It's A Ds For Me!

[andreagoeldner 2]

I'm 31 and mom to three kids: 6,5,2. My start weight was 325 but I'm now At 302. I have one dietitian visit left on sept 11 and then she will submit and hopefully get the approval and be able to schedule me. She said the surgeon is in the hospital on 10/15/12 so. I'm hopeful that will be my date! I'm actually having a duodenal switch (DS) but there isn't a specific board for that, so here I am. Doctoring at Abbott northwestern in Minneapolis, mn with dr. Leslie. For pre op diet, I was required to lose over 15 lbs and then do liquids for 2 days prior to surgery. We are planning a family vaca to Disney early next year and I'm looking forward to fitting on an airplane seat! What things are you looking forward to doing that you haven't been able to do for a long time or ever?

[COsleeveDude 273]

One stage or two? If it's two you'll be getting a sleeve first, might not even need the second part.

I've been "thin" before, just looking forward to feeling more unlimited again in whatever I choose to do.

I'm 31 and mom to three kids: 6,5,2. My start weight was 325 but I'm now At 302. I have one dietitian visit left on sept 11 and then she will submit and hopefully get the approval and be able to schedule me. She said the surgeon is in the hospital on 10/15/12 so. I'm hopeful that will be my date! I'm actually having a duodenal switch (DS) but there isn't a specific board for that, so here I am. Doctoring at Abbott northwestern in Minneapolis, mn with dr. Leslie. For pre op diet, I was required to lose over 15 lbs and then do liquids for 2 days prior to surgery. We are planning a family vaca to Disney early next year and I'm looking forward to fitting on an airplane seat! What things are you looking forward to doing that you haven't been able to do for a long time or ever?

[cmf1267 27]

Good luck with your surgery. I'm hoping to have surgery around the same time (end of Sept-mid Oct.). I am looking forward to looking good in my clothes, wearing skirts or dresses to work, hoping I'll be able to wear shorts & sleeveless shirts next summer (hoping not too much excess skin on my legs & arms, plan to do a lot of weight training to combat). Just feeling better physically and hopefully mentally!!!

[andreagoeldner 2]

One stage or two? If it's two you'll be getting a sleeve first' date=' might not even need the second part.

I've been "thin" before, just looking forward to feeling more unlimited again in whatever I choose to do.

[/quote']

They do the DS in one surgery at this hospital.

[Sleeved&Hopeful 182]

The DS is highly effective just please stay on top of your Vitamins and doctor's visits! I guess you already know the malabsorption is really hardcore on that surgery but that is the trade off because you can lose a LOT of weight :-).

[sassypants 674]

Can I ask what made you decide to get the DS?

I ask because as I understand it that’s for people like 500lbs and over who need 2 stages for weight loss even here in the uk it’s the one used for really big people who need one stage of the op to get them low enough for the other stage to get down to what is considered a “normal” weight.

It’s generally done in 2 stages because its for the heavier people I didn’t think it was meant to be done together.

I don’t want to appear as a know it all (I’m not at all) or condescending or anything just interested in why you settled on that one and not just bypass or sleeve as you fall in the weight ranking for those over the DS as far as my understanding of the DS goes.

Like I was told by one consultant that they do bypass on people because they don’t want to have to redo wls in 2 or 3 years because the patient didn’t loose enough weight or put weight on, that’s when she was trying to talk me into bypass thankfully I never saw her again and my consultant has operated on me before and knows me better and agreed I was perfectly fine for the sleeve.

[andreagoeldner 2]

Can I ask what made you decide to get the DS?

I ask because as I understand it that’s for people like 500lbs and over who need 2 stages for weight loss even here in the uk it’s the one used for really big people who need one stage of the op to get them low enough for the other stage to get down to what is considered a “normal” weight.

It’s generally done in 2 stages because its for the heavier people I didn’t think it was meant to be done together.

I don’t want to appear as a know it all (I’m not at all) or condescending or anything just interested in why you settled on that one and not just bypass or sleeve as you fall in the weight ranking for those over the DS as far as my understanding of the DS goes.

Like I was told by one consultant that they do bypass on people because they don’t want to have to redo wls in 2 or 3 years because the patient didn’t loose enough weight or put weight on' date=' that’s when she was trying to talk me into bypass thankfully I never saw her again and my consultant has operated on me before and knows me better and agreed I was perfectly fine for the sleeve.[/quote']

After doing much research and talking with my surgeon, he said that the procedure is sometimes done in two stages but he and his partners have written studies that have found that there is no advantage or added risks to doing the surgery in two stages vs one stage. I didn't know which to choose but the long term sustained weight loss offered and found in all studies with the ds are benefits to me. My surgeon and I talked about the options and he said that there is no right surgery for everyone and that if there were, there would only be one surgery available. I'm young and have had weight problems my entire life and I would rather take supplements than take medications for comorbidities... My surgeon didn't try and talk me into one surgery or another. He let me know what he offers, benefits and drawbacks of each and then if I had any other questions, I had already done my research and I know the ds is the surgery for me.

[sassypants 674]

Interesting, I hope it all works out for you hun and you get the results you want!

Good luck!