questions

I have to make a final decision on a revision surgery this week and I just can't decide. Please tell me why I should go with the DS over the RNY or Sleeve. I worry about quality of life with the DS. I have read so many things on this board. Dry skin, dry hair, gas, leaky bowels, keeping up with vitamins etc. Is it hard. Do you worry about your health a lot? I noticed most people revise to the ss from all other surgeries. Do people gain their weight back with the ds too? I really need input. I hope to hear from you. Thanks in advance!

You can always do the DS as a 2 parter.  Have the sleeve, then later do the DS.  STAY AWAY from the RNY!!!

I think it's a 50/50 chance to have complications and/or issues.  I just think people don't talk about the reality.  All we hear about is how great it is... Then for some like me, reality bites!  I'm not bitter or angry.  It's just a YMMV thing!

I am only 8mo out tomorrow lost 147lbs but have some serious issues and am having to make some big decisions in my life.

It's a unique surgery, in the fact that EVERY single person reacts differently.  Your Mileage May Vary is the best reality statement of this surgery.

The dry skin and dry hair and hair loss will go away over time.  I have always been a vitamin person but monitoring is extremely important. 

No one has been able to show me "real" studies of how much we malabsorb.  I do believe everyone is different.  We are not clones nor are we repeats.  I think there are those of us who absorb a lot of certain foods and none of other's.

I don't know that people have serious weight gain, I think there is some rebound weight gain but not a lot.  The Vets can answer that question better than me. 

The DS is the best shot at long term WLS success.  It has a proven track record for Weight Loss. 

A lot of people have no problems.  It does work, you have to learn to work it.

It does cost a lot more than what my surgeon said.  I spend $136/mo on Protein alone.  Probably around $160 on the average of Vits.

It's a lifelong committment!

You have to do soul searching to make sure it's right for you!

Best of Luck to you!

 

 

$300.00 a month on supplements!? Seriously? Holy Cow. Now that scares me. I do not have that kind of money to blow per month on vitamins and protein. I was under the impression that it would cost me around 150 a month at the MOST. 

This is making me reconsider. I would hate to get sick because I cannot afford the supplements. 

That is HIGHLY unusual.  I average about $50 per month for vites.  Another $50 per month for premier nutrition RTD protein shakes from Costco.  I drink one 30g shake per day and get the rest of my protein from food.  Early out, I drank 2-3 per day, depending on how much I could eat, so protein cost can be higher early out.  The Vitalady plan is a great way to go starting out and then tweak per your labs.  The initial cost is high, but then you can just order as you need.  Don't get me wrong....vite/protein cost IS something you seriously have to think about AND commit to for the rest of your life.  It is non-negotiable.  You HAVE to take your vites and eat your protein.  However, the amount the previous poster stated is really at the HIGH end and unusual.

 

She said PROTEIN, not shakes/powders...and if you add the cost of meat, yeah, I can see the $150+ for that a month. The difference is that while I AM spending more of meat and vitamins, my prescription co-pays have gone away. I was easily spending about 200 a month on that. And that did NOT count the months I hit the donut hole where I had to fork out $1,000 + for mine. I hit the end of it where they paid all usually ONLY in Dec only to start all over the next month.

Also remember in your protein budget, you are NOT spending money on junk food anymore.

Also, while initially the vitamins were expensive, after you get your labs, you find what you really need and can tweak it.

For two of us (BOTH DS'ers) we average about $200 a month in meat/protein and about $75 a month in vitamins...but we ONLY have 3 prescriptions between us now. Use to have ELEVEN all by myself! And he had eight!

Congrats on coming off of some of yalls meds! That is amazing! 

Thanks...my only two are thyroid meds, dh's ONLY one is also thyroid.

But some of the ones I was on were really expensive...without insurance or during the donut hole in my medicare policy, there were a few that were well over $500 for a 30 day supply. My medicare didn't even come close to covering the cost of those during the donut hole gap. And leave absolutely NOTHING for food/housing/gas/etc.

Now, we don't spend enough to even come close to the donut hole with what we are on now...still in step one in Dec. (step three is the donut hole).

Irishnurse-

Don't look at the supplement costs as blown money...the supplements are a very necessary part of staying healthy with a DS, and something my pre-op counseling and classes hammered home at every opportunity. On the other hand, I know people who do very well with just the bare minimum...B12, B1, Multivites and Calcium citrate is what my program recommends.  I am not one of those people.  I think this is one of those YMMV ( your mileage may vary) issues.  Those who can, do, those who can't, supplement like there's no tomorrrow.

You will get very sick without them if you have a DS.  With a VSG, you still will have 100% absorption, so you will still be able to absorb all of your normie-sized doses.

The DS is above average in terms of protein and vitamin expense, but then it is an above average surgery.

In spite of the cash outlay for vites and protein, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 When I say blown I am not downsizing the need for them. I understand the importance of them. I am just one income for two households and four people so I was shocked that I might have to throw 300 dollars more to bills. I can see that it depends on the person though so it may not cost me that much. I am one of those people that never misses or pays a bill late. I am very anal about being prepared, so I have to have all my finances in order before I do something. lol. I was not expecting 300 a month for supplements but  I am learning by these posts , YMMV. 

Either way I have to have this surgery to live so I better suck it up and do some math. 

Tina-

You don't have to spend 300 bucks a month.  I might spend that quarterly, but the key is learning what supplements to take, then combing the Net for the absolute lowest prices.   I don't use Vitalady exclusively for my vites, and I buy protein powder in bulk, 10# at a time.

I search for the best prices possible for the supplies I need from several different sources, mostly mail order, but some local.

When you're first setting up as a pre-op, I would recommend buying Vitalady's full 90 day schedule for when you're just out, then if you need to, use her kit, and your labs as a guide in searching for more economical sources.  I still use certain Vitalady items, but I get others elsewhere.

I'm like you, I like to have everything in order.