DS for bile reflux

[Bilereflux 1]

Hi everyone. I had my gallbladder out three years ago and since have been suffering with bile reflux. It's gradually gotten worse over the course of the three years. My life has almost come to a standstill due to the nausea, breathing problems, anxiety and general discomfort this condition brings. I'm looking into having the DS surgery as I understand it would fix the problem. I'm in the UK so the surgery would be self funded.

I am trying to find more info from real people who have been through the surgery and hear of their positive and negative experiences post op. If you can please give me some advice, I'd be grateful. My surgeon has said this surgery is complicated, has a lot that can go wrong, and has recommended I just live with my existing condition....not an option for me. I may as well kill myself as I have no life now. Thank you

[RickM 1,747]

Of the WLS procedures, the DS is certainly the best in addressing bile reflux - it's almost impossible (never say never...) for it to occur due to the geometry, With the small intestine being split at the duodenum in the DS, keeping the bile and pancreatic enzymes separate from the food flow until they get down several feet to the common channel (and for reflux to occur, things would have to flow another several feet back upstream,) it's a near a certainty to eliminate bile reflux as one can get. Contrast with the RNY geometry where the stomach access is moved downstream of the bile ducts, and the pyloric valve is eliminated from the food flow, and bile reflux is more likely with that procedure. Bile reflux is a relatively common problem with gastric cancer patients who undergo an RNY like procedure to eliminate the cancerous stomach or portion thereof. Surgical technique can reduce but not eliminate the chances of it occurring with that procedure.

The DS is a more technically challenging procedure than the other common WLS procedures, so that does put a premium on the surgeon's experience with it (not just experience in general, however - one should try to find a surgeon who has several hundred of them under his belt.) The DS world is a relatively small one as a result of not many surgeons developing and maintaining the skills to tackle it routinely, but amongst that well experienced cadre of surgeons, complication rates don't seem to be abnormally high relative to the more common WLS procedures. Many do have to travel to have a DS performed, and as a result most of the DS surgeons are set up to handle travelers. When my wife had her DS 12+ years ago, the main lower cost self pay alternatives to the US doctors was Dr. Baltasar in Spain and another doc in Brazil. both of whom are now probably retired. We ultimately stayed in the US but still traveled about six hours for her DS.

DSfacts.com has some good information on the DS, and a rather incomplete listing of surgeons who perform it. There is one listed in London, though I don;t know anything about him - the DS world is a fairly small one so one becomes familiar with most of the major players.

Another potentially complicating factor is if you are revising from an earlier WLS to the DS. A sleeve gastrectomy or lapband is a fairly straightforward revsion, little different than a basic, virgin DS, but a revision from an RNY is a more complicated revision that limits the list of qualified surgeons further.

Good luck in your Quest, and ask away with any more questions. There are also a couple other DS forums on other sites that can also offer some help if you haven't found those yet.

[Bilereflux 1]

Thank you so much Rick, that's really useful information, I will certainly check out the other sites you mention, together with the doctors list. I'm in London, so if there's a surgeon there, I'll definitely look him up.

i agree, i would much rather see a very experienced surgeon....not sure what my chances are in the UK....but I'll keep trying.

thanks again.

just checked out the London guy. He works in a hospital 30 mins from my home! And he's performed 500 DS operations....I'm going to go see him.. thank you again.

Edited August 26, 2017 by Bilereflux

[Steph73 0]

I like, Bilereflux, am looking for others that have had the DS procedure for bile reflux to see how they are doing. I can only find studies but very few people who have had it. Can someone refer me to other resources to find people who have had the surgery just for the bile reflux? Thank you!

[Helena 75 0]

On 26/08/2017 at 9:09 AM, Bilereflux said:

Hi everyone. I had my gallbladder out three years ago and since have been suffering with bile reflux. It's gradually gotten worse over the course of the three years. My life has almost come to a standstill due to the nausea, breathing problems, anxiety and general discomfort this condition brings. I'm looking into having the DS surgery as I understand it would fix the problem. I'm in the UK so the surgery would be self funded.

I am trying to find more info from real people who have been through the surgery and hear of their positive and negative experiences post op. If you can please give me some advice, I'd be grateful. My surgeon has said this surgery is complicated, has a lot that can go wrong, and has recommended I just live with my existing condition....not an option for me. I may as well kill myself as I have no life now. Thank you

Hi Have you done the surgery ? How are you? I'm also in the UK.

[Helena 75 0]

Just like you I had gallbladder surgery just over 3 years ago a d just recently I started having horrible stop.ach pain and nausea. I have chronic bile gastritis too. I'm taking sucralfate but I still feel miserable everyday. I'm considering this surgery if things don't really improve with meds. I really would like to know more people who did it and how do they feel afterwards. So have you did it? And how do you feel? Has it worked? Thank you .

[Helena 75 0]

On 30/10/2017 at 8:30 PM, Steph73 said:

I like, Bilereflux, am looking for others that have had the DS procedure for bile reflux to see how they are doing. I can only find studies but very few people who have had it. Can someone refer me to other resources to find people who have had the surgery just for the bile reflux? Thank you!

Hi Steph, I found on Facebook the DS for bile reflux forum group really helpful. It has members from all over the world that are you going through the BR problem and others who have done the surgery already. Hope it helps. Helena x

[Steph73 0]

Hi Helena. I am a part of that group and have been since conception. I've also been in contact with the creator of the group a few times. Her surgeon is the one I chose. I decided to go forward with the surgery and was turned down twice now they don't participate with my new insurance. The surgery itself is beyond my means. I'm currently managing with prescription bile binders, carafate and diet. I still can't fathom living the rest of my life this way. So I have to continue to figure out how to get the surgery. Thank you for responding.

[GWB 0]

I like to find someone that has done the DS for bile reflux.