About me and Looking for a good DS surgeon on LONG ISLAND, NY

[Kittykatkris]

Hi everyone!
I have been on a few other boards and was introduced to this board by one of the members.
I have been thinking and researching DS since last year Sept 2014.
I am 5'4 and change which most round me up to 5'5. I am 234 lbs.

I have PCOS, Psuedo Tumor Ceribi, Neurological Chronic Lyme Disease, Atrial Tachycardia, a list of other minor ailments that are on my medical record from various doctors. I am also on metformin although I do not have Diabetes, I believe its a precaution by my endocrinologist and also for PCOS.

I have NEVER had a normal bmi in my adult life, well thats not true one time when I was 18 years old and thats because I barely ate and exercised 2-3 hours a day every day.
I honestly do not have an over eating problem. My problem is not too much food, if anything it could be too little food and slowing my metabolism. Sometimes when I feel like my PCOS symptoms are flaring that if I eat even a piece of lettuce I could gain weight.

I feel my problem is how my body processes food. PCOS has a HUGE impact on this, it causes insulin resistance. I feel DS would be perfect for me. I have seen posts from other Pcos suffers who have gotten the DS and it helped them immensely. And I need help!

I have Health First Insurance thru Medicaid. I have talked to a few places even had appointments with surgeons. However, Dr Herron who is advertised to do DS and even is on dsfacts for NY, apparently does not. I have read LOADS of threads saying years ago even, that he does not preform them any more and getting him to agree to it is impossible. I also researched and even communicated with a DR closer to me, I am in Suffolk County Long Island NY. Dr David Buchin and he only believes in DS surgery for people with bmis over 60 and does it in 2 stages.

Since I am considered a light weight that particular dr doesnt work for me. Then I wanted to try Dr Roslin, but recent warnings and reviews show he is getting a little short and snippy. Also is known for convincing patients to get a SADI saying its a DS loop. So on...

So now I am kind of disappointed.
I just want to find a reliable KNOWN doctor that does Duodenal Switch surgery (maybe for me a little personalized with a little longer common channel of 125) that accepts my insurance, Health First (I believe I can switch it to United Health Care if I have to). And preferably that is closer to me, out on the island would be great. I do not really want to commute to NYC if I do not have to.
It is about 1 1/2 hours away from me, and between tolls, gas, and parking would be a $100 dollar commute every time I have an appointment. And with all the visits that are needed for the pre ops and follow ups it will be quite a few.

So all this to tell you a little about me! And to ask Does anyone know of a DS doctor (a real one, not a bait and switch or kinda sorta) out on Long Island that accepts Health First or United Health Care insurance?

I appreciate it, and yes I have done my research. I have spent months researching and still have not found the right doctor! I just want the surgery, and I dont want to have to wait anymore.

 

[Karma]

Hello Kittykarkris! I was a lightweight too when I had my surgery! BMI right at 40 on surgery day. My surgeon was Dr. Onopchenko who is in the Atlantic City, NJ area. He is not currently on DSfacts, but he did proctor under Dr. Roslin and does the traditional Lap-DS. I do not know if he takes your insurance, but if you want to call him & talk with him over the phone..or if you are up for traveling, I believe he is a good surgeon. He has a good bed-side manner, but will talk to you 'straight'. He gave me a common channel of 150 cm & my results are good, but you should talk to him about what would be best for you & your situation. I would consider Dr. Greenbaum too, who is a vetted DS surgeon. He is in central Jersey.

I do not know if you will find a DS surgeon out on Long Island. My brother lives in Riverhead & is also interested in the DS & was thinking of going to Dr. Roslin too until I told him to consider Dr. Onopchenko/Dr. Greenbaum because I do not think a SADI would be best for him.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome @Kittykatkris
I am also a lightweight. May I suggest Dr. Pomp as an option. No, I don't know if he takes your insurance but he is a KNOWN DS surgeon (altho for larger BMI's he went to a two stage and that made him fall out of favor). He is my husband's surgeon. (My husband is also a lightweight and he was given a 125 common channel) I WANTED him but my insurance company, while agreeing I needed the DS, said I needed to stay in state and I lived in TN at the time. I was on my third appeal when Dr. Boyce (my surgeon in Knoxville) stepped up and agreed to do it.

