DS Surgery

Hi Datrace!  Hope you don't mind an Indiana girl giving you some info on the DS.  But the Illinois DSers are my PEEPS!!   hehehehe  SHOUT OUT!!!!!!!

I honestly have nothing negative to say about the DS.  Nothing.  I wish I had done it sooner???  Thats about it.

I take supplements, as do RNYers.  Um, lets see, I eat whatever I want, starting with protein.  I have never had diarrhea, except for a few times.  But hey, I had IBS before the surgery, so nothing has changed.  In fact, I tend to go the opposite way, as a lot of us do.  Ask around on the DS board, if you like.

OH, I just thought of a negative..... I AM ADDICTED TO SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES IN THE NORMAL SIZED SECTION.  lol  Does that count??

I am being honest here, and I am not bashing any other surgery, for me, there are no negatives to the DS.  You will find that is the case with most of us.  A lot of the negative things that are out there are simply coming from surgeons who don't do the DS or from people who THINK they know because they read somewhere that a patient... 8 years ago... who had the old surgery... blah blah blah.....  If this surgery were a bad thing, it wouldn't be called the PLATINUM standard. 

Feel free to pm me any questions.  Good luck, hon!

Datrace - One of the single most helpful things I did before deciding that the DS was the right surgery for me, was going to one of PacLap's local support group meetings.  I hope you can meet some DSers in real life to get your questions answered.  

I really have not got any negatives about my DS.  I am almost a year out.  No loose stools other than the first few days post op while on the liquid diet.  Ironically, I suffer a bit from constipation and have to be sure to get a bit of healthy fiber and plenty of fluids to keep it under control.

I've lost exactly half my body weight and gone from a tight size 26 to a loose size 4.  But more importantly, I got rid of my sleep apnea, CPAP, blood glucose issues, cholesterol issues, mobility issues, pain issues.  At 9 months post op, I had slight vitamin deficiency so I had to add a few more supplements.  Getting retested on Friday.

The post op recovery was a bit tough, I was tired and out of sorts for a while.  But it was not as bad as I expected and it didn't last that long.  Alot of that I expect was as much related to the rapid weight loss as to the specific methodology of the DS.  ( I think I would have had a lot similar recovery tiredness and feeling off, had I had an RNY or VSG and lost at the same rate.)  I've been loving my sleeve & switch since about 4 months post op.

Please contact me if you have specific questions
D2K - (Formerly from Evanston, Il.)  

Hi, Datrace!  I am from central IL and had the DS about 7 months ago.  I had no complications from my surgery, and to date have lost over 95 pounds.  I was skeptical for a few months (even after my surgery) about the DS being "to good to be true", but it has proven itself to me. 

I have become lactose intolerant since having my DS, BUT this is a complication that can happen from ANY abdominal surgery!  I have also recently read that about 75% of African Americans suffer from lactose intolerance without even having surgery, so it is likely that you might possibly already have this issue.  I find this a very small price to pay for the life that I am living very happily. 

I do not have bathroom issues as a previous poster (who has the RNY) has mentioned.  I had IBS before surgery and am now symptom free from it.  I used to go 4-5 times a day, and now go just one time in the morning. 

I believe that you will find more support and honest answers on the DS forum where people who have been living with the DS for years are there to offer us support.  You can believe that this surgery is all that we tell it to be.  Isn't that an amazing thing!?!?!  Best of luck to you in your research.

BTW, I do not participate on the IL board because I need support from people who truly know about my surgery.  Nicolle is my "angel", and I still rely upon her when I have questions.  She is a wealth of information and a true success story for the DS.  I am so glad you will have her as a resource!

You will probably hear very few negatives about the DS - - it truly is the cadillac of weight loss surgeries.  I was scheduled for the RNY and 5 days before surgery I cancelled my RNY surgery because I knew the DS was the best surgery choice for me.  After I learned about the DS I realized I could never do the RNY - even if I had to pay for the DS out of pocket.   I am 3 months out and I do not experience bathroom issues.   I go once in the morning and that is it. 

Every day I am thankful I had the DS.   It is sometimes hard to believe I eat so much yummy food and still lose weight (and fast I might add).  My new favorite breakfast is a grilled cheese sandwich with lots of butter on low carb bread with a slice of red onion, bacon and cheese. 

I  my DS.

