Urg.....Decisions and Confusions

I posted this to my blog as well. 

 Please don't take any offense to anything I say on here. I know people like to defend their surgery choices. Ultimately, what's good for you isn't always good for everyone. 

  Okay, originally I wanted to get the DS. After researching and finding out that I'd have to travel to Dayton, I had it in my mind that there was no way I'd be able to go to Dayton for all of my appointments and for surgery. I have an unreliable vehicle, I'm a single Mom (so I can't just leave the baby at home w/ her Dad, and I have like zero PTO time at work ( I will have some built up by the time I'd have surgery, plus I have short term dissability). At least I can go to a surgeon here in Cincinnati on my lunch break. That solves the PTO issue, the sitter issue, and the car issue. So that left me settling for the RNY. 

  I have been very skeptical of the RNY for like....ever, since I've seen several people not do well long term, and I see just as many RNYers on the Revision board as I do LapBanders. One of the main issues I have with RNY is that the negative effects (malabsorption of nutrients and no NSAIDS) last forever, but the benefits of malabsorbing food does not. I really want to think that once I lose the weight, that will be enough motivation to keep it off. The statistics just don't look that good though : (  

The decision to settle for RNY has been weighing very heavily on my mind. I don't want another WLS fail.
 
The thought that comes to mind is "third time's the charm".  

With what I've read about DS, you continue to malabsorb certain calories (mainly fat and complex carbs). That is a HUGE benefit. Certainly one that requires not looking over. My main focus is long term. I don't care if I weigh 160 next year if I'm going to be obese again in five years. That's much worse than just staying the way I am now. The statistics are clear, DS has much higher success rates long term for keeping the weight off. Seeing that my BMI is 50.9, DS seems to be the obvious choice. 

    Another HUGE plus with DS is the sleeve. I would much prefer to have a sleeve than a pouch. For one, I'd hate to never have NSAIDs as an option again. I love the idea of getting rid of all of that extra grehlin creating tissue, and I feel much better knowing I'll still have my pyloric valve.   

  I have an consult with the RNY surgeon on the 7th of Jan and a consult with the DS surgeon on the 13th. I really don't want to settle. I know I have to have surgery, I NEED help to lose this weight and to be healthier. If I can't have DS, I will end up having RNY. However, I owe it to myself to try my best to get the surgery that I feel is better for me.   

  I still have much research to do on the DS. I'm still not 100% sure about what life with DS looks like as compared with RNY.  I know that there are issues with BMs and odor, especially with refined carbs/sugar. I'm worried about how that will effect me. If I'll have to make decisions based on the bathroom situation......like....oh, I don't want to stay the night at someone's house b/c of it or something. It's a huge impairment if I'm having to think of where the bathrooms are, and if I'm going to be embarrassed.  I still don't understand what foods DSers eat. I've seen that they eat bacon . I would assume if you don't absorb 80% of the fat, that fattening foods would make you have to use the bathroom more often. I mean, I kind of understand their diets revolve around protein. I also understand they fully absorb simple carbs. The rest...I'm not sure of. I'm going to have to do lots of reading!  

Who knows which surgery I'll end up with. I'm definitely hoping for DS though.

   Any and ALL prayers are welcome. Please pray that things go smoothly, that I don't need to travel to Dayton a million times pre-surgery (or at least that my car doesn't explode on the way there), and that my insurance approves )! I would appreciate it very much!   Comments are very welcome!!!   (shout out to Candie, today's her surgery! Good luck girl, already said a prayer for you)

You read my mind. Only difference is that I have RNY and am leaning towards ERNY.

The diet is going to be the same for most with either surgery. Only big difference with the food is the intake. With the RNY you will be more limited on food intake compared to a DS person.

If I want a DS I am going to have to go a lot farther than the other side of the state, I am in Iowa and Cali is not in my budget this year.  That is why I thought of going to Dr. Anthone but he is telling me that I should go with a ERNY due to a few internal issues. 
A lot of this hurts my brain to think about. hehe 

Lol....Tell me about it....my head aches daily from reading and from fretting! These are things we can't take lightly.
I know I shouldn't bellyache about going to Dayton, b/c it's only over an hour away. I know there are people like you that would have to do REAL traveling to see a DS surgeon. I'm just going to have to do what I have to do to get my butt up there!
Does Dr. Anthone perform DS?
Good luck to you in whichever surgery you have...sending good vibes your way : )

Hi,
It'sall a lot to think about and absorb, it's good that you're doing the necessary research.  I had an RNY, lived with it for 8 years.  Lost the weight, gained the weight than had a revision to a DS.  Pretty different worlds and quality of life between the 2 surgeries.  You are welcomed to check out my profile and feel free to PM me if I can answer any questions for you.
Best of luck during your journey.
Debbie M.

Thanks, Debbie! I will definitely check out your profile. I'm very curious to know about what quality of life differences you mean. It's exactly the type of thing I want to know about! : )

this is one of the most difficult decisions to make, and I believe no wls is good for all.  That includes plication, lap band, sleeve, RNY, and DS.  It depends on so many factors.  We pick the WLS that best suits us for that specific time in our lives for a matter of reasons.  Would a 18 yr old have the same surgery as a 60 yr old?  would a 190 lb woman have the same surgery as a 500 lb man.  You do your research and talk to people who have all the surgery types, research, etc, and pick the surgery that is right for you, no matter what that is

Hi,
I'm not sure if you are familiar with Dr. Watkins but he posts frequently on another board. His office is in Cincinnati and he seems to be very knowledgeable and helpful. I'm not sure if he performs the sleeve or the DS but I know he does perform the sleeve plication. If he doesn't do the DS perhaps he knows someone closer to you that does. Here is his info: http://www.cincyweightloss.com/
hope it works out for you!

genepha
banded Dec, 2001
Awaiting insurance approval for band removal/replacement with self-pay plication

 
Brad Watkins?  Oh my goodness he's such a putz.  He's a band mill and when people didn't want bands anymore he started doing plication.  He does not have a positive reputation and when I was a mod on a board the owner almost banned him for using the boards as his own personal free advertising source.

He's a pig.

Well from what I've read and researched he seems very well qualified and well respected by his patients and a few of the doctors I've spoken with. He does post often on the plication board to give much needed information as the plication is a new procedure. I'm trying to help someone out with the information that I know about a surgeon near them - hope it helps them with their own research.
genepha

 
Yep, posting on message boards is how he *****s for business.  He's a band mill, a monkey can do a band.  Since nobody wants bands anymore now he's doing the plication.  Most of the better surgeons don't do plication because it's such a poor procedure.  It's easier to do than a real sleeve, it's like MGB.  None of the good surgeons do MGB, only the bottom feeders.  For the most part only the bottom feeders do plication.

He once told me that he does aftercare for folks who had their bands in MX.  But., he charged $1,000 per fill.  He told me that they needed to be punished for going to MX.  Who the hell is he to decide if someone needs to be punished for going to MX?  What an ass.  I asked him if he had any takers on that one grand fill.  He said no.  Gee whiz, there is a wonder.

I posted his PMs and he never came back to that board again.

Then I was a mod on another board and he was whoring for business there and the owner of the board told him to buy an ad if he wanted to use his boards for business.  If he didn't stop whoring for business he would be banned.

I sincerely doubt many of his peers have much respect for him, he's kind of a putz with a not so great rep.