Taterweight

If I had it to do over again, my pre diet for the DS would be to count Protein (striving for 90-120 grams) and 64 oz of Water, go gluten free, and wean off sweeteners. I had a preconceived notion that all I needed to do was Atkins after the DS. While this is somewhat true, I found I spent a lot of time figuring out how many grams of protein was in everything I ate, having caffeine withdrawals, and having super sensitive taste buds that made everything taste sickening sweet. I would have certainly lost weight, been protein loaded for surgery, and been better prepared for recovery and what 120 grams of protein looked like. Everyone is different though, you need to think about your situation and what your demons are. I'm not a binge eater, but for someone who is, then portion control and measuring would benefit you. If your thing is carbs...which is mine...then Proteins are your thing to work on. If you have a sweet tooth, then finding alternatives that are healthy - things made only with stevia, honey, or maple syrup might help slow down your consumption and make you expend effort for a treat. Sorry to take your question in a little different direction!

I am going to have surgery for the DS in under 3 weeks, but I can tell you why I chose the duodenal switch over the sleeve. Firstly, the DS has the best track record of keeping the weight off permanently (so long as you adhere to Vitamin regimen and limit carbs). Secondly, with only a sleeve, the stomach will stretch and I would have to diet the rest of my life - the malabsorption of the DS limits that! Thirdly, I have over 150 lbs to lose, while nothing is a guarantee, I have a better chance of loosing all of my excess weight with the DS. The sleeve would hopefully get me 100 lbs lighter. Lastly, while I'm not diabetic - yet - odds are I will never have to worry about being diabetic because of the DS procedure. Hope that helps!

Thanks for the info! I'll give my surgeon a call to verify that I need this then. (My pcp ordered it, anticipating Dr. K would want it)

Echo with bubbles - they will have me on an iv with saline....they shake the saline so there are bubbles in it and watch them via the ultrasound. The bubbles should be processed by my lungs and show up only on the right side of the heart. I have a murmur (thanks Grandmother for that!), so I guess it's to make sure my valves aren't allowing any crossover to the left side. Hopefully just a little backwash!

I'm self pay - getting blood labs, chest x-Ray, and echo with bubbles done Jan 2nd. Psych eval Jan 6 (in 2 parts, thanks to my insurance!) for a total of three hours!! Then I hope I'm ready to get scheduled! Everyone else I've read about it seemed had a half hour psych eval....so I'm feeling a bit "special."

Oops! My bad, your profile is updated but in the forum it says pre-op. Sorry! ☺️

You look 20 years younger! Awesome job!! (Now you can update your profile to post-op! ) lol

Hi there, from what I've researched the duodenal switch leaves the integrity of your stomach intact, but removes about 70-80% (off the side which creates the 4-6oz "sleeve") - whereas the bypass renders all but a one ounce pouch created out of the top of your stomach. The rest of the stomach isn't removed, it's just moved out of the way. The bypass portion of intestines is a bit of a different configuration. You can have revisions to DS from both the sleeve and the rny/gastric bypass because your stomach is still viable - hanging out looking for a job . The surgery is more complicated with the rny/gastric bypass, so you want to look for an experienced surgeon that is vetted and comfortable with revisions. Hope that helps! Best of luck to you and Happy Christmas!

Welcome Nikki! I'm hoping for a late January surgery -- getting all my pre-op stuff done during all the holiday rush is a bear! Maybe we'll have similar surgiversaries!

I ordered the $3 sample pack from celebrate (celebratevitamins.com) and have been taking them pre-op to make sure my levels are up before surgery. While I like them for flavour and the fact that they are mostly chewable and not horse pills, I will be ordering the DS pre-packaged Vitamins post-op from Vitalady.com. Celebrate is fine for other surgery types, but from what I've researched, DS patients need much higher levels because of malabsorption and must have "dry" vitamins. Vitalady had surgery specific packages, understanding the differences in people's needs. I'm only going to buy two months worth, since post op I know I won't be able to take much at first, and then after I start getting labs I may need to adjust. Hope that helps, Diamond Girl! Good luck to you!

DS is the Duodenal Switch (for more information you can check out dsfacts.com) which is in the simplest of explanations a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (or VSG) with an additional component of bypassing a portion of the small intestine. The sleeve offers the restriction and the bypass a level of malabsorption. The DS is done both laparoscopically or open. This procedure is usually, though not always - depending upon co morbidities, reserved for people with a BMI over 40. Hope that helps!

I was in a similar situation to you, trying to decide which surgery was for me. I am choosing the DS. (Hoping for an early February 2014 surgery date) There is a wealth of information at the newly updated dsfacts.com website. I also watched hundreds of YouTube.com videos just doing a search for "duodenal switch" so I understood what a post-op life would be like. I would not try to sway you one way or the other, but what made me choose the DS over others: 98% total remission/cure rate of diabetes, intact "sleeved" stomach with pyloric valve (so no dumping as with the the rny), better long term maintenance (rny has a fairly high rate of weight gainers after 5 yrs), and DS percentage of excess weight loss is higher than the gastric sleeve. My BMI is over 50, so I needed something that would get me down closer to a normal BMI range. On the downside, like with the rny, you have to commit to supplements. Both of these procedures have malabsorption from intestinal re-routing. I've never been much of a pill taker, but to be able have a life -- be around for my child and husband, I'm willing and able to take whatever I need to at this point! I know of two really well respected doctors in California that you can do with Kaiser. There's also a good surgeon in Salt Lake, not sure if Kaiser is there. I'm having to self-pay thanks to no bariatrics in my insurance. I'm also opting to go out of state to have a highly experienced surgeon. Hopefully that helps and gives you another perspective to consider. Best of luck!

Alex - thanks much for the lightning fast response with the code! I've already updated my profile and am excited to be an active participant here.

Hi all! I am a pre-op DS with Dr. Keshishian in Glendale, California. Hoping to get all my paperwork and tests done in order to have a late January/early February surgery date. I'm a self-pay, so going to travel to sunny SoCal for some Medical Tourism. I just discovered this website tonight, so thought I'd join you in making a more active community for the duodenal switch - I was surprised that wasn't even a surgical option when I registered here! What's up with that?!