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I have read a lot about how the DS offers the most balanced and normal diet of all the WLSurgies out there. But then I also am reading about how people are dieting again (to lose some regains) and making sure they are tracking carbs and not snacking etc. We all know this is a tool and lifestyle changes are forever, but can you tell me what dieting after DS is like vs before? Do you feel hungry and deprived like I do now when I try to diet by eating low carb, not snacking, smaller meals etc. It's pure hell.
Appreciate you all!
Jen
liz you are not informed. Do the research. The gastric sleeve is the gold standard. My surgeons I work with look at me inhorror when I tell them I survived this nightmare. It is not gold standard.
You are grossly misinformed I am a nurse and I have sent 6 bodies to the morgue in the last 15 years post this surgery. They have banned it in my state!!!
This is you telling me, not only was I not informed, I was grossly misinformed. And you lied about it being banned in your state, maybe you just feel it should be banned. I won't argue with you, I just have a different option than you do. Honestly, it doesn't matter that you're a nurse, you have no idea what my background is or what I do for a living.
HW: 398.8 SW:356 GW: 175 CW:147
I was told in my 20s I had PCOS, but I've always had regular periods. Recent years I was told I do not have PCOS, so who knows. What I do know is my body is broken.
I was actually wanting a longer CC, not shorter. But these are all questions I have for the surgeons.
I am not looking for a set it and forget it, I know that's never going to be a thing for any tool for MO. I also am no stranger to pills/supplements and poop/gas problems. Living with Diabetes, Sleep apnea and IBS is NO JOKE. What I am looking for is health and better quality of life and to not be malnourished and sick as I age. It's not an easy decision when there are so many unknowns.
Who did your surgery and how did you go about finding a GOOD surgeon who does SIPS? I am hoping to consult with one near me, Dr. Wizman, but waiting for insurance verification.
Also, why did you opt for SIPS instead of full DS? I'm really struggling with this.
on 7/10/19 8:24 pm, edited 7/10/19 1:28 pm
Most of the people here are well intentioned but have no understanding of the SIPs / Sadi DS, and are scared of something they don?t understand.
I had the sips 5 years ago and guarantee it?s a fantastic option you will never regret, as long as you have an experienced surgeon.
I?m 58 now, lost all the weight, kept it off and I have a very lean fit build I thought was impossible prior to this surgery. The SIPs will have many similarities as the older DS but there is less risk during surgery and less chance of malnutrition later.
All of life has risk, complications and side effects but this one is well worth it. Just make sure your surgeon is both a DS and SIPs expert. That guarantees they are doing it for the right reason.
Forget set points and previous failures. The DS is strong enough to FIX you. The DS is a metabolic reset. You most likely have PCOS too and it usually resets that as well. You have to be very careful with birth control postop!
I wanted a 50cm CC. My surgeon wanted to do 100cm. So we played let's make a deal and settled on 75cm. Theoretically, that's short CC and I should have had deficiencies. But never a one. I do take good care of myself and take my supplements. If you can do this, you will be OK. Especially since you won't be able to find a surgeon willing to do less than a 100cm CC these days.
Compared to what is going on with you right now, the DS is easy. Since I have had the DS, I have thrown up once and that was hernia related, not DS related. Since I had the DS I rarely get colds and I have never had bronchitis or the flu. And I used to get all of these before surgery. I would guess the DS has improved my immune system. I am now 64 and healthy as a horse. I can go out and run 5 miles. I take no prescription meds at all. I regularly use a treadmill, a rowing machine and a vertical climber. I have no physical limitations.
I used to have skin tags from most likely PCOS that was never diagnosed. They all went away postop. I used to get heartburn and that went away too. I have probably taken 4 Tums in the last 15 years.
Diarrhea. I think almost everyone has some issues in the beginning. It takes time to figure out your new system. When I was brand new I probably took a couple packages worth of imodium. I had diarrhea and I treated it. For a while I carried the pills with me. I stopped that about 15 years ago. I usually poop once in the morning and maybe 30% of the time, again in the evening. And that's it. Since my DS, I have ridden a horse across Mexico, gone on rappelling trips, climbed mountains, went diving in Tahiti, and all sorts of other things. If I had chronic diarrhea there is no way I could have survived.
Let me tell you what will be different. You will have stinky poop. It will smell much worse than it does today. You will poop more(volume) than you do today. And it will not smell like roses. Bad farts too! But over time you will learn to eat properly and avoid foods that give you gas.
