Single Anastomosis Duodeno-Ileal Bypass ("Loop DS") vs a Proper DS

[Will2014]

Hiya Larra and Southernlady! I gotta admit I'm a bit disappointed in myself for not confirming this sooner. I do want to mention that he's definitely done MANY revisions, according to the staff at Beliteweight which is the company I'm using....which are all converted to DS's. So a sleeve to DS would, of course, just be adding the "switch" part. So we know he does sleeves-1st part, and we know he does revision DS's-the 2nd part. So I know he's capable of doing the procedure, I just need to confirm that he's WILLING to do the procedure I want-Dr. Hess's Duodenal Switch. They are supposedly arranging a call so I can speak with him directly, and I will definitely keep you guys apprised. I've already paid $500 deposit, booked flights for wife+I at $1100 , arranged for the time off at work, and am currently on a pre-surgery diet because my BMI is 54 and I need to shrink my liver. ARGH!!!! But I promise you all if I don't like what I hear, I'll scrap the whole thing and start over.

Wanna hear something horrible? I've already been getting nervous...just about having the surgery in general. I had a psychotic patient the other day (I'm an RN working in psychiatry) look at me and tell me the following: "You're not going to make it through your surgery. You're going to die on that operating table down in Mexico!". The way she looked at me when she said it sent chills down my spine!! She heard us talking in the nurses station about my surgery...and I guess decided it would be helpful to try to jinx the living hell outta me. Haha! Oh well....goes with the territory. But I will not be deterred. I WILL have a DS and insist on nothing less. I'll keep you posted and thanks for the warm welcome. :smile:

 

[newanatomy]

Sorry about the Jinx Will! I am glad you can laugh about it. Seems like you have a great attitude! I am sure that in your profession, you need it. It will also serve you well going forward.

 

[Will2014]

Sorry about the Jinx Will! I am glad you can laugh about it. Seems like you have a great attitude! I am sure that in your profession, you need it. It will also serve you well going forward.

Thanks Newanotomy! Yes, a thick skin is definitely a requirement in my chosen field. Can you imagine what names a person my size might be called frequently by a disturbed and often angry patient population? Haha! You guessed correctly!! Thanks again for the kind words.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Will, the smartest thing you can do is to get the hell away from Juarez. Spend a little bit more money and go to a REAL DS SURGEON. The MX options are Ungson and Aceves. And ditch the medical tourism company.

 

[Larra]

I'm sorry to say that I don't trust any of the medical tourism companies. I have nothing against medical tourism, and nothing against people having surgery in Mexico (or other countries). But the bottom line is that these companies are 1) unnecessary and 2) selling a product to a paying customer.
I say unnecessary because the surgeons who see many patients from the USA and Canada have staff that will gladly help you with all your arrangements - at no fee.
I say selling a product because if you don't sign no with the surgeons they contract with, they don't make any money. It has nothing to do with what surgeon and what operation are in your best interest. They aren't going to send you to anyone other than the surgeons they contract with, regardless of skill, experience, or, in your case, experience with the DS.
I checked out their website. They do list every known bariatric operation, including the DS, and also including some that are considered experimental (bet they never told you that) but they are clearly oriented towards lap band, sleeve and gastric bypass, with DS and others as an afterthought. They have a handful of specific surgeons they refer to. That's it. These doctors may be good surgeons, but none of them is the most experienced with the DS. But they aren't telling you that, are they. They have tailored their information to what you want to hear, and directed you towards surgeons who PAY them for referrals.

If you are not able to speak directly with your surgeon, or if you do speak with him and do not get specific answers to all your questions, don't go there. Do not accept vague reassurances such as "oh yes, he does all the operations" or "he does revisions" or "his patients love him". While the question of real DS vs SADI is important and can certainly be answered easily, there is more to this issue than that.

