Hello From PA

[Cari]

Hello everyone,

My name is Cari. I am a Spanish Teacher in NJ and I live in PA. I am married and have 1 son (5yrs old). I enjoy teaching, crafting (mostly paper crafts), reading, nature walks, and having fun with my husband and son.

I had VSG in November 2011 with Dr. Schuricht at UPenn in Philadelphia. At the time My highest weight had been 376. After the surgery, I lost about 40 lbs and then no more even following all the regimens faithfully. After the 1.5 year mark I gave up and I have regained about half what I lost and my current weight is 356. I am in the process of getting a revision to DS with Dr. Richard Ing in Bryn Mawr (Mainline Health). I have one more weigh in on 02/15 before they submit to the insurance (fingers crossed). My husband is also having surgery with Dr. Ing he is getting RNY on the 12th of February.

I am looking forward to being part of the community and getting to know everyone. I am hoping that this time I will be more successful and I am making sure that I am building a support system to assure that. Dr. Ing's office is already much more supportive and involved in the process than my previous experience and so I am looking forward to having great success with them.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome Cari
I did a search on your surgeon, the DS is listed. Okay, since most of us are not aware of him him as a DS surgeon, do these things:
1) Have him draw you what he is planning on how it will look after he’s done.
2) Ask him if he does the Hess method?
3) If he does not do the Hess method, ask him for all three limb lengths, the common channel should be around 100, and there should be a bilopancreatic limb and a alimentary limb.

We ask you to do this cause many surgeons are doing the SADI/SIPS/LoopDS and passing it off as the DS. We want other surgeons to add to the list of vetted surgeons but we’ve seen too many surgeons pass this off as a true DS. https://bariatricfacts.org/forums/sadi-loopds-lds-sips.57/

 

[DianaCox]

Why is your husband having RNY? Your life together will be much easier if you have the same procedure, without even taking into consideration the fact that the DS is a far better procedure for many reasons, not the least of which is long term efficacy.

 

[southernlady]

Cari I am one half of a DS couple. We had different surgeons due to insurance but his surgeon (who I WANTED), a couple who has the same surgery has a much better chance of success.

 

[Cari]

Thank you. I appreciate your opinions. He did his research and made his choice. He is happy with the choice he made. Either way, we will support each other as we always have . When Dr. Ing gets back to me on the questions I will post it!

 

[Cari]

Welcome Cari
I did a search on your surgeon, the DS is listed. Okay, since most of us are not aware of him him as a DS surgeon, do these things:
1) Have him draw you what he is planning on how it will look after he’s done.
2) Ask him if he does the Hess method?
3) If he does not do the Hess method, ask him for all three limb lengths, the common channel should be around 100, and there should be a bilopancreatic limb and a alimentary limb.

We ask you to do this cause many surgeons are doing the SADI/SIPS/LoopDS and passing it off as the DS. We want other surgeons to add to the list of vetted surgeons but we’ve seen too many surgeons pass this off as a true DS. https://bariatricfacts.org/forums/sadi-loopds-lds-sips.57/

Alright I sent a message to Dr. Ing and he called me back directly (not his nurse or anything)

He explained that he does the traditional DS. He leaves a Common Channel length of 125 and alimentary of 150.

He also stated he finds the other procedures to be too new and experimental and does not perform them at this time. He states he finds the loop particularly dangerous.

Other than that he said he could draw it out for me next time I am in the office.

Hope this helps.

Cari

 

[Munchkin]

Welcome!

 

[hilary1617]

Hi and welcome Cari !

Your post made me nostalgic as my husband hails from near you (Merion Station) and we spent a lot of time together at the Moore Building at U Penn when he was in grad school.

I agree with the others that having two DS'ers in the house would be easier than 1 DS'er and 1 RNY'er not least of all from a dietary perspective. I favor the DS mainly because of the long term results and the pyloric valve preservation, but each to his/her own. Glad you will support each other!

All the best,
Hilary

 

[Larra]

Hi and welcome!
It sounds like Dr. Ing does a real, standard of care 2 anastomosis DS in cookie cutter fashion (i.e. not the Hess method). I have a cookie cutter DS myself, though my cc is 100 cm not 125, and I've been very happy with it. I especially like that he recognizes that the SADI is experimental and is not subjecting his patients to it and claiming it's just as good as the DS. We've seen that scenario too many times. It sounds like you are in good hands.
I do agree with the others, however, that it would be best for you and your DH to have the same operation. The diets and nutritional supplement requirements are different, and the results of the DS not just for permanent excess weight loss but also for permanent resolution of almost all comorbidities are superior to gastric bypass. In addition, he will be unable to take NSAIDs for the rest of his life, and that, for some people, is a very big deal. But as you said, you have both done your research, and he apparently has his reasons for preferring gastric bypass, and he's the one who will live with it so it's his decision and no one else's.

 

[JackieOnLine]

Hi & Welcome, Kari

the photo of you and your son is adorable.