Wanted RNY, now Leaning toward DS..Thoughts? Questions..

Hi Jessica!

It sounds like your doing your research and getting the facts, that is the first hurdle!  I am a patient of Dr. Kemmeter and have my DS scheduled for 3/12/12 (right around the corner!).

I chose the DS over the other surgeries for a lot of the same reasons that you have posted.  I wanted my stomach in tact so I am able to enjoy a more varied diet and still be able to take Motrin (my go-to pain med). 

I have a good chunk of weight to loose (236lbs) and the DS has the best stats in regards to the most excess weight lost and kept off.  Like you, I don't want to have this surgery and start to regain the weight back and then I am right back where I started from.  So the malabsorption portion was a HUGE advantage with the DS.

I have heard that the bathroom issues are controllable by your diet.  You eat more carbs you will have more gas and/or diarrhea.  So pack in your protein (I love a good rib eye) and it's all good.  I am a big meat eater and didn't see this as a draw back to the post surgical restrictions.  As a lot of people have said, it is exaggerated because of old data.

The big issue is with the magnitude of vitamins and minerals that you MUST take to maintain your health and weight loss.  It's a huge expense.  Vitalady's DS pack for 30 days is over $110/mo.  But you must be diligent about keeping up on your labs.  You have to tweak your doses based on your lab results and be able to keep up with the cost of the vitamins and what not.  That is another consideration.  You are your best advocate and MUST take good care of your body post surgical or else you can get very, VERY ill.  The people here are so good with helping to understand your labs, but from what I have experience Dr. Kemmeter's office will be working directly with me in understanding my labs and helping every step of the way.

Grand Health Partners have a wonderful informative meeting where they will discuss each surgery give you pros/cons and a question and answer afterwords.  Have you been to that yet?  If not, I really urge you to go.

So, with my insurance I got approval for the consideration of WLS.  I went through lots of blood work, EKG, history/physical and psych eval.  After all that, I had to get a secondary authorization for the surgery.  I was lucky and approved the first time, both times.

Once you would book your DS, they have you pay $1000 up front.  You then have a meeting with a NUT, PA and Exercise Physiologist and pick up the product aka food.  You are on their food for 2 weeks prior to surgery.   So far I am on day 10 of the product.  The food for 2 weeks, chewable vit and iron cost me $180. 

One week into your diet, you have a product check to verify that you are losing weight and get everything ready for surgery, then you pick up your post surgical diet.  This is a LIQUID diet for a solid 2 weeks.  These 2 weeks worth of food cost me $60.

This type of surgery has the best long term results but does require you to be diligent about your vitamins, so there is a bit of work involved there.  However, I think despite the cost and work with vitamins it will be well worth the hassle. 

 WOW! Definitely LOTS to consider! Thank YOU!
Do I HAVE to get my vitamins there? or can I shop around for best priced ones?
I'm glad I'm not alone in the reasons why I'm really leaning towards DS. I feel like for me, it's the best option.
So, with your insurance, what's your copay? or do you have any out of pocket expense? My ins is BCBS and I'm covered 100% luckily.
Thanks for the heads up on the cost. How long have you been on this road toward surgery? How long has it been since your first visit?
Sorry for all the questions, but I really appreciate you taking the time to answer them for me, thank you so much!

You do not HAVE to get your vitamins from Vitalady.  However, there are some of our required vitamins that are really only available in the amounts/types that we need from Vitalady.  I mix and match.  I get my calcium citrate, multivitamin and B complex from Sam's Club.  I get my zinc from wherever I can find aI good deal on it.  I have a prescription for my iron (Proferrin Forte).  I get my A, D, E, K, potassium, copper, mag oxide and mag citrate from Vitalady.  I don't spend $110 a month on vitamins; probably more like $40.   The thing about our vitamins is that it doesn't matter where you get them, as long as you are taking what your body needs in the type (dry form) that DSers need.  Vitalady's DSer plan is a great starting point, but you always need to adjust your vitamins according to what your lab results dictate.  Some people need more, some people need less...it varies from person to person.

