Psychology and ds

I am very close to my surgery date and like most of you am doing as much research as possible. As part of my research I spoke with a woman today who had DS 12 years ago and asked about her journey. She had started her journey in what would be considered the "infancy" of the DS. Here were her experiences:
- at 12 years out her gas is so severe it limits what her activities are outside of her home. Her gas has become much worse in the last few years, so 9 years out. She explains it that at the beginning of the day it is not so bad, but as the day progresses it becomes much more severe. She acknowledges she has not always been the best ds post op patient. However she feels she eats within what would be good eating healthy in the ds surgery regimen but still suffers. she also suffers from iron malnutrition although she is very knowledgeable about her meds, vitamins, labs and takes approximately 40 supplements a day. She has lost all her weight but feels she "has traded one disease for another". Meaning she is no longer dealing with only obesity related issues but has now traded them for an entirely new set of new
health problems. do others feel this way? Now facing malnutrition and severe gas issues.
My question is where is the research on these issues on patients who are 12-18 years post ds surgery? Are these problems common to all or very individual? I don't want a new set of problems after 12 + years. Any thoughts?

Maybe she has bad gas because her common channel was made shorter?  There seems to be a tendency to make them longer, as was discussed in a past recent thread here.  I don't know what the standard was 12 years ago.

I believe most would tell you that gas is related to what you eat.  If you eat a bunch of carbs: white flour, cookies, candy, etc, then yes!  Those things give most of us gas, and therefore, try an stay away from them.

What I really think.....anyone who has the DS needs to be in a reputable support group, here or on proboards.  You need education.  Someone 12 years out who thinks they are compliant, may very well not be.  Compliant based on what and who?  The best information will come from the thousands who have had this surgery.  Many people think they are compliant based on what their surgeon says at an annual checkup.  Time and time again, surgeons do a great job cutting, but not a great job in offering followup advice.  

The need for iron infusions is common among women.  That is minimal compared to the decreased risk in diabetes, etc.  if you think that once you have the DS you never have to worry about your health again, you are wrong.  However, there isnt a normie non-DSer out there who doesnt "worry" about his health.  Its life. It's aging!  And by far, I am healthier now and thinner than I would have been without my DS, with my health being the number reason why I had the DS.  I would absolutely do it again.

As a newbie  I considered many of the same issues before my surgery. While I recognized that the problems the women you spoke with are on the curve of possible results it seemed that today they are at the extreme end of the spectrum. I'm just over a month out so I can't speak to the vitamin deficiencies but as for the gas it seems directly correlated to what I eat.

It's a hard call to compare the results from a surgery 12 years ago with the results you would get from a surgery today. Medically 12 years can be a lifetime (or not) you just can't tell without more details about the actual surgery.

I would suggest talking to your surgeon about how he thinks the procedure has evolved over the past 12 years.

For myself I am happy with my decision and will deal with any future difficulties. Good luck on your journey.

She explains it that at the beginning of the day it is not so bad, but as the day progresses it becomes much more severe. She acknowledges she has not always been the best ds post op patient.

Most probably starting at breakfast, where she eats toast or pancakes.  It gets worse through the day as she eats more carbs at every meal.  Gas is directly related to what passes the lips.  No doubt about it.  I've done the experiments.

The iron issue is something most of us will battle with, especially women.  But 1 or 2 infusions a year will fix that.

but feels she "has traded one disease for another"  I would trade my diabetes (which killed my mother and grandmother), sleep apnea, high blood pressure, back and joint pain, social anxiety - I gave it all up for my new disease that allows me to live a rich and fulfilling life.  My diabetes (which I took 3 meds for) is gone.  My sleep apnea (requires an expensive machine) is gone.  High blood pressure (more meds) is gone.  Back and joint pain (more meds and immobility) is gone.  I am more outgoing and social now than I was in the last 20 years (anti-depressants are gone) - because being MO, you become invisible and just fade into the background.  Thank God I have a new disease! 

