VSG to DS by Ungson

Thinking about a revision, only considering Ungson.  Do I only want to consider the DS?  I am concerned about the amount of vitamins needed to be taken.  I am a pill swallowing sissy.  The only other option is to be resleeved, but it doesn't seem like the best option for long term weightloss.  

Has anyone else had trouble getting all those vitamins down?  

In terms of cost for the revision with Ungson, any information would be helpful.

Just curious why you think you need a revision.  Is it because your sleeve wasn't done right or is giving yo

ur problems?  Or is it because you didn't make the necessary changes after the surgery in order to lose the weight?

Not trying to be harsh, just trying to save you a lot of pain and expense for having additional surgery if it isn't needed.

If you have an adequate  tool then you need to look the reasons you haven't lost the weight you wanted to.  You can have all the WLS you want but if you don't make changes you need to you will be wasting your time and energy.

If you are truly eating the way you need to and cannot lose weight then the DS may help.  But keep in mind that the DS will help you malabsorb fats and protein and some carbohydrates.  Simple carbs like sugar and flour are always absorbed 100% no matter what surgery you have.  If you have a problem with those things, and it seems a lot of us do, then addressing those issues would be the first thing to do before undergoing more surgery.

And yes, there are a ****load of vitamins you will need to take.  That is non negotiable.  And lab work that needs to be done regularly.  It can get quite expensive.  There is an even higher cost to pay if you don't do those things. I have seen a person lose his legs and others have died.  Not trying to scare you, just giving you the worse case scenario so you know what you are getting into.

Not to mention, just like RNYer's may dump if they eat sugar, DSer's may have negative affects from eating sugar and refined carbs, in the form of bathroom issues, diarrhea and extremely odorous gas and stools.  There is no free ride, especially considering you will still absorb all those things, too.

Have you had any kind of counseling to address your eating problems?  That would be the first place to start, not back on the operating table.

I also wanted to add that I speak from experience.  I failed miserably with my first WLS, which happened to be the DS.  I had a revision because of how sick I got, to increase my absorption, and also had my sleeve revised to a pouch.  And I learned how to use my tool instead of expecting my tool to do all the work.

Ladytaz, When you say you failed miserably do you mean you didn't lose the amount of weight you wanted to?  Also, did you get sick because you didn't eat properly and take the required vitamins?  If you follow the rules correctly can you lose significant weight revising from lap band to DS.  I've always heard that with any revision the weight loss is slower and less.

Actually I did lose all my weight in the first 2 years and then immediately started regaining.  Totally my fault because I didn't make any changes to my eating and did not look at my food addiction issues.

I remember thinking when I was at my smallest after that surgery that if I didn't get fat that meant I wasn't a compulsive overeater any more.  Ah, the ignorance of the stupid.

I did have a free ride that first few years but the bathroom issues were from day one.  Of course my eating didn't help at all but I also had chronic intestinal bacterial overgrowth due to the way my intestines were configured.  The only cure for that was a revision.  And it worked since I haven't had that problem since I left the hospital.

I was also lax in vitamins but you have to remember that back in 2002 there was a lot not yet known about the needs for supplements after a DS.  My surgeon sent me home with a piece of paper that said something like 2 multivits, 2000mg of calcium citrate and iron if needed.  That was it.

I did have my revision nearly 5 years ago, having my common channel lengthened from 100 cc to 200 cc and my sleeve, which was made too large back in 2002, was revised to a RNY pouch.  I have had practically no problems since then and actually lost weight faster then I did the first time.

I went a bit too low and bounced to a healthy weight and have been pretty stable for about 4 years.  I credit this more to addressing my food issues, along with using my tool to help me eat right.

Thank you. 

Ladytazz...... you said you had a bypass pouch? Can this be done without the intestines re routed? I had the sleeve and never felt it was small enough. I would like to have it tighten or converted into pouch without have intestines re-routed.....

Thank you for any insight or help!

My intestines were already re-routed when I had my revision.  I had the common channel lengthened from 100 cc to 200 cc and the sleeve was converted to a pouch.  I asked my surgeon specifically if I had the RNY intestinal configuration and he said no, he left it the DS configuration.  

I really don't think you can have a RNY pouch without intestinal configuration, however you may be able to have a RNY with very little malabsorption, a very proximal configuration where very little of the intestines are bypassed.

I'm not sure of that so you would need to talk to your surgeon.

Is it possible that you can get your sleeve made smaller?  I wouldn't give up my pyloric valve if I didn't have to.

BTW, when I had my surgery I didn't realize my pyloric valve, along with the rest of my remnant stomach, was removed and not bypassed.  While I am lucky and don't suffer any consequences without a pyloric valve many aren't so fortunate and can have terrible problems with dumping and reactive hypoglycemia.  Do all you can to keep yours.

Thank you for your response! I do have an appt. with my surgeon next week and can't wait to hear what he says. I will have and edg to check my stomach size.  I would rather just have it tightened without rerouting but I have heard that is very dangerous. Do you know anything about just being re-sleeved? 

I revised from RNY to DS. My stomach was put back together, sleeved and then DS portion to my intestines was preformed. You already have the first part. You will be adding the malabsorbtion part. This will keep the weight off. You will need to take supplementation everyday. Also you will need to eat allot of protein and fat. 

I see many people revising Sleeve to RNY and since that did not work for me and the instances of RNY failure seems to be increasing I think those people will need yet another surgery. IMO RNY is a mistake and most Dr's suggest it to those with sleeves because they can not preform the more complicated DS part. 

Good luck to you on your choice but make it wisely as you do not want to be in the same position in a few years.

Best