I do wish you the best of luck   :)

How very sad that someone *****alizes they made a huge mistake is not only looking to pull the hole in after her-but she is actually trying to get others to follow by spouting lies. 

There are various surgeries out there-and they are not one size fits all.  Some are better than others for different people.  Only when you have a doctor who performs all of these surgeries well,  will you get a realistic, fair comparison.

I was all set to have the RNY.  Completed all the requirements, and was on my way to having a date when I switched from a surgeon who was only able to do the RNY (and had nothing good to say about the DS) -to one who can do both the DS, and RNY-and who gave me all the facts-and pros and cons for ME...and the TRUTH...Something you wont get from a surgeon who only does the RNY.

I have not had the surgery as of yet, but I totally agree with you switch to a surgeon who could do both.

The surgery I will have does all 3 procedures, I feel confident that I have 3 options.

Hi Detrace

Another DS'er from Indiana here..

I can really add nothing here as far as Negative's to the DS.. There with any WLS can be negatives for some people I am sure.. Sure some may have issues with there Bowel habits, I personally only had Diarrhea The first few months after surgery and that was because of only having mainly liquids going in so it only makes since that liquids would come out.. After my diet changed to more solids so did my BM's. I haven't had problems with constipation like some of the other DS'ers have stated. But that is great by me too..   

With the DS I can say from My personal experiance has been truley the best thing I have ever done for myself. I started at 370 the day of surgery and I now I have been stabilizing my current weight of 160-165.. I could be loosing more if I wanted too..But I feel for me that this is a good weight and I feel great with the loss so far.. I have been adding more carbs to my diet to stay where I am at now ( and that dosn't suck ). But if I cut back on the carbs I start loosing again which is probley becouse my body wants me to lose more, and I really could stand to loose some more I just prefer to be where I am now.  I never had WLS to be thin I just wanted to be healty again and Be able to Breath and walk at the same time..LOL I can do that now!!

  There have been many great things that have come along with the weight loss It has been such a Life changing experiance!! It is really hard for me to put into words on how the DS has totaly changed my Life..

I would gladly take extra supplements any day for the trade off of having to take so many Prescription  drugs that i had been taking. I am off most of the meds that I was taking prior to my DS. 

I can eat What I want and not have to feel guilty about it any more.. I feel like a normal person again when going out to eat or with family or friends and not feeling like I am being stared at for eating the same Damn thing everyone else is eating! 

I wish you luck on your research In the end I am pretty confident that you will choose the DS and Live long and be Happy with your choice!

When You Meet Nichole you will Love her she is a great Lady!

I had the pleasure of meeting her this summer at a BBQ that was Held in Indanapolis for alot of DS'ers, and she really knows what she is talking about when It comes to the DS.

Please come on over to the DS fourm you will Learn so much they are a great bunch over there!!

 

Take Care,

Lucy

Thanks Lucy.

I am even more excited because my husband is now in full support of me and the surgery.

I guess I am just sooo shocked that this particular surgery has been soooo great to many of people.

I originally wanted to do RNY, but with the research on all the various surgeries, I think DS is for me.

I currently dont have any health problems, except for being borderline with Sleep Apnea. With that being said I hope I am approved for DS.

I am in the begining stages of the process and I hear sometimes it takes weeks.

I really need the DS support. I dont know anyone personally that has had DS, but I know serveral people with RNY....With that said..again I need people like yourself and others to support me with my possible new journey.

Thanks and God bless!

Like others have said the only negative of the DS that I know of is that I didn't do it sooner.

I'm 2.5 months out and, truly honestly, my bowel habits are WAY better now that they ever were pre-DS.  That isn't true for everyone, but it is for me.  I've never had a moment of diarhea.  I have dealt with some constipation, but that was a matter of figuring out my iron supplements and all is happy now.

I do take a lot of supplements daily, but they just don't bother me.  I take them with my meals and am pretty used to it.

At this point in my journey I can eat just about anything.  I've never "dumped" (not that DS'ers do).  I don't each much in the way of carbs just because they don't taste good to me anymore, but when I want something sweet I am able to eat it. 

Come over to the DS board.  You will find an answer to any question you can possibly think of.  Good luck on your journey.

Laura

Thanks for your response.

I am excited! I just pray I can adjust to the new life, of DS.  I have heard so many great things about it.

Thanks for the Good luck on my journey!