Hi Everybody -

I have been researching the DS for almost a year now, and still can't make up my mind. The rear end issues really bother me, and after fighting for five years the problems that come with food intolerances I don't think I could stand much more grief from my digestive tract.

My question: Has anyone had the gastric reduction portion only? I have only met one person who has had it done without the intestinal reworking, and he is very happy and is losing steadily. At this point I think that is as far as I'm willing to go, and would like to hear other people's experiences.

Thanks in advance - Ruby

Thanks, Pookie. I have researched RNY and have decided that is not for me. I looked into the lapband such a long time ago that I can't remember why I chose not to go that way. Maybe I'll take another look at that. I guess that after 10 months of researching, and still not making up my mind, I feel stuck. It's called "Paralysis by analysis". I appreciate all the info on all these threads -Ruby

Hey Ruby, I told you that you get lots of good info in this thread. Good to see you.

Chickadee is our resident lapbander, and she can give you tons of good advice on that. If I'm not mistalke, it has really been perfected in the last couple of years, and until about a year ago was not approved in the US.

As far as that goes, all the surgerys has been perfected in the last couple of years because of the numbers of them being performed.

Ruby,

The DS is usually done in two parts only on those who are super morbidly obese and have a very large hanging pannus. The stomach transection alone will cause restriction of eating and that will cause weight loss. Without the malabsorptive component, however, regain would be an issue in time. My understanding is that the restrictive component (stomach reduction) leads to weight loss, and the malabsorptive portion leads to maintenance.

I know that I, personally, have an eating capacity after almost four years that I would most certainly be gaining weight without the malabsorption, unless I ate perfectly, all the time. (If I could do that, I wouldn't have needed WLS in the first place).

There are studies available on www.duodenalswitch.com, as well as side by side comparisons of available weight loss surgeries and other hopefully useful information.


Hope this helps,
Dawna

Hi Ruby,

I"m stuck in the paralysis of analysis mode myself. You might try joining one of the Yahoo groups...I subscribed to a couple so I could lurk. There are a few on WLS, DS, WLS Revision, DS Problems, etc. It's free and although you need to scroll though a lot you might find some answers...just make sure you set it up to a dummy email account..like hotmail, so your reg. email isn't flooded and chose the daily digest option when signing onto a group...if you don't you'll be flooded with email.

Want to compare notes? PM me

Deb

Howdy, new (to this site, anyway) DSer here! I'm 13 months post-op, and haven't had any 'rear end' issues. The only food that bothers me in any way is cooked cabbage, and I only *want* cooked cabbage about twice a year. (*grin*) I've also talked with a number of DSers who suffered from IBS before surgery, and who say things have actually gotten better now.

I'm acquainted with 2 or 3 people who've evlected to have just the sleeve gastrectomy, at least to start with. They're losing well so far, but none of them are more than six months post-op. They have the option of having the intestinal portion later, if their weight loss stalls or they have trouble maintaining.

As for me, I KNEW I'd need both the restriction and the malabsorption. I've lost 135 pounds in 13 months, and my quality of life couldn't be better! It's certainly quite a bit better than it was in the last few years pre-op.

Hi MsBatt - I recognize your name from Melanie's site. Are the people who have had only the gastrectomy posting on duodenalswitch.com? If so can you tell me their screen names so I can read their posts? I don't want to get into the yahoo thing yet, it just seems like SO MUCH to read, I can feel my butt growing numb already. Thanks - Ruby