My endocrinologist discouraged the DS

I had a BMI of 39 when I revised from my RNY from hell, and I'm healthy as a horse. No tpn, no problems, and I'm definitely not underweight, lol.

RNY sucks and I wouldn't wi**** on anyone. Take it from someone who has lived through it. Go to the revision board and take a look at all the post-rny people (and bandsters) who are looking for revisions. There are even people who have been through three surgeries before deciding on a DS revision, and that's the only one that worked for them.

My  hematologist is against any wls.  (He treats of lot of the iron deficiencies and all.)

And then he starts explaining and it comes out something like, "Well, but I know that you had to do SOMETHING...and this has helped you get your life back...but not every patient is as pro-active as you are...I swear, you understand why you need theses tests better than I do...I really think wls is bad because if your body ain't broke, don't do surgery to fix it...but then, maybe it WAS broke and maybe I'm just concerned about people who DON'T follow up like you do..." and on and on.

That's why I didn't have my hematologist do my surgery.  lol  (I also don't have my surgeon do my iron infusions.)

You've already had life with a pouch. How's that going? Obviously not too well, or you wouldn't be revising. I hate my pouch from my band with the passion of a thousand fiery suns! I would not get another pouch if you paid me. If I can't get the DS, I just want this removed, and I'll get a VSG. No way am I going to live with a pouch for the rest of my life. A pouch, no pyloric valve, low-fat, low sugar forever? Nope.

 My PCP was against me having the DS.  She said I would be malnurished and sick within 6 mos.  I'm 16 mos post op, 100 lbs down and healthy.  I think doctors say that when they don't fully understand the DS.  

This is a big decision but remember you are making a choice for the rest of your life. You want to pick the surgery that will give you the best chance of keeping your weight off for your entire life. For me, that was clearly the DS. 

Go into this knowing you will always have to take your vitamins, get your protein in and drink enough fluids.  

16 months,  24 months,  30 months...this is all very early on.  You  must think about THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

I am 11.5 years out and guess what - I just had labs done and I am SEVERELY Vitamin A deficient,  never happened in all these years,  and yes of course I take vitalady Vit A blah blah.  I am also anemic,  need iron infusions now 3 times a year (used to be 2 times a year).  

Things change over time. 

Just read a post on another board - woman is 10  years post-op - issues. 

THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME. 

Keeping the weight off is of course the reason to have the DS.    But you MUST be educated about all the things that you may need to do FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

It's easy to say "oh you will just have to take vitamins and get protein in"  but sometimes that is NOT enough.  Not enough at all.  **** happens.

ny*****
Since you're so far out from your surgery (11.5 years, wow!) do you have any advice for us newbies.  You mention that "You must think about the REST OF YOUR LIFE."  That's pretty much all I've been thinking about these days.  Do you regret having the DS? I've been thinking about how I keep hearing that yes, taking the vitamins are important (IMPERATIVE) and getting in the protien is vital, but that down the road iron infusions, etc. are pretty much a given.  And you mention that you're severly Vitamin A deficient now as well.

So, what, if anything, different would you have done these past 11 years?  It seems that the benifits out weight the drawbacks (at least for me) but I'd love to hear more from you (and from other vets) about your experience 5-10 years out.  The info from those who are 2 years out doesn't seem to be enough for me.

Thanks,
S

Thank you for posting ny*****   I am trying to get information from folks like you that have been DSd for a long time.

Has the procedure changed over the years?  Also, can you pinpoint anything that could contribute to your recent deficiency or do you just feel it's due to the surgery? 

I'm considering the DS as a revision and I don't want to make the same mistake twice.  Any info you can share will be most appreciated

I have been lurking all boards for awhile, trying to figure out which surgery is for me, I ignore all the BS, and cheerleading, you seem to be honest and tell it like it is and I truly respect that.  You have me think twice about any surgery especially the part about THIS IS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Many people do not get THAT PART of weight loss surgery, they just want to get the weight off, but when that's done, then reality sits in and we must LIVE WITH THAT SURGERY FOR LIFE.

I really appreciate those who've had their surgeries a long time and be very honest and truthful with it, again thank you.

 You replied direct to my post so perhaps the original poster may miss this.  Maybe repost to her?

VERY VERY TRUE.

Since I was so terribly sick, it was easy for me to comprehend that I was exchanging one set of problems (and certain death) for another set of (potential) problems, that I would ALWAYS be a medical patient. This made my expectations very different from those of a basically healthy fat person.

I've had the privilege of spending a good number of hours with the Vitacouple this past week (and am on my way out to spend more YAYAYAY--Michelle and I are going on a thrift shop rampage ). It has been ever so enlightening and helpful to watch how they get along as folks in their late teens (they say they were "born" on their RNY dates; it's one of their little jokes) who have experienced some significant issues.

They are also able to talk for days on end about what they've seen by observing hundreds if not thousands of people's health over the years. I am so grateful for this kind of learning opportunity and the longer term perspective it gives.

Preops--and postops who are being lackadaisical about your regimens:

The DS "medicalizes" you for life. Prepare to live with the equivalent of a chronic medical condition forever.

This doesn't mean you necessarily will EVER get sick from it. It means that, like a diabetic, you will have a daily regimen that you MUST manage correctly or YOU WILL DIE AND DIE BADLY.

It also means, again like a diabetic, that your health can change due to complications of your condition. It might not EVER change for those reasons. But it could. You have to be willing to take that chance and to devote yourself to whatever efforts you have to invest to treat yourself if it *does* happen.....Bearing in mind that you'll have to be smarter than your doctors in the basics of the DS.

This is why some of us curmudgeons *pointing at self and Ms Cal Culator* say that there should be a competency test for having the DS. (Actually this should be true of ALL WLS, but since the DS is the biggest gun, it's the biggest issue IMNSHO.)