Anyone have a distal bypass?

I have a distal, and like a previous poster, only found out when I asked my surgeon after the fact. 

So far, other than some iron issues, my labs have been ok. From my own understanding and experience, a distal gives you no better outcome in terms of weight loss, but requires a little more diligence in monitoring your labs. Most surgeons don't perform it as often because of those facts. Some surgeons, like my own, feel a distal may help the SMO get to goal, but that seems to be outdated thinking.

I actually had surgery to reduce the amount of malabsorption I had.  I feel the reason I have done well to this point has more to do with restriction then with malabsorption.  My first procedure didn't give me much restriction like my revision did.

If I knew then what I know now I probably would have gotten a purely restrictive procedure but those weren't an option back in 2002, other then the lap band which didn't have good reviews even then.

There really is no medical advantage to malabsorption and with the potential of problems due mainly to non compliance many surgeons are staying away from malabsorption all together, pushing the sleeve because of the liability issues.

Non compliance is a problem with all WLS but with a malabsorptive procedure it can be extremely bad.

It didn't really help me because my problems have always been carbs.  I continued to eat large amounts of refined carbs after my first WLS and no surgery in the world can help you malabsorb them.

Also, many surgeons really don't have good post op information or support so a lot of patients, like the OP don't have a clue on how to stay healthy with malabsorption.

In the end though with education and support you can do well with malabsorption as long as you stay consistent with follow up.  Support is important because it is easy to forget after a while that you have special needs and good habits can fall by the wayside without reinforcement.

Thanks for your reply.  If you have any interest in helping those of us that are new at this, I've started a FB group called Distal Bypass Support Group and would love to have you join us.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/287483018042762/

If you have not already contacted vitalady, you should. I believe she had distal RNY.