DS or Sleeve? Six weeks out.

[LawStudent18 1]

I am 26 years old and about two weeks away from approval for surgery. I weigh 392 pounds and wonder which is the best surgery for me. I'm currently a law student, so recovery time is also important. And, as an attorney, I will always be on the go.

If you could do it again would you still do the switch ( I'd be doing the single loop) or would a sleeve get the job done? My doctor doesn't have a specific opinion as a qualify for both.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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[Peggy D 124]

You are more likely to have issues with diarrhea & foul-smelling gas & stools with the DS but it does get better over time. The DS has much better long-term weight loss than the sleeve and better resolution of co-morbidities. Your higher starting weight with, I assume, a BMI over 50, is a reason to consider the DS over the sleeve.

My highest weight was 314 lbs with a BMI of 50.7. I had a sleeve gastrectomy in August 2013 because, as a nurse, I wasn't comfortable with the amount of malabsorption of the DS. At that time, there was only the classic DS with a 50-100 cm common channel. Two plus years later I was down about 100 lbs but my co-morbidities were not significantly improved. I was still on 4 insulin injections a day plus Metformin for type 2 diabetes, three meds (one was a combo) for high blood pressure & medication for high cholesterol. As a matter of fact, my cholesterol med had been changed to a stronger one & then that dose was increased. I decided something more had to be done so, in December 2015, I had a revision of the sleeve & conversion to a single-anastomosis duodenal switch (loop DS AKA SIPS or SA-DS) with a 300 cm common channel. The first 2-3 months were a bit rough with the intestinal issues but, by 6 months out I was completely off all of the medications & by 9 months my PCP has removed the diagnoses of diabetes, hypertension & hyperlipidemia.

So, my personal opinion is go for the SA-DS in the first place.

[Entrise 100]

Personally I had the sleeve done in July 2011 and my starting weight was 320. I was in graduate school full-time and was working full-time and had to complete an internship. The recover time frame the sleeve is minimal. I got down to 185 pounds. I graduated in 2014 and had remained at 185. Then I started to have weight regain. I got up to 260. I wanted to have the DS since I knew that I needed the malabsorption part. So I spoke with a different surgeon and he suggested SIPS. I was his first SIPS patient. I did my research and in the end decided to trust surgeon. I had the intestinal single loop portion done August 2016. My recovery time was longer 4 weeks instead of the o e week that I had with the sleeve. Today I am at my lowest weight of 178 pounds and I am nowhere neary stopping point. I have developed an intolerances to lactose and a gluten sensitivity. If I had to do it all over again I would have done the SIPS even with the intolerances. Overall I am better off now than I was with only the sleeve. Plus weight regain is not common with the traditional DS or the SIPS. I hope my experience has helped you some and wish you a speedy recovery no matter which one you chose. Please post your progress.