Re: Investigating my options

[Guest guest]

:

I'm glad you are investigating the DS surgery. Like you I looked at all

the various types of weight loss surgeries and decided that the DS suited my

lifestyle better than anything else.

First, as to doctors. Go to www.duodenalswitch.com, go to the physicians

page and all the surgeons currently doing the DS in the country are listed.

Occasionally you can talk an RNY surgeon to do a DS but they don't have the

experience I would want to see. Unfortunately there aren't any in Florida

(or Texas where my wife and I live). If you want the DS probably the

closest would be the Atlanta area. But I'll let you explore the choice of

surgeon. The main reason there aren't as many DS surgeons as the RNY is

that the RNY is simply easier to do. It's cheaper, takes less time and the

surgeons can churn out a lot more patients. The complication rate is lower

as it is simpler surgery. But the long term outlook is not as good nor is

the lifestyle for the patients.

Your situation sounds very much like mine. I got to a high of 375 (I'm

5'10 " ), lost down to about 290 and was back at 340 when I had my surgery.

I'm now 260 and am only 4 months out. I had some MAJOR complications but am

doing fine now. My wife had the surgery subsequent to mine and had no

problems whatever.

I'd guess you could be back on your computer within 4 or 5 days if you have

the surgery lap and maybe 10 days or less if you have it open. I wouldn't

count on lifting much for a while but computering shouldn't be any problem.

This is all assuming that you don't have any problems.

It is doubtful that your skin will snap back at 38 but it is possible. You

would probably need at least a paniculectomy (tummy tuck) for health reasons

and anything else that your vanity dictates. I'm looking forward to losing

another 100 pounds or so before getting mine.

Understand that if you speak to ANYONE who does 100% RNY they will tell you

that the DS is not a good surgery for one reason or another. If they tell

you it is experimental they are wrong as it has been done extensively for a

good ten years. If they tell you it isn't effective they are wrong as there

are many studies which show it to be superior to the RNY, the next best

choice. You really need to study things on your own and make your own

decision. And you won't find anyone on this list who will tell you anything

but that the DS is best. Or anyone on an RNY site who doesn't think theirs

is. So study the web sites - especially the www.duodenalswitch.com one.

Also, www.mywls.com is an excellent site of a lady who had gotten the DS.

You might want to check out my web page. There's a link on my signature at

the bottom of my note.

Congratulations on your decision to get WLS. We hope to see more of you

around here. If you have any more questions just ask. We are not a shy

bunch and if we don't know an answer we'll just make something up.

Regards.

Joe Frost, old gentleman, not old fart

San , TX, 60 years old

Dr. Welker

340 starting weight, currently 260

http://www.duodenalswitch.com/Patients/Joe/joe.html

Investigating my options

> Hi,

>

> I wanted to get a few ideas from this experienced group. My PCP

> suggested I think about WLS on my last visit. I dismissed the

> thought last year when someone else mentioned it but now I am giving

> it a fair review. Specifically, DS seems to be more positive to me

> but I need to know more. I am 38, male and approx 350 lbs. When I

> dieted last I lost 55 lbs but have gained it almost all back. I

> recently tried Meridia with horrible mental results. I am worried

> about going into my 40's with all this weight and skeptical about the

> prospect of losing it by any means other than surgery.

>

> I have noticed that there don't seem to be as many doctors performing

> this surgery as the other types. I would want a doc experienced with

> this. Heck, I would feel better if he (or she) was boared from doing

> so many of them! I am in Florida and would be grateful if anyone has

> info or experience with a doc here doing DS surgery. Also, I am self

> employed (computer work). I wonder if I could get some real life

> estimates on how long it might be before I could get back behind my

> Home Office compter and do some work. I am sure it varies but any

> experiences would be helpful. Getting discharged and being able to

> concentrate and work might be two different things.

>

> I have read quite a bit already about eating habits PostOP but I have

> one question of vanity. Did anyone need plastic surgery after losing

> so much weight? Is 38 too old for that much skin to " bounce back " ?

>

> I appreciate any input, especially about the docs. I am calling

> Shands tomorrow because they do a lot of WLS and are respected here,

> but I don't yet know about their view on DS. Thanks everybody!

>

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

Hi . I believe that it is hard for the skin to go back to normal even

with tremendous exercising. I have seen Carney and she looks great.

She is young but she spoke about needing to have quite a bit ofskin rtemoved

from her stomach. She workedout everyday. So it is a possibility. But,

maybe we can get a group discount. Ellen(Pam)

[Guest guest]

, Have you contacted Shands yet? If so, do they do the WLS surgery using the duodenal switch? I also live in Florida, and have found that the closest surgeon is in Atlanta. If you have any info, please pass it along.

thank you,

Kari

[Guest guest]

, Have you contacted Shands yet? If so, do they do the WLS surgery using the duodenal switch? I also live in Florida, and have found that the closest surgeon is in Atlanta. If you have any info, please pass it along.

thank you,

Kari

[Guest guest]

Working out does nothing for skin. Skin will either snap back or it won't.

No amount of pushups, situps, weight lifting, bike riding, running,

walking, etc. will do anything for skin other than make it sweat. )

At 05:46 PM 4/4/01 -0400, you wrote:

>Hi . I believe that it is hard for the skin to go back to normal even

>with tremendous exercising. I have seen Carney and she looks great.

>She is young but she spoke about needing to have quite a bit ofskin rtemoved

>from her stomach. She workedout everyday. So it is a possibility. But,

>maybe we can get a group discount. Ellen(Pam)

>

>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I live in Florida and from what research I've done I haven't found

ANY surgeon in FL who does the DS. Closest is Marietta GA or Ocean

Springs, MS (near Biloxi). Dr in Marietta is highly

recommended, unfortunately his waiting list is very long right now.

Dr. Kim in Mississippi is also very highly recommended and his office

seems to be able to get you in fairly quickly, pending your insurance

approval. One of my co-workers had surgery there one month ago and

was extremely pleased with her care from every one involved.

Good luck,

P

> ,

> Have you contacted Shands yet? If so, do they do the WLS surgery

using the

> duodenal switch? I also live in Florida, and have found that the

closest

> surgeon is in Atlanta. If you have any info, please pass it along.

>

> thank you,

> Kari

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I live in Florida and from what research I've done I haven't found

ANY surgeon in FL who does the DS. Closest is Marietta GA or Ocean

Springs, MS (near Biloxi). Dr in Marietta is highly

recommended, unfortunately his waiting list is very long right now.

Dr. Kim in Mississippi is also very highly recommended and his office

seems to be able to get you in fairly quickly, pending your insurance

approval. One of my co-workers had surgery there one month ago and

was extremely pleased with her care from every one involved.

Good luck,

P

> ,

> Have you contacted Shands yet? If so, do they do the WLS surgery

using the

> duodenal switch? I also live in Florida, and have found that the

closest

> surgeon is in Atlanta. If you have any info, please pass it along.

>

> thank you,

> Kari