noob needs advice from you lovely, intelligent people

I'll start by saying that all I've done is research.  I have my first seminar coming up soon (pre-req to seeing the doctor).  I am seeing Dr. Roslin in NYC first.  So I began a lot of my research on YouTube and came across plenty of VSG'ers that were over the moon about their surgery so I was pretty sure I wanted a VSG.  Then I learned about the DS and thought, nope, that's the one for me.  The malabsorption is just an added benefit to the sleeve. 

Now, the more I do research and think about my personal situation I'm kinda in the middle.  I'll explain - so I have Bipolar Disorder and take lots of medication for it.  Without the meds I get very sick and I take about 20 pills a day just for my mental illness.  My concern is that with the DS there is a chance I won't absorb the meds 100%, I'm also concerned about having to take maybe 20-30 more pills a day.  That's a whoooole lotta meds!  If I wasn't bipolar I'm pretty sure I'd go for the DS but I'm thinking the VSG might be more appropriate - less vites and no malabsorption.  I'm sure my doc will weight in on this, but you guys are seriously amazing and I value your opinion too - so please, please respond with your thoughts.

If there are any people with mental illness that would like to chime in, that would be great.  Thanks so much, I really appreciate all replies. 

Edit:  I am 5'7, 260 lbs, BMI 40, age 30 if that makes a difference  :)

I don't have to take any regular meds in addition to my vitamins, but I can share with you that the meds i have needed after my DS (cold meds, ibuprophen, etc) have not needed additional dosage than the normal amount.  It's something to be wary of, and have your doc ready to make adjustments asap if you feel the least bit off.

I take about 12 vitamin pills a day, not 30.  Like your 20, it's just a habit to get into, and you're already there.  

Thanks Valerie!  I didn't think there was such a thing as a DS'er who takes so few vitamins.  I could definitely do 12.  I always see these endless lists of vitamins on the DS forums, I suppose everyone is different and has different needs post-op.  Thanks for the reply!

Tooshky-

Many of us take a lot of vitamins because we need to.  Not every DSer does.  I'm a hyper-malabsorber, and I chose to work with it instead of getting a revision, and possibly going too far back the other way with regain.

Once you get your DS, you will need to learn to read your own labs and adjust your vitamins accordingly.

DSers always want to stay mid-range or high normal in terms of the vite levels in their bloodwork. Low normal is like teetering on a cliff for us...too easy to fall off and go into deficiencies. Also, many of us who have each of the vitamins separately find it easier to adjust a dosage up or down if it needs to be with a single vitamin.

 

I got sleeve and I have BP and I'm doing geeat.

At your height and weight VSG seems most appropriate.  I would not alter your intestines, it's not worth the risk, I had rny and so many meds effect me differently, thankfully xanax still works, but given what I just went through to clear a blocked bile duct with altered anatomy I won't recommend any surgery that reroutes your intestines anymore.

Thanks Jennifer and Heidi!  I'm hoping some more people will weigh in with their experiences.

I also had a BMI of 40 but at 5ft0, not as tall as you. I was 208 lbs at the time of surgery and 48. My surgeon (a former colleague of Dr Roslin) actually said he would not do a DS on me, even though he knows how - so it's not the same as surgeons *****fuse because they don't do this or that surgery. He told me the DS would be too much for me and I would lose way too much weight. I am not so sure in retrospect but I went with his advice and got the sleeve and lost to almost goal weight - still working on it sort of. Maintenance is going to be tough though - I can already see the pit falls and the struggles ahead. I think a DS is a very powerful surgery and would certainly not discount it because of a relatively low BMI. See what Dr Roslin tells you. Either way I think you can achieve your goals if you follow the plan scrupulously. Good luck in whatever you decide!

I have the sleeve and know very little about DS. I take meds for clinical depression without any problems.

I have Bipolar Disorder, and have never had a problem with med absorption. I've been on the same med combo for about 12 years, and had an RNY almost 9 years ago. Nothing changed after my surgery. My dosages have remained stable, and so have I