Considering WLS?? Diabetes? High Cholesterol? High Blood Pressure?

If you have any of these life threatening health issues, and you are considering WLS, you may want to seriously consider the WLS that gives you the best chance at addressing these:  the DS.

Weight-Loss Surgery Options Compared in Super-Obese

350 patients who were SMO or more were studied.

The rates of resolution for duodenal switch (DS) and gastric bypass (RnY) were:
Diabetes (type II) -- 100%  -vs-  60%
High blood pressure -- 68%  -vs-  38.6%
High cholesterol -- 72%  -vs-  26%
Acid reflux -- 48.5%  -vs- 76.9%

"The effort to better manage the potential vitamin and nutritional deficiencies associated with duodenal switch surgery is worthwhile because it appears that the duodenal switch surgery is more successful in terms of weight loss and resolution of significant obesity-related disease for super-obese patients."

That is right --- you have a better chance of resolving these diseases, taking more weight off -and- keeping that weight off long term.

Excessive weight loss (EWL) is the standard medical care providers use in determining the *success* of a WLS, and here are the stats:

                              RNY               DS

EWL% at 1-2 years:    48%-85%            65%-83%
EWL% at 3-6 years:    53%-77%            62%-81%
EWL% at 7-10 years:  25%-68%            60%-80%

Figure out how many pounds that translates into for your particular body pre-op, and I am sure you will agree that is not weight you are hoping to carry around with you forever.  I have seen the soon to be published (by Dr. Rabkin of San Francisco, CA) data for DS patients 11-16 post-op, and the numbers of EWL have not changed from the 7-10 years post-op.

If you have any questions about why DS was the right surgery for me or what my almost 2 year experience has been living with it, please just ask.  I don't dump, I can take NSAIDS, I drink with my meals, food doesn't ever get stuck, my bowel habits are controlled by what I eat, my blood labs are perfect, my co-morbs are resolved --- and I am loving life!

There is a lot of information about the DS, including peer-reviewed medical research and a list of vetted DS surgeons (we are fortunate to have 2 skilled lap DS surgeons in G.R.  -and-  2 skilled open DS surgeons in the Detroit area) on:  DSFacts.com

Kimberley, I am eternally grateful to vets like you for taking the time to tell me, as well as all of the other people on this board, about the wonders of the DS.  It just seems so strange to me that with all of the wonderful things that the DS has to offer that more surgeons aren't recommending it to their patients, and that more people don't know about it as a real option available to them.  Thanks again - you have been a wonderful resource for me! 

It is quite unfortunate how driven by profit medical care is, and not health of the patient.

Just finding the DS, and getting through all the obstacles to get it, does make a person more prepared for their post-op life though!  Advocating for your own well being doesn't come natural to most people, as we are so accustom to believing in medical care providers.


And, you're welcome!    All of your pre-op preparation shows that you're going to be a great DSer!