Hi, hello, how are ya!

Ridgerunner

Active Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
41
Hi DSers!
I am a 49 yr old female, 5'7" and currently 296 lbs.
I started looking into weightloss surgery after I had a meniscus tear on my knee repaired but apparently because of my weight am still always in pain. Other then my job I became pretty inactive, kind of gave up the battle so to speak and reached my highest weight of 350. I had to do something else. I decided I had to have WLS to get my life back..
So beginning in March of this year I have been reading everything I can find to educate myself and try to make the best decision I can about which surgery I should have.
I started on a high protein low carb diet, cutting out all the things I will need avoid later in preperation for post op and have lost 50 lbs so far. It really feels good but I know that eventually the weight will come back like it always does.
I am self pay and am using a center of excellence with a very qualified surgeon. He offers the band, sleeve, bypass and ds.
I have considered every option other than the band.
I have "firmly decided" on both bypass and sleeve at one point or the other but now I am "pretty firmly" sure I am settling on DS, LOL. I will have the money I need by the end of this July if all goes as planned and I will have my consult then with my surgeon to determine if the surgery I chose is the correct one. I am here hoping that others experiences and advice will help me either confirm my decision for DS or make me realize it is not the one for me after all. I am really excited to learn more!
Thanks everyone
 
Welcome! I think the DS is a great decision, but the surgeon you have named in your profile is someone I've never heard of in over 10 years on this site and others related to the DS. Actually, I've never even heard of a DS surgeon in Arkansas. Regardless of whether or not this is a center of excellence, if the surgeon isn't experienced in the DS specifically, you won't end up with a DS. Especially these days when some surgeons are claiming to do the DS and doing the SADI/aka SIPS/aka loop DS instead and even calling it a DS when it isn't, everyone has to be very careful.

Given that you are self-pay, you could also consider Mexico. Dr. Esquerra does a real DS and has established an excellent reputation. There are a number of his patients here if you need feedback from the people who have been there done that. I hope you will keep an open mind.

And btw, your story about never really recovering from a seemingly minor injury is sadly familiar. I've seen so many people over the years suffer what sounds like a minor injury (turned ankle, whatever), no broken bones, but never regain their full mobility and have continued pain. The DS and the weight off that joint is going to work miracles for you.
 
Welcome and best of luck on your process. As long as you are a proactive person, not afraid to question doctors and are willing to keep up with the vitamin/lab requirements (and expenses) the DS will likely work for you.

BTW, looking at Dr. Roller's website, there is mention of experience in other bariatric procedures, but no mention of the DS. While I'm not in the camp that says the doctor has to have done hundreds of DSs (presuming they're experienced GI surgeons), I don't know if I'd want to be anybody's first (except maybe Sofia Vergara's).:inlove:
 
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Hi DSers!
I am a 49 yr old female, 5'7" and currently 296 lbs.
I started looking into weightloss surgery after I had a meniscus tear on my knee repaired but apparently because of my weight am still always in pain. Other then my job I became pretty inactive, kind of gave up the battle so to speak and reached my highest weight of 350. I had to do something else. I decided I had to have WLS to get my life back..
So beginning in March of this year I have been reading everything I can find to educate myself and try to make the best decision I can about which surgery I should have.
I started on a high protein low carb diet, cutting out all the things I will need avoid later in preperation for post op and have lost 50 lbs so far. It really feels good but I know that eventually the weight will come back like it always does.
I am self pay and am using a center of excellence with a very qualified surgeon. He offers the band, sleeve, bypass and ds.
I have considered every option other than the band.
I have "firmly decided" on both bypass and sleeve at one point or the other but now I am "pretty firmly" sure I am settling on DS, LOL. I will have the money I need by the end of this July if all goes as planned and I will have my consult then with my surgeon to determine if the surgery I chose is the correct one. I am here hoping that others experiences and advice will help me either confirm my decision for DS or make me realize it is not the one for me after all. I am really excited to learn more!
Thanks everyone
Welcome! You'll find a wealth of quality information and support here. I encourage you to read all you can and ask questions.
I was on the fence about DS for years and now I regret waiting! Best decision I've made in a long time. Best of luck in making yours.
 
Welcome @Ridgerunner

Like @Larra mentioned, your surgeon is not familiar to us as a DS surgeon. What you can do is "nail" him down about it when you talk to him. We would LOVE to add another DS surgeon to our known list.

Ask these questions:
1) How many DS surgeries have you done by yourself?
2) Who proctored you (as in who taught you to do the surgery)?
3) How many Anastomosis does he use? (two is the DS, one is the SADI/SIPS/LoopDS)
4) Does he use the Hess method to figure limb lengths?
5) Ask him to also sketch the DS for you.

If you get solid answers that you are comfortable with, letting us know would help us pass the word.

And while there is nothing wrong with the SADI et al...it doesn't have the track record of the DS. The DS goes back to 1988 when Dr. Hess started doing them. The SADI et all has less than 5 years of doing them here in the US (10 in Turkey), and is still in clinical trials. We honestly do not know what it will do 15-20 or more years down the road as far as maintenance. It seems to be doing well as far as initial weight loss and we have high hopes of it one day replacing the RNY (gastric bypass).
 
Hi, backacha...and beware of the Bait-But-Don't-Switch guys!


You are visiting with people who have LOTS of years of experience reading about the DS...and most of us are post-ops of many years. (I'm over 10.5 years post op.)

