conceit--update

[conceit]

Glad to see you and sorry about the diabetes.
Here's what I think is the straight scoop. If you got down to a normal weight tomorrow, your diabetes would be history most likely. But it's not cured. The weightloss fixed it temporarily. It will always be right there on the horizon because there was no metabolic change.

So so glad to see you! Thank you for your response. And 100% agreed. That's what I have read over and over. When the weight comes back, so does the diabetes.

The DS forces a real metabolic change. And over 95% of the time it reverses type 2. Right away as in immediately postop. Weightloss has nothing to do with it. People have had other procedures and resolved their diabetes with weight loss. But gain a few pounds and it comes right back. The only procedure that offers hope to never see diabetes again is the DS. Nothing else you can do works as well as the DS. The DS ends the hyperlipidemia too. You won't need statins. You won't have neuropathy and retinopathy in your future.

All of what you said. My sincere hope is that I'll be among the 95% who experience full reversal of t2d.

I encourage you to do the the surgery ASAP. Before all these issues even start. I agree with you that diabetes is a terrible disease. The only thing that causes more amputations and blindness than diabetes is accidents. You are right to take it seriously.

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/ds-for-diabetes-dans-story.355/

I am ready for the surgery, more than I've ever been. I don't have another option. It's awful timing my GP is away until mid December. I've waited this long, I can wait for a few months. I am really hoping she will co operate. I'll go through the documents on how to talk to the GP and provide her more info on the procedure as well as go in prepared. I also need her to write me lab requisitions, when asked. If she refuses, I'll have to look for a new GP. And ideally i don't want to waste time on that. It's very hard to find GPs that are taking new patients, here.

I am going to start writing to Dr. Marchesini (who I hope is still practicing) and Dr. Ungson, tonight. I'll be self paying, traveling from Canada. I know Dr. Aceves passed away some time back, unfortunately.

I've heard Dr. Greenbaum offers a good self-pay rate also.

 

[Munchkin]

So so glad to see you! Thank you for your response. And 100% agreed. That's what I have read over and over. When the weight comes back, so does the diabetes.



All of what you said. My sincere hope is that I'll be among the 95% who experience full reversal of t2d.



I am ready for the surgery, more than I've ever been. I don't have another option. It's awful timing my GP is away until mid December. I've waited this long, I can wait for a few months. I am really hoping she will co operate. I'll go through the documents on how to talk to the GP and provide her more info on the procedure as well as go in prepared. I also need her to write me lab requisitions, when asked. If she refuses, I'll have to look for a new GP. And ideally i don't want to waste time on that. It's very hard to find GPs that are taking new patients, here.

I am going to start writing to Dr. Marchesini (who I hope is still practicing) and Dr. Ungson, tonight. I'll be self paying, traveling from Canada. I know Dr. Aceves passed away some time back, unfortunately.

I've heard Dr. Greenbaum offers a good self-pay rate also.

Dr Ungson took another job. Your good, best option in MX now is Esquerra/Wilhelmy. Esquerra was trained by Ungson and there are quite a few of his patients here. I would let him operate on me. And he does the real DS. No SADI/SIPS stuff.

 

[conceit]

Dr Ungson took another job. Your good, best option in MX now is Esquerra/Wilhelmy. Esquerra was trained by Ungson and there are quite a few of his patients here. I would let him operate on me. And he does the real DS. No SADI/SIPS stuff.

That's great. Thanks for telling me. I've been lurking today and saw his name a couple of times. Does Esquerra use the Hess method?

Do you (or anyone else reading) by any chance know if Dr. Marchesini is still practicing? I was trying to look him up on google. But nothing linked back to his website/hospital website.

 

[Munchkin]

That's great. Thanks for telling me. I've been lurking today and saw his name a couple of times. Does Esquerra use the Hess method?

Do you (or anyone else reading) by any chance know if Dr. Marchesini is still practicing? I was trying to look him up on google. But nothing linked back to his website/hospital website.

It is not used as much as it was at one time. I THINK Marchesini retired but I didn't want to say because I am not sure. Baltasar did retire.

 

[conceit]

I just emailed mexicali bariatric and Dr. M. it does seem like dr. M has retired. will PM dr. esquerra's patients tomorrow and read their posts in detail.

 

[Larra]

Welcome back! I'm glad you're here again, but sorry for the reason. Diabetes is a terrible disease, and the less years you have been diabetic when you have your DS, the better the chances that it will go away permanently.
I saw recently that Dr. Ungson did a DS on someone (sorry, I can't remember who it was) so apparently he is operating again, in the same group with Dr. Esquerra. I don't think you would go wrong with either of them. Dr. Greenbaum in NJ is also well regarded, but only does the DS open.

