NEWBIE

I AM GOING TO TALK TO A SURGEN IN TUESDAY 5/1. I AM TOSSING BETWEEN GASTIC SLEEVE AND DS. I AM A BMI OF 36 WITH TYPE 2 DIABETIC. MY MOTHER PASSED A WAY IN 2002 FROM HER DIABETES AND I WAS DIAGNOSED 3 MONTHS LATER. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL. SO THIS IS MY NEXT OPTION. KIND OF EXCITED AND SCARED AT THE SAME TIME. IS THERE ANY THING THAT I NEED TO STOCK UP ON BEFORE MY SURGERY LIKE SPECIAL FOODS OR PAIN PILLS LOL JUST ANY THING THAT WILL HELP ME ALONG THE WAY. THANKS BRENDA.

I'd do a little more research before I just jumped right into surgery. It's a big decision between the two you've mentioned. Read all you can get your hands on.

Also, just an fyi, TYPING IN ALL CAPS is the online equivalent of yelling or screaming, and it's really irritating to just about everybody you'll encounter on message boards.

Good luck on your journey.

There is alot of research out now that they are now doing WLS as a treatment for diabetes and are trying to get the BMI requirements lowered for this treatment when the diabetes like in your case is out of control.  I think it is great since for people that have DS and gastric bypass, the diabetes goes away - I am not familiar with the sleeve stats.''

It isnt totally clear how or why but it isnt due to the Weight loss because atleast I know with the Gastric Bypass, most of take our last pill the night before surgery and never take one again and we havent lost anything yet.  I cant tell from your post - if you are on insulin or if it is just difficult to control on pills.  Those on high dose insulin, tend to lower there insulin right away and many get off of it pretty quickly and many eventually get off of everything. I have read a few instances where people were so out of control on insulin that ended up on lose of gluphage and were very happy with that.

You would have to talk to people with the sleeve and DS for specific with there surgery.  I personally think that the DS is a pretty drastic surgery for a BMI of 36 when you can get great results with the gastric bypass and possibly the sleeve - if it is successful for diabetes and if your insurance pays for it - not all insurance companies pay for the sleeve.


I think it a bit early for you to start stocking up yet since you are just seeing the surgeon for the first time.  You will have to go for all sorts of testing, other consultations with a nutritionist, psychiatrist or psycologist and then when it is all done, then you go back to the surgeon and pick a date.  As you get closer and know what surgery you are having, then it is a good idea to figure out what you will need but for somethings, you tastes will change from now until after surgery, so you dont want to buy much.  IT is really just the supplements that you want to get ahead of time - even the protein powder - your tastes will change, so you can get one or 2 to have preop, but dont get too much because what you like now, you will hate later.

I wish you luck next week.  Keep us posted.

I understand Dr Stewart is an excellent surgeon. You have chosen wisely. :)  Southernlady's BMI was less than yours and she chose the DS to address her diabetes. It is an accepted practice in Europe to give diabetes patient at least the switch portion of the DS to "cure" type II. If they want the sleeve portion they can get that too. Talk to Dr Stewart about addressing your diabetes as well as a long term fix for your weight. He may or may not suggest giving you the DS with a longer common channel as Southernlady got. I started at a BMI of 36.8. I have a common channel of 100 cm and I'm doing just fine-- I didn't lose too much, no more diabetes or high blood pressure, sleep apnea, osteo arthritis, or high cholesterol.

A great place to do some more research on the DS is www.dsfacts.com.  I think you'd probably do very well with the DS as long as you're willing to commit to the vitamins, protein and lab follow-up. :)

--gina

Welcome aboard.  If you are just in the beginning of the process expect it to take months.  I think the average from first meeting to surgery is 6-7 months.  Too early to stock up.  Many insurance companies ask for a 6 month "diet history" before you can get approved.

Sorry about your mom, glad you are addressing your issues. 

Hi Brenda and welcome to the LW board!

It IS a big decision and arm yourself with all the information you can gather on it.  You'll need to know what the after-surgery vitamin requirements will be - and with the DS can be a lot.  Its a financial decision to make too.  You still need to take vitamins with the VSG, but because you don't malabsorb it isn't quite as drastic.  I see you didn't mention gastric-bypass.  Big vitamin requirements with that too. 

There's a website called dsfacts.com - it has a lot of info about the DS.  VSG is the sleeve portion of the DS and is just restriction, the actual DS is where the intestines are modified and the malabsorption occurs. 

