Your decision for DS ?

When I read the science that showed greater weight loss AND greater maintenance of that weight loss over years I decided.  I had already read about the eating habits and how you get to keep your pyloric valve and all that that means.  After reading the science and how the actual surgery is done it was just a matter of finding a surgeon and jumping through the pre-op hoops.  I have never regreted it.  WIsh I had done it 20 years sooner.

Read DSFacts.com

~Becky

262 size 3x

147 (today) size 4

Moken, sorry  your thread has been somewhat hijacked.

To reply to you, I chose the DS because it has the highest percentage excess weight loss, best maintainence of that weight loss, and best resolution of almost all comorbidities of any wls. Weight regain is the dirty little secret of gastric bypass, and the failure rate for gastric bypass is far higher than most people realize.

    The DS also allows for the most normal pattern of eating of any wls, the ability to take NSAIDs safely (contraindicated for life with RNY), no or very rare dumping, no food getting stuck, you can drink liquids with meals, does not cause reactive hypoglycemia. Because we only absorb about 20% of the fat we consume, we can eat just about any form of protein without worrying about fat content.

I had the DS almost 7 years ago. I have absolutely regrets.

Larra

I had my DS five years ago. I wanted a surgery with the best long-term success rate. I did a ton of research on PubMed, reading as many scientific peer-reviewed journal articles I could. And I wanted to eat normally, like a thin woman who likes food.

I knew people who had the band and RNY and they regained and had all sorts of problems, from ulcers to slippage. They ate food that had no appeal to me. I wanted to eat things I liked, from meat to cheese to dessert.

I am THRILLED with my decision to have the DS with John Rabkin in San Francisco. I have lost and kept off 180-185 pounds, depending on the day and time of month. I eat normal food and I do not exercise like a maniac.

Do your research. Get a good surgeon.

Nicolle

I chose the DS because I did not like the anatomy of the RNY, with the construction of a "pouch", and the fact that villi regrowth reverses the malabsorption after about 2 years.

The DS leaves you with a functioning stomach, not a manufactured pouch.

I also wanted a surgery without food restrictions, as I figured if I was going to have to diet after surgery, what's the point of having WLS? 

The numbers on regain were better for the DS than the RNY. 

The vitamin supplementation requirements are significantly higher for the DS, but taking more supplements, for me, was a small price to pay for a surgery with permanent results.

My surgery was done 2/25/2009, with Dr. Margaret Inman at St. Vincent's Bariatric Center of Excellence, Carmel, IN.

I have lost, and kept off 245 pounds.  My DS is still running like a freight train, and I consume about 4,000 calories daily to keep my weight stable.  I will never have a high cholesterol problem, because only 20% of fats consumed are absorbed with the DS.  High blood pressure issues were resolved.

I went from a snug size 32/34 to a comfortable size 8/10 dress (sometimes 4/6 depending on how its made) and size 12  to 14 jeans, which is to accomodate the loose skin on my thighs.

I plan to have skin removal surgery this year.

I chose it because of my 8 year old son.  I needed the best surgery to restore my health so that I would be around to raise him.  I didn't just want to BE here, I wanted to be an active mother.  I am already feeling better with my 65 lb loss and am looking forward to taking him on a 2 week trip to Yellowstone this summer.  I just know that I am going to be able to withstand long days of hiking around by then.  I can't wait to live the life I have always wanted to live.  And now i know that I will.

I did a lot of research on WLS, and started down the road to do an RNY.  The more I read, the more I knew that the DS would work better for me.  I know myself, and I would not have kept the weight off with the RNY.

I think the biggest reason I did the DS was the 98% cure/remission of diabetes.  I didn't want it crippling me and shortening my life as it had to so many people in my family. 

After researching I found the DS was the BEST!

Reason's:

best weight loss

best stats for maintenance

eat high protein

eat high fat

pyloris valve (this is a big deal-look it up)

98% cure rate of diabetes (no other surgery can boast that)

you will never be on a 'diet' again (you do have eating requirements but never worry about fat or calories again!)

Things you need to understand with the DS:

you need a good surgeon, not just someone who says they do the DS (check dsfacts.com for a surgeon, if he isn't on there i would question it)

you need to supplements for the rest of your life with vitamins (this is not something you can slack on)

you need to battle the carb monster (this will always be a battle and is why most people can't gain weight)

you need to be mentally stable

you need to be a strong advocate for yourself especially with your doctors and your follow up care

good luck with your decision:) I LOVE MY DS!

