Had initial Consult - Still No Clue
Hi Kerry,
I read all the posts in this thread and a few things jumped out at me that make me wonder what you're thinking. I don't know how old you are or how long you want to live, but you look young, so I assume you want to live for a long time; like 40-50 years.
1. The things you're saying and worried about sound like things that are only going to effect you for a very short time. Whether you can go back to work in 2 weeks or 2 months isn't going to make a hill of beans difference in a year or so, let alone for the following 50 years.
What ever you choose to do, your choice should be based on helping you live a happy healthy and productive life for the next 50 years.
2. What "your doctor" does should not make any difference in what you decide. Research all the WLS options, decide which one would best help you live the rest of your life happy, healthy and at a normal BMI; then find the surgeon that does what you need.
If you wanted and needed a Ford Focus, you sure wouldn't be able to get one from your local Chevy dealer now would you. Talking to your doctor who only does a certain procedure is pretty silly, unless the procedure he does is what you know you need and want.
Here's a little about me and what I've been through. I'm 57 years old, I lived with RNY for 28 years. I had a gastric bypass / RNY done when I was 28 back in 1980. It helped me lose my excess weight, but after about a year, it was a real struggle keeping the weight off. I would dump on all sorts of things, even milk would make me dump. I also had trouble with any kind of stringy or fibrous food, like celery, rice, roast beef, steak etc. they would stick and I would end up puking them up. Even so, I managed to keep most of the weight off for 15 years by eating as little as I could and exercising pretty much every day. Then I got sick and couldn't exercise for a year and I lost control of my weight. I gained it all back over the next few years and yo yo dieted my way back to being morbid obese with a BMI of 40.6. I also developed hyper tension, sleep apnea and gout, I was a mess.
I finally decided I had to really do something about my weight and in the summer of 2007 started looking into what my options were. I had no clue what was available to me and I had no insurance coverage for WLS, so what ever I decided to do I would have to pay out of pocket. I knew I was sick to death of the RNY life, the dumping, food sticking and constant feelings of deprivation. I wanted to live and eat like a normal person and lose the excess weight, but had no clue how I could achieve this. I started looking into Lap Band, but the thoughts of having to get fills and adjustments all the time was a big turn off as was the idea of having a piece of plastic inside me. When I saw the failure rates and all the problems with it, I knew that was not the answer. I looked into the Mini Bypass, but it was the same thing I had already had, same with a modern RNY.
Then I found the OH web site and started looking around here, someone invited me to visit the DS Forum. I had never heard of the DS, but I thought I better see what it was all about. SO I checked in there and started reading and asking questions. The more I learned the more I liked; it was like too good to be true. But so many people were having great success, so many were so happy and healthy, I decided it was what I needed. Then I had to find a surgeon who would or could revise me and this turned out to be a real problem. I spoke to Dr. Ungson in Mexico, but he said it would be too dangerous, same for surgeons in India, Brazil and Spain, they all suggested I revise to a ERNY type of arrangement. I also spoke to a surgeon in Phoenix AZ who says he does the DS, and again he thought it would be too dangerous. I spoke to Dr. Anthone, one of the top DS surgeons and he said maybe it could be done, but there was no guarantee and I may wake up with a modern Distal RNY. Then I found Dr. Rabkin in San Francisco, he had done a number of revisions like mine and said it would be a difficult revision, but that it could be done and was just a matter of taking the time to do it right. He explained to me in detail how he takes care of all the difficulties and I knew he was the surgeon for me. He also had an opening in 12 days, so I jumped on it.
The revision took 8 1/2 hours because of all the old damage, scar tissue and adhesion's and even then he missed one scar tissue flap in my stomach. Because of that I had to have another surgery three days later to fix that. Because of all the time under anesthesia and my age, I did also had a rather difficult recovery; it was 6 weeks before I started feeling OK and could start going back to work. From then on, things just got better and better to where now, I'm loving my DS, I'm loving life, I feel like I'm 30 again.
Here's a link to my 1 year out post:
www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4024505/One-year-ago-today-who -could-have-known/action,replies/topic_id,4024505/page,1/
I'll tell you what, getting the revision cost about $40,000.00 and the recovery was pretty miserable, but I would do it again in a heartbeat, I would walk to San Francisco to get it done. I just love how I can eat and live now, it's like heaven. Don't settle for anything but what is going to work for you for the next 50 years.
If you want more details about what I've been through it's all on my profile and it's public.
Here's hoping you make a choice you can live a happy, healthy 50+ years with.
Kerry (yea I know we have the same name)
I read all the posts in this thread and a few things jumped out at me that make me wonder what you're thinking. I don't know how old you are or how long you want to live, but you look young, so I assume you want to live for a long time; like 40-50 years.
1. The things you're saying and worried about sound like things that are only going to effect you for a very short time. Whether you can go back to work in 2 weeks or 2 months isn't going to make a hill of beans difference in a year or so, let alone for the following 50 years.