 

[Munchkin]

Welcome back! I'm glad you're here again, but sorry for the reason. Diabetes is a terrible disease, and the less years you have been diabetic when you have your DS, the better the chances that it will go away permanently.
I saw recently that Dr. Ungson did a DS on someone (sorry, I can't remember who it was) so apparently he is operating again, in the same group with Dr. Esquerra. I don't think you would go wrong with either of them. Dr. Greenbaum in NJ is also well regarded, but only does the DS open.

Thanks Larra! I had no idea Ungson was operating again!

 

[southernlady]

Dr Ungson took another job. Your good, best option in MX now is Esquerra/Wilhelmy. Esquerra was trained by Ungson and there are quite a few of his patients here. I would let him operate on me. And he does the real DS. No SADI/SIPS stuff.

Actually there is a very recent post op on FB who had Ungson.

 

[hilary1617]

conceit, Hi and welcome back! Sorry for the diabetes news and hope the DS reverses it. I am one of many who thought seriously about surgery numerous times and gave dieting/exercise/whatever "one last try" again and again before actually taking the plunge. In the end, years out, living a life freed from the bonds of my prior weight, my only regret I have about DS is not having done it sooner. Wishing you all the best!

 

[conceit]

conceit, Hi and welcome back! Sorry for the diabetes news and hope the DS reverses it. I am one of many who thought seriously about surgery numerous times and gave dieting/exercise/whatever "one last try" again and again before actually taking the plunge. In the end, years out, living a life freed from the bonds of my prior weight, my only regret I have about DS is not having done it sooner. Wishing you all the best!

Hi Hilary, thank you so much! I am really hoping the DS will reverse it. I hate the added stress from the diabetes diagnosis, but it is what it is. I am trying to stay on top of things, have restricted carbs further, will add another day of HIIT to my exercise routine so my numbers are better come surgery time. There's no other option besides the DS at this point, and thankfully it's such a promising option. Still I am finding it hard not to worry about the t2d not resolving after it. Working on it though..working to think more positively.

Welcome back! I'm glad you're here again, but sorry for the reason. Diabetes is a terrible disease, and the less years you have been diabetic when you have your DS, the better the chances that it will go away permanently.
I saw recently that Dr. Ungson did a DS on someone (sorry, I can't remember who it was) so apparently he is operating again, in the same group with Dr. Esquerra. I don't think you would go wrong with either of them. Dr. Greenbaum in NJ is also well regarded, but only does the DS open.

Hi Larra,

Thank you so very much! I am grateful to be received so kindly here after my absence. I am really really hoping the recent diagnosis, though i've been 'pre-D' for around 4 years or so, means the chances of reversal or long term (20 years or so I'd hope) remission are good.

I haven't heard from Dr. M yet. But I am in communication with Dr. Esquerra's patient coordinator. so far the staff seems very professional and nice. I am trying to see if I can find another GP, because I really needed to change mine anyway. The vacations are getting longer and longer with her, and I need someone more understanding and also more present, physically and mentally. If I am unable to find one, I'll have to wait until her return. I just would hate to wait for her return only for her to refuse to write me lab requisitions. So I am starting to look for a GP now, rather than waiting until after she's possibly been uncooperative. She gave me so much grief over ordering regular blood work, saying I was too young and didn't need it. Just so many things over the years have me disappointed. Here's hoping she'll be cooperative upon her return or I'll find a better GP in the meantime. sorry about the extra details! I got carried away there hehe.

I found out that Dr. Greenbaum's fee is higher. Esquerra's fee is much better for me, since I am paying in canadian dollars. Thank you again for getting in touch and offering your time and support, Larra. I really appreciate it.

 

[Munchkin]

I can tell you for sure that Dan used and abused his switch. He ate like a horse and a LOT of it was junk. He never even came close to being diabetic again. I used to lust over his bags of peanut M&M's. And he remained effortlessly thin. Even though he only had the switch, he did much better than me. He got the surgery I wanted!

 

[conceit]

I can tell you for sure that Dan used and abused his switch. He ate like a horse and a LOT of it was junk. He never even came close to being diabetic again. I used to lust over his bags of peanut M&M's. And he remained effortlessly thin. Even though he only had the switch, he did much better than me. He got the surgery I wanted!

Here's hoping for similarly awesome results. And I also imagine him wanting to eat his favourite foods after having to maintain strict control for so long. I think I may have read too many posts today on OH about diabetes not resolving post DS. That was a bit of a downer. In those instances, it seemed like people had diabetes for longer and were using insulin. I am trying to remember the statistics and focusing on the facts, such as my age and duration of diabetes. In this moment, it's just hard. any kind of chronic illness diagnosis is hard. and as everyone has said, Diabetes is no joke. a diagnosis at 30 is a bit jarring, though I know i am fortunate compared to so many.

