Saying Hello from Texas

PAK

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Joined
Nov 21, 2018
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I'm new to the forum but had my BPD/duodenal switch 26 years ago and have had lots of heartburn/GERD for the last several years and so I decided to try to find people that are experiencing the same problem. I never had a problem for the first 20 years since surgery but the last approx. 6 years has been different. I have osteoporosis and so am leary of going on lots of Prilosec or something similar. I do take a Ranitidine at suppertime but otherwise take Tums on and off as needed. I was wondering what others are doing if they have the same problem and if we can have an endoscopy. I don't even think surgeons do my procedure anymore so I don't even know who to ask if it is safe to have an endoscopy.
 
Welcome PAK

I notice you are a Hess DSer! Glad to have you here. And yes, the DS is very much alive and doing well.

As far as an endoscopy, yes, you can have one. However, finding a medical professional who knows what a DS is can be problematic. Many of us start explaining it as surgically induced short gut with a sleeve. That gets them off the BPD part of it and also tells them, no, it isn’t a gastric bypass. Being in Texas, means your closest DS surgeon is Dr. Ayoola in the DFW area. But a good gastro can help you sort this out.
 
Welcome PAK

I notice you are a Hess DSer! Glad to have you here. And yes, the DS is very much alive and doing well.

As far as an endoscopy, yes, you can have one. However, finding a medical professional who knows what a DS is can be problematic. Many of us start explaining it as surgically induced short gut with a sleeve. That gets them off the BPD part of it and also tells them, no, it isn’t a gastric bypass. Being in Texas, means your closest DS surgeon is Dr. Ayoola in the DFW area. But a good gastro can help you sort this out.

Thanks for respondng to my post. I'm not sure if I am doing this right or not. I'm older and not very savvy using forums/replies etc. and so if I start doing something wrong please let me know. Thanks for letting me know that I can have an endoscopy. I understand the problem will be finding a doctor to do it that is familiar with my original surgery. We live in Texas for the past 1 year plus and I don't know anyone in the state that does the BPD/DS procedure. I don't even think my primary doctor here understands it. I do have my surgery notes from 1993 to give someone if that would help. It's too bad we don't have some help sheet/paper to give to our primary physician or an physician that does the endocopy. Since it was so many years ago I'm not even sure I could explain what exactly I had done. I just know it worked and I have been ever so Thankful all these years. I was a bit confused about what you said saying it is a surgically induced short gut with a sleeve? Is that what the BPD is????? I have never heard it referred to in that way.
I appreciate your knowledge on all this.
PAK
 
Thanks for respondng to my post. I'm not sure if I am doing this right or not. I'm older and not very savvy using forums/replies etc. and so if I start doing something wrong please let me know. Thanks for letting me know that I can have an endoscopy. I understand the problem will be finding a doctor to do it that is familiar with my original surgery. We live in Texas for the past 1 year plus and I don't know anyone in the state that does the BPD/DS procedure. I don't even think my primary doctor here understands it. I do have my surgery notes from 1993 to give someone if that would help. It's too bad we don't have some help sheet/paper to give to our primary physician or an physician that does the endocopy. Since it was so many years ago I'm not even sure I could explain what exactly I had done. I just know it worked and I have been ever so Thankful all these years. I was a bit confused about what you said saying it is a surgically induced short gut with a sleeve? Is that what the BPD is????? I have never heard it referred to in that way.
I appreciate your knowledge on all this.
PAK
Okay, BPD/DS is one of the proper names for it. It’s also known as the VSG/DS.
Most of us just refer to it as the DS. But the VSG/DS is more descriptive. We have tried to drop the BPD/DS to just DS. Reason being is the BPD was a piss poor surgery and is no longer done. Unfortunately using the term BPD/DS is that medical personnel hear the BPD part and even tho you say DS at the end, they are already forming their answer and not listening. (Human nature).