 

[Larra]

Hi again! So glad you found your way here.
Regarding Dr. Roslin, he has never been known for his bedside manner, but I don't believe he's forcing patients to have the SADI instead of the DS if they insist on the DS. It's certainly a question you could ask of him, and no one has questioned his surgical skill. As far as all your pre-op tests goes, maybe you could get that stuff done locally even if your surgeon is not on Long Island (where you just aren't going to find a DS surgeon and that's all there is to it). Many people travel much further to get the DS. Yes it's more difficult and costs more, but the effort/cost is well worth it for the results.
Do check out Dr. Pomp, though, as well as the other surgeons mentioned above. You do have options, they just aren't right around the corner. And remember, this is NOT the time to consider yourself taller! Keep your height at 5'4 and your bmi at 40.
And if I had to guess, I would guess the guy who says he does a 2 stage DS for people with a bmi over 60 hasn't done one for awhile, if ever.

 

[southernlady]

BTW, I am actually 5'3" and change...and while most doctors round me to 5'4" (and where I ended up AFTER my last spine surgery when he propped me up a smidgen, I was glad my bariatric surgeon said I was the 5'3"...cause I was so close to the bottom at 35.2 for 5'4", that inch made all the difference in me even qualifying for surgery, made me an easy 36 BMI instead.

 

[aaa]

Hi and welcome.

Can you take the train into the city? I usually do and it's quite a bit less. That said, I don't know a DS surgeon on LI. What about Pomp and his partner, Gregory Dakin at Weill Cornell or Inabnet or Kini at Mt. Sinai (I know you said Herron wasn't doing it; perhaps they are)?

 

[Kittykatkris]

HI EVERYONE!! Thank you for the warm welcomes!
I am unsure about Dr Roslin just because of some things I have read from his actual patients saying they did not know they were going to get the Loop DS or Sips and thought they were going to be getting a normal DS, and only found out later on and had to insist. I just do not want to go under thinking I am getting one thing and then waking up because of some not really real excuse with a SADI or SIPS.

On the SADI and SIPS topic. I had a few questions.
Since I have PCOS and it is pretty bad, I wanted to get the DS due to the malabsorption and the way it changes the chemistry of the metabolism so on.
I really do not have an issue with over eating, so the restrictive part is not so much important to me. I wanted to find out some real concrete facts about the surgeries. I do not know how much you all know about the differences between SADI, SIPS, and DS.
But if any of you do know your input would be greatly appreciated.
As far as the SADI and SIPS surgery, does it provide the same type of change in chemistry and change in Metabolism as the DS? Or at least similar? Also how is the carbohydrate absorption compared to DS?
How does it affect the insulin resistance compared to the DS?

I only ask because I have talked to alot of women with PCOS and who have gotten the DS surgery and have had amazing results concerning their pcos and symptoms. Versus women with pcos that have gotten different types of weight loss surgery. Naturally any large loss of weight will improve PCOS.
I appreciate every ones time and information!
I have been doing some research on my own and it is getting all scrambled for me.

 

[Kittykatkris]

Welcome @Kittykatkris
I am also a lightweight. May I suggest Dr Pomp as an option. No, I don't know if he takes your insurance but he is a KNOWN DS surgeon (altho for larger BMI's he went to a two stage and that made him fall out of favor). He is my husband's surgeon. (My husband is also a lightweight and he was given a 125 common channel) I WANTED him but my insurance company, while agreeing I needed the DS, said I needed to stay in state and I lived in TN at the time. I was on my third appeal when Dr. Boyce (my surgeon in Knoxville) stepped up and agreed to do it.

Thanks for the advice I really think I am going to look into DR POMP first over Dr Roslin. I just dont feel like dealing with trying to be convinced of something I know I do not want. Also I do not want to risk not reading some paper work that I sign pre op correctly and waking up with a different type of surgery. If things dont work out with Dr Pomp then I will more then likely try Roslin and just mentally and emotionally prepare myself to push and shove for what I want.

I do have a question though do you know if Dr Pomp does slight moderations? Like I would like a little longer common channel to help with less malabsorption vitamin and mineral wise over time. Maybe like 150-175 cm instead of the normal 100-125 cm.

