DS Pariah???

[Jon]

I had the sleeve about 8 years ago. I have gained most of my weight back now so I was thinking about finishing off my VSG with the DS now. To me it seems logical: Since I have already had a sleeve I am already half way there so why not just finish it off with a DS? Unfortunately, the surgeon that did my sleeve got killed in a plane crash about 3 years ago so now I am looking for a new surgeon. I have contacted a few places to see what there cost would be and whatnot so I can decide. When I contacted one of the places they tried to talk me out of it telling me that the DS is a very extreme procedure and it is performed only as a very last resort. They told me that usually the only time when they do a DS is if the patient is extremely obese and the patient is going to die at any moment if they do not do it. I am currently 350 lbs and 5'11" for a BMI of 49. Eight years ago when I had the sleeve I was 412 lbs for a BMI of 58.

The doctor said that DS patients have a very bad body odor for the rest of their life. He told me that he could always tell when a DS patient was in his office because he could smell them while they were sitting in their office. He said that if I got this procedure I would have social issues the rest of my life because I would always smell bad. I would in effect become a permanent pariah for the rest of my life. People would be ablel to smell me over a mile away! He said that I will have permanent diarrhea for the rest of my life and that my stools will be very foul smelling. It will be like after I go to the rest room it will smell really bad so that everyone will know that I was in the rest room. I can imagine going to church and having to sit by myself in a pew that is far away from anyone and having to use private rest rooms.

This doctor also said that since I have acid reflux that he could not do the DS on me. I have however found other surgeons that would be willing. This doctor recommend that I revise to a mini gastric bypass (not sure how that would be possible since the half of the stomach that would normally remain attached to the duodenum piece that would be attached downstream is already gone. I have also found another surgeon that has a different type of DS called the SADI-S that is supposed to be better for acid reflux people like myself but the weight loss results are not quite as good as a traditional DS.

What are your experiences? Is the DS really as bad as that one doctor says for your social life? Is this SADI-S a good thing? In my situation would mini gastric bypass be better (even though I am not sure how they would do it)?

 

[Duckman]

that guy is an asshole tbh

 

[Settledownnow]

The minigastric bypass is far worse than the RNY (gastric bypass) but it appeals to people through the use of the word "mini" (as in "I only need a mini procedure"). Read through the postings here to learn more about the DS. The symptoms you described are controlled by eating a high protein and LOW carb diet. Do you really think people would get a DS and be willing to walk around stinking all day and every day? You will also find information on vit/min supplementation and the monitoring your vit/min status by getting regular bloodwork. The diet and supplements are what you sign on to with the DS. They are required to live.

*Oops- edited to write "low carb"

 

[Clematis]

(I replied to your other post on GERD.) Dr. Aceves your guy? (If not there is a rash of WLS docs perishing in plane crashes.) He was replaced by his mentor Dr. Ungson while training Dr. Esquerra. Esquerra was my doc and I highly recommend him. You know Mexicali Bariatric Center is top notch. Go back there and have Esquerra do a proper switch added to your VSG.

 

[Clematis]

Oh and consider that no doc will recommend a surgery s/he doesn't do! You can't get a Lexus at a Kia dealer.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome @Jon
Was your original VSG done in Mexico? Reason I ask is that I am aware of only one surgeon in recent years that died in a plane crash.

If so, then Dr. Esquerra is your best choice. And no need to futz with your BMI.

If you are looking to convert the VSG to a DS, then heading east to TX (Dr. Ayoola near Dallas) or west to Dr. K or Dr. Rabkin in CA or north to Utah to Dr. Simper are your only real options for solid DS surgeons near you.

 

[Jon]

(I replied to your other post on GERD.) Dr. Aceves your guy? (If not there is a rash of WLS docs perishing in plane crashes.) He was replaced by his mentor Dr. Ungson while training Dr. Esquerra. Esquerra was my doc and I highly recommend him. You know Mexicali Bariatric Center is top notch. Go back there and have Esquerra do a proper switch added to your VSG.

Yes, Dr. Aceves was my surgeon. He was awesome. Now they are saying if I choose to use them again (I am leaning in their direction) that it would be Dr. Esquerra or Dr. Willhelmy that would perform the surgery.

