Trying to make a well-informed decision

Hi all! I am trying to make the most well informed decision for myself. I thought I wanted to have RNY done, but after reading up and learning more about DS, it sounds like I'd be more successful on this one. My question is...according to the potential problems are: heartburn severe diarrhea malodorous gas/stool Have any of you experienced these problems and if so, did they go away after a while? Did you have problems with your insurance to approve this surgery? I know it's considered "investigative". These 3 potential problems are the only ones that are big "red flags" for me. Thank you for your input and help. Kathleen

heart burn aka gastric reflux, i am getting a ds because i cannot have a rny because of the surgical fix for gerd prevents the rny or banding, the ds is a alternative surgical fix for gerd. the wieght loss often resolves the gerd issue, and removal of the much of the acid production in the stomach. more so than with the rny. ill default to others to address the diariea and odorus issues, havent been there, i am preopt. but my opinion on oder is that "I have a working flush toilet and dont care about that". it a Manly take on , I dont care what my s&*(&t smells like,.

It is not investigative or experimental. Some insurance companies have outdated information and try to tell you that it is, but it is not. We have lots of ammunition for insurance companies here, so let us know if you need it. Heartburn: mine is gone now. Before surgery, I had it almost every night. Diarrhea: had it for the first few weeks after surgery. Now my stools are soft and regular, every morning. If I eat fried potatoes, I get gas and a bit of diarrhea. I think I'm having trouble with milk, too, but I'm still testing things. Everyone is different and we have to figure out what foods cause what problems. I still eat fried potatoes, I just make sure I'll be home a few hours after. Malodorous gas/stool: if I eat white carbs, I get some gas. It's nothing I can't control, though. I just rode from Kansas City to Omaha and back with Marylin in the car (6+ hours) and I didn't fart once. LOL! My poopies do smell bad, but whose doesn't? I go in the morning once or twice, and that's it. Honestly, the odor thing is way overblown. I see more posts about gas and diarrhea from RNYers than from DSers. Jeanie

Kathleen, As an early post-op I can ring in for you. I had GERD before surgery and a hiatial hernia and I still have GERD. I take aciphex for it and never get any heartburn. Heartburn is a much better side effect for me than dumping and ! Severe Diarrhea-ok this one varies...most people do not have this issue...loose stools and maybe diarrhea if they overdo it on fat or carbs, but it is honestly the minority that have this problem long term or further out post-op. For me in the beginning it was all watery and loose stools for about 10 days, then they became more pastey consistency. Now, if I overdo the carbs I will get diarrhea, but not severe..mainly like pre-op. And if I overdo the fat I will get the orange oily stools. Now this is by the choice of myself, by what I choose to eat...and not everyone's experience is this. I will be honest that the gas is much smellier for me, but I am only 7 1/2 weeks out and for most people it subsides by 6 months out. They have many products you can take like innermint and devrom to help control the odor. These were side effects I was willing to live with over a marginal ulcer, stricture, stoma blockage, vomiting, dumping, etc. But that is just me...everyone is different. good luck in your decision. you came to a great place for info. Kelly

I had my surgery end of May...To date.....NO heartburn....No severe bathroom issues UNLESS I eat salad....Lettuce goes right through. I know, too much info!!! And as far as odor goes, geesh.....bathroom odors are never a spring breeze right? Good grief, it's NOT experimental....Insurance companies crack me up. I have Medical Mutual of Ohio and was approved on first try. Not one question! Good luck, great on you for researching!!! Tonya

