Re: chemeotherapy

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/24/01 4:29:01 AM, duodenalswitch writes:

<< I attended my first group meeting with the dietitan today and someone

in the group stated that the doctors don't like to do distal

operations because of the chance that if you need chemeotherapy down

the road you could not have the treatment; Or if you get a serious

illness you will not be able to thrive. I would like to know if

anyone knows anything about this and what your thoughts are on this.

She said she knew of someone who died because she couldn't take

chemotherapy treatments.

>>

I, too, wondered about this. I do know that the intestinal portion of

the surgery is reversible (or at least partially so), so depending on how

sick one was at the time I suppose one could get the distal part of the

procedure reversed before chemo.

I don't know about not being able to thrive with a serious illness --- there

are such things as intravenous feedings, parental feedings, etc. -- One does

NOT have do die if one cannot get enough nutrients by mouth. I would

imagine it would not be pleasant, but there are ways to ensure that a DS

post-op can get enough nutrients to survive/thrive, etc.

Also, it has been shown that our common channels do try to make up for the

malapsorption: It lengthens, grows more receptor cells, etc. In other

words, our bodies are compensating and maximizing all resources to accomodate

the new arrangement.

I think that the special care we would require in the event (God forbid) of

any serious illness is one of the reasons we have to be well versed about our

surgery. It may be that the doctors/surgeons taking care of us really do not

know much about how to accomodate our special needs.

all the best,

laparoscopic DS with gallbladder removal

Dr. Gagner/Dr. Quinn assisting/Mt. Sinai/NYC

January 25, 2001

94 days post-op and still feelin' fab!

pre-op: 307 lbs/bmi 45 (5'9 " )

now: 265 lbs/bmi 40