If you really are ready to self-pay, why pay for anything other than one of the very few PRIMO DS surgeons on the planet?

(Don't feel like you are being attacked...we warn people in your situation ALL THE TIME.)
 
"there is nothing wrong with the SADI " - I wouldn't go that far. Bile reflux and significant regain potential are two right off the top of my head.
 
"there is nothing wrong with the SADI " - I wouldn't go that far. Bile reflux and significant regain potential are two right off the top of my head.
Well, you and I both agree that
1) the DS is not for everyone
2) it's a hell of a lot better than the RNY
3) It's a slightly better option than the VSG alone.

So on that basis is my statement that there is nothing really wrong with it.

Yes, we know of bile reflux...but then again, it doesn't hit everyone. Same as dumping doesn't hit ALL RNY'ers.

We don't know what the regain looks like yet as not enough people are in the 3-5 year window...seems most are still under 2 years. It may not have the regain of the RNY.

If someone is aware of the differences and chooses the SADI KNOWING those options then they should not be put down any more than someone who has had any other surgery.
 
Welcome! I think the DS is a great decision, but the surgeon you have named in your profile is someone I've never heard of in over 10 years on this site and others related to the DS. Actually, I've never even heard of a DS surgeon in Arkansas. Regardless of whether or not this is a center of excellence, if the surgeon isn't experienced in the DS specifically, you won't end up with a DS. Especially these days when some surgeons are claiming to do the DS and doing the SADI/aka SIPS/aka loop DS instead and even calling it a DS when it isn't, everyone has to be very careful.

Given that you are self-pay, you could also consider Mexico. Dr. Esquerra does a real DS and has established an excellent reputation. There are a number of his patients here if you need feedback from the people who have been there done that. I hope you will keep an open mind.

And btw, your story about never really recovering from a seemingly minor injury is sadly familiar. I've seen so many people over the years suffer what sounds like a minor injury (turned ankle, whatever), no broken bones, but never regain their full mobility and have continued pain. The DS and the weight off that joint is going to work miracles for you.
Thank for looking out for me. I have been reading about how others have thought they were getting full DS but got the SADI/SIPS instead. I have been reading up on the difference between the two and I think I am ready to have an intellegent enough conversation with him to determine if he indeed does the full DS, if he tailors them to the patient, how many he has performed and his success rate. Right now I know that he has been practicing WLS for around eight years, did a fellowship at duke and has been doing the DS for only one year. I would have no quelms with mexico, I understand they have excellent surgeons and care staff there but in my case flying is not an option.
 
Welcome and best of luck on your process. As long as you are a proactive person, not afraid to question doctors and are willing to keep up with the vitamin/lab requirements (and expenses) the DS will likely work for you.

BTW, looking at Dr. Roller's website, there is mention of experience in other bariatric procedures, but no mention of the DS. While I'm not in the camp that says the doctor has to have done hundreds of DSs (presuming they're experienced GI surgeons), I don't know if I'd want to be anybody's first (except maybe Sofia Vergara's).:inlove:
Thanks for you response! Dr Roller has actually only been doing the DS for one year. I have no idea how many that amounts to but I will absolutely being asking that question and many more. I am not the kind of person who goes into anything blindly, infact I am probably a little obsessive so don't worry, if I do not have every confidence in this surgeon after we have our one on one there is no way I will put my body and the rest of my life in his hands.
 
Welcome! You'll find a wealth of quality information and support here. I encourage you to read all you can and ask questions.
I was on the fence about DS for years and now I regret waiting! Best decision I've made in a long time. Best of luck in making yours.
Thank you for the encouragement! I don't think I can stand to wait much longer!
 
Welcome @Ridgerunner

Like @Larra mentioned, your surgeon is not familiar to us as a DS surgeon. What you can do is "nail" him down about it when you talk to him. We would LOVE to add another DS surgeon to our known list.

Ask these questions:
1) How many DS surgeries have you done by yourself?
2) Who proctored you (as in who taught you to do the surgery)?
3) How many Anastomosis does he use? (two is the DS, one is the SADI/SIPS/LoopDS)
4) Does he use the Hess method to figure limb lengths?
5) Ask him to also sketch the DS for you.

If you get solid answers that you are comfortable with, letting us know would help us pass the word.

And while there is nothing wrong with the SADI et al...it doesn't have the track record of the DS. The DS goes back to 1988 when Dr. Hess started doing them. The SADI et all has less than 5 years of doing them here in the US (10 in Turkey), and is still in clinical trials. We honestly do not know what it will do 15-20 or more years down the road as far as maintenance. It seems to be doing well as far as initial weight loss and we have high hopes of it one day replacing the RNY (gastric bypass).
Thanks for the question suggestions! I will use these and a few more at my consult.
I will post the answers to all these questions as soon as I can so others may have the benifit of knowing in the future

Well, you and I both agree that
1) the DS is not for everyone
2) it's a hell of a lot better than the RNY
3) It's a slightly better option than the VSG alone.

So on that basis is my statement that there is nothing really wrong with it.

Yes, we know of bile reflux...but then again, it doesn't hit everyone. Same as dumping doesn't hit ALL RNY'ers.

We don't know what the regain looks like yet as not enough people are in the 3-5 year window...seems most are still under 2 years. It may not have the regain of the RNY.

If someone is aware of the differences and chooses the SADI KNOWING those options then they should not be put down any more than someone who has had any other surgery.
 

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