Lack of DS in media

[Ainu]

I'm going to preface this with this information:

I've been unemployed since last July because of COVID. I still have a job, technically, but we're furloughed until things go back to a modicum of normality. This means I've had a lot of time on my hands. So I've been watching trash TV in the background of some of my other activities. Some of my shows are things like My 600lb Life, 1000 pound Sister, stuff like that. So, nothing stimulating or good for me. I acknowledge that so please don't berate me. It's been an extra rough year.

Anyway, that out of the way, I want to get on my soap box and complain that the duodenal switch is never even mentioned as an option. These people who are 600, 700, 800 pounds need every powerful tool they can get. And RNY isn't it. The RNY has such a huge failure rate that it's astounding to me that it's still the "gold standard" ESPECIALLY when there's a better alternative. So many of these people either don't get to their goal weights or they gain it all back. It's frustrating because it seems like the best option is buried so the people who need it the most don't even know what it is.

I only looked into it because it was very briefly mentioned during my pre surgery classes. I'm an "all or nothing" kind of person so when I saw there was a "better" surgery, I started doing my homework. I didn't want RNY to begin with, but at the time it seemed like my only option. It felt like I was going to be voluntarily amputating an arm. That stoma specifically just didn't sit well with me.

My sister, despite my best efforts to change her mind, got the RNY a year or so after I got my DS. So she saw how great I did. But she didn't listen to me. She lost about 80lbs which is great, but she always has to struggle with it. I (and do not take this as advice, my case has been unusual!) literally eat whatever I want in whatever quantity I want. I bought 9 pounds of candy online (Ambien is a hell of a drug) and the scale didn't budge. It's great. I wanted that for my sister. She didn't listen. Now she'll continue to struggle.

I feel like, if DS was more well known, maybe she would have changed her mind. Maybe countless people would have changed their minds and would have been able to keep their weight off. But no. RNY for everyone!

Okay, I'm done with my rant. Back to trash TV!

PS. This isn't related to any of that, but I'm too lazy to start a new thread. I've been to PT and my therapist has told me that it's incredibly common for people who have lost a lot of weight to be in a ton of pain. If you're struggling with this, see a doctor! He told me that an unfortunate amount of spinal fusions are done because people jank their backs with bad posture, tight/uneven muscles. Fix it while you can!

 

[southernlady]

As long as the DS is an option, we really don’t want just anyone to have it. There are too many individuals who just don’t have the stuff to get one.
It takes someone with a backbone to argue with physician, to know that the DS can and will kill you if ignored by willful ignorance. Those not willing to go toe to toe with a doctor to get proper lab work, often enough to stay healthy.

There has been talk of a basic knowledge test before allowing anyone to get the DS. Or even classes to the equivalent of a semester in college.

I had a friend who got the RNY cause it was easy. The doctor closest to her did it. I KNEW she couldn’t handle the DS but I tried to talk her into the VSG cause I knew she required NSAIDs. And she is the kind of person who doesn’t do her research.

As to the trash tv....the DS is an incredible surgery but it’s not cheap for the surgeon to do. Why do a surgery that takes several hours when it gets paid the same as one that can be cranked out in an hour? So of course, the DS is never mentioned as an option on shows like the 600 lb Life.

 

[Ainu]

I can get behind all of that. I will say... most of these people on TV probably couldn't handle it. But it's your life... learn what you're getting in to and choose the best option. My surgeon was extremely easy to convince. He did say that he normally wouldn't do it, but I went in prepared. He said I clearly knew what I was getting in to so de agreed without argument.

I do wish I had at least looked at how many vitamins I would be taking. It wouldn't have changed my mind but phew.

I just wish it was at least more known in general. Most of my regular doctors aren't even familiar with it. It's just frustrating. I'm scared of what could have happened if I didn't look into it and I settled for RNY.

My husband is finally (almost) ready to get in to it. Now that it's me on the other end, I'm terrified.

 

[Ainu]

My family is swimming in obesity related problems. It's unreal to watch. I want none of that.

Over the years I've built an awesome gym in my basement. Weight training is my number one exercise. I also take the crazy amounts of calcium. So far my bloodwork has been pretty good. Last time Zinc was low but I added more in and now my hair is getting thicker! Win, win!

Sometimes I forget about the complications. I've been so lucky so far.

If I'm going to have to take pills 4x a day I'd rather it be vitamins not diabetes/gout/cancer/etc pills.

 

[Ainu]

Oh yeah, I take them bit by bit throughout the day. I have my 4x a day pill caddy and I take about half a box every two hours. And make sure I take what needs to be taken as well. It's not even an issue anymore. Just part of my day. Like eat a meal three times a day, you brush your teeth twice a day, you take your pills throughout the day. Easy choice between that and obesity.

Also a warning: be careful with iron. Like I said, I'm an all or nothing kind of person so I was taking 65mg a day and my lab work was out of the world. It can cause all sorts of terrible things. So many people are low in iron so this won't apply to a lot of people but those that don't have a problem... talk to your doctor first. They'll probably do more frequent bloodwork so you don't blow your organs out.

 

[southernlady]

Several here are on strong meds to rectify osteoporosis. I don't know if it is due to DS, but DS is a risk factor.

True, but I suspect mine was inevitable due to other risk factors including a decade of very low D, which makes me assume my PTH was sky high pulling calcium from my bones.

Also a warning: be careful with iron. Like I said, I'm an all or nothing kind of person so I was taking 65mg a day and my lab work was out of the world. It can cause all sorts of terrible things. So many people are low in iron so this won't apply to a lot of people but those that don't have a problem... talk to your doctor first. They'll probably do more frequent bloodwork so you don't blow your organs out.

