Diverticulitis? Can you get a DS?

I had DS a few months ago, cured my diabetes.  My older brother just found out he is a type 2.  No shock, both of our parent are, all of our grandparents, etc. and we all be chubby.  I was going to discuss the awesome side effect of a possible diabetes cure with him, just as an FYI.

About 10 years ago, he had a severe case of diverticulitis, it landed him in the hospital 14 days.  Abscess the size of a softball, they cleared the infection and removed several inches of his intestines, etc.  Has anyone heard of this disqualifying you for the DS? 

I only ask because he seemed pretty convinced when I had a case of presumptive diverticulitis this summer that my surgeon wouldn't to the surgery.  I did call my doctor and they said it wasn't a problem, but it wasn't that severe.  I just took antibiotics.  My brother had something much more major.  Of course, there are so few doctors here that do DS he may have been thinking RNY, the way he said it made it sound like he had been looking into surgery until he was told he couldn't do it, but I'm sure it wasn't the DS he looked into.

Any thoughts?

Diverticulitis almost always involves the colon (large intestine). the surgery done for the Ds involves the stomach and small intestine and doesn't involve the colon at all. And since his severe bout of diverticulitis was so long ago, the inflammation and infection he had are long gone.

Not only do I see no medical reason here why he couldn't have the DS, it's far and away his best chance for permanent resolution of his type 2 diabetes (you probably already knew this). It could be that he has been given misinformation by someone trying to steer him to a different operation because they don't do the DS. Or, he could just be worried due to how sick he was with the diverticulitis, or he could be worried about something else and using this as the "official" reason, or he might just not be ready to go forward with bariatric surgery yet.

If possible, see if he would be willing to have a consultation with a DS surgeon. A consultation doesn't commit him to anything and would be a great opportunity to learn more and ask questions that might relieve his concerns. After that, the decision is his.

Larra

I have diverticulitis and had an abscess which landed me in the hospital for over two months. My surgeon, Dr. Rabkin had no qualms about giving me the DS. In fact, my colon problems seem to have been relieved by the DS. I hope you brother doesn't let this opportunity pass him by.

i was diagnosed with  diverticulitis years before my ds.  surgeon knew this before my ds and i still have the same 3 pouches in my colon today. 

I was diagnosed with it 7 years ago, and I've had some really bad issues with it.  I reported this to the surgeon, and he didn't ask me about it.  I had the surgery and it hasn't seemed to affect that issue at all. 

I eat a lot of fat, so I am better since the surgery.  I get flare ups when I get constipated, and that just doesn't happen to often any more.  I'm usually fighting the other extreme.

I have had Diverticulitis flares since '08.  I was hospitalized 8 times between '09-'10 with it.  I did not have health insurance at the time.  No surgery. 

Technically, there is no reason why a person cannot have a DS even if they have had a colon resection.  That is correct. The DS has been used in Europe for much longer than the states to cure Type 2 diabetes.  Remember, the DS is the small intestine, the colon the large intestine - the 2 are totally separate from one another.

I was dormant from Dec 2010 until May of 2012, then had a flare.  I made the DS surgeon aware of this when it happened.  Took him the CT Scan disk as well as the report.  He told me that the DS would actually probably cure it because he had several people that he had done it with.  WRONG!!!  Remember this a surgeon is a cutter.  He does not diagnose things in the body.

I had my DS 9.5 mo ago.  I have been fighting with Diverticulitis again since Feb.  I was hospitalized for 8 days home 2 back in for 9 days with it.  I have had 2 flare ups since I got out of the hospital.  From my CT Scan 2 weeks ago, I have Colitis now.  My GERD is 20 times worse.  EGD shows Ulcers at the bottom of my esophagus (not Barrett's or Erosion), the biopsies came back severe acid reflux.

I have been trying to find answers and may have found finally this week.  PLEASE NOTE: not through my surgeon who is a cutter not a diagnostic Dr. 

I am about to go through a colon resection.  Had I known all what I know now, I would not have had the DS "ESPECIALLY WITH A COMPROMISED COLON".  EVER, EVER EVER!!!  I am going to lose about 25 inches of my colon (that is a guess based on the CT Scan****il he gets in there he will not know for sure. My BATHROOM issues have not stopped since surgery, slowed down some days.  They are always there! 

My body is overproducing acid.  Where it is coming from, I could not figure out except for our stools.  I have been on every PPI out there, now we are trying the last one I have not tried.   I went to a different Dr this week to see if he would have an idea.  He thinks my pancreas is producing the acid.  My stomach is so small, the part of the stomach that makes the acid he said was taken out.  The pictures from my EGD are bad.  My bum is bad.  He said I am complicated because we don't know if it's coming from something to do with the DS or from my Diverticulitis now colitis.  It's like my stools are burning the insides of my colon because of acid.  I had my gallbladder out in the early 90's.   My surgeon doesn't have a clue as to why this is happening. 

This is simply - MHO

Good luck if he has it done!  He'll be running to the bathroom all the time!

I had a colon resection due to diverticulitis (which is the surgery you are describing that your brother had) approx 2-1/2 years prior to my DS.  I consulted 2 surgeons about getting the DS.  One (the less skilled one) said he would just give me a sleeve after the prior colon resection.  One surgeon (the one I used) said yes.  I have had some problems with bile diarrhea since my DS but I also had problems with that ever since my gallbladder was removed.  It seems to flare up after every abdominal surgery.  If your brother had active diverticulitis with recent problems I would say no to the DS.  But since he has already had a resection done and has already recovered from that surgery, I think it will probably be okay.

How is your diarrhea now?  I'm about to go through a colon resection.

Thanks a bunch!

A.C.  I think we have talked about this before but on facebook.  I'm Wendy.  In case this is someone else I take Colestid to bind my bile salts and that controls the diarrhea.

Yes, my friend... I wondered if it was you or someone else.  I'll send you an email later.