Long term DS question

Hello everyone,

I'm considering a DS, which i've done tons of research on, and have one thing holding me back because i can't find an answer for my following question on the long term effects of a DS. I have yet to meet with the surgeon.
Basically, what i'm worried about is, say 10-20 years down the line i develop a non-DS related illness (ie: cancer, neurological disorder, heart disease, etc), will my body respond to treatments like a non-DSer? Will the malabsorption effect the quality of care and deny me the best possible outcome?
Thankfully, i'm not suffering from any major illness, but let's face it, it's likely to happen down the road.

Any insights, thoughts, opinions are welcome!

My concern isn't so much about being able to fight a disease but the lack of knowledge medical and dietary professionals demonstrate time and again about our malabsorption and nutritional needs. If I were to be hospitalized, I'd be in deep doo doo. My family pretty much knows I have to have my vitamins and protein, so they would have to back me up and help support my needs regardless of what medical professionals assume they know.

--gina

Gina you are so right!  I ended up in the hospital about 2 years ago for pleurisy (water around my lung).   The hospital I go to is the best in the area and a top notch hospital that I travel an hour for to get there.  I have closer ones but I refuse to settle for less.   The in-depth knowledgebase about the needs of a WLS patient is just not there with the majority of the hospital staff.  

The meals they tried to serve me were carb laden and when I tried to explain the amount of protein and my daily vitamin regime they just could not fully grasp it.   I struggled getting them to bring me protein drinks (dietary controlled stay) let alone the vitamins I needed.  I requested that I bring in my own vitamins and they were not comfortable with that.  I wasn't about to let them "help" my nutrition needs deteriorate. I had my DH "smuggle" in my vites and protein power and ensured I was taken care of.  Finally on the 3rd day they received the approval from the attending doctor to allow protein supplementation but little did they know I had already seen to it myself.  Don't get me wrong, if I had been admitted with a condition that was severely affected by my food intake I would have went a different route.

I believe we have to be strong and adamant about our own care.  Even given this, I would not trade my DS.

SH

Perfect example. Thanks.

--gina

I don't have an answer to your question.  I've had similar questions, but came to the realization that I probably wouldn't be around in 10-20 years unless I did something to improve my health.  So it came down to the realization I'd rather have a better and longer life now than worry about what may happen.

My experience has been that I have to find medical professionals who will LISTEN to me about my Wls and how it works. I have always been able to get treatment geared to my malabsorptive issues after some trial and error. You may have to end up taking a hugely massive dose of said treatment,much more than someone with normal guts,but if you come out the other side with good results,that is all that really matters.

I think the key,as Gina said,is knowing your own body and its needs an then finding doctors who will listen to you and allow your knowledge to help formulate a plan.

GL

Hello, I am celebrating the 10-year anniversary of my surgery this month and my best friend just celebrated her 10-year anniversary 6 months ago.  I can tell you that neither of us have had any major complications due to malabsorption.  I had to receive iron at the 4 year mark due to heavy menstrual cycles, but had an ablation with my gynecologist and now I don't even need separate iron supplements.  The only problems I have with medications following the DS is with antibiotics.  They really upset my stomach now whereas before surgery I never had an issue.   I'm also lactose intolerant now.

I have to agree with the other person who posted earlier that you'd have a MUCH more difficult time battling future health complications if your doctor had to monitor high blood pressure medication or cholesterol medicine.  It's much easier to drink an extra protein shake or double your multivitamins!  :-)

More than 10 years post here and I don't worry about it.  I wouldn't have lived that long if I hadn't done something about my weight.  I will cope the best I can!

I do know people who have had diseases like cancer postop and they have done as well as anyone else.

Like someone above mentioned, I think the medical community is a bit behind in their knowledge of our absorption issues.  However, I firmly believe that as malabsorption issues become more prevalent, from not only WLS patients (DSers and RNYers, etc),  but from the treatment of Crohns and diabetes, etc, that it will become more of a forefront item within the medical community. There are people among us every day who have lost a portion of their intestines to Crohns, cancer, etc.    There are many life saving procedures that are "new" or being developed and approved to extend lives which could have otherwise been terminal.   This environment will have a positive impact on all of our care in the future.

My father, who had his DS seven years ago, was hospitalized for autoimmune hemalytic anemia, cause unknown.  He did not respond to the normal treatment protocol.  After discussing the DS with the hematologist, they doubled the dosage of the treatment, and he responded.  Strangely enough, the dosage was given thru his iv, so absorption shouldn't have initially been an issue.  Regardless, when he crossed over to oral meds, his dosage was doubled.

It's these situations that I file away in the back of my mind, to draw upon later.  My DS will always have an effect of my future care, but I educate myself and others who may care for me some day.  I believe that malabsorption of vitamins and minerals can be more easily remedied than managing diabetes, blood pressure, or cholesterol issues during a serious illness.

We need a document signed by our surgeons that states our needs in case of hospitalization. I had to argue with my PCP the other day about how much Vitamin A I am taking. She is scared I will poison myself. I keep telling her that I have to take that much or I will be in trouble. She wants to do labs which is what I need anyway so I cannot wait to get that done. She is interested in the DS though and wants to learn about it so she is listening.