Kathleen, The DS is a wonderful WLS. However, you should do plenty research, as the decision to permanently change your anatomy and life is a big one. For me, I'm 6 months out and have lost 107 lbs. I am no longer Diabetic and no longer suffer with HBP. I do not have any "bathroom issues". The consistency is different, and as far as odor I don't really notice a difference. Others do have some issues in this area. Having said that, I don't think I've come across any one that said they would rather go back to being Morbidly Obese so they wouldn't have smelly gas. It's probably not gonna be anything that a spray can and a good flush can't solve. Right after surgery it's kinda yucky, but it does get better pretty quickly. As far as insurance is concerned. Mine tried to give me the it's investigation/expermental argument. Well, I bombarded them with current insurance practices by the Major insurers out there as well as up to date Medical reports and papers. I beat them. I bet they're sorry they tangled with me. I sent a "BINDER" full of information, not just a letter crying about not wanting to be fat. If you do have to fight the insurance companies, you'll have to be organized and determined, but you can do it. Please feel free to ask me about any other information that I might be able to offer. Good luck to you Kathleen, the journey to get your WLS can be difficult and scary, but the rewards on the other end can be fabulous. Paulette

Thank you to everyone *****plied. I am already suffering pretty bad with acid reflux(I gag and am up all night sometimes. Taking Prevacid for it). I just don't want anymore of that! Good to know that it will subside or go away after surgery and weight loss. The other "bathroom" issues, LOL! I am glad to hear things will normal out. I don't know what my insurance will say, as I haven't submitted anything yet. I just got all my pre-op consultations and evaluations. I've completed my pre-op weight loss. My PCP is in the process of writing another letter and submitting all my paperwork to the surgeon. I will then be waiting to hear from the surgeons office for another visit and hopefully he will say we can do this after approval. Then it's off to insurance. I will keep you all posted. Thanks again. I've been lurking for months researching and reading posts to help with my decision. This is life altering and I want to make the best and correct informed decision. Kathleen

my gerd was so bad,that it caused barretts esophagas a prelim to cancer the stomach lineing grows in the esophagas ,abnormal,makes acid there,dont need to reflux anymore its produced there, bad, so they took the top of my stomach and wrapped it around my esophagas and it contracts to close the top as the bottom opens to empty out. the portion used would be the same portion used for a rny pouch, so i cannot have a rny, but it did cure the gerd, edos every 6 months for the first 5 years after to make sure i was clean and the stomach lineing retreated, no tums eversinces. if you get a rny u cant have a nissan wrap to cure the gerd, the ds will be done under my nissan wrap, only two doctors i have found who can do it,and they were partners at mt sinai . cant have a band either. have you had a edo yet, it will show if you have the barretts beginning, it is serious ,so you would want to know about it

Hi Kathleen I can tell you my personal experience. I have almost no diahrea. Occasionally when I eat my famous taco dip, I get it, but it's from all the fat. It's not painful, for me, and it doesn't last long. It's not common at all though. Yes my BM's stink, and yes the gas is stinky too. Was is coming up roses pre-op though? Nope. Acid reflux. I never had it pre-op unless I was pregnant but I do have it now. It's not UNcommon. The good news? It doesn't last long and 1 prevacid a day keeps me from ever having to experience it. Totally managable. Lasts until your tummy stretches a little. It's not a big deal for me at all, long as I take my prevacid. Check out the last update I did on my profile for a list of reasons I did have the DS. There are alot more reasons TO have it, than NOT to have it! Good luck with your decision, and please, keep asking questions!! Lee

Hi Kathleen, I am 8 1/2 months post op DS. I did my research, too and decided the DS would give me the most normal quality of life after surgery. heartburn...................Nope! PreOp, I used to have to sleep propped up at night. My surgeon put me on Prilosec for the first 6 weeks post op. Now I can sleep like a baby! severe diarrhea............Nope! I have one formed BM in the A.M. (sometimes 2 or sometimes even every OTHER day). malodorous gas/stool.....Nothing worse than pre-op. Well, okay maybe a little worse... but I actually fart LESS than pre-op, so I think that evens things out. At work, I just flush right away if it is a little smelly. One more thing... please research your SURGEON carefully. The DS is technically more difficult to perform and there are only about 30 DS surgeons in the US. Most complications occur in the surgeons first 100 procedures. Don't get caught by bait and switch. Some surgeons SAY they do DS, but when you get to the consult they try to sway you to the RNY. Laurie in So Calif.