Regrets??

7.5 years out - no regrets - no problems!

My advice on deciding is looking at your own diet history and results (or lack thereof).  Did you get results when you simply ate less?  If you did and just regained when you stopped dieting, then the sleeve could keep you in line.  If your body fights you tooth and nail, yielding little or no results no matter how extreme diets are, then you may need something more than just to eat less.  The metabolic boost of the DS can overcome the toughest of body resistance.  It definitely worked for mine.

 None here!

 No regrets!   

No regrets.  About my only complication was Iron level post surgery, no complications with the actual surgery.  I picked this surgery because I have only heard of one person revising after having a DS.  She is on the boards here. 

Betty

I'm so glad to see so many people proud of their choice!!! I am 1 and 3/4 years out and I started at 320 and my lowest weight I dropped down to was 110 and it was still falling off me I was terrified it wouldn't stop. I was so weak I could barely gt out of bed, I lost all my muscle and almost all of my hair. I went from a size 26 to a size 1 in a year. I couldn't eat anything or drink anything as it all hurt my stomach, I mean really hurt, so it made it almost impossible to eat or drink which also made it impossible to take my vits!! Long story short... This surgery is very serious lifestyle change, not just dedication but also dealing with certain emotions and attachments regarding food, relationships, taking vits and getting labs done. I didn't start taking vits until I was a year and 3 months out if you can imagine how low my labs were getting it was a chain reaction. I'm just saying make sure you truly research your options and be sure of the choice you make and go into this journey knowing you have the best knowledge for your choice.
As for regrets....well kinda tough for me to say right now. I don't think I have any really. Only thing I have really said is I look older now, and I really miss eating and enjoying food. I still is uncomfortable to eat but I force myself to do it, I even get around 200 grams of protein each day to get all my levels up since I've only been diligent in taking vits since Feb,2012. I did chose this surgery because it had the highest % of weight loss, also because it was the most normal for eating, and the least likely to gain back my weight!! Of all the choices I know I made the best one for me.

I have a Sleeve and I don't regret it a bit. It was certainly the right choice for me.  I do think, however, that DS is a better option for many people.  It would be a great choice for my husband, for example, if he had a BMI over 30 :) Since you're self-pay, it's about  choices  not insurance constraints.

VSG works through three mechanisms -- restriction, reduction of hunger hormones, and earlier satiety due to the illeal brake mechanism.  With DS you get all three of those with the added benefit of malabsorption which allows you to change your eating habits less than you have to with VSG. 

I'm 5'2", size 2-4, 21% body fat.  I eat 1500-2000 calories a day focusing on protein, first.  I do strength training 2x weekly and some sort of cardio 5x weekly.  That's pretty much the same as my 'normie' girlfriends in the same age bracket (44) and who are of similar size who are dilligent about maintaining their weight.  With VSG, if you are not active, maintenance calories can be as little as 1000-1200.  That's a far cry from how most people live pre-op and can lead to regain 3-6 years out; however, even those *****gain tend to express high satisfaction with their VSG. With DS, if you're not active, you can still eat 2000 or more calories a day ( someone can correct me if I'm wrong) which is less of a dramatic change from pre-op life. 

The trade off for that malabsorption is malabsorption, greater dilligence with labs and vitamins and the intestinal side effects for life.  Make no mistake, vitamins are part of VSG living too.  Just not so much.  If you have lots of co-morbidities and are taking pills by the handful to start with, at least vitamins are cheaper than the latest and greatest diabetes and cholesterol drugs.  DS resoves diabetes -- particularly long standing diabetes -- better than any other surgery.  It overcomes hormonal problems like PCOS better.

Think long and hard, then think again.  Once you make a final, informed decision, keep moving forward and you'll be fine either way.

Hi Krazydoglady,

Regrets? Sure I got em. I regret that I got the VSG first believing that it would work for me. It did work at first, but was not enough for me. I never lost all that I needed to lose, and then I started gaining back.  

I revised to the DS about 10 months ago, and have never been happier. Yes, I had really bad complications immediately following surgery. The complications were caused by the severe adhesions formed from my VSG and other prior abdominal surgeries. I regret that I put myself through two surgeries, when I could have just had one. I regret that I put myself through four years of trying to make the VSG work for me, feeling like a failure and watching my health decline.

It is a personal decision, to choose which surgery to have. I think you really have to take an honest look at yourself, your health, your lifestyle, and the lifestyle you want for the rest of your life.

I have no regrets. I have had no complications due to my ds. I chose the DS because of the long term success rate. I was/am willing to commit to the vitamin/lab/protein rules in order to be healthy. My best advice is to think twice, cut once.

I want to thank everyone *****sponded. After talking to my husband, I am going for a DS. I am so excited and nervous. I am really glad you were all honest with your opinions and experiences.
Thank you!