Doubts about DS
The question about compliance also should be noted on what you are compliant with?
Most surgeons give very deficient nutritional advice, which leads us down a dark path regardless of our compliance. Are you following old recommendations or have you progressed with the rest of us as we have compared notes since around 2006?
Val - I'm up to date. My surgeon had me on Vita-4-Life for the first year or so and that became such a joke. That's when I found Michelle and Vitalady! I started following her recommended DS vitamins with supplements to help with deficiencies, like you said probably around 2006 (my surgery was Feb 2003).
I've had anemia issues since the beginning. I ultimately had a fibroid embolization (in anticipation of an ablation to stop my periods) but the embolization actually put me into early menopause. That helped alot with the iron but I still struggle. The last round of infusions didn't seem to do much (immediately spiked high numbers in April/May but my labs in December were in the toilet). Meet with my PCP after the new year and then will probably head back to the hematologist for more infusions.
The osteo issues are partially genetics, age, and the DS. At this point there's really nothing I can do about it. Need to get back to the gym!
Janet in Leesburg
DS 2/25/03
Hazem Elariny
-175
This forum has become very quiet since a few FB groups have formed. There is a group called "Duodenal Switch Patients" that has a strong population of long-term veterans that can give you a good picture of success in numbers.
Valerie
DS 2005
There is room on this earth for all of God's creatures..
next to the mashed potatoes
on 12/31/17 10:52 pm
I have been trying to locate some of the face book groups and I have been unable to.
i had a revision from Vsg to DS on 12/19/17. At the same time had a hiatal hernia repair, gall bladder removed and appendix, almost 2 weeks post op. Would be great to have another resource for questions, inquire about others experiences, challenges and successes.
thank you.
Hello,
I have doubts about what I'm about to do, in january.
I have severe asthma and hormonal problems that are aggravated by my weight. My BMI is 41 and I have decided for a duodenal switch. I am self pay, and I am far from rich.
What do you think about going for a DS with a BMI like mine? Is it worthed?
Thanks.
(Sorry, english is not my first language...)
I had the gastric bypass with a starting BMI of 61. I'm down to a 45 BMI and am feeling terrific. I find it helpful to look at pros and cons and I'm sure you have your own list. DS does seem to provide quicker weight loss than Bypass and it has a greater average percentage of weight loss, I think, if my memory serves me correctly, 5%. Those are good advantages and if they are the most important to you than DS would be your obvious choice. But there are cons. Vitamin supplementation is very important for bypass and DS but whereas it's very important for bypass, it won't kill the bypass patient although there will most likely be some very serious consequences. Vitamin supplementation for the DS patient is critical so if you are not good with keeping up with pills and vitamins, you may want to even consider the sleeve rather than DS or bypass and the sleeve is a very good and effective operation. I had pretty bad Gerd so a sleeve wasn't the best idea for me. Also, you have to take a lot more vitamins with DS than bypass and you can prepare yourself for a $200 vitamin pill bill a month. In addition, despite the extensive supplementation, you could still have problems with malnutrition. I will admit that one of my concerns with the bypass was how much change there would be to my digestive tract and there is even more change with DS. Personally, since your BMI is fairly low, bypass or sleeve might work just as well and since I do have asthma myself, I can certainly sympathize with you.
