surgeon put a bug in my ear

Almost 2 months ago I had the DS done with a large hernia repair just below my belly button. The surgeon said I lost 30% of my connective abdominal tissue because it had become wedged in the tear. There is a lot they can do but I understand why he's unsure. If my intestines had been involved, it would have really complicated things.  I'd trust the Dr to do what is safest for you.  

Yea now that I have had time to understand and really think about what he was saying I agree with what he was saying I'm certain he will be able to do the switch completely hopefully...it's was just a blow but I'm past it...I have faith

Faith will not get you a DS in Florida. Get another opinion from a vetted DS doc. Have you read on www.dsfacts.com? It took me 3 times to get a proper DS, sure wish I would of researched better I the beginning and on,y had 1 surgery instead if 3.  Your situation sounds very complicated due to hernias, I would recommend the best as in Dr Keshishian or Dr Rabkin on California . Who is your insurance?  Please reconsider. There are several others too, but check out the vetted list before you move godward and read up n the other site

So ur 2 months post op...how is going for you. ..how much have u lost

I guess technically it's 2 months on 4/25. I lost 30lbs in the first 30 days. Since then, I've only lost 8.4lbs but that's my fault. I've had a problem with nausea so I decided not to take my thyroid meds for awhile. Yea, I know. It was stupid. Still, ppl stop me and say they can see a difference. I can't see it yet but it takes time for your brain to catch up. 

I am still pre-op too.  But I have heard some doctors, not necessarily yours, but some apparently say they will do the DS and then once you get on board with them they only do the sleeve. Then want you to come back for the switch part.  It's called "bait and don't switch". I would not want the risk of being put under 2 times or having to recover 2 times.  Also studies have shown that people who have the DS all at one time have better weight loss results.  I have read DSfacts.com, it has so much information.  I would suggest anyone interested in WLS read it.  There is a list of "vetted" surgeons on there.  "Vetted" means that they have done I think at least 100 DS's.  There are 50-75 doctors in the world on that list.  The DS is a great surgery, just not as common as others.  I chose the DS for several reasons.  One of the reasons is I only wanted to have surgery one time.  I have been on here and some pages on facebook and see a lot of people who have another WLS surgery and then have a revision to the DS. Another forum that has good information on it and a lot of people who had the DS years ago is bariatricfacts.org   Good luck on your journey!

You are NOT going to get the DS.  Your surgeon has already told you in not-so-many words.  You should get the hint and find another surgeon.  One who is SKILLED in the DS, who can handle adhesions, who DOES hernia repairs regularly.  It sounds like your current surgeon is one of the "Bait and then Don't Switch" surgeons, and you still have not mentioned his name.  That tells me that:  1) You know you won't get the DS,  2) You don't want to hear anything negative about your choice in surgeons, and  3) You have already made up your mind.

There are NO vetted DS surgeons in Florida.  You are going to have to travel in order to get the DS in one operation.  That is the preferred way to go, in order to take advantage of the metabolic boost that you will lose doing it in 2 parts.  The main reason a surgeon does it in two parts is a lack of SKILL.  The secondary reason is they are out to gouge the patient for two surgeries.  The only one that benefits is the surgeon.  The patient, however, has TWICE the risk:  anesthesia, infection, injury, bleeding, leaks, and recovery time.  Not to mention time off work and pain.

WHO is your surgeon?

If you really want the DS, then get that second opinion.  There are two DS surgeons in Atlanta, only 8 hours away.

If your surgeon is talking about doing your DS laparoscopically, then discuss the possibility to doing it open to ensure you get the full DS in one round.  The open incision is not that big of a deal whe you're talking about an additional round of time off work, recovery time, twice the risks, etc.  It's worth a larger scar.

Also, call your insurance company and ask them if it's possible to get coverage for a 2 part DS.  You may require additional approval or they may have a "once in a lifetime" rule, leaving you with something you don't want.

Your surgeon is honestly advising you of his/her skill level.  Hernia or not, if yours can't deliver the whole DS, go elsewhere.  You are going to end up with just the sleeve and that will not get you down to a close to normal weight on it's own.  And why should YOU suffer through 2 surgeries and 2 recoveries?  Plus the problems you are going to have with your insurance on the second go-round.

A real experienced DS surgeon can and has done the whole surgery plus hernia repair on 800 plus pounds people.  Really sick SSMO folks loaded with co-morbidities.  If your surgeon doesn't play in this ballpark, get another surgeon.

The fact that your surgeon is warning you of a possibility in no way indicates a "bait and no switch" tactic. I had several warnings
from my surgeon and the nurses that there were rare occasions he stopped if he didn't like what he saw when he went in. I believe this
was mainly due to the fact that he would only do it lap and not convert to open if needed. Thre seem to be more inherent limitations
with the lap process. Mine worked out fine.

While your in a different situation with the hernia (mine was a high BMI of 62) it still comes down to a question of your surgeons skill and
concern for your safety. It's possible you can find a more skilled surgeon to take up your case but that search depends on all kinds of personal
factors.

any way, my point is that vetted or not, on DSFacts or not,  is not necessarily the full story or the only guide. Talk to him about the DS operations
that he has finished and how they did. See if he will put you in touch with one or two of them so you can talk to them about their experiences. That
might do away with some of the fears raised in the thread.

Good luck. I hope it all works out for the best.

Pete