Anyone have Duodenal Switch?

I'm just curious if anyone here on the board had the DS at Legacy, and if so, did you have to convince your Doctor it was the surgery for you?  I just noticed on their website that they only "occasionally" perform the DS.

Nola - I was really interested in this, as it says you can eat fairly normally.  I didn't like the bowel end of things though, if you know what I mean.  OHSU does DS, but my insurance won't pay for it anyway.  There is a DS forum here if you want to ask questions about it. Linda

Hi Nola ~ I didnt have my surgery with Legacy, but since there aren't many DS patients on the local forum, I wanted to let you know that I am a local DS patient (just 18 days post-op).  I had my surgery with Dr. Marchesini in Brazil on July 3 and would be happy to kibitz with you about DS issues if you're looking into that option. Cheryl Portland, OR

Hello Cheryl.  How are you doing?  Can I ask why you went to Brazil for your DS?  And this is really tacky, but with airfare and everything, what did it cost?  I really think DS would be the best option for me, but with my ins. it will be a fight and I just can't afford to be a self-pay. Thanks, Nola

I had DS with Dr. Deveny OHSU Mar. 30 and am doing great! I can eat anything I want to and NEVER have bowel issues. Lost 54# and no diabetes! I did 2 yrs. research and decided for DS also my Dr had  it done 7 yrs ago and mentored me.  I heard the stories about diaherrea but it isn't true. Don't over carb and no soft stools. Unlike dumping syndrome and stretching out the pouch (not even a real stomach anymore) and regaining I know my weight is gone forever and I never feel ill. Go to the Bariatric lectures at OHSU and talk to ones who've had it done for real scoop. Medicare pd. all but $992 of my costs!

I already know that DS is the ideal surgery for me.   Now it's just all about the money.  My insurance says they don't cover DS, so it would be a fight for me to get them to cover it and who knows how long that would take.  Then there's the fact that if they wouldn't cover, I just couldn't afford to be a self-pay. Thanks for all the info.  If I can get my ins. to cover, I will definitely be switching to OHSU.

Hi Nola: I am 3 weeks and a day out now and doing pretty well (surgery was July 3). I go back to work on August 1 (I took the whole month of July off). Eating was very difficult at first, but I'm finding it gets easier and easier each day. My incision is almost completely healed and there is little pain left.  I have Kaiser which does not cover the DS - only gastric bypass, and I knew I wanted nothing to do with that sugery.  So, I started researching self pay options and that research led me to two of the world leaders in DS surgery - Dr Baltasar in Spain and Dr Marchesini in Brazil.  The benefit of going to one of these surgeons was two-fold - expense and experience.  These two surgeons have more experience (more qualified) than most in the United States (and more experience than ANY surgeon in Oregon) and are both American Board Certified. I also researched each of their track records with former patients and found the records of both to be impecable.  I ultimately decided on Dr. Marchesini and boy am I glad I did. I have never seen anything in the United States that even compares to the quality of health care I received in Brazil (I hear the same is typical of Dr. Baltasar in Spain). Additionally, the infection rates of the hospitals in the US is downright scary!  My cost for the surgery, including hospital stay, anesthesiologists, etc. was $10K, airfare was $1,200, and hotel was $70 per day for a one-bedroom apartment suite. Dr. Marchesini requires patients to stay for two weeks past their surgery date.  There are lots of creative ways to come up with the money; hopefully, something will work out for you. Let me know if you have any other questions.  Cheryl 7-3-07 Open DS w/ Dr. Marchesini