I still do low carb because I can gain weight. I still drink coffee and have diet soda every day. I am pretty strict on carbs. Holidays and out of town vacations are my cheat days. I can eat anything I want. 4th of July I had chilidogs, potato salad, muffins, chocolate, and ice cream. And it's less than 2 months to Labor Day now. Another cheat day on the horizon.
The DS is not set it and forget it. You have to be willing to learn about the surgery and educate your medical professionals. You must be capable of being assertive and being your own advocate. You must be able to question your doctors, etc, and stand up for yourself. You have to be willing to take the supplements and eat a high protein diet. You need to be willing to avoid sugar and carbs. If you can do those things, the DS will fix you.
Oh and I do already take D3, iron, multi, magnesium and probiotic.
I read your office story while lurking and it doesn't surprise me. I've been in a wls group since 2002 and the couple of DSers are still holding on to their weight loss.
The scary stuff I'm referring to are the deficiencies people can't seem to reverse. Stomach issues. Chronic diarrhea. The stuff surgeons throw at you! I'm definitely leaning towards the DS, I'm just scared. I have only been a diabetic for 4 years, but it's gotten worse with every pound I've gained as I approach what is possibly looking like early menopause. I started insulin injections 3 times a day a couple weeks ago and it's still not great....this is not the life I want. I've been on blood pressure meds since I was 19, my body hasn't worked right for a long time.
What is your take on weight set point with the DS? Any thoughts on this?
appreciate your detailed reply!!
Jen
It is unlikely that anything BUT the DS will fix your issues, including the diabetes, for good. The rate of resolution of type 2 is 95% with the DS. And you will have low cholesterol. The rest of your issues will resolve with weight loss. My H had the DS for diabetes in Spain in 2004. All of his diabetic retinopathy went away completely. He had the switch only because he was not a lot overweight. And BTW the resolution of the diabetes is usually almost immediate postop and that means it is NOT related to weight loss. That should speak volumes to you.
I had my surgery in 2003 and I have never had issue 1. None. Nada. There is nothing I can't eat but I still diet and have to choose wisely. I can eat a normal meal. You would never know I had surgery unless I told you. I am always still trying to lose weight. I was never thin. I just look like a normal old bag who could stand to lose a few pounds. And most of that is because I never had any plastics.
I do have a hernia. It COULD be DS related. Or not! I got it 2009. I will be getting it repaired in 2020 and I am hoping to get a panniculectomy at the same time. If I get this done, I will look a LOT thinner. If I try to extrapolate, without the hernia and the panni I would most likely wear a size 6 or 8.
I eat low carb. I try to get consistent exercise. 98% of the time I take all my supplements every day. It's no big deal. I have 1 organizer for AM and another for PM and I fill them up once a week.
Let me tell you a little story. 10 people in my office had WLS in the same time frame. 1 band, she never lost a pound. 8 RNY, 7 of these people weigh more now than they did when they had surgery. And 1 DS, me. So in the still quasi normal category is me and 1 RNY person.
I chose the DS because it works. I believe in the think twice, cut once theory. The others just don't work well and many never lose or regain. Read the revision boards. You usually won't find DSers there. What scary stuff? I was more afraid of what my future would be if I did nothing! And the other options looked a lot more miserable than life post DS.
Surgeons want to sell you the surgery they do. Just like the Toyota salesperson wants you to buy a Toyota. They want your money. The only way to get HONEST information from a surgeon is to see one who routinely does all the surgeries, including the DS. Always follow the money. Surgeons are human too.
Most people on the planet are D deficient. You should be taking D, iron, calcium, and a multi vitamin every day already. The time to start working on all this is now.
SIPS/LOOP/SADI are DS look alike surgeries. Surgeons like them because they are easier and take less time. They are relatively new and usually still labeled experimental. This means insurance won't pay and if your surgeon submits to insurance as a DS, it could be fraud. Some people have done well with them and others have not. A LOT more studies need to be done. One study that came out maybe a year ago showed people losing all their malabsorbtion of fat VERY quickly and that screams increased chance of regain to me.
AHA... I found the study. https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(17)30428-8/pdf#/art icle/S1550-7289(17)30428-8/fulltext And it's worse than what I remembered. At 1 year none of the SADI people showed ANY fat malabsorbtion left. This is not a great study but there is not much info out there.
Best of luck to you!
