Question:
How effective is the Biliopancreatic Diversion? Is it common or experimental?

Want to know who had it, what was their experience, healing time, success????    — Charlotte J. (posted on July 25, 2001)

July 25, 2001
My insurance co,Blue Cross and Blue Shield,considers the long limb (200cm) DS "investigational" and will cover it . They will cover a short limb DS (100cm or less) . In all the research I have done and in my communication with surgeons who do the procedure it is evident that the DS is not experimental . There are some good long term research articles on the DS web site. Check it out. Good Luck, Kathy
   — kathleen S.

July 25, 2001
It's certainly not as common as the RNY, but my insurance company (HealthNet) does not consider it experimental. I had my surgery 13 months ago. Healing time: in the hospital for two days, off work for three weeks, felt pretty okay by 6 weeks, felt completely normal (i.e., never had surgery) by 3 months. My experience has been great, I seem to have no real side effects (except a few months of hair loss), no complications. My goal was to lose 120 lbs., I've lost 100, so it's successful for me (I eat way too much sugar so know exactly why I haven't hit goal). -Kate-
   — kateseidel