Please comment on my lap band doc email regarding DS

I received an email from my lap band doc and I feel like it coming from his heart & now I am torn.  My surgical date is either Feb 14 or 21 with Dr U.  I was planning on going Monday to the bank to put the down payment in Dr U bank account to book the surgery.  I do not feel My lap band doc was up front with me regarding my lap band or maybe I was looking through rose color glasses and wanted the lap band to work so bad I was sold on it without taking into account the failure rate.  I am a self pay.  I want to make sure I am making the right decision and I thought the best people to ask is other ds pt's.   I have to be honest the information I have received from this site has been more helpful then the doctors so I would be grateful if you would take the time to respond as it will assist me with making a life long decision.  Thank you sincerely Donna

Here is the email from my lap band doc............ I omitted only stuff which applied to his baby however any thing to do with the DS I kept and did not alter other then protecting some names he offered. 

  So one last time- consider this all carefully. I don't think you need that malabsorption and all the issues that come with it. You will lose weight fast - and will struggle at first to keep up with the protein requirements, and probably will be protein malnourished for a while. 
Do consider just the sleeve portion of the DS or just a plication.  They are easier on you, and your body, and do not have the malabsorption. 
I won't bother you again with that opinion, but hope you keep it in mind, because I really do have your best interests at heart, and would really like you to think again.  Remember, I've done more DS than most people - and one of the reasons I stopped was in 2003 I did over 350 DS and in 2005 only 3 people came back to follow up with their labs. There are still some DS patients who I follow - they are on facebook.  I have banded over two (Kim  and Bonnie ) (note I removed the pt's last name as they did not give me permission) - and one- Stephanie  is doing well and living in Tampa- the other Kathy has regained a fair bit of weight, but is a lovely person, just got her nurses license and is working for a GI doc.   So- you might think about asking them.  They have given me permission to talk about them.  I have asked my old DS patients to identify themselves on Facebook- so perhaps you can interact with them.  
First year is a b&^$# (changed the 4 remaining letters as it might not be allowed on this site)   with DS - up to ten stools a day.  There are some things that can help with it.  I have those outlined in my first book.  Lots of gas.  It is like having Ally all the time without being able to get away from it.  It does settle down- although some patients have no issue with any of it.
 Me again........I am hoping to make the decision and never regret it any help would be so appreciated.  Note I only lost 16 pounds with the band.  
Sincerely
Donna

I disagree with your Dr. I had the Lapband also and it almost killed me. I was considered a lightweight at the time of surgery. I had 100 lbs to lose. Yes it's come off quickly (60 lbs in four months) but my health is up to me. He said only three people came back to follow up with labs. Really? Out of over 350 people?? Obviously they didn't educate their patients properly! 

I know that if I was going to have this surgery I would have to have labs done every 3 months, take a buttloaf of vitamins daily and adjust them according to my lab results, and I'd have to get my protein in. If I have a small tummy day I add protein drinks. I know what I have to do to be healthy. The choice is mine and mine alone.

Research, KNOW what is required of you to keep you healthy and go with it. Having already had the Lapband and the mess it made of me I was unwilling to risk any surgery other than the DS. It is the only I trusted I would not need another revision from.

 

Thank you for replying.........  once I received his email then I felt like strange because he was trying to talk me out of it or rather reconsider.

I am a self pay however regardless I do not like to keep having surgery.  I am praying the DS is a life time fix. 

I plan on having my labs drawn every 3 months.  I am not sure what the vit supplements are but I will take that as well.  If you could tell me what to expect with vit I would appreciate it. 

I want to be thinner I am not thinking this will change who I am other then the fact I hope it easier on my back as I have arthritis. 

I am so tired of feeling like a loser because the lap band did not work. 

Can you tell me is my lap band doc is exaggerating in regard to the number of time you use the rest room sorry to sound gross.

Thank you
Donna

Ultimately it's up to you.  It's your body and don't let anyone make the decision for you.

For me I had the DS because:

1. I am morbidly obese, had struggled on diets etc for 25 years without keeping the weight I lost off.
2. Was likely to die from co-morbidities and never see my son grow up.
3. Would NEVER have the lap band for soooo many medical reasons (also had a friend almost die because her's cut through her internal organs) and I knew it wouldn't work for me as my biggest enemy was milk.  Also had no intention of taking on the complications of an RNY.

