New Here

April 13, 2001

Amy,

Your children's problems certainly sound like they might be diet

related. One thing you might want to do is keep a detailed food diary for a

few weeks before you start the diet. You might be able to pinpoint some

common denominators and save yourself some legwork later. Keep up on the

diary as you embark on the diet and make sure to note symptoms like the

eczema, tantrums etc.

Pat in Ohio

April 13, 2001

Welcome! I'm new at this too but am learning so much! Hey, are you going to

get them evaluated at all? I took my daughter to a developmental pediatrician

for diagnosis. Also, are you into scrapbooking? I love it! But I've done

nothing with it since our diagnosis...one month ago. Hugs,

H, mom to 3 yrs, PDD; and 23 months

July 7, 2001

In a message dated 07/07/2001 6:09:07 AM Central Daylight Time,

armywife1993@... writes:

<< Hi, my name is Lori and I just joined the list. I have a question

regarding the dumping syndrome. I understand with the DS procedure

you don't have it. I am a big sweets eater right now and think that

the dumping syndrome would be a benefit for me post-op. (that might

sound crazy but it's true) Can anyone tell me if they loved sweets

pre-op and how you are doing post-op? I really prefer the DS

procedure but given my love for sweets I wonder if the RNY would be

the better procedure for me to have. Any info would be greatly

appreciated. You can email me personally if you like.

Thanks so much,

LORI

>>

I was a sweets eater pre-op. I did not eat many sweets early post op (first

6 months or so). They did not appeal to me. Now I eat my share of sweets.

I probably would get a few more pounds off if I didn't, but I am very happy

at the weight I am at WITH my sweets. You have to remember that most of the

sweets that appeal to us are a sweet/fat combination. An example is ice

cream. I eat the really good stuff that is high in fat. But with the BPD/DS

most of the fat doesn't count, so it doesn't turn out to be that calorie

ladden for us. My weight is VERY stable and I eat sweets whenever I want

which is sometimes several times a day.

YMMV

Dawn--Chicago metro--south

Dr. Hess, Bowling Green, OH

BPD/DS

www.duodenalswitch.com

267 to 165 5'4 "

size 22 to size 10

have made size goal, weight goal may need to be adjusted.

no more high blood pressure, sore feet, or dieting!

July 7, 2001

Lori:

You need to research everything you can to determine which surgery is best

for you. Two sites that I can recommend are:

Our moderator has put together a wonderful site with a wealth of

information:

http://www.duodenalswitch.com

This is a site that is owned by NYU. Click the link about surgery

procedure, it will give you a very good explanation of the three types of

surgeries.

http://thinforlife.med.nyu.edu/

Most of the members on this list have had the DS procedure or are pre-op.

We have chosen this procedure for a variety of reasons and I am sure at the

recommendation of our doctors. Many of the doctors do more than one type of

surgery. You need to make any decision on your own with the help of your

doctor. However, I will tell you that I am very pleased with my outcome. I

have never dumped and do not want to dump. I personally believe that the

disease of Morbid Obesity has punished and restricted our lives enough. If

you at the stage in this journey that you are seriously considering WLS

surgery, you know what I mean. I do not need to be burdened with the

dumping syndrome to feel like I've done the right thing. When you have WLS

surgery many things will change. It is different for each person, but you

will have a different perspective about food and what you eat. Immediately

after my surgery and for about 5-6 months there were things that I either

could not eat or had no desire to eat. I am 9 months out now and I can eat

anything. There are still things that I do not want to eat. I also do not

consume any carbonated beverages, as they have a tendency to fill me up and

make me gaseous. I do not miss them. I just do not eat as much and my

weight is coming down.

Also, you need to really understand what the dumping syndrome entails. Read

as much as you can about it because for some people it can be very

debilitating for several hours. When I was doing the research for my

surgery I remember reading a post from a guy on another list. He recounted

a story where he had taken a church group bus tour to Atlantic City. This

person had the RNY surgery. There was a buffet table there and he asked the

caterer what was in some of the dishes to be sure he wasn't eating anything

with sugar. On the way home on the bus, he was hit with the dumping

syndrome. He spent the next several hours curled up in a fetal position on

a Greyhound bus because there was something in the buffet he should not have

eaten. I knew I did not want to live like that. Some people look at the

dumping syndrome as a watchdog, I did not go through this process to be

punished like that.

You may also read on other surgical list that the DS surgery causes you to

be a bathroom hermit and have nothing but odorous gas. This is not true.

You will go through an initial period immediately after surgery that you may

experience more visits than you are accustomed to having. Much of that is

your due to your body making the adjustment from the surgery, the anesthetic

as it clears your system and your ability to become accustomed to the way

food will react with the changes that have been made with your digestive

system. In addition, as with any WLS surgery, you should consume more water

to flush out your system (we should do this for our health without the

surgery) and thus this prompts more visits. I do have more BMs that I did

before, but then I only went once per day before. However, they do not

restrict my life in any negative way.

