Considering DS in NYC - would love feedback/questions answered!

Hi everyone,

 

My name is Liz and this is my first post on this forum! A bit about me...

 

Hmm, where to start. Well, shockingly, I've struggled with my weight nearly all my life, I was a chubby kid who turned into a heavy adolescent. I was anorexic on and off for about 7 years in high school and college, leading to 3 separate hospitalizations/treatments, and after my last treatment center in 2007 the weight just all came back with a vengeance (irony!)

 

I'm pretty short (5'2") and my weight has fluctuated between 180 and 265 (my current HW) for the past 9 years, with the exception of a period a couple of years ago when I had really bad stomach ulcers and got down to about 155. But then of course, all the weight came back - every time I lose, I gain back even more.

 

I also have PCOS which makes it even more challenging me to lose weight and keep it off. I have been considering WLS for a while but I finally stepped on the scale for the first time in 2 months last week and discovered I had gained yet another 30 lbs...and I'm just feeling like I'm out of options. I can't do this on my own and I need a tool to help me.

I think DS would be the best option for me as I think I would respond better to malabsorption vs restriction - I've found even when I'm eating hardly anything I barely lose .25-.5 lbs/week due to my poor metabolism, so not sure a restrictive option like sleeve or GBP would be right for me.

I'm scheduled for an info session at Lenox Hill with Dr. Roslin next week and would love to hear from you! I have a lot of questions:

 

1) What made you choose DS vs other WLS and are you happy with your choice? Why/why not?

2) Physically, what was the hardest thing for you post-surgery?

3) Psychologically, what was the hardest thing for you post-surgery?

4) How soon did you feel "normal" again - eg: weren't nervous of feeling sick at work, etc?

5) If you are in NYC, did you have a surgeon that you loved and who was it? (If you know of Dr. Roslin, would love any info!)

6) Does anyone have PCOS and if so, was the surgery as successful for you?

 

I'm excited to hopefully be taking this step but of course also very nervous!

Nice to e-meet everyone and looking forward to reading your replies! 

Welcome Liz,

    I think the DS would be a valid choice for you. The whole metabolism thing sounds familiar to me. Even though we talk about restriction and malabsorption I personally believe that there are other changes from the switch part that change some of the things that pre-op I might have put to a broken metabolism. Whatever the actual reason it just seemed like I reacted differently to some things after surgery than I did before. One of the reasons I think the DS was a great choice for me.

    For your questions that I can answer:

    1)  Yes, I am still happy with the DS 3 years later (4/15/13) and would do it again.  I chose the DS because of the amount of weight I had to lose and because of the stats on weight regain. I didn't want to get operated on to just regain like every other diet my whole life. I also liked the fact that it left me with an intact stomach instead of a pouch but came to appreciate that more post-op than I really realized pre-op.

     2)  First 2 weeks just sucked. Common to every stomach surgery I think but true none the less. I also had a drain tube that leaked at the edges which at the time drove me nuts. I was sure my insides would leak out too. Glad I had laporscopic, I'm not sure how freaked I would have been with a big incision from an open surgery. :) After the first 2 or 3 weeks the pain wasn't so bad, kind of felt like I did a million situps. It seems at the start every day was hard with a different thought or concern. People talk about hormone dumps as the initial fat is washed away. I don't really know but I was all over the place psychologically and pretty whiny and needy online (thank you to everyone that put up with me and even those that didn't). The hardest thing over the first year was I had some foot ulcers that I expected to clear up pretty quickly but I really needed to lose a lot of my excess weight before they mostly healed.

    3)  Psychologically, a couple of things. Even though I saw plenty of evidence I was losing I didn't picture myself as thinner. Even now I have days where I'm just fat. It's a head thing. Also, just the idea of the vitamins bothered me the first year. Taking them wasn't a problem but believing they were doing what they were supposed to took time and repeated labs.

    4)  By the end of 5 weeks I could power through a normal day (desk job) but still felt like taking an afternoon nap from weeks 5 to 8 and then I could just tell things were getting noticeably easier all the time.

    Those are the things that come to mind. I had my DS at the Cleveland Clinic so no help on Dr. Roslin.

   Keep asking questions and also use the search button to look for older threads with answers. I spent a lot of time pre-op in the archives because sometimes I just wasn't sure what to ask.

    Congrats and good luck,

Pete

Thank you so much :)

Hello Liz.  I'm on my 11th year as a post-op

1) What made you choose DS vs other WLS and are you happy with your choice? Why/why not?

Knowing what I know about myself and how my body resisted every time I tried to lose weight via conventional methods, I knew that I needed a significant metabolic change.  The DS gives that and the best statistics for long term weight loss.

2) Physically, what was the hardest thing for you post-surgery?

Daylight savings time...seriously!  My body is on a regimen of full bowel emptying first thing in the morning.  The time change messes me up and it takes several days, sometimes a week or so to get my schedule in gear again.

3) Psychologically, what was the hardest thing for you post-surgery?

In my first year, food just wasn't as palatable as it once was.  Nothing sounded good to me, or if I was craving something, I was underwhelmed once I started eating it. It made me sad, and this lasted a good 9 months.

4) How soon did you feel "normal" again - eg: weren't nervous of feeling sick at work, etc?

I returned to work 2 months post op, and it was perfect for me.

I've got  no input for 5 or 6, but welcome!

Thanks Valerie!

Good to know re: the BMs - to be hones this is the part I'm most nervous about. I have "shy bowels" - aka I HATE pooping in public restrooms, or really anywhere but my own bathroom. I'm single now and live alone but when I had roommates even using our shared bathroom brought on a ton of anxiety, and I would usually run baths at the same time.

I know that's something I'll obviously have to deal with if I elect to move forward with surgery but I'm terrified!

Hi Liz,

There are several or more people on this forum that had surgery with Dr. Roslin. He has been in practice for many years and has extensive experience with all WLS options. 

His approach is very direct, and he is highly dedicated. I went to him about 18 months ago ago my original surgeon decided to move and said he was no longer willing to perform a DS on me.

I decided on the DS since it is the gold standard in my view due to the "keep the weight off" quality of the procedure. Dr Roslin came across as a flat out pro as soon as I meet him. He generally recommends the SADi DS, a variation of the standard procedure that allows for a longer common channel and less surgical risk.

I took his advice on the SADi, and I lost all the weight in 9 months (150lbs). I'm generally healthy but one of my biggest fears was losing too much weight, which is something that has happened. I'm working on gaining now but it's not easy for me at this point. You would expect the longer common channel would lead to less malabsorption but not true for the people I know who have had this procedure. Everyone loses all the weight.

I have no regrets right now, but monitoring my weight loss daily.

 

Great info, thanks! Do you know if he ever does pure DS anymore? I think I would be more comfortable with a procedure that's been around a bit longer?

Yes, it's your decision.

Dr. Roslin is an excellent surgeon. I had my surgery 10 years ago....and woudl never go back. I've maintained my weight loss....relatively easily.

I'm a guy...so no PCOS here.
The most challenging part? The first 2 months were hard...but life gets easy...taking vitamins becomes part of life.

I think the normal question is interesting...I didn't feel normal at almost 500 lbs and I don't feel normal at 200 lbs....lol....but that is just me.

Hi. I agree! Dr Roslin is the way to go! I had the  SIPS on 12/3/13 and I have maintained my weight from 268 to 110/115. Dr Roslin advised me to go with the SIPS but he let me have the final choice the day of surgery. I follow a strict food regimen  and so far it has worked for me.  I am pleased with my choice.