My husband has that issue. I have to have iron infusions cause I don’t absorb oral iron. Hubby in the other hand finally got his IN RANGE taking one a week.

Since I am post menopausal I don’t need any more than the average adult male.

 

[Ainu]

Oh wow, I didn't realize that about oysters. I wish they weren't destructively expensive.

And yeah, the hair thing is always a battle. I use rogain, zinc, biotin, and prayers. I have a lot of growth so now I have spikes.

 

[Georgepds]

Re cost of oysters, Here you can get a 3.5 oz can for $1.75 at a dry goods store called "ocean state"

What's your weight routine like? I just took up some light barbell exercises at the beginning of the year. I find whenever I lift weights, I have zero back problems.

The big bone fracture problems seem to be wrist, hips, and spine. Anything you can do to build muscle around those places helps

 

[southernlady]

Re ". I have to have iron infusions cause I don’t absorb oral iron."

My understanding is heme iron (read meat origin) is absorbed by a different process than iron salts (read plant origin, helped by vitamin c) . Heme absorption does not interfere with calcium absorption.

Do you know if switching to heme iron supplements helps with absorption ?

I tried that. I even kept taking the Proferrin after my first infusion. My iron dropped just as fast as it did before. So I stopped taking oral iron altogether. My hematologist is on board with that.

 

[Ainu]

Re cost of oysters, Here you can get a 3.5 oz can for $1.75 at a dry goods store called "ocean state"

What's your weight routine like? I just took up some light barbell exercises at the beginning of the year. I find whenever I lift weights, I have zero back problems.

The big bone fracture problems seem to be wrist, hips, and spine. Anything you can do to build muscle around those places helps

Before I hurt every part of myself I was doing Body Beast which was probably more than I needed, but I enjoyed it. It's a tough routine but you really don't need anything except a bench and dumbells. There is some other equipment they use but I think they have dumbell alternatives.

I'm actually about to restart now that my PT has helped me with by back, shoulders, and hips.

 

[Munchkin]

I belong to a big group on FB that is mostly older women and OMG the bone/osteoporosis type problems they have are horrendous. And as far as I know they are all normies.

 

[Georgepds]

My understanding is that being an older woman is a risk factor for bone problems ( has to do with endocrine changes after menopause, I'm not sure of the detailed mechanism, just the risk)

FWIIW, the health department of Harvard thinks you can do something about it with exercise

Here is a link to their news letter on hip strength

Exercise sampler: Building hip strength - Harvard Health

Building hip strength in your later years can save you from dangerous fractures and falls. Eight exercises to increase balance, bone mass, and strength in the hips and legs. ...

www.health.harvard.edu

Here is another on exercises for bone strength

Exercises for Bone Strength - Harvard Health

www.health.harvard.edu

They are a mercenary bunch, most of their stuff is behind a paywall

For wrist strength I got a gadget where you roll a weight on a rope up and down

This Climber Did Wrist Rolls for 30 Days to Try and Improve His Grip Strength

When done right, wrist rolling is a useful recovery and stability-building exercise.

www.menshealth.com

I was having trouble opening jars. The engineer in me said a vise grip would work. The residual athlete said, hey come on, there has got to be something you can do about grip strength. The athlete won


The thing I like about weights is that you can measure progress by the amount of weight you lift. It's not a big deal, but hey, at least you can tell yourself you got a little stronger

 

[aaa]

My doctors had a rigorous questioning to ensure DS compliance. When I walked in with a giant binder and answered a few questions they threw the rest out the window and said, I was good. They knew I was compulsive enough to handle it.

I watch My 600 Lb. Life, 1000 Lb. Sisters, etc. I wonder how many could handle the DS. I take 40+ vits/minerals/day but consider it a great tradeoff considering where I was headed...

I have osteoporosis. I'm holding my own with a Reclast Infusion most years and a specialist I see yearly. We'd like it to get better but at least it hasn't gotten worse. I used to lift weights every other day. Unfortunately, until we straighten out my bulging discs that's been off-limits since 2018. I miss it.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

A “modified radical hysterectomy” at age 30…so, I’m now 44 years post-menopause. With that kind of head start on osteoporosis, I can probably only give SOME credit to the DS.

My sister thought she was too dumb to have the DS AND she walked in on a pretty ugly poop right after my surgery. So she was a no-go on the DS. She got the sleeve and regained a good 120% of the weight she lost.

HOWEVER…aImdon’t there is anwaymto warn people about how many vitamins/supplements they will need. Not everyone needs the kind of vitamin regime that I…and, I guess, you… need. It’s totally a YMMV thing and, in my case anyway, it all depends on my labs.

And I get iron infusions when my labs indicate that I need more iron. My doctors have been convinced that my gut doesn’t absorb iron…from foods or supplements. The infusions are a sure thing and I’d probably go nuts trying to add that to my routine.

 

[Larra]

Getting back to the original topic, TLC did actually have a show in which a SMO teenage boy was featured, and he had the DS with two bariatric surgeons in Amarillo, TX. Sadly, I don't recall their names. This young man had the most beautiful voice and his dream was to become a professional singer. He did great with his DS.
More recently, there was another episode with these same two surgeons and a man who had known one of them since, I believe, high school had the DS with them and also had a great result. There was another patient featured on the show, a woman who carried most of her excess weight on her torso, and they were unable to do her surgery because of the extreme thickness of her abdominal wall. They set up a plan for another attempt when she had lost weight, and then the pandemic came along and pretty much screwed up her life, and as the show concluded she still hadn't had any further surgery.
Apparently they do the DS for people with a bmi over 50 or with diabetes. Not perfect, but they seemed like good people and at least the DS got some publicity, and positive publicity at that.