1,050,000 Calories PLUS Malaborbed or not eaten...I love my DS!!!!!

Well at the stroke of midnight tonight, it will be my 2 year surgiversary.   2 years of being "cured" of obesity, though the miracle of the duodenal switch.    I've currently lost 300 lbs, and have maintained just under my goal weight for the last 6 months or so.    There is a saying in personal fitness that says I lb is equal to 3500 calories, so if you want to lose 1 lb you need to not eat 3500 calories...well after losing 300 lbs I figure that I have either not eaten or malabsorbed over a million calories!!!!!!! (trust me it is more likely malabsorbed....lol).  I can't tell you how grateful I am to have had the DS.  You know 2 years seems to be the "turning point" for most surgeries......it's at 2 years that RNYers realize that they will have to "work their tool" for the rest of their lives, it's at 2 years that banders finally realize that band either will or  won't work for them...but at 2 years post DS, I can tell you my DS is allive an kicking!!!!!!   Trust me there is no working a tool....5 day pouch test or any other crazy post op diet thing  like trying to live on 1200 calories a day...hello...I eat that before lunch most days....lol.  Actually on average I eat about 4000 to 6000 calories a day.....I can eat whatever I want...and at this point post op...as much as I want....when I want to drop a few lbs, all I have to do is restrict my carbs a bit, and the weight comes off.......there is no counting of fat grams or calories.....it's been the easiest weight loss of my entire life......   I LOVE MY DS!!!!!!  If you are a preop and considering a WLS...consider the DS. Scott

I'm really excited for you Scottie, that is so exciting that your life has changed so dramatically. All the WLS surgeries are a miracle and each of us are blessed, wouldn't you say? Congrats on the 2 years!

Scott, congratulations on your anniversary. Since you post here so rarely, I'm curious as to when you do, why is it that all you do is yodel about how wonderful the DS is and "dis" the RNY?  Please remember that the DS can fail -- my sister had the DS and it failed her. I'm not looking to start a fight here as to which surgery is the best.  Everyone has his or her own reason for choosing RNY or DS, and what works for one does not necessary work for another.  I respect everyone who has the courage to face their obesity and take the step of having WLS, no matter which type of WLS they select.  Your post isn't exactly diplomatic -- your DS message can certainly be shared with others without the braggadoccio. Again, congratulations on your anniversary, and your success. Kix

This forum isn't that active, so I don't come here often....but as a person taht was SMO at one point....I feel I have something to offer......and from the University of chicago study  last year....we can see that the DS is a more successful surgery for the SSMO and SMO person (those with BMIs over 50).   You can go onto my profile to read about it.  You know I read a lot about how RNYers brag about how little they eat, saying how they eat 1200 calories a day or 1000 calories a day for years, and no one seems to mind....why the uproar over a DSer who wants to brag about being able to eat normally or even in abundance and still lose and maintain his weight loss?   I don't know...I'm not looking for a fight.....people seem to want to do that anyway...but I think that a new post op with a BMI should certainly see that there are choices preop..and have the opportunity to research all of them. Scott

why the uproar over a DSer who wants to brag about being able to eat normally or even in abundance and still lose and maintain his weight loss?   
Well, Scott, because it smacks of a "hit and run" job.  You run in here, yodel about how wonderful the DS is (and I agree, it is wonderful for most folks who choose to have it, in fact, our beloved JoTeddie is one of our regulars here and she had the DS), and dump (pun intended) all over the RNY.  Why do you presume that those of us who had the RNY were too stupid not to opt for the "more successful" DS? I don't know one person in this group who didn't agonize from the beginning over WLS, do their research, and opt for the surgery that is best for them.  We are not dolts here.  No one here has "issues" with the DS.  I personally subscribe to a number of DS groups online, and I find it interesting that some DSers assume that those of us who have RNY and take offense when DSers "dis" the RNY, that we have issues with the DS.  We do not.  It's the hubris that puts us off, not the kind of surgery you had. This board is one of the few places on OH where we all respect, admire, and support each other.  We do not subscribe to the unnecessary drama that pops up on the Main Board, so your inflammatory post (which you say is "only bragging") was most unwelcome.  BTW, I also lurk on the Men's Board, and someone over there also called you out on your post (which was identical to the one you posted here), so it's not just us who were put off by your approach. Kix

Hey the DS is the best surgery for the SMO...that isn't my personal opinion that is a fact.  If you read my profile, the University of Chicago study from last year clearly shows that the DS is superior for the SMO...those with BMIs over 50.  In a more recent study (see my profile) the failure rate for the RNY for the SMO goes as high as 60 percent.  So that means 60 percent of those that have the RNY and are SMO will FAIL!!!!!   And you don't want me posting over here about the DS?  You people are insane, or are blinded by sour grapes for not choosing a surgery that would be better for you.  I didn't insult the RNY...it is a FACT that RNYers eat less then DSers..and are restricted dietarily for the rest of their lives....it is a FACT that the percent of regain is much higher with the RNy.  If I wanted to DIS the RNY I'd say the following : (mind you this is what I would say if I wanted to DIS the RNY...not what I think):  Why get the RNY?  Do you want to live a life fighting off regain?  Do you want the humiliation of losing weight only to regain it all back?   Do you want to fight with marginal ulcers, blind stomach ulcers, stomas that stretch out, or even worse get strictures?   Do you want to find out in a few years that you are able to out eat your surgery and now because your stomach is so scarred no surgeon will touch you and do a revision to a DS on you?   See thats a "dis" although everything above is fact......I didn't say it.....well until now.  I think you people need to grow up a bit...and stop internalizing every post as an attack ...if you think the RNY is so subpar, then you should embrace my post about the DS surgery. Hopefully there are a few preops out there that are just reading this and saying "you know what I don't want to suffer the rest of my life with the RNY, I should really look into the DS, because obviously it is a more successful surgery.  When I click on scotts profile, I can see medical report after medical report about how the DSers out lose and out maintain the RNYers.  I would be stupid not to cosider this as a surgical option. Scott

