Question:
Can any of you DSer's share what type of complications you had?

If any, that is. My surgery is on 03-24, and I would like to know what I might expect. My aunt had the P RNY and everyone is telling me that the DS is much more dangerous than the RNY. Most of the people I talk to here have had the RNY also, and right now I really need DS support! Have there been any deaths--I would like to read about the complications that caused them. Have a great day and thanks! Suzi-I'm-starting to get nervous-S    — sm S. (posted on February 16, 2003)

February 15, 2003
http://www.duodenalswitch.com
   — jengrz

February 15, 2003
Suzi, any surgery is dangerous, especially if you are obese. I had bpd/ds surgery on 11/11/02 and while I did have some complications (DO YOUR SPIROMETER AFTER SURGERY!), I made it through and don't regret my choice. Post-op complications are gas and smelly bm's which can be controlled by diet and/or meds, but I'm sure you knew that already! Check out duodenalswitch.com also my surgeon has a great online support group, check it out: www.johnhustedmd.com. These 2 sites have lots of great DS info and support. Good luck and God Bless you! Anne F / bpd/ds 11/11/02 -57lbs
   — Anne F.

February 16, 2003
The DS is a more complicated surgery, and depending on your surgeon can take longer than the RNY. In those respects, it is more dangerous - the longer you are under anesthesia, the more risk you take. The more cuts you have done, the greater the risk of infection, etc. But inherently is it more dangerous? No. The complication rates for DS are no higher than they are for RNY, or any other comparable abdominal surgery. I know 50 or so DS patients personally (including myself, my husband and my best friend), none of whom have had complications. I am on email lists with thousands more. There are certainly complications, ranging from death as the result of blood clots shortly after surgery, to dreadful wound healing complications, to bowel obstructions and hernia strangulations down the road. I have heard all of these things in RNY and DS surgeries, though, not as a higher complication rate in DS. I would actually expect the DS to come with a higher complication rate, since this surgery is the one typically chosen by the super-morbidly obese, who go into the surgery in worse health and with greater co-morbidities. Suzi - I guess my response is: yes, there are horrid and life threatening complications that can occur, and you should be nervous. If you would like to email me personally at [email protected] I can send you some vivid descriptions of some of those complications. You should know what you are getting into and make your decision from an educated stand. But is the DS prone to more complications? No, it's not. (please bear in mind that the DS is an extremely malabsorptive procedure, and no one can divine what your levels of absorption will be. So you may also face some complications as a result of the malabsorption - as you would with a distal RNY). -Kate-
   — kateseidel

February 16, 2003
I agree with everything Kate said except that the malabsorptive issues are the same with DS as a distal RNY. First there is no clear cut definition in the medical industry of what a distal RNY is but the longest I have heard doing is 300cm, which is 10'. More typical is a max of 150cm which is 5'. Typically your small intestine is 20'-22'. Typically a DS surgery bypasses all of your small intestine except 2'-4'. No matter how you calculate it the DS is typically going to bypass anywhere from 2-4 times as much small intestine than the RNY, hence the significantly increased malabsorption and undigested food hitting your colon. <p>However, both malabsorptive situations can be successfully dealt with using vitamin supplements and monitoring with blood work. If you feel the DS is best for you then it is your decision, just make sure you chose a doctor with an excellent record doing DS surgeries.
   — zoedogcbr

February 16, 2003
Hi Suzi, There is someone on this site who had many complications and has since had a reversal. Her name is Barbara Henson and here is the link to her profile http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=Henson960691386. Her profile has not been updated since her reversal, so I hope she is doing well. Barbara are you out there? Could you let us know how you are doing? Shelley
   — Shelley.

February 17, 2003
Hi Suzi, I had my open DS on 4-11-01. I can't believe it's almost 2 yrs. I have not had 1 single complication!!!!!My surgeon says I'm the perfect case. However, I went into this knowing as much as I could about everything. The only person I ever spoke to(spoke with almost 3dzn from across country)who ever had a problem was Barbara Henson. I appreciated her honesty and I weighed her experiences with that of everyone else. To me, her complications seem rare. However, you need to know they existed. Were they the result of DS. I don't know but non the less they were complications. In regards to malabsorbtion-It is no big deal to take vitamins for life 3x day. However, I also get more nutrients from my food because I can consume 8oz at most meals. I may not get all of the nutrients but I certainly get more than if I ate 1-3 oz. I did have a friend who had the DS and she had a problem with rectal bleeding. Was it the result of her DS? We don't know. It could have been the way her body responded to the surgery, it could also have been from the steroids her primary physician gave her for a rash. We'll never know. I can tell you it stopped a few months after it started all on it's own. Best of luck to you, do your research and don't be afraid to search for people randomly and ask them questions!!!!
   — Linda M.