The 8.7 fasting blood sugar has me spooked. I wasn't expecting it'd be that high. I'll adjust in a few days time. Again going to work to think positively.

p.s. also thinking of the doctors who told me the surgery was too drastic for me. while it would not have been practical in my case to have the surgery back then due to life stuff, going ahead if I were asked, I'd tell someone with 'Pre'-D that they needed to get the DS before a t2d diagnosis, because it is only a matter of time. For obese people with Pre-D, the chances of it not progressing further are very slim. Even with all my exercising and carb control, I am here with this diagnosis in barely 4 years of pre-D diagnosis. the damage is being done even if the arbitrary threshold hasn't been reached yet.

 

[harrietvane]

I self-paid with Dr Gagner in Montreal. That might be a possibility if you haven't considered already? I also had an issue of not wanting to convert to USD to pay (I was earning in Singapore dollars, which is closer 1:1 for Canadian.)

Whichever route you decide, best of luck!

 

[Munchkin]

Here's hoping for similarly awesome results. And I also imagine him wanting to eat his favourite foods after having to maintain strict control for so long. I think I may have read too many posts today on OH about diabetes not resolving post DS. That was a bit of a downer. In those instances, it seemed like people had diabetes for longer and were using insulin. I am trying to remember the statistics and focusing on the facts, such as my age and duration of diabetes. In this moment, it's just hard. any kind of chronic illness diagnosis is hard. and as everyone has said, Diabetes is no joke. a diagnosis at 30 is a bit jarring, though I know i am fortunate compared to so many.

The 8.7 fasting blood sugar has me spooked. I wasn't expecting it'd be that high. I'll adjust in a few days time. Again going to work to think positively.

p.s. also thinking of the doctors who told me the surgery was too drastic for me. while it would not have been practical in my case to have the surgery back then due to life stuff, going ahead if I were asked, I'd tell someone with 'Pre'-D that they needed to get the DS before a t2d diagnosis, because it is only a matter of time. For obese people with Pre-D, the chances of it not progressing further are very slim. Even with all my exercising and carb control, I am here with this diagnosis in barely 4 years of pre-D diagnosis. the damage is being done even if the arbitrary threshold hasn't been reached yet.

Years ago, 10+, when I lived in Minnesota I got a call from a friend of a friend. He asked me to go to dinner with him. He wanted to find out if I could eat! So he took me to a buffet. After dinner he said he could live like I did! He went on to get the DS. He had been an insulin dependent type 2 for over 15 years and he was SSMO. He was an opthalmologist and I think he had been told he had to do something or he would end up blind and losing a leg. It took him the DS plus weightloss to do it but he did eventually lose the diabetes. It was not instant like Dan. Probably took him 6 months but he was a far worse diabetic than Dan was. Totally out of control even on Insulin and oral meds.

The most unlikely case for you and worse case scenario is that you have the surgery and are still diabetic. Probably less than a 5% chance of this happening. You would still be 100% better off because you would lose the weight. The diabetes would be easier to manage. And the malabsorbtion would get rid of your hyperlipidemia for sure. I have yet to come across a DSer with high cholesterol postop. Next worse case scenario, you are diabetes free for 10 or 15 years and then it comes back. Well, the clock starts over at zero. You avoided 15years of organ and nerve damage. For you, there is no downside. And don't forget you have more than a 95% chance of walking out of surgery diabetes free.

Since you haven't been hanging out here for a while, let me tell you what changed. It used to be all about CC and standard VS Hess method. Now there are bigger fish to fry. Quite a few surgeons have bought into doing the SIPS/SADI/Loop and they are calling it the DS for insurance reasons. Actually you could even extrapolate that it's fraud. More than a few people have signed consent for the DS and actually ended up with a different surgery. The look alike procedures are easier and faster for the surgeons. Some patients have had decent results and others have not. All of these have less malabsorbtion than a true DS. There are also a few trying out a true DS with extremely long CCs. These surgeries are not going to deliver the best results for you. You want a lot of malabsorbtion, not a little. The more the better when you are talking about getting rid of type 2.

No matter what surgeon you select, you have to make sure you are getting standard of care, 2 anastomosis DS. And negotiate your CC length. I already know you are not a shrinking violet and you will advocate for yourself. I just wanted to be sure you knew there are some surgeons who have not been truthful with their patients. Since the trend is longer CC's it's likely you can negotiate down to 100 but you probably won't get less than that.

 

[conceit]

Munchkin Oh thank you so much for above post. I'll respond in a bit. Just wanted to let folks know that Dr. M has not retired! So if anyone is looking for more self pay options for international travel, the brilliant Dr. Marchesini is still working. So lucky for us And he does the true DS too, which is such a relief.