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Great answer! I second that noting that Dr. Ungson will also revise your sleeve during DS operation if needed.
I know when I went to see about having surgery the BMI had to be 40 or above to qualify. I'm sure it has changed over the years but unless you are considered morbidly obese they most likely will not do any type of weight loss surgery. You will need to consult with a surgeon to see if you to qualify. I think it is a little lower if you have several co-morbidities, like diabetes, sleep apnea, etc. Find a BMI chart and see where you are so you can get an idea of whether you may be in that BMI range.
Thank you so very much for all of this information! I will talk to the surgeon again! My fear is regaining weight again. With the gastric bypass, it is very possible but with the DS it's less possible. That is why I want the DS but I also want the resleeve so I'm nervous.
thanks again! Wish me luck!!!
When I had my VSG, I talked to Dr. Rabkin on this subject - the prospect of revising to a DS later as a "plan B" for regain, and he noted that their experience on the matter is that it works best if you catch it early, before substantial regain occurs. A parallel note is that in the support group meeting descriptions, they presented a semi-rule of thumb that with the DS, it is the sleeve that gets the weight off, while the switch keeps it off. That may not be 100% correct, but call it an 80/20 proposition. So, look at the switch part as more of a maintenance tool than a weight loss tool.
As to whether your sleeve should be revised along with a switch revision, IIRC Keshishian noted in some of our group meetings that when he does the revision, a resleeve is a sometimes proposition, depending upon the condition of the sleeve. Given that there were quite a few wonky sleeves done in the early part of this last decade when it was new to most bariatric surgeons ("twenty years of doing bypasses and they think they know how to do a sleeve...") then there were quite a few that had to be resleeved. As others have said, I would be inclined to get a second opinion and maybe get an upper GI done to get a look at what shape your sleeve is in.
Historical note - as the story goes, the DS had its origins with procedures developed in Europe to treat diabetes, to which the VSG was added to make it a weight loss oriented procedure. These days there are several implantable devices in development that seek to emulate the what the DS does for diabetes by blocking absorption in the upper intestine (things like endoscopically implanted sleeves) so the idea is still active, but being explored in a different form.
1st support group/seminar - 8/03 (has it been that long?)
Wife's DS - 5/05 w Dr. Robert Rabkin VSG on 5/9/11 by Dr. John Rabkin
I had the lap band for 8 years that thing trashed my esophagus with permanent irreversible damage. My quality of life was in the ****ter. The DS is a god send! Amazing quality of life. I was scared about the malabsorption, especially since my osteoporosis hereditary risk, and that is nothing to sneeze at, but you know what, the DS is amazing. You get used to the pills, I am 10+ years out...I can eat what I want, but I don't , i respect my body too much. I eat like an athlete now, the last 4+ years I have missed one day at the gym, yes I go 7 days a week and eat very clean. I eat a lot less protein than most on here....about 75 grams/day. My lab work including albumin etc are excellent (but I am on the small side) hands down you cant compare DS to other surgeries....well lap band anyway. Dont be afraid of the pills, start building up your defieicncies now...get lab work and work on it before....
If you have a specific question for me, PM me or I will not see it, as I don't check responses on the forums and don't have anything forwarded to my email.
You are right, I did type that wrong and meant malabsorption of fat.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
The DS would be too drastic for someone your size. Sorry. It is the Cadillac of weight loss surgeries but not ideal for your situation.
