Hello everyone!

Manapan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2018
Messages
65
I'm Amanda. I've been working on the prerequisites for WLS since November and I'm almost finished and ready to submit for insurance approval.

I've been doing a lot of reading about the pros and cons of the different procedures. While I had originally opted for RNY, I have an appointment with the practice this week to revise that to DS. I wanted to say thank you to all the DS veterans on here. You helped me realize that it's doable and not the scary, smelly, diarrhea-ridden deathtrap that I had originally completely dismissed.
 
Dang Tuan Pham in Buffalo is my surgeon. I definitely have a lot of questions to ask before I commit to it (like is it the double anastomosis, does he use the Hess method, what length CC, etc). I'm glad I have that appointment coming up.
 
Hello and welcome Manapan! :) DS is one of the best decisions I ever made. Gave me great quality of life. Wishing you all the best!
 
Welcome and good choice. I hope it works out and this doc does a real DS. If not, move on and find a better doc!
 
I had my appointment today, but it turned out to be with the NP. I asked a lot of questions and she consulted with the doctor for me on the technical issues. I was told that they follow guidelines so SADI is experimental and not covered. I wasn't able to get a good answer about the length of the channels. I was only told it varies between patients and is typically 100. I'll be asking the surgeon about it in more detail when I have a chance.

The NP is a former RNY patient and she didn't think I'd qualify for DS because I'm not obese enough. (My BMI is 54.8 as of today, and she thought it had to be 60 or above.) But the surgeon agreed with me that I was a good candidate because of the comorbidities I have and because of my history of losing a lot of weight but having trouble keeping it off.

They're willing to submit for insurance approval after I do a few more prerequisites. Just a liver ultrasound and six more days of perfect bipap compliance and they're submitting it. :D
 
It sounds like the surgeon does a real, 2 anastomosis DS, which is great, and 100 cm is probably the length he uses for the common channel, meaning maybe he does a cookie cutter DS. While Hess method is preferred, cookie cutter works out well for many people (that's what I have).
It also sounds like the NP demonstrated her ignorance regarding the DS, which tells me that perhaps they do mainly gastric bypass and sleeve, and you need to ask how many this surgeon has done. I can't tell you what the magic number is, what matters is whether or not you are comfortable with his level of experience.
And ya know, there is NO medical basis for "reserving" the DS for the heavier patients, it works great for anyone who qualifies medically for bariatric surgery, and even most insurance companies that use a higher bmi for the DS go with 50 and not 60, and even that is not justified medically. I would be wary of any nutritional advice from this office if their NP is so poorly informed.
 

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