It also depends on the type of eater you are.  I'm sure Majormom will chime in as she has a chart from her Dr that helps decide which surgery would benefit you, based on how you eat.  Volume, grazer, sugary/sweet - etc. 

Congratulations on taking the big step to make your life and health better.  Please feel free to ask any questions you have - either before and/or after you go to the Dr. 

Hi Brenda,
Welcome to the LW Board.  I agree with several others, be sure you are ready to commit to the vitamins/protein and can afford the cost. 

I am glad you are taking steps to make yourself healthy.  I have not taken any medicine for diabetes since the night before my surgery.  No more sleep apnea.

MajorMom has something that shows what kind of eater you are and what surgery would work best for you.  If she doesn't post it, you might want to ask her about it.

Your taste will probably change after surgery so I would not stock up on too many of anything.  You can order samples of protein from Vitalady.com

My recommendation would be to get your body in the best shape you can by walking some each day.  Hopefully, that will help with your recovery from surgery.

Good luck and keep us updated.

Linda

Welcome to the LW board, Brenda.

I was an insulin dependent type 2 diabetic (on an insulin pump) along with metformin. I am off ALL diabetic medications since April of last year. After doing my research, I knew the DS was my best option as it has the highest resolution of diabetes of all the WLS. The RNY is good but the DS has the better percentage of remission. Also, there is evidence that Reactive Hypoglycemia developes about 6 months to several years after a RNY. See my blog for some articles on the subject (May 20th and May 26th entries).

I was a 35.2 when I signed into my surgeon's office and told NOT to lose any weight. I still was a 34.9 the day of surgery. Thankfully my insurance company looks only at the weight you sign in on, not the weight day of surgery.

My common channel is 175 cc, wi**** was smaller but I am well at goal so it works. My surgeon suggested 175 to 200, I asked for 175.

Another factor to consider is the need to take pain meds, esp NSAIDS...I was on celebrex which would never be allowed had I had the RNY. And the sleeve wasn't an option for me with my insurance...but then I am not the kind of eater that does well with the sleeve. I'm a grazer and we do best with the DS.

DSfacts.com is a wealth of information.

Liz

Welcome Brenda :)  I agree with the other ladies-  research, research, research !
Mandy

Here's the "What Kind of Eater Are You" folk are talking about. :)

Welcome!

Here's the run down my surgeon uses to help patients decide which surgery might help them address their eating demons the best. He describes our eating demons by categorizing eaters in 3 ways: 1) the bloater--eats one or two big meals a day, doesn't snack and is pretty active (busy) throughout the day. 2) the sweeter--is addicted to sweets/carbs/sugar and may need some help with volume eating. 3) the grazer--eats or nibbles pretty much constantly and may eat a meal for longer than a half hour.

The bloater may do well with a restrictive only surgery such as the band or the VSG. With the band patients can expect 50-60% weight loss. It's a failure for sweeters and grazers. With the VSG expect 70% weight loss. This surgery can be converted to DS easily. (Note: we have seen lightweights be 100% successful with both the band and VSG here on this board) My surgeon sees about 55% weight loss maintained after 5 years with the VSG but he makes his sleeve larger than most.

The sweeter may do well with the RNY using negative reinforcement of dumping on sugar and fat. There is a 20-25% chance of late regain after 2-3 years--a regain of 20-30% of the initial pounds lost. When successful, expect 60-65% weight loss. (I think these numbers are also more for heavy weights because we see much better success in the lightweights who stay hooked in here on the board)

The grazer may do well the DS and has a 80-90% success rate long term. Patients can expect 90% weight loss. It is also puts type II diabetes in remission for approximately 90% of patients long term. The DS works well for sweeters, grazers and bloaters but can be beat with excessive sweets, fats and grazing. (My surgeon calls the DS the bazooka of weight loss surgeries. Some surgeons won't do the DS on lightweights but some will reduce the amount of malabsorption and give lightweights the DS using a longer common channel. For more info on the DS, see www.dsfacts.com.  There aren't that many surgeons skilled enough to do the DS. Don't jump into this one without doing a lot of research on your surgeon. Surgeons who don't do the DS will use scare tactics and lies to dissuade patients from pursuing the DS. We call them bait and don't switch surgeons, or outright greedy lying *******s.)