Am I too small for DS? And can you live a very active life after DS?

I'm currently just under 260. I've been on OH enough over the years to establish that if I ever needed to revise (which I do) I'd probably have DS.

I looked at a local doctor in Atlanta and his website said DS patients have a BMI of 50+. My BMI is around 45. Am I too small for DS?

Also, in my thinner days I enjoyed a very active lifestyle. I lifted heavy weights, lots of hiking, etc.. Is it possible to consume enough food to sustain a very active lifestyle after reaching goal weight?

It really depends more on your insurance company than the surgeon. I don't believe 45 BMI is too small for a DS, especially if the band has failed for you.

I guarantee it is possible to consume enough calories to have that lifestyle. But you'll need supplements. Protein bars and shakes help a lot. I have eaten a Pure Protein (20 g) bar every morning for breakfast for the past 11+ years. On active weekends (yard work days), I drink a Premier Protein ready-made shake in a single-serve carton. They are 30 g of protein. I get them at CostCo. Both protein sources are very low in sugars/carbs.

If you are going to be hiking, you could take either or both with you. But the shake needs to be cold.

I weighed 251 on the day of surgery. No, you are not too small. You will probably have to fight for the DS. Many do.

You can be as active as you want. Postop, I kayaked the Amazon, rode a horse across Mexico, went diving all over Tahiti, and went rappeling too. I also run but not long distances. I run for weight control.... And I can gain weight just like anyone else. You can eat enough food for any activity you wish to do.

You're not too small and you can keep an active lifestyle. I was under 40 BMI when I had surgery. My surgeon will give a DS to folks who are terrible snackers and get most of their calories in snacks vs meals. He says a snacker will out-eat all the other surgeries. If you can go out-of-network for your surgeon, you might want to check out Dr. Hazem Elariny in Northern Virginia. He also does revisions. Good luck!

--gina

Most insurance companies want a bmi of >40. Not too small for the DS. As far as living an active lifestyle, it is possible to consume enough calories after reaching goal. You may need to supplement protein, but you can worry about that when the time comes.

I believe my BMI was 42 when I started the process, but gained more before I had the DS. I was definitely not too small for the DS.

As far as being active - yes, you absolutely can eat enough to stay active. Since having the DS, I have travelled extensively and hiked many trails including the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and several days in the foothills of the Himalayas. I do carry protein bars or supplements with me. It is possible.

The only two surgeons I know of that did the real DS both moved out of state. That being said, there are oodles of docs that picked up on what they tout as the "New DS" that must be easy as pie to perform because they pick it up having never done a DS beforehand and still don't. This new hybrid has been around for a few years, and may be called SADI, SIPS, or Loop DS. This hybrid may be a good option, but it's still unproven over time (DS has been around since 1988) so long-term success is yet to be determined. There have already been a couple who have revised to the real DS, though, so to me it's not showing promise of replacing the DS but perhaps the RNY down the road...who knows? I know of two DS surgeons in neighboring states. One is in Celebration FL and the other is in Knoxville TN.

Oh...and you're not too small for DS. The requirements are the same as those of any other procedure. My BMI was 44 when I had mine. I'll bet the surgeon you see will try to talk you into a VSG instead. It may be all he does. Some shady surgeons have been known to lure a patient in saying they do a DS just to talk them into something they actually do.

My BMI was under 40 - 39.? If I remember. I also had 2 co-morbids, and fought with Kaiser to cover the DS.

I did learn at the Kaiser RNY seminar that some folks put rolls of quarters in their pockets for a higher weight as they made you lose 10% before surgery.

I've jumped out of an airplane, several ziplines with rappelling and freefalls, scuba diving. I don't know of any limits that you can't do after a DS. You need to wait until you are healed. After losing weight activities are much easier.

Yes to the active lifestyle! I hike 8-10 miles most weekends, walk the golf course, climb mountains..... I have no problems at all and lots of fun that was totally denied to me prior to my weight loss.