Downgraded from DS to Sleeve

Let me start by saying I'm not angry... But as soon as I came to I was aware that I had only been sleeved.. I woke searching for the drain.  I immediately asked and the nurse verified my thoughts.  As I was laying on the table for surgery I did ask the nurse if she knew which procedure I was having and she had verified the DS, :) so I know it was the plan.

My surgeon said that after removing the gall bladder that there was obvious scar tissue from years of babying a bad gall bladder instead of removal. I thought he said that the scar tissue  was on the duodenum, but that doesn't real make sense does it?  He told me that all photos reports etc will be available on my 2 week appt.

So I laid there half upset.. but I'm a little taken back  by how crappy I feel.. struggling to get the fluids but it seems to be improving.  Having a pain that shoots horizontally across my upper back periodically after drinking almost reminds me of a gall bladder attack.  Today I just feel really bruised like I've been stomach punched a few times.. But I think if I HAD to do something I certainly could (shhhhh it's been nice having my husband so attentive and keeping the house spotless for me)

Overall not exactly sure how I should view the change in plans.. we certainly don't want a procedure that our bodies can't handle, just mixed emotions

So sorry!  Who was your surgeon?  We don't like hearing about people going in for one surgery and coming out with another!  Happy healing!

.

Oh wow.  That's terrible.  Who was your surgeon?

Any particular reason you removed Dr Bonner's name?

I got that talk from my Doc before surgery. In his case he said if he couldn't do it he would just pull out. I think your better off at least having the sleeve and maybe looking for someone better to do the rest.

I also think the stomach part seems harder to recover from then the switch.

I think it may have more to do with your surgeon than actually your body. You definitely don't want the surgeon doing something he isn't comfortable with. Work with what you have and see where it takes you. A lot of people do very well with the VSG just not as well as with the DS. In the end you try and be in the successful part of the percentages. 

Keep us in the loop I would be interested to hear his thinking in a little more detail.

Good luck. 

Pete

Laurie, I think the posts here are great.  For whatever reason, your surgeon made a different decision.  If it were me, and it might be, I would be a bit upset at the turnabout but glad that he went ahead with his best decision.  One thing I do NOT want to happen is for that scenario to occur and the doc not do anything at all.

I don't know your religious beliefs but I would take it as God's plan and that had your doc not taken that extra step, something far worse may have been up the road.

Good luck!

Laurie:  I'm curious now.  I just googled your surgeon and his website for the endo practice he is in does not mention Duodenal Switch at all.  It says Lap Band, Gastric Sleeve, Bypass, and "Other", but when you click on "other" there is no Duodenal Switch.  So either you were to be his first, or he never intended on giving you the DS, or I'm missing something.  Did you get a copy of your surgical consent that you signed before surgery?  Did it specifically SAY Duodenal Switch, or just Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gall Bladder removal?  Scar tissue from a bad gall bladder isn't located near the "switch" part of the DS surgery. 

I ask this because my own surgeon ATTEMPTED to pull this stunt on me.  When I was having my IV inserted, he came in and started talking to my husband and I.  He then sprung on me "You realize that you may wake up with just the Sleeve.  How would you feel about that?".  WTF?  I took a deep breath, glanced at my husband (who wisely took a step back, so as not to get splattered with the mess) and I replied "I guess I'd have to deal with it.  But YOU WON'T BE SEEING ME FOR THE SWITCH PART."  My surgeons' face got red, he sputtered a little, left.  I woke up with the entire DS operation.  But I've never been afraid of ******g off doctors.  The way I see it, THEY are working for ME, so they better damn well give me what they promise.  No shenanigans, damn it.  The "surprise" of waking up with NOT the Duodenal Switch would have sent me spiraling into a deep abyss of depression, which is something I struggle with: depression. 

Don't let your surgeon off the hook.  Demand an explanation of why he didn't perform what he promised.  Get a date for the "switch" portion, or get a referral to a surgeon who can do it.  You lose the metabolic benefit of the DS as done all in one surgery the longer you wait.  And I don't buy the scar tissue adhesion excuse.  An EXPERIENCED bariatric surgeon knows how to work with adhesions.  My own gall bladder was infected for over 13 years before it was removed.  It was stuck to everything around it.  But the duodenum wasn't one of those organs it adhered to.  Check out the anatomy drawings.  I don't buy it.

I've been on this forum and others devoted to the DS for over 8 years and never heard of your surgeon as a DS surgeon...so either he's very new at it or he hasn't done it at all. I suspect that a surgeon more experienced with this specific operation might have found a way to get your DS done. something along these lines actuallyl happened to my brother. He had had a terrible bout of gallstone pancreatitis many years before his DS, had his gall bladder taken out open (the only way it was done in those days) and spent over a month in the hospital. Fortunately, he had one of the most experienced DS surgeons, who was able to work through all the scar tissue. It took over 5 hours but my brother got his full DS.

As sheanie said, get a date for the "switch" part of the DS, get a committment, and if you can't get it from this surgeon get it from someone else. The longer you wait, the more you lose the opportunity to have the restriction of the sleeve and the metabolic changes of the switch working together.

I'm glad you are taking this well. I would not have been so gracious. But don't let that stop you from getting the operation you want.

Larra

I have been thinking about this....  SHOULD a patient pay for the docs inadequate skill level/failure to do what he was asked to do?  After all he told you he could do the surgery.  AND you were a virgin DS...not someone with a history of many wls/abdominal operations.  I would ask him to do the switch in 6 weeks for free!!!!!!!!!

And I know this is like mucking out the stable after the horse has gone but how many successful DS has he done???????