what they can give as injections as an alternative.
With so many people commenting that they don't have problems with pills, and your own mom doesn't either, it's obviously not a 100% certainty. However, there is no guarantee that you won't have problems because everyone's body reacts differently.
When I first indicated that I wanted DS, the NP tried to talk me out of it. I went into the appointment prepared because I had done my research. I told her why I wanted it over the others. I gave her the list of possible side effects and how I was prepared to handle them. I also brought up all of the required lifestyle changed and let her know that I was confident I could be successful with them. If they know you're informed, they're more likely to respect your decision.
HW 265 SW 255 CW 190 (9/30/13)
It sounds like that information packet they sent you was a cut and paste nightmare, sometimes specific and sometimes general wls.
The DS can and should absolutely be done in one procedure unless there is a specific health reason to do it in two. Those who do it in one stage are more successful, and only have half the risks. I accuse docs who pu**** in two parts to be those looking for repeat customers or have insufficient equipment or skills. The Rabkins can do a Lap DS on a 500lb patient. I don't see why another doc can't do it. For them, it's double the money, and be sure they actually do a DS at all.
Pills are NOT a problem either.
To push back with a doc, know as much as you can about all of the surgeries so you know exactly why you want the DS as opposed to the others.
Valerie
DS 2005
There is room on this earth for all of God's creatures..
next to the mashed potatoes
Don't accept the 2 stage DS unless you KNOW you are in really BAD shape! Real DS surgeons routinely do the whole procedure LAP on 600lb patients. I met one that was over 800lbs. Don't buy into the 2 surgery scam. Is the 2 surgery thing for you or is it an indication of your docs skill level? Plus you pay twice, and suffer twice. Good luck getting insurance to pay for the second surgery too! And MOST important of all. One op patients generally do better on weight loss!
If you are heavy enough to have WLS, you will probably have excess skin. Doesn't matter how you lose the weight or how much exercise you do. You would have the same excess skin if you lost it all with Weigh****chers too. It's your history and genetics.
Crush pills? Why? Seriously, really examine a diagram of our surgery. There are no changes to the esophagus or the way it enters and empties into the stomach. There is no physiological reason why you can't swallow any pill you could swallow preop. I am talking about after the swelling from the OP is done and gone. Some have to take it slowly in the beginning. I am more than 10 years out and swallow a handful of pills at a time. I have never yet crushed a pill.
There's a lot of mythology out there. Some of it perpetuated by medical professionals. To be a successful DSer you need critical thinking skills so you can become your own advocate. Question everything. Do what's best for you!
