Lets discuss the duodenal Switch!

I am very sorry that you landed with such a rotten surgeon. I wish you had asked us on the DS board about what to do when things were so bad. Chances are good that you would not have gotten away without additional surgery, but we could have led you to a better surgeon. You are NOT AT ALL ALONE in your experience with this guy. Please, oh please, don't let him touch you again, I beg you. He was oh, so wrong to revise you to an RNY and I just want to punch his lights out. If he had any character whatsoever he would have referred you to someone who knew what they were doing. My heart breaks for what you have been through.

Regarding the dietary issues: Could you please share with us how you have changed your diet after three surgeries and how this helps you live better now? How about lab work and supplements? You are, after all, pretty much an anomaly, I'm sorry to say. Pardon my asking so many questions :-/. One reason I'm asking them is because a lady of my aquaintance has just been revised for the second time, BACK to RNY after a DS to RNY revision, and I frankly am terrified for her. I would appreciate any input you might be able to give about how you're living now--what hurts, what helps, etc.

And I freely admit that I will use your story to underscore to people how vital it is to stay AWAY from Dr. Deveny. I'm a ***** that way.

I am eating a lot less for one thing.  I think I am a food addict and especially addicted to MORE.  I always ate a lot of protein and my labs were always within normal levels except one time my vit D got out of whack.  I always ate alot of meat and chicken and things lke that.  I ate a lot of fat, too, which I thought was ok with my surgery but I recently heard that the malabsorption lessens over time as your body adjusts.  I also ate a lot of carbs, especially bread and pasta. Not too much of a sweet eater but I did eat some, mostly because I thought I could.  Now I am staying away from refined carbs, no breads, no sugars, no pasta.  I am mainly eating protein at this point.  The fact that a small amount satisfies me is a good thing, although I know that the restriction also adapts.  I am eating less frequently, too, just 3 meals a day plus a protein shake.  I am motivated to stay away from "bad" foods because of th consequences involved.  Basically after my DS I did not change my eating habits at all and that is what got me fat in the first place.  I thought that dieting after a DS was unnecessary.  Because I could eat whatever I wanted I did.  I did lose weight for the first 2 years and I thought that would last forever.  I know some people have that experience but not me.  If I had it to do all over again I would have eliminated the refined carbs and sweets.  When I was 5 years post op I was so miserable I changed my eating to eliminate refined carbs and I still have problems with diarrhea.  I did lose weight very slowly.  I lost about 35 lbs in 6 months but after a while I went back to the same eating habits and regained that and more.  The weight was coming on very fast at that point.  I don't know if I will be able to stick with the eating plan I have now but I know if I don't I will pay a high price.  Maybe I am one of the people that WLS won't work for.  Apparently not a lot of people fail with the DS but I managed so I am not terribly hopeful long term.  I know the success rates for the RNY are terrible as compared to the DS.  I am going to counseling, too, to deal with my food issues.  Time will tell if I can stick with this or not.  I am not having any more surgery again.  I can't afford it financially or emotionally.  I just have to live with whatever happens.

Just wanted to say - I'm so sorry to hear what you've been through! It sounds like a real ordeal. 

I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better since your revision, and I wish you the best of success. 

"I ate a lot of fat, too, which I thought was ok with my surgery but I recently heard that the malabsorption lessens over time as your body adjusts."

Just a word here about fat absorption. In order to absorb fat, we need pancreatic enzymes to break it down. In the DS, those enzymes don't get to mix with food until both reach the common channel, generally the last 100cms or so. This means the the absorption of FAT will never increase significantly.

The absorption of protein and carbs---yes, that can and does increase over time, as the body seeks to heal itself from the 'wounding' of surgery. It does this by growing more villi, the small finger-like things that actually do the absorbing. This means that, since protein and carbs are absorbed all along the alimentary limb, over time we WILL absorb these a little better, but we cannot absorb fat until the pancreatic enzymes arrive.

Look at you, being all down 25 BMI points - you're doing so amazingly well!

Awesomeness aside, I chose the DS because I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at age 25. About 30 seconds of research on WLS for diabetes led me straight to the DS as having the undeniably best statistics for kicking type 2's ass, and less than a year after my diagnosis, I was on the operating table. While the DS is great for so many other things (best overal EWL stats, best stats for maintaining the weight loss long term, best stats at resolving almost all other comorbidities...), I pay particular attention to the DS in relation to type 2 diabetes, and I take every opportunity I find to educate others about it and to correct the misinformation many people spread about the DS. I participate in discussions here on the diabetes board on OH, on another large diabetes forum, and in person, and I have tried to make my profile a bit of an educational resource on the topic.

Have I lost all of my weight? No, and I quite possibly never may (I have a much longer common channel than a typical DS, and I'm not usually very strict about my diet). However, my fasting glucose levels and my HBA1Cs are well beyond normal (last A1C was 4.8) without ever having experienced a single episode of hypoglycemia, so I got what I was seeking most.

Hi Jessy,

You are doing beautifully.

I had the crapband in 2006 and lost a good amount of weight, then could not keep restriction and gained 40 or so pounds back.

I decided to look into a revision, and was initially thinking of going with RNY.  After my consultation for the RNY revision I knew that was not for me.  Luckily I had a very honest doctor who let me know it would be strictly a restrictive surgery after about 18 months.  No thanks been there done that.


Thanks to the "spirited discussions " here on the main board about the DS, I became interested in doing my own research about it.

Had my DS in December , and have gone from a size 22 pants and 2x top to a size 8 pants and med. to small top.  I can't even believe it.  I am very pleased with my results and have had no ill effects or complications.  Gone from 268 to 165

If you want to see before and "almost after" picsmake a friend request to see my pics. 

Happy researching everyone.

Jessy, hunny, you're an inspiration!

Hi Jessy!!!!

Tomorrow is my 6 month mark.  Except for my first 5 weeks post-op, which I won't lie, were very rough, everything is wonderful and it's been a breeze!!!!  I feel better than I have in years!

I DO NOT HAVE DIARRHEA!!!!  And I eat very well.  Nearly anything I want.  I don't eat crap but I have moments of weekness like everyone. I take my vitamins religiously.  And I don't diet.  And that is probably the most important and wonderful thing.

There are many things I am still figuring out like the right probiotics to take to control the gas completely but I know what foods give me gas and know that I have to make choices about if and when to eat those things.

I have incorporated exercise as a part of my lifestyle and will do so for life now.  But I was an athlete before I gained all this weight so I am just rediscovering that person. It helps me to be able to eat what I want and still keep losing at the rate I am...75 lbs in 6mths and 25 to go which I fully expect to lose before the end of the year.

My quality of life is so amazing! The things I can do now that I could not do before are too numerous to name and I am still discovering them.  I wore shorts in public for the first time in over 30 years a few weeks ago.  I am a hair shy of a size 12 and just one size from my personal goal of a size 10.

The DS has served me well.  I did 3 months of research before settling on the DS based solely on the facts, statistics and how I wanted to live post-op.  And once I made the decision, it was my sole focus until I got it done 5 months later.

It is THE best decision I have ever made for my health, my life, professional & social well being,

Do your research...know all your options.
Lia

My biggest factor was the reduced rate of regain, I didn't want to do this just to fail, and the reduction of type II diabetes and the higher excess weight lost.

I am 4.5 months out and no diarrhea or leakage as prev poster said.

I love my ds.

Since it seems to have become a major focus, I'll just add that I didn't even have diarrhea in the days immediately following surgery (when it's normal for those of any procedure to have such issues); rather, I battled constipation for about my first six months post-op and now have a nice, normal once-a-day habit  ;)