PRE-OPS ONLY! Post-ops, read about the DS at your own risk.

*snort cackle* I just love how these folks who are a couple months out think they have found the Holy Grail. 

A surgery war let me know about the DS.  What blew my mind was the 98% cure rate for diabetes with the DS.  Where do you think I headed?  Yep, right over to the DS board to find out more about this surgery that could cure my diabetes.  I have Kaiser which meant that I had to fight for the DS.  I did win and the DS did cure my diabetes, my high bp and high cholesterol. 

This post is really to make pre-ops aware that there is another surgery out there.  RNY surgeons don't speak highly or at all about the DS.  Kaiser mentioned it as a "bad surgery choice".  Why?  Because none of their doctors perform the DS.  To take the time to proctor with a DS doctor, isn't going to happen.  They are mis-informed about the surgery and continue to spew the mis-information out to those prospective RNY or band patients. 

Oh yes, the comment about sheep... you do have to fight when you have the DS, with your PCP, with ER doctors, specialists who don't understand our surgery.  DSers are probably one of the most informed groups about their surgery, problems that can arise, vitamins... etc - you can't sit back and just ignore your needs.  Sometimes you have to be forceful to get what you need done.

Keep paying it forward Diana!  I for one appreciated the knowledge of what I discovered about the DS.  My kidneys stopped leaking protein, the neuropathy never went past the outside of my big toes.  My latest A1C was 4.2 - Kaiser flagged it because it was too low. 

You may not like what is said in this thread, but come over to the DS board and ask real questions, you'll get real answers about the DS.  Or you can check out DSFacts.com 

 Thanks for posting the stats not the greatest results, but then alot of info is not included,  it fails to mention the sleeve size made back when the study began, it does not tell us if it was the more common size back then of 48-60f or if the patients had the smaller size being made to day 32-40f..

But still good information to have, so again thanks.


 

My surgeon, who is one of the premiere DS surgeons in the world, feels the trade off of more complications in the form of strictures, "hourglass" sleeves and leaks in the short run completely obviates any potential benefit of extremely small bore VSGs.  With his years of experience making sleeves of different sizes for anatomical reasons, he is confident that smaller sleeves give about one year longer restriction, and then still end up as big as the would have gotten in the first place - while making the patient miserable and more prone to complications and nutritional issues in the first couple of years.

I had a 3 or 4 oz. stomach (I can't quite remember).  At 7.5 years out, I still have some restriction - not enough to make a normal restaurant meal unpleasant, but I usually have some food to take home for a second meal 2-3 hours later.  The malabsorption and the normalization of my metabolism still works.

A surgery war like this let me find out about more facts the DS.

Please realize this is your LIFE. Make a decision based on facts. Read what Diana posted. Think about it for a while. Research every point she brought up.

If you don't believe one of her points, or want more information, come to the DS board and ask about it. 

I don't know if it's the difference in types of foods or what, but the RNY has far better long term results in Sweden.  My doctor, the head of obesity treatment at the University of Gothenburg, said that DS was done for a while, but the long term results just weren't as good.  Here, RNY has far superior long term results of keeping the weight off.  He did have data to back everything up, but it's all in Swedish.  lol

I don't mind posts like this at all, but why must the reasons "not to consider the DS" be so damn nasty?   I think that anyone going into this should be completely informed.  I do think the while TEAM DS thing is a bit weird.  No one surgery is best for everyone across the board.  I am a vegetarian.  DS would not be a good choice for me.  

I suppose you don't have those Swedish data facts huh??

yea..... doubt it!

There are also no vetted DS surgeons in Sweden.... what a coincidence....

 Why on earth is there the need to be so nasty?   

I am telling you what is done here and the statistics that the head of the obesity center shared with me.  I don't know why they differ from the US studies, but they do.  According to Swedish studies, for those with a BMI below 47, RNY has a better long term results.  Over 48, either surgery is recommended based on the patient's health and comorbidities.   Perhaps there is more data available for long term RNY results because more are being performed.  I don't know.  There is no profit to be made here.  It's all free.   The healthcare system doesn't work the same way it does in the US.  You don't seek your surgeon.  You discuss your surgery options with your doctor, you are put on a waiting list and your surgeon is chosen for you.   DS surgeries are performed here, as are sleeves and bands.  We discussed all as options, but I am below 47 bmi, have no comorbidities and I am a vegetarian.  It isn't right for me.  

No one is saying it was right for you, and no one is saying the DS is right for everyone. That's the whole reason she has caveats on the main post.

If you cannot eat enough protein, you shouldn't get the DS. Ergo, you weren't a good candidate for the DS. This post was not about you or your choice, especially as a post-op. 

There are more American studies about long term studies of the DS simply because we have a much larger population that is seeking bariatric surgery. Because it is profit-driven here, its statistics must be significant to convince insurance companies to cover it, which is why many insurance companies waited so long to cover the surgery. However, more and more insurance companies cover it now because of those results. Mine had no problems whatsoever, and I have a national provider. 

I wasn't arguing with anyone, just stating how things are where I am and I got a pretty snarky response.  

As far as the original post, the ceveats are made by suggesting anyone who can't follow them is stupid, lacking in self control, passive, cowed by doctors, submissive, weak, dim-witted or self-loathing.  It seems like anyone who might argue is responded to as if they are stupid.  There are legitimate reasons to not consider it.  I was just giving a differing view point.   It's a fantastic surgery for many.  Not everyone who chooses something else is an idiot or needs to be responded to as such.