As much as I've prepared myself today in going into my first appointment to meet my surgeon, dietician, nurse practitioner, and psychologist, I still was thrown. I kept telling myself to keep an open mind, knowing the doctor may want a different surgery from what I had my mind set on. I thought I was completely open minded and prepared for whatever happened. I wanted a sleeve and both he, and his nurse practitioner, felt I should have the DS surgery done.

It was like he wanted me to say 'Yes, I agree to the ds.' When, in actuality, he's doing the sleeve first, and in six months to a year, the second part. So why are they trying so hard for me to accept this instead of saying, 'Hey look. It's up to you. If you can't lose more than 75 in one year, let's go ahead with the second part.'

Is it for insurance purposes and are they trying to get an approval for the ds, even though they'll only do the sleeve for now?

But seriously, I just don't know how I feel about the ds. From what I've read it seems extreme. Long term results at two years out show a pretty equal weight loss between the sleeve and the DS, but the side effects with the DS are pretty startling. I trust my doctor since he's done hundreds, if not thousands, of these procedures. I really do. He feels I may not lose more than 75 pounds with the sleeve and I have 190-225 pounds to lose total. Can anyone tell me the best things they've gotten from this procedure and why did you choose this one?

Yeah I know what you mean, I feel like I was in a rush because my deductible is all paid so it would've been basically free this year, but no such luck:/

And that's great! 40 min isn't too bad

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

i was rushing to get mine done by the end of 2016 due to insurance as well.. but that didnt happen. now my insurance company denied me but i'm working on getting more paper work submitted!

I had a full DS and it took two hours. I've lost almost forty pounds in a month, and I'm in my soft food phase able to eat pretty well. I chose the DS because of the long term (10 year) stats, and the ability to eat more "normal" sized portions farther out from surgery. I'm still in college, and I wanted to be sure (or as sure as one can be) that I would be able to keep the weight off. It seemed to be the most effective tool for me. I know people say it's "extreme" but the long term results were important to me.

How are you doing now Kayla and what is your total weight loss now?

On 12/23/2016 at 3:16 PM, Postop said:

Due to the malabsorption DSers need tons of vits/minerals. We don't absorb them well. Same with Protein. We need 100+ grams/day. I eat closer to 150.

A Dexa bone scan is a quick easy test. It shows how your bones are doing. Age and malabsorption can make one (more so a woman) more prone to osteoporosis. So it's great to have a preop baseline so you can see (as the years go by) if there's any change.

My common channel is 100. It was pretty much the standard at that time. But some did have longer and some shorter.

What are the pros and cons of the shorter and/or longer common channels?

On 12/23/2016 at 9:22 PM, Finding_Stacy said:

Thank you so much, Post Op!

I totally missed this post earlier somehow. It was packed with some really great information. I will ask him about the length of the channel. I will admit, when he strongly urged me to do this procedure, I was completely unprepared (even though I knew it was a possibility) and shocked on the inside, but trying not to show it on the outside.

After a couple of days have passed, I'm feeling better about it. More so because I will get a bunch of weight off with the sleeve first, which means I'll have more absorption time to build up on my minerals and vitamins. I guess I just saw some videos on Youtube that freaked me out.

I'm not kidding.

One woman looked like she was doing a side of crack cocaine along with a healthy dose of meth on a daily basis. She started the procedure looking like she was in her mid thirties and a year later she looked like she belongs to AARP. I honestly felt nauseous watching her, scared that was going to be me.

But soon, I came to the realization this probably isn't the best sample size of this procedure. Who knows why she looked like that. It's hard telling. Maybe she didn't take her daily vitamins or maybe she really does do a healthy side of crack cocaine after her two bites of fish--I don't know.

But really, good job with all the weight loss. It says you had the surgery in 2004-05? Have you had any regain and how do you feel? Do you ever get nauseous taking that many vitamins?

I know which woman you're talking about and her videos freaked me out too. I still had my DS, but honestly that woman does not look healthy. Short, brown thinning hair. I too went in thinking I was going to have the sleeve and changed to the DS because I wanted to keep the weight off long term. I had the entire DS done in a single procedure, which took two hours. My doctor only prescribed me a multivitamin with vitamins ADEK, a chewable calcium, and a B12 supplement. Those are the only pills I take twice a day. He 's done over 200 DS procedures and trains other doctors around the country to do them. He does the double anastomosis, but he gave me a longer common channel because I began with a lower BMI than most patients. I failed to lose weight on the Lap-Band.

Edited July 27, 20179 yr by Strivingforbetter

2 hours ago, Strivingforbetter said:

I know which woman you're talking about and her videos freaked me out too. I still had my DS, but honestly that woman does not look healthy. Short, brown thinning hair. I too went in thinking I was going to have the sleeve and changed to the DS because I wanted to keep the weight off long term. I had the entire DS done in a single procedure, which took two hours. My doctor only prescribed me a Multivitamin with vitamins ADEK, a chewable Calcium, and a B12 supplement. Those are the only pills I take twice a day. He 's done over 200 DS procedures and trains other doctors around the country to do them. He does the double anastomosis, but he gave me a longer common channel because I began with a lower BMI than most patients. I failed to lose weight on the Lap-Band.

Yes! That's her. I felt so bad for her, but so terrified for me--I'm not even kidding. In the end I went with the sleeve. I thought, I could always change my mind and get the DS down the road, but let's first take this sleeve out for a test drive and see how well I do with it alone. All I know, I'm almost three months out and not regretting having bariatric surgery. Best. Thing. Ever.

How are you feeling?

6 hours ago, Strivingforbetter said:

I know which woman you're talking about and her videos freaked me out too. I still had my DS, but honestly that woman does not look healthy. Short, brown thinning hair. I too went in thinking I was going to have the sleeve and changed to the DS because I wanted to keep the weight off long term. I had the entire DS done in a single procedure, which took two hours. My doctor only prescribed me a Multivitamin with vitamins ADEK, a chewable Calcium, and a B12 supplement. Those are the only pills I take twice a day. He 's done over 200 DS procedures and trains other doctors around the country to do them. He does the double anastomosis, but he gave me a longer common channel because I began with a lower BMI than most patients. I failed to lose weight on the Lap-Band.

Is the woman you are talking about have a first name that begins with "J"? If so, her hair looks OK to me.

On 7/27/2017 at 2:20 PM, Postop said:

Is the woman you are talking about have a first name that begins with "J"? If so, her hair looks OK to me.

No, this woman looks like she's in her 60s. She does not give her name. She hasn't posted for two months. I did notice, however, that her skin in her last video looks brighter and more nourished. As stated, she has dark brown, thinning hair. I absolutely adore the woman whose name starts with J.

Edited July 29, 20179 yr by Strivingforbetter

On 7/27/2017 at 9:58 AM, Finding_Stacy said:

Yes! That's her. I felt so bad for her, but so terrified for me--I'm not even kidding. In the end I went with the sleeve. I thought, I could always change my mind and get the DS down the road, but let's first take this sleeve out for a test drive and see how well I do with it alone. All I know, I'm almost three months out and not regretting having bariatric surgery. Best. Thing. Ever.

How are you feeling?

I'm feeling really good, but I'm still very new at this. I'm still learning how to eat and get enough protein in. It's a new way of life, but something I can comfortably live with.