Long term effects of the DS?

I have thought long and hard about the DS and I love the fact that it has so many beneficial points to it, Ive talked to so many VETS on here , My sister has had it 7ish months ago and is doing good, I have a great surgeon , I feel 100percent comfortable with my choice of type of surgery I chose, and the choice of surgeon...  I am now noticing posts about stabilizing the labs, supplementing and so forth, and I am OK knowing you have to tweak your levels by supplementing more or less~ I'm still in love with the DS,  Now it comes to new thoughts  processed over the last week after reading about the 15 yr old who wants the DS and the reply of Dianne Cox which had said some key stuff that got me thinking.... ok so NOBODY has lived with the DS longer for about 23 years... Do we know if that 23 year out DSER is still alive and counting or if they are having probs or passed or any other info as far as long term effects, I mean I'm 34 and 57 seams a Lil short:/...OK then we come to another question as far as I have researched I know that melaborbtion(spelling?) is an issue , however I was wondering only because I have lost a sister to Breast Cancer at age 36 if kemo or any other drug used to battle these horrid unfortunate deceases , would have to be used in a stronger manner to work being that DSers have  to supplement more because we would not absorb all of medication, would that apply with any drug or just the Vitamins ? I'm sorry if I sound stupid but because breast cancer is in my immediate family I'm hoping that if I was (god forbidding) needing treatment such as something serious does it lesson my chances or do you know? I do plan and asking my surgeon these same very questions but my appointment is not til 9-28-11 just wanted to see what you guys thought~  Just nervis about life after 10 yrs~20~30 years out....  

I have been wondering the same thing myself so it will be interesting to see what the vets have to say.  For me, the surgery was necessary to make it through the next 20 years (not to mention at almost 400 lbs my quality of life was pretty bad)...so there was not really a concern there about the years after that.  But like you, I am pretty young - 32 to be exact, so this is a high concern.

at least I dont feel stupid for asking, I just need to know , I too am 400 plus this is a must ! but I will not go in blind folded I want to know as much as I can so I know the choice Ive made and what my kids and I have to live with... yikes at least im not the only one wondering, lol thanks

Chiming in with the 'youngens' here! Interested to see what pops up about this because I'm like a baby to the DS world. I'm 22 so I'm sure hoping to make it past 45

Chemo - everyone metabolizes drugs differently.  They have to test to make sure the patients' levels are correct.  If a med isn't being absorbed properly, they can change the amounts, or change the method of delivery, change drugs - or, as a last resort - revise or reverse the switch.

The 15 year old boy isn't even finished growing.  He hasn't damaged his metabolism too much yet; he hasn't damaged his joints too much yet; he hasn't damaged his chances of having a normal adulthood yet; he doesn't have comorbidities yet.  He has time.  You are already 23 - I don't know how big you are, or what your comorbidities are.  But indeed, you have a long time to live with the surgery.  It is something to consider.

As far as we've heard (although this information is now 7 years old) the first DS patient is still alive.  This is from the website of the first DS surgeon, Dr. Hess, who has since retired (dshess.com):

•First BPD/DS  performed in •The world (3/24/88) a Redo, •From a failed gastroplasty, •In Bowling Green, Ohio, is •16.5 years post op.   Wt. 454 •To 218 lbs. today Nov. 21,04 •(BMI from 60 to 29 kg/M2) •

thank you so much dianne for always answering my questions , I knew if anyone would know it would be u:)  it just made sence to just ask it instead of just wondering ~thanks again

Diana Cox....

You are incredible. I think of you as a walking DS encyclopedia. Thanks for posting that about the first ever DS patient. Interesting.

I chose this surgery because it offered me a new chance at life. I had high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease and pcos. My kidneys were being damaged by all of the medications I was taking just to survive normal life. I will live much longer as a person with malabsorption than I will as a very sick, medicated woman. I just have to make sure to keep my labs in check and work on my health in a different way.

I pray for another 50 years. That would give me 90 wonderful years of life on this earth. I'm counting on my DS to make that possible.

Good luck to you! Hope you find all of the answers you are looking for.

I agree with you she is amazing.....  and I know the Ds will be so beneficial to me as well, I'm just a chicken butt, I to pray for fifty years,  that will bring us close in age lol that will be 84 years lol good enough for me thanks Hun for the luck 

 Diana,

You are indeed a DS enclyopedia!!!!!!!!!  Considering how short my life would have been with diabetes (more than likely, didn't have it prior to my DS but it was coming I can assure), sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, I choose to have the surgery.  The benefits far outweigh the risks!!!

As of January 2010, when I conducted a phone interview with Dr. Douglas Hess for a paper I wrote, "Number One" was in his early 70's, maintaining his weight loss and doing great.