I am considered a light weight, although I can get away with 5'4 I am usually rounded up to 5'5 and in all honesty am closer to 5'5 lol So being 234 loosing 100 lbs puts me at 130 lbs making me a normal weight for that height, even 5'4. So I honestly do not understand how 100 lbs to loose is considered a light weight. As I do not think even with the most strictest diet and 2 or 3 hours a day of exercising everyday that I would be able to get down to that. The PCOS just does NOT allow my metabolism and carb absorption to work that way.

I appreciate the information everyone!
Any comments on suggestions and experience with different lengths of the common channel would be appreciated. I do not mind working a little harder diet wise or exercising I plan on doing that either way. I am more concerned about avoiding long term issues with vitamins and minerals, you know iron infusions, bone density problems so on. I would like to give myself a better chance in that department but at the same time not sabotage myself and making the WLS of no real point.

 

[Kittykatkris]

Oh and I know this might sound funny but I have been thinking about this ALOT.
What are peoples takes on the DS surgery and being far far out. Like say I get it now, I am 32 years old. Has anyone thought about or have any idea what it will be like say when I am 70 or 80?

I only say this because I know when you get to be that age you tend to have deficiencies as it is never mind with anything else possibly contributing to it. I guess my main concern is being older and not able to keep up with it as much as you are when you are younger, could getting the DS actually shorten your life expectancy?

I understand the argument if you dont loose weight and you stay extremely obese (according to the charts) your life expectancy is definitely going to be affected. Im just asking is there any ideas on this, its been on my mind a lot lol!

 

[more2adore]

You're a lightweight because many people have way more weight to lose than you do, that's all. When I started this journey I would have had to lose almost 500 pounds to get down to the 130 mark. Your current weight is my goal weight. Hopefully that gives you a little bit of a different viewpoint. Glad you're doing so much research and figuring out what's going to be best for you. Good on ya.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Oh and I know this might sound funny but I have been thinking about this ALOT.
What are peoples takes on the DS surgery and being far far out. Like say I get it now, I am 32 years old. Has anyone thought about or have any idea what it will be like say when I am 70 or 80?

I only say this because I know when you get to be that age you tend to have deficiencies as it is never mind with anything else possibly contributing to it. I guess my main concern is being older and not able to keep up with it as much as you are when you are younger, could getting the DS actually shorten your life expectancy?

I understand the argument if you dont loose weight and you stay extremely obese (according to the charts) your life expectancy is definitely going to be affected. Im just asking is there any ideas on this, its been on my mind a lot lol!

I don't have time to search for it now, but I suggest you look through the back threads, aside from the one I'm thinking of, it's been talked about before, and most of us know that we wouldn't have ever made it anywhere close to 80 living SMO, so we'll figure it out when we get there!

 

[southernlady]

Thanks for the advice I really think I am going to look into DR POMP first over Dr Roslin. I just dont feel like dealing with trying to be convinced of something I know I do not want. Also I do not want to risk not reading some paper work that I sign pre op correctly and waking up with a different type of surgery. If things dont work out with Dr Pomp then I will more then likely try Roslin and just mentally and emotionally prepare myself to push and shove for what I want.

I do have a question though do you know if Dr Pomp does slight moderations? Like I would like a little longer common channel to help with less malabsorption vitamin and mineral wise over time. Maybe like 150-175 cm instead of the normal 100-125 cm.

I am considered a light weight, although I can get away with 5'4 I am usually rounded up to 5'5 and in all honesty am closer to 5'5 lol So being 234 loosing 100 lbs puts me at 130 lbs making me a normal weight for that height, even 5'4. So I honestly do not understand how 100 lbs to loose is considered a light weight. As I do not think even with the most strictest diet and 2 or 3 hours a day of exercising everyday that I would be able to get down to that. The PCOS just does NOT allow my metabolism and carb absorption to work that way.

I appreciate the information everyone!
Any comments on suggestions and experience with different lengths of the common channel would be appreciated. I do not mind working a little harder diet wise or exercising I plan on doing that either way. I am more concerned about avoiding long term issues with vitamins and minerals, you know iron infusions, bone density problems so on. I would like to give myself a better chance in that department but at the same time not sabotage myself and making the WLS of no real point.