What ever you choose to do, your choice should be based on helping you live a happy healthy and productive life for the next 50 years.
2. What "your doctor" does should not make any difference in what you decide. Research all the WLS options, decide which one would best help you live the rest of your life happy, healthy and at a normal BMI; then find the surgeon that does what you need.
If you wanted and needed a Ford Focus, you sure wouldn't be able to get one from your local Chevy dealer now would you. Talking to your doctor who only does a certain procedure is pretty silly, unless the procedure he does is what you know you need and want.
Here's a little about me and what I've been through. I'm 57 years old, I lived with RNY for 28 years. I had a gastric bypass / RNY done when I was 28 back in 1980. It helped me lose my excess weight, but after about a year, it was a real struggle keeping the weight off. I would dump on all sorts of things, even milk would make me dump. I also had trouble with any kind of stringy or fibrous food, like celery, rice, roast beef, steak etc. they would stick and I would end up puking them up. Even so, I managed to keep most of the weight off for 15 years by eating as little as I could and exercising pretty much every day. Then I got sick and couldn't exercise for a year and I lost control of my weight. I gained it all back over the next few years and yo yo dieted my way back to being morbid obese with a BMI of 40.6. I also developed hyper tension, sleep apnea and gout, I was a mess.
I finally decided I had to really do something about my weight and in the summer of 2007 started looking into what my options were. I had no clue what was available to me and I had no insurance coverage for WLS, so what ever I decided to do I would have to pay out of pocket. I knew I was sick to death of the RNY life, the dumping, food sticking and constant feelings of deprivation. I wanted to live and eat like a normal person and lose the excess weight, but had no clue how I could achieve this. I started looking into Lap Band, but the thoughts of having to get fills and adjustments all the time was a big turn off as was the idea of having a piece of plastic inside me. When I saw the failure rates and all the problems with it, I knew that was not the answer. I looked into the Mini Bypass, but it was the same thing I had already had, same with a modern RNY.
Then I found the OH web site and started looking around here, someone invited me to visit the DS Forum. I had never heard of the DS, but I thought I better see what it was all about. SO I checked in there and started reading and asking questions. The more I learned the more I liked; it was like too good to be true. But so many people were having great success, so many were so happy and healthy, I decided it was what I needed. Then I had to find a surgeon who would or could revise me and this turned out to be a real problem. I spoke to Dr. Ungson in Mexico, but he said it would be too dangerous, same for surgeons in India, Brazil and Spain, they all suggested I revise to a ERNY type of arrangement. I also spoke to a surgeon in Phoenix AZ who says he does the DS, and again he thought it would be too dangerous. I spoke to Dr. Anthone, one of the top DS surgeons and he said maybe it could be done, but there was no guarantee and I may wake up with a modern Distal RNY. Then I found Dr. Rabkin in San Francisco, he had done a number of revisions like mine and said it would be a difficult revision, but that it could be done and was just a matter of taking the time to do it right. He explained to me in detail how he takes care of all the difficulties and I knew he was the surgeon for me. He also had an opening in 12 days, so I jumped on it.
The revision took 8 1/2 hours because of all the old damage, scar tissue and adhesion's and even then he missed one scar tissue flap in my stomach. Because of that I had to have another surgery three days later to fix that. Because of all the time under anesthesia and my age, I did also had a rather difficult recovery; it was 6 weeks before I started feeling OK and could start going back to work. From then on, things just got better and better to where now, I'm loving my DS, I'm loving life, I feel like I'm 30 again.
Here's a link to my 1 year out post:
www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4024505/One-year-ago-today-who -could-have-known/action,replies/topic_id,4024505/page,1/
I'll tell you what, getting the revision cost about $40,000.00 and the recovery was pretty miserable, but I would do it again in a heartbeat, I would walk to San Francisco to get it done. I just love how I can eat and live now, it's like heaven. Don't settle for anything but what is going to work for you for the next 50 years.
If you want more details about what I've been through it's all on my profile and it's public.
Here's hoping you make a choice you can live a happy, healthy 50+ years with.
Kerry (yea I know we have the same name)
There are dozens and dozens of people with the DS who have had no complications who post here on OH. And that is just a small sample of the people who have had a complication free DS. Studies show the complication rate to be the same as that for the RNY.
Please don't limit your options to what one doctor is able to do.
Research all the options before you make a decision.
Becky
Please don't limit your options to what one doctor is able to do.
Research all the options before you make a decision.
Becky
If you are out of state, most surgeons will work with your PCP for follow up care. It is mostly lab work anyway.
My sister and I live 1 1/2 away from my surgeon, he accepts my insurance and not hers. So, she is going to Nebraska which is 8 hours away. His office says that they do the consult in person, the surgery in person (obviously) and then can work with her PCP for lab work.