The DS has the best results of all the available weight loss surgeries.  Long term, short term...there's nothing else out there that can beat it.  And if I was going to have surgery, I wanted the best available with the most normal postop life.

Hi Maureen,

First I had a complete hysterectomy, uterine cancer. They removed it all, a complete cure, but I have checks every 6 months for 5 years. My already high weight quickly escalated out of control. My surgeon /oncologist said being really thin would lower the chances of getting cancer again. i have a genetic link to cancer from both sides of the family. With no time to waste, I called the local hospital for info about a medical weight loss program. They said nothing worked except weight loss surgery. 

I went to the local bariatric surgeons lecture, signed up with him, but wanted to research all the possible surgeries and have a meeting with him before deciding. In the time till my appointment, and researching on line, I found the Duodenal Switch and Dr. Kemmeter was lecturing about all the surgeries- he does them all. I attended his lecture, decided on the spot he was a way more caring surgeon, and I wanted the D.S. for the following reasons. I pulled out of my commitment to the first surgeon, and continued with Dr. Kemmeter. He said he would do any of the surgeries I wanted. Since my insurance- BCBS of Mi would only pay for one surgery in a lifetime, I felt compelled to go for the surgery that would give me the best chance of avoiding regain to be thin, as a cancer deterrent, and keep me very healthy with a good variety of foods, and vitamins, and supplements. The suggested foods are most like the Atkins diet, with as much meat, all kinds of protein, low carb, veggies, some fruit. I wanted the Surgeons team of specialists to monitor everything connected to succeeding with this surgery. My first surgeon didn't offer a team approach. Dr. Kemmeter's  team consists of a  bariatric nutritionist, behaviorist lectures, sports physiologist, and a  well stocked bariatric product store at the office. At the lecture, I just jumped in deciding this D.S. was the only surgery I would have . the others had so many down sides. I was very used to the Atkins way of eating, always lost  weight with it, but regained. With the D.S. help, I could lose all my weight reaching my goal the first time in my life, and I did it.

Yes, I would recommend the D.S. over all the others. Research how it is to recover from bariatric surgery, its a big surgery. It took me a month to get used to the feeling of being full with a few bites for the first weeks. Swelling from surgery takes about 5 weeks to disappear. Now I can eat more of a normal amount of food, have protein shakes and protein drinks to get in all my daily protein needs. I agree with all the posts ahead of mine. Here is my list of important reasons to have the D.S.

Intact pylorus for normal digestion

Malabsorption factor, to insure least amount of regain compared to all the other weight loss surgeries

High protein/fat foods for health, and to maintain weight loss

Tiny stomach to restrict meal size, less food=less of you( Iost 1/2 of myself) But never hungry, you can eat any time, as much high protein foods as you want.

No pouch, I have my stomach, just smaller ( this part cannot be reversed)

Close monitoring of labs/blood tests to insure good health, for longevity.

Now that I am less weight, exercising at the gym is fun.

Comorbidities solved- knee and hip arthritis pain resolved, I can walk pain free, and exercise for toning, and muscle development.

Hypothyroid swelling , and pitting edema resolved.

My oncologist said there are so many other things we don't know about that are resolved with weight loss.

Ability to take NSAIDS, cant do it with a pouch. I need it for arthritis, and headaches, and cramps.

No dumping, or vomiting when we are eating out with friends !!!!!

Vitamins and supplement amounts determined by your labs done on schedule( not an option)

Take charge of your health, you are your best advocate. Learn all about the D.S. to help your PCP understand, they may not have any other patients with it. My PCP internist has teamed up with me to handle my care.

I can eat treats within reason- popcorn, ice cream, chocolate, gummie bears, starlight mints-hard candies, brownies, pizza, cookies..... If I gain a few lbs, I have a few days of high protein/veggies. The lbs drop off easily. I have been maintaining my goal weight for 9 months now, easily. I lost 135 lbs in 8 months, reaching my goal, started with a high weight of 255lbs. I'm 18 months out from surgery now. If you knew me then, you would never recognize me now.   ;-)

I really like all the support of all the super people here who are years ahead of me. They can answer any of my questions , so I can understand the functioning of my D.S. better than my doctors. 

I'm sure I could add a few more to my list, but I have covered the ones that really apply to me. I am happy, healthy, look great according to my husband, trim, lots of muscle development, way more energy to do more every day. I'm walking faster through life, smiling, pain free.

My surgeon has been doing bariatric surgery for 40 years . He mentioned to me that had he known in the beginning what he now knows about the DS he would have always recommended the DS. The statistics support the  success of the DS over all the other surgeries. Now that's pretty much all he does.