ok i wasnt even going to research the ds surgery( i know really stupid of me!!) but...

i started researching and i am becoming more and more interested! I just have a few questions
for one do they do ds laproscopically and for two do you really have to wait a year or two just to have surgery? I have heard its super risky that's why i didn't even want to look into it... but i have read some things on the Internet that say out of all the surgeries its been the most successful!!! can someone please help with my research can you tell me your complaints, your victories, your horror stories, your good stories, problems, life after surgery, anything that can help me!!! And i know research research research!!! please please help!!! i am listening now i promise!!!! lol i have been reading so much and the rny surgery just seems to have lots of problems and lots of throwing up
also has any one been approved for ds surgery with united health care?
one more thing i have went through all the hoops with st.Francis weight loss center they have a sister center in Carmel that does the ds surgery.... do you think i will have to redo all that? any response is greatly appreciated!!!

See dsfacts.com for vetted ds surgeons.

There is a newbie post on the second page that has some great links for you to check out.

Yes, ds has the most successful stats of all wls.

For my personal story, I've lost over 100% excess and all the pros that come from it.

For your insurance, you need to call them tomorrow and ask about what weightloss surgery it covers and requirements, its not probably that someone on this board has the exact same policy as you even if they have the same insurance company.

Good luck to you and congrats on researching. It took me 3 years of researching and boy am I glad I didn't settle.

I had my DS done by Dr Inman in Carmel IN. She and the hospital were awesome! The day they called me with a date was almost exactly 3 months until my surgery date. They did one day of a bunch of tests and then a class. They want you to do a psych eval with their dr. I will admit, mine was flagged. I had never heard of this happening before. Delayed my getting a date by 2 months. The only reason my surgery was scheduled 3 months out was because she was going on vacation. PLEASE check out dsfacts.com. Read every page. Go back though the many pages here on the DS forum and read read read. LISTEN TO THE VETS ON THIS BOARD!! They know their ****! My life has changed so much for the better in the last 9 months. I will be forever gratful for this gift of the DS. Seriously, call Dr Inman she is AWESOME and she is a vetted DS surgeon, listed on the DSfacts.com list. I'm sure more of her patients will chime in. And yes, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!!!

Her info is
Dr Margaret Inman
St.Vincent Hospital Carmel IN
317 582 8810
800 835 0971

Just in case you need the info!!

Ruby

thank you so much!!! i am calling first thing tomorrow to see what i would have to do. I have just had this sick feeling about getting rny like i will lose the weight but have to pay a heavy toll like puking or something that i would just have "to deal with" did she do your surgery open or lap?

My DS was done open but she does do Lap mostly. My BMI was well over 50 and she didn't feel comfortable doing it Lap. I didn't mind because I wanted to make sure I got a FULL DS! It really wasn't that big a deal, IMO. I had a wonderful support system to help me and my youngest child is 10. I have heard of her doing Lap on people with a BMI over 50 but mine was open. I think it varies from person to person and she will tell you during your first visit with her. If I were you I'd call and get the ball rolling. BUT PLEASE do your own research. There's lots to learn. I fought and waited for 2 years to get the DS. Researched and read read read EVERY DAY! I am 9 months post op and I still read daily, learn new stuff all the time. My bookmark list gets longer and longer. Use this site to the best of your ability. And please, don't confuse tough love for meanness. Different people have different ways of sharing their wisdom but they all mean well. They are here to help and have been for years. Most don't sugar coat anything. So don't take things personal and take their advice, even if it seems harsh. Just trying to prepare you for joining an OPEN FORUM that you will need during this adventure. Good luck and happy researching!!!!


Ruby

 First, I will echo others' advice to read, read, and read.   DSfacts.com is a great place to start.   Reading through old posts on this board is another excellent option.   I also learned a great deal about the DS by reading the profiles of DS'ers here.     

I do not know if your insurance specifically covers the DS, but I do believe that there have been United patients on here.  I hope that someone does chime in.

I'm a relative old-timer on these boards.   Although the DS has been performed for about 25 years now, it's only been in the past few years that it has become more commonplace.   When I had my DS, there were perhaps half the amount of DS surgeons around as there are now.