I’ve also discovered, living in small towns with small town hospitals who only know one or two WLS options at most, gastric bypass (RNY) and lapband. But they are taught about short gut syndrome and the need for vitamins. So I always start my conversation with a new doctor or nurse as “I had surgically induced short gut syndrome which is the DS”. The lightbulb of understanding seems to turn on and then explaining the DS is much easier. Notice the order of what I use: I start with short gut syndrome, the DS always is second in that explanation. It seems to work.

As far as a cheat sheet for doctors:
https://www.dssurgery.com/weight-loss-surgery/laparoscopic-duodenal-switch/
https://www.dssurgery.com/weight-loss-surgery/compare-procedures/

And here:
https://www.dsfacts.com/ In more layman terms.
 
I’m 15 years out and still have GERD, controlled by pantoprazle x2/day. Osteoporosis is also an important issue to consider, but you can also address it with making sure your supplement regimen is optimal, and untreated GERD can cause esophageal cancer.
 
Okay, BPD/DS is one of the proper names for it. It’s also known as the VSG/DS.
Most of us just refer to it as the DS. But the VSG/DS is more descriptive. We have tried to drop the BPD/DS to just DS. Reason being is the BPD was a piss poor surgery and is no longer done. Unfortunately using the term BPD/DS is that medical personnel hear the BPD part and even tho you say DS at the end, they are already forming their answer and not listening. (Human nature).

I’ve also discovered, living in small towns with small town hospitals who only know one or two WLS options at most, gastric bypass (RNY) and lapband. But they are taught about short gut syndrome and the need for vitamins. So I always start my conversation with a new doctor or nurse as “I had surgically induced short gut syndrome which is the DS”. The lightbulb of understanding seems to turn on and then explaining the DS is much easier. Notice the order of what I use: I start with short gut syndrome, the DS always is second in that explanation. It seems to work.

As far as a cheat sheet for doctors:
https://www.dssurgery.com/weight-loss-surgery/laparoscopic-duodenal-switch/
https://www.dssurgery.com/weight-loss-surgery/compare-procedures/

And here:
https://www.dsfacts.com/ In more layman terms.
Thanks so very much. I'm going to look at the above cheat sheets to educate myself better. I had never heard the initials VSG or WLS. Guess I've got alot to learn. Appreciate the info.
 
most GI docs do know about the DS, though most pcp's and other docs don't. So, when you talk to the GI doc about your endoscopy, you can say "duodenal switch" and hopefully the doc will understand. But if not, the internet knows everything, so they can just get on their computer and look it up if needed.
 
southernlady I think you're right that many docs lump all bariatric surgeries into one mental compartment, but with so many people having bariatric surgery every year these days (about 200,000 each year in the USA) the GI docs see enough post-ops with various complications that they, at least, are aware that there are several operations out there and that these operations are not all the same. I wish that were true for pcp's, but it isn't. Even so, if I were seeing a new gastroenterologist, I would definitely make sure that doc understood that I had a DS and not gastric bypass and that he/she understands the anatomy of what I had. So, for the OP, she could print out a diagram of the anatomy of the DS and hand it to the doc herself to avoid concern that the doc is too busy or lazy to look it up.
 
Hi. I'm Sue. I know nothing of science. Unfortunately, I know of osteoporosis. So, I'm wondering...any chance you are taking bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax, Boniva or Actonel for your osteoporosis?



From Mayo:

Medications and dietary supplements that can irritate your esophagus and cause heartburn pain include:
  • Antibiotics, such as tetracycline
  • Bisphosphonates taken orally, such as alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva) and risedronate (Actonel)
  • Iron supplements
  • Quinidine
  • Pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and aspirin
  • Potassium supplements
Medications and dietary supplements that can increase acid reflux and worsen GERD include:
  • Anticholinergics, such as oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), prescribed for overactive bladder and irritable bowel syndrome
  • Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, doxepin, others)
  • Calcium channel blockers and nitrates used for high blood pressure and heart disease
  • Narcotics (opioids), such as codeine, and those containing hydrocodone and acetaminophen (Lortab, Norco, Vicodin)
  • Progesterone
  • Quinidine
  • Sedatives or tranquilizers, including benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium) and temazepam (Restoril)
  • Theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theochron)
 

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