Researching and coming up with more questions

[FloridaJen]

Maybe not exactly a prison equivalent exactly, but Just want to say I had cancer surgery 6 months after DS where I lost half my pancreas and good portion of liver (which regrew, but is still angry). If I had that cancer surgery first, as distal pancreatectomy comes with its own nutritional challenges, I'm SURE no doctor would have agreed to do a DS on me. It was kind of a worst case scenario from a nutritional capability prospect.

That said, it's still very manageable. I just have to be diligent with testing and act accordingly / behave responsibly.

Wow, sorry you had to go through. Glad you're here to talk about it and sounds like you're healthy! I have processed all the scary what-ifs and now my mom is processing them and projecting her fears on me. I had to tell her I've already asked myself all these questions, I am accepting the risk and if she has any questions to ask me specific things so I can answer...not just general negativity or hearsay.

 

[hilary1617]

Wow, sorry you had to go through. Glad you're here to talk about it and sounds like you're healthy! I have processed all the scary what-ifs and now my mom is processing them and projecting her fears on me. I had to tell her I've already asked myself all these questions, I am accepting the risk and if she has any questions to ask me specific things so I can answer...not just general negativity or hearsay.

My sister really tried her best to prevent me from getting a DS, including both rational debate at the start and scare-mongering later on down the road. While well-intentioned, her efforts caused me some doubt and that was harmful. Eventually I told her I had made up my mind and was unwilling to discuss further. I'm so glad I stayed the course. Had I taken her advice, both the duration and quality of my life would have been greatly reduced.

Hang in there and do what is best for you. You've got this!

 

[LorettaLynn]

My DS was in December 2018 so pretty recent. My journey was complicated by an eruption of an H. Pylori infection. Maybe my thoughts will help you.

1. Not sure. My A1C is way better now but I was never diabetic.
2. I didn’t tell many people at all what I was doing, just that I was going to have major surgery and would hopefully feel a lot better afterward. I did not want anyone’s opinions or approval. Eff that. When questioned by my boss for example, I just gestured broadly to my middle and let her guess what surgery/area was gonna be operated on. my reasoning for the DS specifically was that I only ever wanted to do one weight loss surgery and from my research the DS seemed to have the best odds to get me the smallest I could be without further surgeries. I felt like I already took a lot of pills and so taking a lot of vitamins didn’t seem so overwhelming.
3. I’ll go out on a limb here and say your friend probably doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I’ve had people refer to a tummy tuck as WLS when I think they meant bypass, so her saying 2 people had bad results with the DS seems unlikely to me. Besides, DS patients are pretty rare so knowing 2 in real life seems too convenient.
4. I would say the future us is probably more likely to be sickly and in nursing homes without the DS or weight loss surgery, so there’s that argument too.
5. I believe your best bet is to eat as well as you can and take the supplements posted in various lists on the internet, and see what happens at month 6 when your body’s vitamin stores are drawn down a bit. Before surgery, WALK WALK WALK and take Vitamin D and eat good protein and try to get in the best possible shape you can be, because the healing period is going to be rough. Set yourself up for success.
6. I do assume they are off happy and healthy and frolicking in meadows. My DS is still fresh so I’m here a lot more than what I would be a decade from now.

 

[southernlady]

Besides, DS patients are pretty rare so knowing 2 in real life seems too convenient.

Unless you are in a group like this. I know quite a few in real life.