22 years post DS

DSRIGGS

Yes, that is chocolate covered bacon
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Nov 19, 2014
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Just last night a lady named Marylin posted on dr. K's Facebook group that she is 22 years post DS. I would think that has to be one of the first original cases? Do any of you know patients who have been further out than that?

Amazing
 
Awesome! And many more to come! I am only 31 so I better make it well
Past the 22 year mark!
 
The DS has been done in the USA since 1988, initially by Dr. Hess. Of course the numbers were smaller then, but that means there would be people as much as 28 years post-op hanging around.
 
The DS has been done in the USA since 1988, initially by Dr. Hess. Of course the numbers were smaller then, but that means there would be people as much as 28 years post-op hanging around.
It is just so baffling to me that the DS hasn't become the standard. I know some surgeons are only half into bariatric surgery. That is one of the problems I have with Dr. Marshall who did my original DS. He's director of trauma (and really is a great surgeon) for a 600 bed hospital in Peoria and he only does Bariatrics, two procedures a week. I was recently invited to a group for people in Central Illinois who had the switch and people on there are posting that they just got approved and they're not going to be scheduled until like December to have their surgery. It is just a shame to me that we don't have more doctors like Dr K who specialize in Bariatrics ,the DS and that's 98% of the cases. The other couple percent are complications from surgery such as hernias.

And of course you have those that are in it for the money and farm through as many people as they can with the simplest procedures they can. All without regard to whether or not it's the best surgery that they can give the patient.
 
Thanks for posting that. Do you know how old that woman was and what, if any, complications she's had?
 
Do you think the surgeons would allow someone to compile data about all the patients who are 20+ years out across all the known surgeons, and determine their outcomes? If they would each send the a single, validated survey to all the long-timers, and the completed surveys were all sent to one researcher, the very long-term outcomes could be tallied and compared to an obese population without surgery. It can't be more than 1000 patients do you think? how could one best contact the surgeons to propose such a study? Some surgeons are dead or have changed hospitals, but there might be a way to get someone who is taking care of their patients to contribute (without identifying patient name for privacy). I think we all would be interested in ultra-long term outcomes in terms of complications, life expectancy, weight regain, quality of life, etc. I believe we know outcomes of shorter-term patients in one surgeon's practice, but I haven't seen anything of all the first patients at this length of time. Does anyone know what happened to Satori Jane, a very long timer who had a great DS blog that's I used to follow before it disappeared? Probably a crazy idea to study those who were brave enough to leap into the unknown at that time.
 
Do you think the surgeons would allow someone to compile data about all the patients who are 20+ years out across all the known surgeons, and determine their outcomes? If they would each send the a single, validated survey to all the long-timers, and the completed surveys were all sent to one researcher, the very long-term outcomes could be tallied and compared to an obese population without surgery. It can't be more than 1000 patients do you think? how could one best contact the surgeons to propose such a study? Some surgeons are dead or have changed hospitals, but there might be a way to get someone who is taking care of their patients to contribute (without identifying patient name for privacy). I think we all would be interested in ultra-long term outcomes in terms of complications, life expectancy, weight regain, quality of life, etc. I believe we know outcomes of shorter-term patients in one surgeon's practice, but I haven't seen anything of all the first patients at this length of time. Does anyone know what happened to Satori Jane, a very long timer who had a great DS blog that's I used to follow before it disappeared? Probably a crazy idea to study those who were brave enough to leap into the unknown at that time.
I think that would be an almost impossible task. Finding these people would be very difficult and HIPPA might prevent it.
 
@DSRIGGS - I agree with you that the DS should be standard, BUT - I also think this surgery is not for everyone. I also think there are many people that are receiving this surgery that should not. The commitment to lifetime supplementation, labs, and appropriate intake has got to be taken into account. It is not for the feint at heart. How do you determine who the surgery is appropriate for - don't know but lordy, some of the support groups I have been to and questions I have seen on FB make me wonder if there is any real screening that takes place. I believe that some folks think WLS is weight loss surgery and they can just have it and be magically cured. They don't know the different types of WLS and are just so desperate to get better.

The wife is actually looking into WLS (VSG) - and I honestly can not suggest the switch for her. I know she would not be compliant. She actually told me she would not be too - so I did not even have to go there. :) taking supplements, monitoring labs and intake etc that is part of our daily life - not everyone is willing.
 
Mom, believe me I understand. The amount of "stupid" I see on FB and even in Dr K's group is amazing and a good many of those people should not have been given the gift of a DS. It is good that your wife recognizes that she isn't up to complying with the DS so then the sleeve really is the only option. That being said please, please, please make sure that the surgeon for the wife does not try to give her a small sleeve. Their is no data to support its efficacy and too small of a sleeve can and will cause severed GERD and stricture. She certainly doesn't want that.
 
I know Dr Hess has been collecting data from his patients for years. I believe he has published several reports. They are out there somewhere!
I am sure he has I just don't know if he has all the data as it relates to prior wls and the result from that procedure then the result from the revision. It is certainly something that I think would provide great value to out community.
 

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