Actually they do perform it. I got the info/advice from a co worker of that surgeon. That person has seen first hand what lifelong repercussions exist. I don't care what personal choice someone makes. Just passing along facts.

 One person's experience does not a "fact" make. DS'ers can and will have terrible gas and diarrhea if they eat too many carbs which means they're doing it wrong (and they know it) - which means your co-worker is also doing it wrong.

The DS has been proven to be the most effective WLS long-term time and time again when done/utilized/taken care of the right way.

Keep passing out misinformation, but be prepared for others to jump in and correct you on it.

I haven't had the DS, but I have friends who have and I pay attention to people who post on these boards. There are many success stories with each surgery - in order of success from worst to best: lap band, RNY, VSG and DS, all based on long term results and resolution of co-morbidities related to obesity.

Again, hopefully an actual DS patient will be along to tell you more (if they can get past this wretched updated look OH has done. Terrible!). 

Okay, I am 21 months out with a DS, my dh is 22 months out. Both of us made it to a normal BMI before we were 9 months out from surgery so we have both been stable (+/- 5 lbs) for a year now.

The first couple of weeks were miserable but if liquid goes in, liquid comes out. Once I got to a normal (for me) way of eating, I stopped having diarrhea. No, it only happens if I am sick. I tend toward constipation more.

Lifelong repercussions:
Have to take vitamins
Have to eat LOTS of protein and fat (YUM, BACON)
My insulin dependent diabetes is in remission
Even eating full fat, my cholesterol is 179, dh's is 139 (mine is genetically high)
Can take NSAIDS
Can drink with my meals
Limit carbs to avoid bloat/gas
Able to keep most of my weight off cause malabsorption of food is pretty permanent, of vitamins, it IS permanent.

IF I had had the RNY instead, these would be the lifelong repercussions:
Have to take vitamins
Most likely have to eat low fat
30% chance of dumping syndrome
A 40% or more chance of developing reactive hypoglycemia about 2 to 3 years out even if never had diabetes pre-op or even had it in my history.
Can NOT take NSAIDS
Can not drink with meals
Limit carbs to avoid bloat/gas
Regain is probably cause malabsoprtion of food regenerates but of vitamins, still permanent.

I'll take the lifelong repercussions of the DS!

Liz

You are in a great place to get the DS...Dr. Stewart is in TX and does the DS.

Here is a video done by the BestDocsNetwork in that area:
www.youtube.com/watch

The patient in the story is a PCP himself.

Liz

My friend has not had any of these surgeries. She is part of the medical team working with the surgeon who performs the DS. That is why I asked for her medical advice. I am in the process of choosing a surgery and wanted her professional opinion. RNY seems to stop one up and DS opens one up. I told my friend maybe lifetime diarrhea is the secret to long time weight maintenance. Another consideration. Apparently there is no perfect surgery. I do like it that RNY has been around since the 70's so a long history. Glad it is lap surgery now usually.

RNY seems to stop one up and DS opens one up. I told my friend maybe lifetime diarrhea is the secret to long time weight maintenance.

Nope, most DS'ers suffer from constipation. Unless they DECIDE to eat too many carbs.

Another consideration. Apparently there is no perfect surgery.
That is true.

I do like it that RNY has been around since the 70's so a long history.

And the DS has been around for a long time too. First one done in 1988. And it was a revision of a failed gastroplasty. http://www.dshess.com/

Liz

Unfortunately, you've been given some improper information about the DS.  I have several DS friends and NONE of them "suffer" the effects you're describing (unless self-inflicted, the dumasses! lol).  Please, do some indpendant research to get the real facts.  www.dsfacts.com is an excellent place to start.

How old is it? Why is it so unknown. All I hear are negatives. Is it done with a scope?

The DS can be done laproscopically, yes. It's been around since 1988. If all you're hearing are negatives, you're not listening in the right places. (*grin*)

It's "so unknown" because there aren't a lot of surgeons who perform it. Why? Because it takes several months to learn to do the DS properly, and those are months a surgeon has to spend in learning, not in practice making money. Also, it takes longer to perform, but insurance companies don't like to pay more for the DS than they do for the RNY. (Make no mistake---insurance companies are concerned with their profit margin, not what's best for YOU.)

But in the 9+ years I've been a member here, the DS has become very much better "known" than it was when I chose it. Those of us are 6, 7, 8+ years post-op had to jump through all sorts of hoops in order to get what we believed was the very best form of WLS. In the process, we've also helped a lot of the 'younger' folk get the right surgery for them, too.

You can get a lot of accurate info about the DS here: www.dsfacts.com