 Aundrea, 
Your posting of the early stages of Dr Kemmeters program are exactly what I experienced 8 months ago. All the effort is well worth it. I have made many friends along the way, who like to help prospective WLS candidates. Dont let the amount of vitamins you see people taking deter you from having this surgery. My labs have been super spot on with following Dr Kemmeters baritrician and nutritionists instructions. They have helped me all along the way  to succeed with my weight loss goals.

D.S. diet is most like the Atkins diet in that it is high protein helping you feel comfortably full.  You will be surprised to see the additional food lists with increased choices the further out you go from surgery. You are correct, diet determines your bathroom issues. White flour and sugar may increase gas. Depends on your system.

Any one in the Michigan area wanting to learn more about the D.S. should attend the informational meeting Dr. Kemmeter gives. Its a great way to meet  him and compare the other possible WL surgeries he offers. Its the place to start if you are considering WLS. Even if you are considering having a revision from a surgery that stopped working for you, they advise attending this first meeting, because much has changed over the years in this field of surgery.

 Vitamins  and protein can be bought any where, its easier to get them at their store. The first pre surgery food must be bought there. Theit prices can be compared to on line Diet Direct, and Bariatric Choice. They are all very close.

At one point I was too high with D, needed to find a low D  multi vitamin for a few months. One a Day  vitamins  were fine, if I took several throughout the day, and additional seperate A, E and K, I found at Meijers. Christine, my nutritionist advised me which brands of vitamins to choose. We e-mailed back and forth tweeking all kinds of vitamins, and foods that would work for me.

 Ok that makes sense. And I know I will find out soon enough, but if my insurance is covering my surgery 100%, I'm a little confused why I might have to pay $1000 up front? IDK, I'm jumping the gun I know, I'm just making sure I'm prepared as much as possible.
Also, I just went to Grand Health Partners and registered for a Seminar there for Monday March 16th..looking forward to it!

 The $1000.00 covers preliminary lectures, with nutritionist, PA, and sports physiologist. They give detailed information about the whole process, long the lines of the questions you have been asking. Its much better to learn directly from them, and by reading other on line informational sites from doctors. The PA will tell you how the surgery goes, which hospital they use, answer any of your questions. The PAs will be doing your follow up visits post surgery along with Dr.K. The nutritionist will explain all about the importance of protein, and the many reasons vitamins and supplements are important, and foods in your future. The Sports people will go over recovery and further out reasons to exercise, keep moving post surgery, and you will see them a few times during the first year. All this education is required to qualify for your insurance coverage of the surgery. The first orientation meeting  is also used as a part of the required hours of education. 

 I also want to add, I didnt have any complications. The surgery went very well as planned. I was in the hospital for 2 nights. the pain was minimal, with 2 spots hurting where they removed things. they sent me home with plenty of pain meds, but mostly Tylenol was all I needed. Sipping enough water is the most difficult part. They insist you begin sipping and walking the night of surgery.

All Dr. Kemmeters patients are in private rooms with bariatric trained nurses. The floor in the Lack center was very quiet. When I walked around for exercise post surgery, I rarely saw any one else. the roof top garden inside and out is a great place to walk, and visit with your family. See the saint Mary's site with photos of the rooms, and the garden, solarium.

How did you find *dry* ADEK's at Meijer?

I order mine from Lucky Vitamin and ProHealth.   Those are the only places I've found, besides Vitalady with dry oil soluble vites at the levels we need! (A-25,000 IU, D-50,000 IU, E- 400 IU, etc)

Please tell me you're not taking the oily capsules!  If you are a true DS and not a VSG (top half only) you are not absorbing the oily vitamins!  DSers only absorb 18-20% of all dietary fat!  The vitamins in those capsules are suspended in oil = *fat*!

The science is clear.  The DS is the most effective surgery available today.  That was the bottom line for me.

Have you seen these?

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4454843/Considering-the-RnY- Please-educate-yourself-These-threads/

www.lenoxhillhospital.org/press_releases.aspx

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/4416755/Must-Read-Transcript-o f-Dr-Roslins-Presentation-to-ASMBS-on/

www.dssurgery.com/procedures/compare-surgical-procedures.php

There is no way in hell I would get an Rny knowing what we know about it.  I would have stayed obese if I couldn't have gotten the DS.

~Becky