Good luck to you in your decision and hopefully your eventual surgery.

Kathie from MD

Lap DS, Dr Gagner, Mount Sinai, NY

New here

> Hi, my name is Lori and I just joined the list. I have a question

> regarding the dumping syndrome. I understand with the DS procedure

> you don't have it. I am a big sweets eater right now and think that

> the dumping syndrome would be a benefit for me post-op. (that might

> sound crazy but it's true) Can anyone tell me if they loved sweets

> pre-op and how you are doing post-op? I really prefer the DS

> procedure but given my love for sweets I wonder if the RNY would be

> the better procedure for me to have. Any info would be greatly

> appreciated. You can email me personally if you like.

>

> Thanks so much,

>

> LORI

>

> armywife1993@...

>

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

>

July 7, 2001

Lori,

I am 11 weeks out from my DS surgery and I can say that I not only do not

crave sweets, I don't even take them when they are offered. They just hold

no appeal for me now. I did have a bite of cake and ice cream once, at about

five or six weeks out. I was able to tolerate it well, but it just was no

big thrill. I wish I could explain it better than that!

That said, if I really wanted something I would have it. But after eating

protein, and trying to get in a bit of veggies, etc., I just don't have room

for it at this point. But if I really, really wanted something I would have

a bite.

My mother had weight loss surgery around 25 years ago. Whatever the nature

of the surgery, she most definitely came away with dumping syndrome. One of

my most vivid memories is that of my mother passing out on the floor of a

restaurant after eating pasta. It was terribly frightening. She used to

think she just had to " lie down " after eating certain things, and it was only

then that she realized she was actually passing out.

I don't think I, personally, could handle feeling sick on a regular basis. I

could not tolerate that as part of my life for the duration. Now, 11 weeks

post DS surgery, I feel perfectly fine 99.9% of the time. I feel great, can

eat anything I want (small amounts) and feel satisfied. And I am losing

weight! Not as fast as some, but I am losing. I can't imagine anything

better than this.

Just my 2-cents...

Dawna

July 7, 2001

HI LORI, MY NAME IS MELANIE TAYLOR AND I WILL BE HAVING THE DS ON JULY THE 10TH.I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE RNY IS BETTER FOR SWEET EATERS AND I WOULD SUGGEST YOU TALK WITH OTHER RNYERS TO GET MORE INFO..HOPE U FIND WHAT U R LOOKING FOR HERE.WE R A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE AND LOVE TO HELP ANYONE WE CAN.WELCOME ABOARD AND HAPPY RESEARCHING. MELANIE TAYLOR armywife1993@... wrote: Hi, my name is Lori and I just joined the list. I have a question regarding the dumping syndrome. I understand with the DS procedure you don't have it. I am a big sweets eater right now and think that the dumping syndrome would be a benefit for me post-op. (that might sound crazy but it's true) Can anyone tell me if they loved sweets pre-op and how you are doing post-op? I really prefer the DS procedure but given my love for sweets I wonder if the RNY would be the better procedure for me to have. Any info would be greatly appreciated. You can email me personally if you like.Thanks so much,LORIarmywife1993@...----------------------------------------------------------------------

July 7, 2001

Hi Lori,

Since I'm pre-op for the DS, you know which surgery I think provides better

quality of life -- and that's what I'm after. With the DS, after the

recovery period you can eat fairly normal small meals that include most

foods. Your stomach functions properly, you don't have the problems with

getting things " stuck " or dumping - which is an awful experience. With the

RnY you can ony eat tiny amounts, and most people say their food choices are

extremely restricted FOR LIFE. There is also more of a problem with B

vitamin absorption because of the tiny stomach pouch. As someone who has a

failed VBG I know how awful it feels to have things get " stuck " and have to

throw up. After 10 years, I still have that experience, and can't eat most

meats, raw vegetables or fruits.

At a recent DS support group meeting I heard that DS patients who lose the

most weight are ones who avoid simple sugars and exercise. The DS will not

prevent simple sugars from being absorbed.

I would really encourage you to look at any WL surgery as a tool, and to

talk to as many people as you can about quality of life long term after the

surgery. All the WL surgeries require some changes in life style after the

surgery. I've heard many people say the dumping syndrome with the RnY will

prevent them from eating sugar and fat, but many people who have the RnY

never do dump! Research, research, research and talk to lots of people about

how they feel, what they can eat, how their health is, etc. longer term.

Take your time about making this decision.

I also should add that there are many people who come to this group and

research this surgery who have had a RNY that failed and who want a revision

to DS. I could be wrong, but it is my understanding that revision from rny

to DS is quite difficult.

Only you can make the decision about what is right for you. I send you all

best wishes for making the right decision.

Peace,

Robyn