 

[Clematis]

Esquerra is terrific surgeon. Many here have used him. Wilhelmeny was only doing sleeves when I had my surgery two years ago but I see he is now found DS - he was always in OR assisting Esquerra so he has experience. Someone here recently had him do her DS and was pleased.

So stop fretting about all this. Schedule with MBC and get On with your life!

Oh and get your vitamin and nutrition advice HERE.

 

[southernlady]

Yes, Dr. Aceves was my surgeon. He was awesome. Now they are saying if I choose to use them again (I am leaning in their direction) that it would be Dr. Esquerra or Dr. Willhelmy that would perform the surgery.

Jon, either of them would be an awesome choice to complete your DS.

 

[writegirl]

You got all the great info you need above to make your decision on your surgeon. I will add: You will NOT fucking smell. The doctor who told you that is a complete asshole, as @Duckman rightly pointed out. I would add that he is also a liar trying to scare you into agreeing to some inferior procedure that he can perform. He is clearly not a DS trained surgeon and has no interest in becoming one, so he bashes the procedure to frighten his patients into using him for something inferior. Don't even get me started on the ethical violations in his approach. As for your crap, dude, everyone's shit smells. Don't sweat the minor issues. You won't be a pariah at church or anyplace else. You also won't get dumping syndrome, worsened reflux (in fact it may disappear), you are very unlikely to get the massive vomiting issues that people with bypasses routinely cope with (my sister, for example), and you won't get life-threatening regain. So, yeah, if your shit stinks, it's kind of a trade off.

 

[Larra]

@Jon, I can understand your confusion. You have been pumped full of misinformation and outright lies. You have had recommended to you, in the place of a nationally and internationally recognized, well established, standard of care operation (the DS) 2 non-standard operations - the so-called mini gastric bypass, which is just a gastric bypass with a loop instead of RNY configuration, and which has never been accepted as standard of care for good reason (it can cause bile reflux, which the RNY gastric bypass won't do) but which a couple surgeons have adopted because it's quicker, I guess, and which unfortunately has an appealing name. And the SADI, which also is just a loop version of the DS, which is considered experimental, for which long term results are NOT well documented (unlike the DS) and which lacks the selective fat malabsorption that helps the DS work so well long term.
And then, you get some of the usual lies about how you're going to stink and no one will get close to you. Well, I've lived with the DS for over 11 years, I don't stink, my friends sit next to me and hug me and everything, I live a very normal life. And, if you happen to know something that works really well for constipation, could you let me know? Sadly, some doctors who want you as a customer...so sorry I meant patient...are going to recommend the procedures they do and get paid for, not what is best for you, and will say terrible things about the DS if it means you will take your money elsewhere.
Dr. Aceves' death was a great loss to the DS community. But Dr. Esquerra has operated on a lot of people in this group and we've heard nothing but positive feedback about him and about the whole experience there. Keep on reading here, see what kind of lives we are all leading and how happy people are with their results.
Oh, and btw, the DS is a standard of care bariatric surgery for anyone who medically qualifies for bariatric surgery, and not just for people at death's door.

 

[hilary1617]

Indeed, something surely stinks, but it is the line of BS that misinformed doctor spread about the DS.

I'd have lost my position long ago were I perceived by others as malodorous.

 

[k9ophile]

Oh, good lord. IF I have body odor it's because I neglected my hygiene. I was warned about gas, yet that can be minimized by diet. BTW, when my surgeon warned me about gas, I said that was OK because then I'd give payback to my husband and dog. I can assure you neither of them have had surgery. Gas happens.

 

[Munchkin]

Lies and disinformation. Whoever fed you that line of crap is not fit to do surgery on my pet rat. Here's the deal. He wants your money and that's all he cares about. He doesn't want to let a live one(you) get away. Run away! This guy is disgusting!

Esquerra/Wilhelmy are doing a good job!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Jon!

Do share the name of this well-informed surgeon so we can all learn (to stay away) from him.

What all tbat bullshit means is that the DS is a more challenging procedure and he just ain't up to the challenge. Find a good doctor, and carry on.