There are many good reasons not to brag about being able to gorge yourself when post-op. It perpetuates the societal belief that WLS is "a quick fix". It falsifies the reality for pre-ops looking to take "the easy way out". WLS is not about getting thin. It is to assist compulsive overeaters (for whom the result is morbid obesity, and who have previously been repeatedly unsuccesful) to lose the unhealthy excess weight and regain their health. Most of these people also have numerous illnesses, mobility problems and pain issues, and have to take multiple medications to manage them. WLS has been proven to reverse many illnesses and difficulties of being obese;but you already know this. It is to assist compulsive overeaters with learning how to live a healthy life-style, including not just weight loss, but retraining for proper nutrition, eating habits and exercise. This means facing the reasons we got fat and out of control with our food/nutrition. Unless one is ready to take that plunge, real change won't occur. Obesity is a physical AND psychological illness. It means learning new ways to cope emotionally other than using food. It means becoming a non-compulsive overeater. Maintaining the psychological problems and poor coping skills associated with obesity by use only of a surgical intervention has been shown to be unsuccessful, physically and psychologically. Health is not just about being a healthy weight. It is also being psychologically stable. There is no reason to want or need to continue to consume massive quantities of food unless it is doing something positive for you. Not wanting to be able to manage impulses is childish and troublesome. Consuming massive amounts of calories is not healthy for anyone, unless they are a finely tuned athlete whose body requires it. Relying on malabsorption to eat massive quantities of food is just another form of purging, and just as harmful physically and psychologically as bulimia. Successful WLS can be a life-saving solution. Which type of surgery is better than the other is a personal decision to be made with medical and psychological assistance. To dis one type or another is no different than blasting your religious beliefs onto other people insisting their beliefs are invalid. You only need to take a look at the state of religious fanaticism to understand why tolerance and empathy is crucial. Lastly, anyone who has studied research methods can tell you that citing a study means little to back up one's point of view. Who paid for the study? Who performed the study and how were they associated with the financial backers? Who will benefit from the results? I could go on and on about this. It is easy to find a study to support almost anything you want to claim as true. This forum has been known for it's tolerance and acceptance of all those who participate. It has been as active as the participants want it to be. I find it offensive for an inactive reader to attempt to stir up controversy in order to increase volume of postings. Reporting your success with you weight loss is great. Posting pictures would be even better!! Please remember the goal of the forum is provide support when requested, not to push your opinion on others. -Julie

I think you have some issues with DSers...I did not post anything that was meant to offend any other surgery type.  RNYers and banders have to eat a low calorie diet for the rest of their life, they have to "work their tools" and they often resort to the 5 day pouch test after they are a few years post op because they are starting to gain weight.  THOSE ARE FACTS.....not slanderous remarks.  If those remarks offend you, then apparently you didn't do enough research on those surgeries to realize that would be the life of a RNYer 2 years out.  The goal of WLS is to help you lose weight and get you to a normal weight, study after study (peer review) show that the DS is far superior in helping the SMO lose weight and maintain that weight loss, you youself know that because if I remember correctly you wanted the DS and weren't able to get it.   People come on this forum to research their surgical options.....the DS is one option that a SMO person should consider... As for the whole psychological issue...they operate on your stomach not your head....so just becuase you had the RNY does not mean that you will magically start eating right.   There is actually a study (i think it's in my profile) about how dumping in a very limited study is shown not to have any beneficial behavioral modification effects. People eat wrong knowing they will dump.   You're putting a value judgment on eating too much..as being "bad"...it's not bad or good.....if it's not causing you to gain weight. If you have sour grapes over having to have the RNY...please don't take it out on me.....my post was a happy rejoicing post.  Obviously I have been extremely successful with the DS, and there are many coming up behind us that can benefit from hearing about what a wonderful surgery it is...and how it is a CURE for obesity, not just another bandaide or diet with a choke chain. Scott

"RNYers and banders have to eat a low calorie diet for the rest of their life, they have to "work their tools" and they often resort to the 5 day pouch test after they are a few years post op because they are starting to gain weight.  THOSE ARE FACTS.....not slanderous remarks." Facts? I don't think so. You are looking at only a part of the population who have had RNY. How do I know this? Because I definitely don't fit into that category. I can eat anything and maintain easily at about 2500-3000 calories. Not as much as you, but definitely not low calorie. Yeah, there are those who had RNY that will eat low calorie for the rest of their life. But everyone is different, so please don't make those sort of assumptions. I can imagine that you don't like it when people assume things about your eating habits because they think they know everything about the DS even though they have never had the surgery themselves - and so it is the same with me. I appreciate you trying to educated pre-ops about the surgery, it is very much needed. But please stop with the rhetoric - why is it so hard to just talk about the benefits of the DS without having to compare (or bash, as it would be) all the others?

It's a flip of the coin and you are forunate...many RNyers cannot eat 2500-3000 calories a day without gaining weight.....except for  the men..but then again men eat more in general.   If you look at the WDYET threads on the different forums you will see that you are an abnormality rather then the norm.....so thank your lucky stars you. BTW there is no rhetoric here...I'm just celebrating losing 300 lbs. Scott