Check with your DS surgeon and see what his/her policy is on this.
I would much rather you get the surgery you know you need than to do some other thing and have even more issues if you need to fix that... and trust me, if you get the lapband... you will end up having another surgery and more damage.
Lap bands are the devil. Feel free to read my profile for my lapbandhell experience.
Good luck!
My sister and I live 1 1/2 away from my surgeon, he accepts my insurance and not hers. So, she is going to Nebraska which is 8 hours away. His office says that they do the consult in person, the surgery in person (obviously) and then can work with her PCP for lab work.
Check with your DS surgeon and see what his/her policy is on this.
I would much rather you get the surgery you know you need than to do some other thing and have even more issues if you need to fix that... and trust me, if you get the lapband... you will end up having another surgery and more damage.
Lap bands are the devil. Feel free to read my profile for my lapbandhell experience.
Good luck!
Come to the Dark Side!!! Band to DS revision 11/09/09.
Learn about the Duodenal Switch at dsfacts.com ! Off site comparisons of the 4 WLS
http://www.thinnertimes.com/weight-loss-surgery/wls-basics/w eight-loss-surgery-comparison.html
http://www.lapsf.com/weight-loss-surgeries.html
Hello,
The obesity is not a disease of over eating and lack of exercise. To blame a patient for weight gain after a weight loss surgery, would be the same as blaming patient for recurrence of cancer after the first treatment fails. This is my opinion on this.
Get second, third, forth opinion if you need to from surgeons that do other procedures to get an objective set of information.
Hope this helps
Ara
The obesity is not a disease of over eating and lack of exercise. To blame a patient for weight gain after a weight loss surgery, would be the same as blaming patient for recurrence of cancer after the first treatment fails. This is my opinion on this.
Get second, third, forth opinion if you need to from surgeons that do other procedures to get an objective set of information.
Hope this helps
Ara
It does not matter in the least which procedures your surgeon does. You choose the surgery type and then choose a surgeon that does that surgery type. Your doc may be great, I have no idea but I as always suspect of any surgeon that does ROSE or Stomaphyx knowing full well it does not work and to allow a patient to self pay $10K knowing it will be a total waste of money....
So what if it is an inconvenience to travel for surgery. There are people that travel to another country for all types of WLS and revisions. Ten hours is nothing.
The band is the safest procedure for a revision but it is verrrrry slow weight loss and it does about 10% of the work and you do about 90% of the work. Bands have the slowest weight loss, the least weight loss, and highest regain of all the procedures.
I'd find a surgeon that does all the procedures and have a heart to heart with him. This is not something to worry about convenience. This is for the rest of your life.
I appreciate everyone's input and opinions. I think this is something that I really need to think about and continue to research. There are so many differing ideas about what is best and what works and so forth. It looks like each surgery helps one person where as it might not help the next. I guess it will depend on what I think will best help me in the long run.
I will continue to do my research and delve deeper into the stats. I have just scheduled an appt with another surgeon who offers a more array of revision surgeries besides the Lap-Band and ROSE. We shall see what comes of that.
I understand some of you think that travel and complications should not cloud my decision but it truly should affect some part of the thought process. Am I willing to settle for a surgery that has 90% complications or one that I may need to work on a bit more that only has 50% complications? If I live 10 hours away from my surgeon and an emergency comes up I don't want to die because I can't get to my surgeon in time because he is the only one with knowledge on how to deal with that particular surgery. These are all honest and understandable concerns to have. I err on the side of caution when it comes to me and my body -nothing I do is taken lightly nor will this decision to have a revision be treated any differently.
Thank you all very much for taking the time to answer my question and I will definitely keep in mind your thoughts and first hand experiences.
I will continue to do my research and delve deeper into the stats. I have just scheduled an appt with another surgeon who offers a more array of revision surgeries besides the Lap-Band and ROSE. We shall see what comes of that.
I understand some of you think that travel and complications should not cloud my decision but it truly should affect some part of the thought process. Am I willing to settle for a surgery that has 90% complications or one that I may need to work on a bit more that only has 50% complications? If I live 10 hours away from my surgeon and an emergency comes up I don't want to die because I can't get to my surgeon in time because he is the only one with knowledge on how to deal with that particular surgery. These are all honest and understandable concerns to have. I err on the side of caution when it comes to me and my body -nothing I do is taken lightly nor will this decision to have a revision be treated any differently.
Thank you all very much for taking the time to answer my question and I will definitely keep in mind your thoughts and first hand experiences.
Find another surgeon. Do not bank your future on a "medical expert's" advice to chose between the only procedures he performs. Do NOT opt for the rosE - it DOES NOT WORK. It's totaly BS. And surgeons are making a fortune off of desperate people looking for that elusive magic bullet. I can't urge you enough to seek out another surgeon, someone in your area who has strong expertise is ALL bariatric surgeries, including revisions. Best of luck, Maureen
Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.
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