All you can do is ask him about customizing. Like I said, dh got a 125 common channel. Btw, mine is 175. And I lost all my excess weight. The BEST method is not a standard but using the Hess method which takes YOUR particular guts into account.

Long term issues such as iron infusions, osteoporosis, etc are best managed by watching your labs like a hawk, tracking trends. But even the best management can't stop the need for iron infusions if they are needed or your body doesn't absorb oral iron. For the first three years, I did fine but trending down. Then I dropped like a rock and this was while taking oral iron. I ended up getting iron infusions in Sept but did NOT stop taking my iron in hopes that the oral iron will help maintain my levels longer.

And osteoporosis has more genetic factors that can easily override your labs. Even with great lab work, you can still end up getting it. See my thread here where I talk about me: http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/i-have-osteoperosis-now.906/

As @brooklyngirl mentioned, there is a thread on growing older...I just need to find it. I know I would not be with the comorbids I had.

As to being a lightweight...the criteria is usually considered under a 45 BMI or less than 150 lbs to lose...most of us have to prove fairly severe comorbids to get WLS because we have "so little" to lose. There is a lightweight forum here.

 

[southernlady]

Found it: http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/what-if.2105/

 

[Kittykatkris]

Ok thank you everyone! I am going to check out the threads you suggested later on today.

I did have one question, I know you obviously do not go in this with the intentions of undoing it. But my understanding is that is it is absolutely necessary the switch part can be undone and put back the way your body was original intended to be.
So if too much weight loss occurs or too much malabsorption that just can not be caught back up on, then the doctor would reverse that.
I know the sleeve can not be undone, which is not that big of a problem since it does stretch out over time.

I guess I am asking has anyone talked to or known of someone who had to get it reversed? Were there any issues with the reversal?

LOL I think I tend to analyze everything every which way and like to ease my extreme nerves (although not many) with a fail safe if all else fails.

Also thank you I do understand a light weight, I knew there were people with way more then me to loose. I admire you all so much you do not understand. I could not imagine loosing 100 on my own especially with pcos and I could just imagine all your struggles as well.

Talking it out with other people who were or are in the same position as me really helps and everyone has been very nice. On another forum I kind of felt attacked for asking so many questions lol. I was even told if I have a medical condition threatening my eyesight and blindness, that has not caused me to change then I would never be able to meet the commitments and responsibilities of the DS life long so not to bother getting it!
Meanwhile that poster doesnt know me and definitely just assumed that I am a uncontrollable glutton. I have tried to loose weight on low carb diets, on pcos diets, on every diet imaginable over my life time. But especially lately due to the PTC (psuedotumor ceribi). The chronic fatigue, PCOS, and ptc makes it hard to get out of bed sometimes never mind exercise, and I even get so nauseous that I barely eat some days.

I have been on so many medications, daily pills and liquid to treat holistically, and been in so much pain. Depressed I can not stop having pounding headaches, insane whooshing in my ear, pressure in my head, so tired...I feel that if I can deal with all of this and taking all of those meds and pills before hand I most definitely feel that whatever obstacles may arise from the DS surgery, or any and all meds and vitamins/minerals I need to take daily would doable. And without any issues or complaints to tell you the truth, the inability to go anywhere. The actually want to not leave bed, or the house, pain so on should be gone after I loose all the weight. Pcos and PTC should go into remission and life without the affects of those 2 things...even the thought of it makes me want to cry cause I can not even imagine a life like that, I have been suffering from them for so long.

I guess I am trying to convince myself to take the leap. That no matter what the trade off will be worth it, and I can conquer whatever issues may arise in the future. And that no matter what it is that comes up will not be as hard as the issues I have and am dealing with now.

THANKS again for listening (reading lol)

 

[Kittykatkris]

Southerlady
I read the thread on WHAT IF..it was very entertaining. And I actually told my fiance months ago that if an apocalypse happened he would have to go for the guns, knives, ammo and weapons. And I would hit up the beef jerky and vitamins/minerals! lol

But I can not find the thread on older age. If anyone does find it if you could let me know that would be awesome. I have to go to work I will check again later. Thanks! have a wonderful day everyone