Approved for DS also.....

 So as i posted yesterday i was so confused as to what the surgeon was telling me that i probably confused all of you as well...so i called guelph and asked for clarification and sure enough Dr. Reed did say that i could end up with the DS if i wanted it.....it too would be done in 2 stages as the first would be the sleeve on july 9th then in 6 months to a year at the time of my colostomy reversal he could complete the "switch" part if we thought it was a good idea...so i have been learning alot about the DS and i'm totally comfortable with that choice if i am unable to lose enough weight with the VSG alone. Thanks to everyone on here for your knowledge and support.


all the best

Stephanie

Have you considered having a consult with Dr. Hong at St. Joseph's Hamilton about your situation to see if DS all in one procedure is possible? There is usually no need to do the DS in two procedures other than the surgeon being incapable of it. I have some concerns about what Dr. Reed is calling a 2-part DS and would love to see the surgical report of someone who has actually had this second stage done - but such a person doesn't seem to exist on our board.

Hi Pat,

If I understand correctly, Jenn had the VSG, then the switch part several months later with Dr. Gagne and Jeff Z is about to do the same.

ETA maybe your question was more directed to whether or not Dr. Reed does the switch part?

ETA big congratz Steph!

I know there are a number of people who have had the 2nd stage of the DS with Dr. Gagner in Montreal, but recently there has been a slew of people who have had consults with Dr. Reed where the possibility of a 2 part DS has been raised. Do VSG and then come back and see him in a year for the 'switch'. This concerns me a lot because I don't know where or when he suddenly obtained the ability to do the switch part of the DS, which is not exactly a procedure you can pick up over a weekend. Also, if he's capable of doing the switch, why not do the whole procedure in one surgery? It doesn't make sense to expose people to the risks of surgery twice.

This is why I have some serious concerns over whether what Dr. Reed is doing (or offering to do) is actually a proper DS 'switch', especially when he explains it to people as a VSG to RNY revision. Also, the VSG in a VSG stand alone procedure is usually much smaller than in a DS. I'd be concerned that DSers with VSG sized sleeves would be at a greater risk for malnutrition. Like I said, I wouldn't consent to it without asking him a whole slew of questions and seeing a copy of someone's surgical report that actually describes what he's done.

 Gotcha! I'd be asking a slew of questions as well.

Congrats! I would also look into a one stage procedure.  Who would be doing the second part if you have it in 2 procedures?

Apparently Dr. Reed. This concerns me a little though for the reasons I mentioned above.

 Thank you very much Pat for your comments as i was so hoping i would hear from you....i dont think i will have the DS unless for some reason i can't lose all the weight i need to to be in a normal range bmi....the way it was said to me was that i would probably only lose 60 to 70 pounds with the VSG only and i know that's simply not true as i've been reading and following alot of VSG'ers on here.....i'm not sure why he said that to me but i'm  positive that if i needed something more complicated like the DS done i definately would be consulting with Dr.  Hong to acheive this....also as i mentioned i do have a colostomy and due to severe complications back in 2010 from that surgery that is why if i was able to have DS it would most definately need to be done in 2 stages as others on here are also stating that's how they will receive theirs in 2 stages.

Thank you again i appreciate any suggestions and advice from everyone especially those that have been through it.

Stephanie

The reason the doc told you that you would be unlikely to lose more than 60-70lbs is because that is likely the average for someone your weight. The average weight loss with VSG is about 55% of your excess weight after 5 years - that means that if you have 100lb to lose, you are most likely to be maintaining a loss of 55lbs at 5 years post-op. He is preparing you for what the average outcome is.

There are many on this board who have had much greater weightloss, though I would consider thier hard-work to achieve and maintain that loss 'above average' (still weighing or measuring foods, counting carbs and using fitness apps, exercising regularly, etc). Their efforts are fantastic and I applaud them.

He may also think that a VSG may not result in your desired results for some metabolic reason. The people who statistically do best with VSG are those that are able to lose weight by dieting, are younger and have less weight to lose overall (this is as per Dr. Hong). For myself, even though at my highest weight I only had 100 lbs to lose to put me at the top of a normal BMI, I knew that strong metabolic problems and my ability to do only limited exercise due to knee and foot problems indicated to me that a DS was a better fit for me, especially as I wanted to achieve a normal BMI as diabetes runs rampant in my family (even my Mom who has a BMI of 25ish is diabetic).

It sounds like you've thought this through well and know your options and that what you really want is a VSG and to be successful with it. If at some point in the future though, you consider a revision to DS, I would encourage you to consult with Dr. Hong. Good luck!

 Thank you so much Pat for sharing your knowledge with me and everyone else.  I really have researched all my options for a successful surgery and outcome right now as my health concerns seem to pile up on me as i also have severe problems with my knee and foot, i'm leaning towards VSG and atleast i am aware that in the future if i feel the DS would be something i need i would definately be looking to contact Dr. Hong as im now aware that Dr. Reed is not the surgeon to perform such a delicate operation as the DS for me.  Again i can't thank you enough for helping me to understand what exactly he was telling me.  I truly appreciate it.

All the best on your journey

Steff