I'm 9 weeks out from surgery now, I've heard of one person who has several bowel movements a day (because they didn't have the DS that keeps the Pyloric valve), I personally only go once a day (this business of spending all day on the loo is one of the biggest furfies Dr's tell about the DS).  I am regimented in taking of my vitamins and my protein (shakes) which is ALL IMPORTANT with the DS or YOU WILL DIE eventually.  For me it was a no brainer after doing a year of research into ALL types of weight loss surgery, I can say for certain the DS is the tool for me and is currently in the process of saving my life.

Now you need to understand if it is the tool for you.  If you're only slightly overweight, maybe it's not.  You do need to remember though that if you commit to any surgery, you're going to need to change your eating habits one way or another (just like you would have had to with the lapband).  No surgery is bullet proof, they all rely on commitment and common sense AND above all going to a surgeon who is proven in the operation and follow up.

I hope this helps a little for you.  Good luck!

Thank you for replying.  I love milk as well do you have any problems drinking it now?  I am committed to do what ever needs to be done.  I will take the supplements both protein or vit.  Every time I went to the surgeon office for a fill  I was told the lap band is not failing it is a tool I needed to learn to work with.......   I have 10 cc in my band and I do not feel like I have any thing there at all.  I feel like by going back to the lap band doctor and continuing to have fills is like the definition of insanity I have been at this for some time and I am expecting a different outcome however I am still the same wt.  I trusted my surgeon I even went back and had a port changed but still nothing.  I had my surgery in 09 and I am looking at the DS pt's and  they are where I was hoping to be.  I want to be able to move.  I am so tired of taking long acting pain medication for my back. Oh and this is another reason why I liked the DS because I can take Motrin.   I have done a lot of research and I feel the DS is the best fit for me.  Of course I do need to work and going to the bathroom 10 times a day would be difficult to get on with my life.  Thanks for your candidness as it is a uncomfortable topic for the average person and I appreciate your response. 
Sincerely
Donna

Hi Donna,

At only 9 weeks out I can't just have a glass of milk anymore (which makes panda sad) but that may change in the future.  I can however have milk in my decaf tea and consume other milk based products like yoghurt, cheese, custard etc.  Cream is my new best friend because of the high fat intake DS'ers need (or else we end up looking like scaly creatures from the black lagoon that shed their skin every week).

If you're committed to the vitamins and protein (which it certainly sounds like you are) I say go for it.  Get the Hess DS (the one that keeps the pyloric valve) and you won't have the going to the loo issue... in fact unless you get a decent amount of daily fats you might even find you're the opposite because of our calcium and iron supplements.  Find a good surgeon and regain your life!

I wish you all the best!



 

thank you

 I disagree with him. 
1. I go to the bathroom in the am, seldom later, no way 10 times or more.
2. no reason to be protein deficient, if at first you can't eat enough protein you can drink protein shakes.
3. I had the band and to keep it short "it sucked"
4. almost immediately felt better once the band was out and I was able to eat "normal" again
5. just because not many people follow up with the surgeon does not mean they are not successful, I get my labs done through my local doctor. Every 6 month now, my labs are very good and I have no problem taking the necessary vitamins and eating the protein that we so badly need with this surgery.

I'm very happy with the DS.

I am so grateful you responded as your experience is similar to mine since I had the band as well.  My lap band MD keeps telling me it is a tool and that I need to learn to work with it.  I have 10 cc of fluid and still nothing.  I want to scream if I hear him tell me it is a tool again. 
I was concerned when he stated the number of bathroom trips per day would be 10 as I am a single parent and need to work but it sounds like from the replies this is way off.
I agree with you perhaps it was cheaper for the Pt's to fu on their labs else where.  I doubt if that many failed.  I honestly felt like he no longer did the procedures because he liked the quick money lap bands brought in however when he sent the email to be and sounded concerned about my well being I stopped and thought about it for a period of time. 
I was completely convinced the DS was the procedure for me and selecting between 2 surgical dates and then he emailed me.  He is taking care of my paperwork for being off work because I am going to Dr U in Mexico to have the procedure.  I feel good about who I have chosen as he has emailed me personally when ever I had questions and I had the pleasure of contacting someone on this site who had the same procedure by him and is doing well.  Glad to hear you had the DS and would do it again if presented with the same questions in life again.
Sincerely
Donna

 Donna, I don't have the issues he's talking about because I've come here and learned how to take care of myself. I have followed Vitalady's advice and I'd put my labs up against any band patient and mine would be better. Maybe his follow up isn't the best and that's why his patients have issues. I've only met band patients looking to get the dang thing out and revising to the DS. I don't think I've ever heard of any DSr wishing they'd gotten the band. 

Are you also on the other board where the vets are? There are quite a few revision vets there as well as Dr Ungson's patients.

--gina