The DS is (apart from having my children) the very best thing I've ever done in my life.   It freed me from a lifetime of obesity and self-hatred, and I've been maintaining successfully for four years now. I love the way I feel and move.    

No horror stories here.   I did have an internal hernia repaired at two years post-op, and I really struggle with vitamin D issues, despite faithful adherence to my vitamin regime.     I'm in the minority though. Most DS'ers are able to manage their malabsorption of micronutrients pretty well.      You MUST make sure you take your vitamins every day, and your labs (which you should optimally be having done twice a year) will tell you how to proceed.  You MUST get in a great deal of protein and stay well-hydrated.   Too much flour or sugar gives many of us butt burning, foul-smelling gas.    These are two substances I try to steer clear of anything more than modest quantities.   The trade-off?   I eat pretty much what I want.    I tend to eat a high fat, high protein, lower carb diet, but sometimes I'm not so great at avoiding those carbs.   

As a DS post-op, you are, to a certain degree, more "medicalized," as you have a greater risk of bowel obstructions, protein malnutrition, and osteoporosis.    You need to be intelligent, aware, proactive and self-advocating.    Many folks outside of the bariatric community have do idea what the duodenal switch is.    I live in rural northern Michigan, and I know of only one other DS'er in my area, and she had it because I recommended it to her!   Sometimes you have to speak up for yourself, including to medical professionals.      

Basically though, eat your protein, take your vites (sometimes a couple of handfuls a day), drink your water, figure out how many cookies you can eat before you get nasty farts, and that's about it

I had my DS surgery two weeks ago done lap. My BMI was also over 50 and Dr Kemmeter said my surgery went perfect. I keep looking at the small incisions and I'm kind of amazed that he was able to trim my stomach from the size of a football to the size of a banana AND switch around my intestines through those tiny incisions. 

My first week out was pretty painful and I wondered what the heck I had done to myself, however it gets better everyday. I still feel a bit sore, but I don't have the pain that I had before and have stopped taking the pain meds. AND... I've lost about 24 pounds in the last two weeks. Now I'm sure that's mostly from not being able to eat and just drinking protein shakes, protein pudding, protein jello for two weeks, but I can't say that I've lost that much weight in two weeks before, so despite the initial pain I think it's worth it. 

When I first went to Grand Health Partners because I was interested in the surgery you had to have a specific BMI to get it, otherwise you had to go through six months of their supervised "medical weight loss" program first. This was a requirement of my insurance company and not GHP. 

I hope things work out for you. Research, research, research.

I learned an unmeasurable amount of info by friending people on here that had had numerous surgeries.. not just the DS.
I read their blogs.. their post responses and went back about a year in the posts on the forums to read EVERYTHING!!

My surgeon said that if you compare apples to apples the DS is not riskier than the RnY. 

The DS has the best science/stats for everything they measure when they study WLS except for resolution of GERD.

I picked the DS for:
best CURE for Type II Diabetes (killed both my normal weight parents and I'll never get it)
best long term results. 
best eating/diet for life.

BUT as with any WLS there are not so wonderful things to be aware of:
I am now unable to eat wheat gluten (wheat or white flour), milk, or too many sugar alcohols without getting very gassy.  Wheat gluten is in a LOT of stuff.
I have to take a LOT of vitamins.  I have to get labs done EVEN if my doctor says I don't need them...I STILL HAVE to get them done somehow.  I have to eat a lot of protein.  And at 22 months I have to watch my carbs very closely.

If you are the type of person who wants an easy out, who wants a doctor or someone to tell you what to do and what vites to take and not ever worry about it again, then this is not the surgery for you.

But if you can eat the DS way, get your labs done, listen to the folks who know about our labs and supplements (which is probably not going to be your doctor or pcp) and take the vites you need to take then you should consider this surgery.

~Becky

Thank you for the responses I researched all night!! I am going to go see the surgeon and get even more information Bc if I am going to do this I am going to do it right! I don't want to have to get more surgeries Bc I chose the wrong one! I just don't feel the rny would be right for me at this time!!! I love hearing your guys advice so keep them coming lol!!