"lightweight" seeking revision RNY/ DS

I went to see my original surgeon on yesterday (I was told he was performing revision DS surgeries).  He thought he was smooth showing me charts with the RNY and the BPD/DS.  What he is doing is actually an ERNY because he is NOT changing the pouch to a sleeve, just making more malabsorption (he refers to it as biliopancreatic diversion).  Well, I'm going to be smart and get all my paperwork completed and approved and when I do, I will be seeking out another physician who does the DS.  In our discussion, he was telling me how complicated the surgery would be due to me having my original surgery "open" and the scar tissue and changing the pouch to the sleeve, "yada, yada, yada".  I just sit there and acted like I was so interested and knowing what my plans were all the time. 

Is there anyone here who has a recommendation for DS surgeons who are close to North Carolina?

SMART GIRL.  You def don't want an ERNY.  It's the worst of both worlds. 

I strongly encourage you to post on the DS board.  You'll find lots of revisioners there who can advise you along with others in your neck of the woods.  I know some DS surgeons will take revisions on a case-by-case basis but in terms of actual revision surgeons I only know of Keshishian and Rabkin in Cali.  Greenbaum in Jersey does them, but has stopped for the time being (I think he's got a backlog of revisions into next year.)  Gagner in Montreal can do them as well and he's a lovely man.

My first piece of advice is go see a qualified DS surgeon!

I'm 5"4" and 238 at the time of surgery. My diabetes was out of control and I was going to start insulin in the next few weeks.

When I had the DS, Dr. Gagner came into my room that night and said  "you'll never need diabetes medication again"  I half heartedly believed him, but I actually didn't go back on my meds and today (10/28 will be 2 years) I am sitting at a 4.5 A1C!

Because I was a lightweight, the plan my doctor and I agreed upon was to just do what I was doing and concentrate on protein first.  I didn't have to "low carb" it like many others....but, your plan may vary....this is what WE agreed would be best in my case!

I'm sitting at 138-140 lbs and in a size 4.  At my lowest, I was 132 lbs in a 2 and although the number of a "size 2" appealed, in reality, I look much better now at a 4!  Mind you, I can still get into a 2, it's just not as loose...LOL!!!

This was the best thing that I could have ever done for myself!  In the end, the only thing that matters is that if it will fit with your lifestyle and what you want to accomplish with regards to your health!

Best of luck!!!

I'm so totally done with this thread. Preach all you want. The DS isn't the wonderful thing you all talk about. Chronic malnurishment for your entire life. How healthy is that? I choose not to go that route. I choose for an RNY, and that's what it comes down to YOUR OWN CHOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So jump off the wagon called my back, and stop preaching! I don't want to hear it.

On October 10, 2010 at 4:49 AM Pacific Time, terilynn112 wrote:  YOu said:  ~~" I'm so totally done with this thread. Preach all you want. The DS isn't the wonderful thing you all talk about. Chronic malnurishment for your entire life. How healthy is that? I choose not to go that route. I choose for an RNY, and that's what it comes down to YOUR OWN CHOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So jump off the wagon called my back, and stop preaching! I don't want to hear it."~~
 
Friend,
I totally get your "disgust" with the vibes of preachiness you perceive from the DS posters.  I had that same (forgive me for calling it "ARROGANCE") when I was an RNY'er.  I didn't like having my surgery of choice referred to as "inferior".  I didn't like the great stats of the DS thrown in my face.  I didn't like hearing any of the possible "cons" to an RNY. 

But here I sit....finally on the road to great health in a body that has a normal BMI....because of the DS!!!!  I was a Proximal Rny.....then I was an Extended Rny.  I have done my time in an RNY routed body and almost died!  It is telling to me of your lack of real knowledge regarding the DS when you refer to "chronic malnourishment for your entire life" in the same sentence as a DS!  I was in fact, revised to a DS so that I could have MORE nourishment!!! Any DS'er who keeps up with their vitamins and choses a healthy lifestyle should NOT experience malnourishment!  Where did you get your info?  Try www.dsfacts.com

You can certainly block some of us.  It's a great option that I have taken advantage of for some.  You can also skip and even delete posts but please allow those interested in hearing ALL the options for revision to sort through the posts without feeling the need to throw in a little "dig type tantrum".

Kudos to you for having a better experience with your RNY than most.  I never felt the need to even be on the revision board when things were going well with mine!  BUT....once I was here, I wanted to know the experiences of EVERYONE!  Thank HEAVEN'S for people on this forum who kept pointing me in the direction of the DS!!!  I seriously may not even be around right now if it wasn't for them.

And so.....I'll continue to pay it forward in hopes that someone struggling with their present cir****tances may reach out for a "DS" lifeline.

Take Care and best wishes,

*Ooops!  edited to fix a couple of my zillions of spelling errors:)
edited a 2nd time cuz the quote didn't work?  Weird!

It's clear that the DS would NOT be a good choice for YOU, since you don't seem to understand the difference between malabsorption and malnourishment.

Both the RNY and the DS cause malabsorption, but you need to understand that there are two different KINDS of malabsorption. There's the malabsorption of macronutrients, also known as CALORIES, and then there's the malabsorption of micronutrients, known as vitamins and  minerals. In both the RNY and the DS, the malabsorption of micronutrients is PERMANENT, so it's vital to take vitamins and supplements FOREVER, and get regular bloodwork. Exactly which vitamins and minerals are malabsorbed varies with procedure and individual anatomy.

The malabsorption of calories is temporary in the RNY---by abouot 18-24 months post-op, the body manages to grow enough additional villi to overcome the small amount that's bypassed. In the DS, the malabsorption of calories does decrease slightly over time, but there's so much more bypassed that the body simply isn't able to completely compensate. This is believed to be the reason the DS has such better stats re LONG-TERM, MAINTAINED weight loss.

Malnourishment is a whole different ballgame. Did you know that a significant per centage of MO people are malnourished as PRE-ops? And that post-op DSers are some of the most well-nourished people in the world, because our doctors watch our labs like hawks?

You might benefit from doing a little more research yourself.