Most importantly, it’s not like I had a choice!  I’ve tried every diet out there.  I’ve worked out at the gym every night, eating 800 calories, and still could not lose weight.  I tried different drugs, different meal times, and different foods.  I could not lose weight and the fat was killing me.  I tried every other avenue before resorting to WLS surgery.   I did a lot of research, and a lot of soul searching - and I picked the surgery that would work best for me personally. 

 

I was a self-pay.  OMG If there was a different way I could have spent that money, I would have. 

 

I'm not sure how this relates to psychology and DS, but I'll happily share my experiences being 7.5 yrs out myself.  SO much more is known and shared today than it was even when I was new.  Dry vitamins to be better absorbed...probiotics to keep the bacteria in check (which controls gas) along with what kinds of foods trigger it.  Much of this has been revealed and shared greatly over the last 5 years or so, to the point of it now being gospel.  Back then, it was every man for themselves.  If I eat the right foods and avoid the wrong ones, I have little to no gas at all.  I'm also in great health!

Valerie- I guess I was psychlogically distressed by the woman's story of her DS journey! ha ha

10 years out here and I have no problems.  And I'm not a gasbag either.  And BTW gas that gets worse as the day goes on is because of what she is eating.  After the first couple weeks I had no limitations.  When I was 2 weeks out I drove 80 miles and picked up a car then drove back home.  And the car was standard so I had to shift gears.  My surgery was open and my CC is 75.

Let's see, I kayaked the Amazon, rode a horse across Mexico, dived the South Pacific, rappelled down cliffs, rode zip lines, and cruised both hemispheres post op.  I also visited quite a few places without modern sanitary facilities and ate questionable foods.  I'm still here!  If this is trading one disease for another, bring it on.

Yes, I take a couple handfuls of pills every day.  A minor inconvenience compared to morbid obesity.  I have never done probiotics because I've had no problems.  I doubt I'm going to go downhill much in the next 2 years so now you have another story that's totally opposite.  I believe this person has issues because of her diet.  I wonder if she had a true DS or the old BPD?  Who was her surgeon?

Here's another thought for you to ponder.  What will your life be like in 12 years if you do nothing?  Will you still be alive and have a life worth living?  Will you still be mobile and how many meds will it take to manage your comorbidities?  Life is a crapshoot and we all take our chances.  My future was pretty grim and I figured I was better off even if I died in surgery.

Preach it, Patty!  

And BTW, the first true DS was done by Dr. Hess in 1987.  The patient is probably 80 by now but he was on Hess's website when he was in his 70's and he looked like any other 70 plus yo man.

One other thing I wonder about the person you met....  Has she stayed up to date with her surgery?  Participate in forums and learn from her peers?  Things change and we can't rely on our medical professionals to know what's best for us.  We have to be informed enough to be our own advocates.  We have to participate in our postop care.  The DS is not a do it and forget about it surgery!

I'm 9.5mo out.  I would recommend it for those who are 500lbs or more and severe Type 2 Diabetes. 

I have more Dr's now than ever before.  I am compliant.  I take at least 4 scoops and usually 5 scoops of protein powder in something that I make, I take 34 pills for supplements a day.  I now do my labs every 2 months because with the DS (NO ONE has been able to explain this), a person's White Blood Cell count runs low - not everyone.  I'm one of those people.  I take more medicine now than I ever have in my life.

I can say without a doubt I would not do this again.  For me, it is a trade off.  Other's on here are the lucky ones - I'm happy for them.  The ones like me won't speak up because they don't like the broohaha that comes when stating their opinions of their experience with this surgery.  I don't worry about it anymore.  I think this surgery has it's place in the world.  It's helped a lot of people.  It's not for everyone! 

 An interesting fact, I was in my surgeon's office this week.  One of the office staff and this is a quote:  "Our current patients who are having just the sleeve appear to be losing more weight than our DSrs."  When I went in there over a year ago, to discuss the sleeve or the DS,  The surgeon said "You need to have  the DS because we are seeing weight regain with the sleeve after 5 yrs"  

I will agree with other's ~  If you are not willing to make the committment to taking the vitamins, getting the correct amount of protein, then this surgery is not for you.

I've lost a lot of weight, look great.  As far as how I feel, I am just hoping one of the posters is right, at a year, things will turn around.