limb length
Each surgeon has their preference. Some say they use the Hess method by measuring small intestine, etc., but in my experience most of their patients get about the same limb lengths.
My surgeon is a little more conservative than some. My cc limb length is 150 cm. Some of his are 100 and some 200 cm...but a lot of us are 150 cm.
I reached my goal at about 9 months' out (100+ pounds lost) and have maintained that weight within a pound or two since then. I am about 29 months' out (well, I no longer count in months, but just pointing out that I have been the same weight for 20 months).
I think if you have confidence in your surgeon you can trust that you will get the "right" limb length for you.
Good luck! :)
Felicia
My surgeon is a little more conservative than some. My cc limb length is 150 cm. Some of his are 100 and some 200 cm...but a lot of us are 150 cm.
I reached my goal at about 9 months' out (100+ pounds lost) and have maintained that weight within a pound or two since then. I am about 29 months' out (well, I no longer count in months, but just pointing out that I have been the same weight for 20 months).
I think if you have confidence in your surgeon you can trust that you will get the "right" limb length for you.
Good luck! :)
Felicia
HW 264 SW 248 CW 140.8 GW 140
My bathroom habits are very reasonable. I have a BM every day or every other day. I'm more comfy if I go every morning and find that if I use metamucil at night that I will have a good BM the next morning.
My vitamin absorption is pretty good too. I have been low on A and E, but more than likely I was low before surgery as well.
I have also had to have a few iron infusions, but I was anemic before surgery as well.
So, I do not blame those deficiencies on my DS.
As far as food goes, I can pretty much eat anything without problems...almost. For example, I ate 2 chocolate chip cookies from McDonald's yesterday and had painful gas--but I'm stubborn and knew it would cause that side effect yet STILL chose to eat them. Sometimes I don't give a darn. But for the most part nothing gives me trouble....just if I eat too much.
Felicia
My vitamin absorption is pretty good too. I have been low on A and E, but more than likely I was low before surgery as well.
I have also had to have a few iron infusions, but I was anemic before surgery as well.
So, I do not blame those deficiencies on my DS.
As far as food goes, I can pretty much eat anything without problems...almost. For example, I ate 2 chocolate chip cookies from McDonald's yesterday and had painful gas--but I'm stubborn and knew it would cause that side effect yet STILL chose to eat them. Sometimes I don't give a darn. But for the most part nothing gives me trouble....just if I eat too much.
Felicia
HW 264 SW 248 CW 140.8 GW 140
My experience was great! (He does the 100cm common channel and 250cm alimentary limb - I think....it's been 2 years now and I guess I should pull out my operative report!)
I found him to be an excellent surgeon and doctor who truly cares about his patients. I had a very smooth surgery (he said it went perfectly) and no complications. I had surgery on a Thursday and came home on Monday. My pain was pretty minimal....my biggest issue was being tired after surgery. I threw up once from eating too many pintos and cheese from Taco Bell at 3 weeks out, but that was my fault! I recovered pretty quickly and very well (felt pretty damn normal at 4 weeks out). I flew down the scales and hit goal at 9.5 months post-op and have maintained a little below goal effortlessly since then (so for 11 months now). When I went in for my one year checkup, he said I was his star patient! LOL!
His office staff was a bit of a pain in the ass to deal with, but I hear they are slowly improving. I also hear that the other medical staff (psych and nuts, etc.) are becoming a bit more DS friendly and savy.
I have to say that I use my PCP to get vitalady's recommended labs drawn and I supplement accordingly. My one issue with Dr. Sudan (and this is a common issue amount almost all DS surgeons) is that he does not order enough labs or supplement aggressively enough. So, I go around him to get the labs I need and then I send him a copy and tell him what I'm going to change. It is also MUCH cheaper for me to get my labs done here at my local labcorp than through Duke.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, but I've been out of the loop down there since I'm going on 2 years post-op now. I'm hoping to make it down and get together with some local DSers when I return for my 2 year visit. :)
I found him to be an excellent surgeon and doctor who truly cares about his patients. I had a very smooth surgery (he said it went perfectly) and no complications. I had surgery on a Thursday and came home on Monday. My pain was pretty minimal....my biggest issue was being tired after surgery. I threw up once from eating too many pintos and cheese from Taco Bell at 3 weeks out, but that was my fault! I recovered pretty quickly and very well (felt pretty damn normal at 4 weeks out). I flew down the scales and hit goal at 9.5 months post-op and have maintained a little below goal effortlessly since then (so for 11 months now). When I went in for my one year checkup, he said I was his star patient! LOL!
His office staff was a bit of a pain in the ass to deal with, but I hear they are slowly improving. I also hear that the other medical staff (psych and nuts, etc.) are becoming a bit more DS friendly and savy.
I have to say that I use my PCP to get vitalady's recommended labs drawn and I supplement accordingly. My one issue with Dr. Sudan (and this is a common issue amount almost all DS surgeons) is that he does not order enough labs or supplement aggressively enough. So, I go around him to get the labs I need and then I send him a copy and tell him what I'm going to change. It is also MUCH cheaper for me to get my labs done here at my local labcorp than through Duke.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, but I've been out of the loop down there since I'm going on 2 years post-op now. I'm hoping to make it down and get together with some local DSers when I return for my 2 year visit. :)
There are two limbs: the biliopancreatic limb and the alimentary limb. The common channel is part of the alimentary limb.
I am a fan of the Hess method, which measures the total small bowel length and creates a BP limb 60% and alimentary limb 40% of the total length, with the common channel being 10% of the total bowel length (and part of that 40% of the alimentary limb). That's what I have and I like my results a lot. You can learn more about it at www.dshess.com .
However, different surgeons do the intestine in different ways. Many use a one size fits all approach, of which I heartily disapprove.
I am a fan of the Hess method, which measures the total small bowel length and creates a BP limb 60% and alimentary limb 40% of the total length, with the common channel being 10% of the total bowel length (and part of that 40% of the alimentary limb). That's what I have and I like my results a lot. You can learn more about it at www.dshess.com .
However, different surgeons do the intestine in different ways. Many use a one size fits all approach, of which I heartily disapprove.
Most Active
Recent Topics
