Another RNY patient in despair

Hi, thanks for your reply.  The RNY was what I had done in 2002. That's the only WLS I've had and I was wondering about other options.  But....just like a lot of people are saying.....I guess you (me) have to be very careful about what you eat and how much.  I never thought I was eating that much, maybe just eating too many of the wrong foods.  Anyway, just like you I am weighing myself everyday, but in my case, I am also in the process of trying to lose the weight I've gained.  Congratulations on reaching your goal weight.  I am working very hard to do the same. ~Michelle

Michelle,

Here is a link for you......... http://www.dssurgery.com/about/publications.php?subnav=0
The 3rd one down is titled "DS is a safe operation for patients who havefailed other bariactric operations"

And, regarding what LADYTAZZ said -- she NEEDS to do more research!!!  SHE flat out LIED to you!!!!  Weather she meant to or not, it IS MIS-INFORMATION!!!!  "" The DS will help you malabsorb permanently but there is a price to pay in having to heavily supplement for life and if you eat the wrong foods you may suffer from bad, smelly gas and diarrhea.""

It is not JUST the DS.... This happens to me with the RNY that I have!!!  Does it happen to you as well??  With gas & diarrhea, if you eat the wrong thing/s???


Please, check out my profile, you story has some similarities to mine!!!
Good LUCK in your journey!!!!
-Jamie in Alaska

Thanks for your reply...actually thanks to everybody who has given advice here.  I have not really done the research on DS yet, so this is definitley a premature assessment, but that procedure seems so scary to me....considering I almost died in the OR during my RNY because of acute pulmonary edema.  But, in order to analyze something properly, I know I must get all the information first, from all sides.  

Yes, I did have terrible gas for the first few years with RNY.  Since I have been on proton uptake inhinitors, about 90% of the gas has been eliminated.  I tolerate everything except milk, so I rarely get sick when I eat or drink something.  Anyway, I will check out the link when I get a chance.  Thanks so much.  ~Michelle

I had a DS and begged my surgeon for a reversal.  They could only revise to a longer common channel, so I do know what I am talking about.  My life was miserable tied to a bathroom and socially embarrassing, not to mention the accidents and the deficiencies.  I'm not saying you don't get that with the RNY but that is the nature of malabsorption.  No one should take it lightly.  It was worse when I ate refined carbs but even very low carb it was a daily issue.  I thank God every day that I don't have to deal with it any more.  Are you going to sit there, without even having the surgery, and say that it isn't true that you have to supplement heavily and can get bad gas and diarrhea if you eat carbs?  Then you don't know what you are talking about.  I'm not saying it's a bad surgery, all I am saying is there is a price to pay for the more liberal eating plan.  Everyone should know that and be aware of the risks, as well as the  rewards.  If there are DSers that can eat refined carbs without reprocusion that good for them.  I also regained 100 lbs by eating refined carbs.  There is no free ride.

I lived with gastric bypass / RNY for 28 years, so I know what it's all about. It does help you lose weight by restricting how much and what you can eat, but most of that restriction will be gone in about 2 years, then you're on your own again. I fought it for 28 years, I was successful for about 15, but eventually lost the battle and gained all the weight back; I would not recommend RNY to anyone. IMO it's a horrible surgery option with little chance for long term success.

I got a revision to DS in Sept. 2008 and it has been fantastic; I love the new life I now have because of the DS. I eat like a naturally thin person eats now and I have do worries about regain. I can lose weight simply by restricting the amount of simple carbs I eat.

What MS Taz is telling you is a load of BS. I've never had any diarrhea and if you think you never have smelly gas now, you're deluding yourself; all humans have smelly gas from time to time. It is true that is you do not eat your protein and fats and just eat carbs all the time you will probably have more gas and loose stools, but it's easy to control by just eating the foods you know as a DSer you're supposed to eat.

It's also true that there is no silver bullet WLS that makes it OK to eat all the sugar and simple carbs you want with no effect, but the DS is pretty close.

Kerry

Thanks Kerry.  It seems really encouraging to read all of the success stories with DS. I'm a little frightened of it, but I suppose I was with the RNY as well.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I did have a life threatening complication when I had my surgery, so now I'm even more scared to go under the knife.  I will really have to research the procedure and decide what's best for me.  Considering that the DS seems to be more long term, that does seem like what I need.  ~Michelle  

Well Michelle, getting an RNY to DS revision is something that you should be cautious about, it's a very tricky surgery and there are only a handful of surgeons who have the skills to do it safely. I had arguably the best best DS surgeon there is and it still took him two surgeries with a total of 13 hours on the table to get me all fixed up. Most are not that difficult; I was a real mess inside and it just took a very long time to repair everything and get through all the scar tissue and adhesion's. Chances are yours would be more like the average and only take about 4 hours.

The long and short of it is that I lived with the old RNY for 28 years and was able to keep the excess weight off for 15 with diet and lots of exercise, but i just couldn't keep it up forever and eventually gained all the weight back. So here I am now; 26 months after the revision to DS, maintaining my weight effortlessly and for the first time in my life feeling no guilt about eating. The freedom is something I've never in my life had before and it is awesome!

I self paid $40,000.00 to get the DS, I had a difficult surgery and a longer than average recovery, it was no picnic. But I would do it again in a heartbeat; hell I would do it every year if I had to, in order to keep what I have now. There is no way to adequately explain how much better this is than the bypass was, it is just awesome.

Feel free to check out my profile if you want to, there's more detail about my experiences and lots of pictures showing what the surgery, recovery and life after DS is like.

Kerry

Oh come on, all people do not get smelly gas that could peel off the wallpaper.  It is in a class by itself.  You would be lying if you said it isn't  bad.  And I didn't say everyone gets diarrhea.  I know many that have constipation.  I just got the bad luck of the draw.  It happens.  If it didn't then surgeons wouldn't warn you of the possibility.  If the gas wasn't a problem then why do people talk about Devrom and air fresheners in their purse.  Yes it happens with RNY too.  It is the nature of malabsorption.  That is why you have to supplement and have labs.  No one should have any surgery without knowing all the risks.  The good and the bad.  Don't just paint a pretty picture.  There are other realities out there.

Am glad you post your experience; just hate that others call you a liar and say you are full of BS.  I have seen several posts where there are concerns for gas, diarrhea, and a few weight regain.  It would be a grave injustice if you didn't post your experience.  Thanks!

Thank you.  It is my story.  I don't know why people get so mad when I talk about my problems.  I don't blame the surgery.  It is a great surgery.  I just think people need to go in with their eyes open and know all the risks.  Maybe I was the freak that regained weight and had issues but I don't think so.  I have talked to others.  It is not common but it happens.  I advice people seeking a RNY the same thing.  Malabsorption is nothing to mess around with.  Any surgery that messes with the intestines has a potential for problems.