I really, really wish people would ask these questions before making arrangements and paying deposits. We see this often. It's not your fault, you didn't know the territory, but these companies are there to make money. And the surgeons may be highly qualified for other operations - maybe even for the DS, though I have my doubts - but the range of surgeons such a company will consider for you is limited to those who pay them for referrals, and any other surgeon will not be considered.

Good luck, and please let us know what you end up doing, and how things go. If it turns out that this surgeon really does have lots of DS experience, we would love to know this....but even then, people could set up their care with him directly and not pay a third party.

 

[Sexy Slim]

Has anyone or knows someone that had the ds surgery by Dr Ayoola??

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Has anyone or knows someone that had the ds surgery by Dr Ayoola??

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/d...cialists-of-north-texas-frisco-denton-tx.193/

 

[Sexy Slim]

Thanks Elizabeth N.

 

[Munchkin]

There's another new SADI patient posting on OH. Sad!

 

[DianaCox]

I hope someone will ask her who her surgeon was, whether she gave FULLY informed consent to that procedure, whether she self-paid FULL price for an experimental procedure - and if so, why, how long her common channel is and why she through that was the right length, and then tell her you have no idea what she is supposed to do about her reflux, because she doesn't have a DS, and she could even have BILE reflux, which we can't get.

 

[Marla peterson]

Okay question? How many DS surgeries does a doctor need to preform before becoming vetted or how does this work?
As I to am going to Mexico and have chosen a Dr. That some love and some others don't trust ...I have spoken with him and asked the important questions and he answered them all.....but makes me question how does one become vetted?

 

[DianaCox]

Depends - which surgeon did they proctor with? How are their patients faring? I wouldn't accept less than 50 DSs, really not less than 100 - and they should be doing at least one or more a week. Practice and constant experience makes a big difference - there is a steep learning curve. How well does he understand the surgery? If his nutritional advice sucks, the less likely he knows how to select stomach size and limb lengths, in my opinion. Who do you think you are going to in MX? Because if it isn't Ungson or Aceves, please make sure someone will post here and tell us what happened to you.

 

[dguaton74]

The SADI or LoopDS is NOT a DS. Do NOT be fooled or misled. ALWAYS make sure that when you sign your consent form, you know EXACTLY what you are agreeing to, and NOTHING else.

This is the loop DS:

There is only one cut, no alimentary track/common channel - just a straight bypass of the first half of the small intestine; concerns include food backing up into the bypassed limb; bile reflux; the fact that you have in essence a 250 cm common channel with no alimentary limb - the downstream portion of the intestine after the pylorus is all fully absorbing everything (except of course the vitamin and mineral absorption that normally occurs in the distal duodenum and jejunum).

IT IS NOT A DS. It has no selective fat malabsorption. It has 250 cm of fat ABSORPTION. Nothing like the "fat is essentially free" diet of a proper DS. And it has ONLY 250 cm of protein absorption.

This is an EXPERIMENTAL procedure. It is not covered by insurance. It should only - in my opinion - be offered as part of a proper clinical trial, and NOT NOT NOT as a "cheaper, but just/almost as good" surgery offered to self-pays only. I have serious concerns about the ethics of doing that.

Note that there is another so-called "variant" of the DS being offered by a few surgeons, which is even further from a proper DS, and which in my opinion should not even be referred to using the term "DS" - the biliopancreatic diversion with bipartition" - it has a STOMA!

 

[dguaton74]

I know this post is a few years old, but I am hoping dianacox is still around? She had a few strings that mentioned DS surgery versus LDS. I would like to talk to her more about that and get some help, as I find myself in that situation. I was sold on DS, all paperwork said DS, insurance was billed under DS, but come to find out, I had a LDS, and I can't find this reference anywhere documented prior to my surgery or after. If she is around, can someone help me communicate with her? Thanks

 

[-Flo-]

@dguaton74 I'm so sorry that happened to you. Yes, @DianaCox is still around. May I suggest you start a new thread with your experience and questions. I know alot of people will post to help you out. I'm still a newbie so I don't know much but best of luck.