Larry Young, Dr. Husted & Choosing Your Surgeon

[Guest guest]

> For me, the important part of his post has nothing to do with

> criticizing the doctor's expertise, rather it is the criticism of the

> judgment of the doctor who takes a person weighing almost 700 lbs. as

> their first DS patient.

I know of one particular gentleman who is in the high 600's and has been

told by numerous established DS surgeons that he must lose down to the

mid-500s range in order to get his DS. The overriding concern is that

his intra-abdominal pressure is simply too high to risk surgery at his

present weight. (I'm not sure if this is the same thing as abdominal

compartment syndrome). He consulted with 3 or 4 well-established DS

surgeons and they all told him the same thing. Of course it's a vicious

cycle, because if he could lose 100 pounds, he may not have reached the

weight he has reached! And even though he desperately needs to get some

serious weight off, these well-established DS surgeons all considered

him too high a risk at this weight to undergo the DS.

M.

---

in Valrico, FL, age 38

Starting weight 299, now 156

Starting BMI 49.7, now 26.0

Lap DGB/DS by Dr. Rabkin 10-19-99

http://www.duodenalswitch.com

Direct replies: mailto:melanie@...

_________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> For me, the important part of his post has nothing to do with

> criticizing the doctor's expertise, rather it is the criticism of the

> judgment of the doctor who takes a person weighing almost 700 lbs. as

> their first DS patient.

I know of one particular gentleman who is in the high 600's and has been

told by numerous established DS surgeons that he must lose down to the

mid-500s range in order to get his DS. The overriding concern is that

his intra-abdominal pressure is simply too high to risk surgery at his

present weight. (I'm not sure if this is the same thing as abdominal

compartment syndrome). He consulted with 3 or 4 well-established DS

surgeons and they all told him the same thing. Of course it's a vicious

cycle, because if he could lose 100 pounds, he may not have reached the

weight he has reached! And even though he desperately needs to get some

serious weight off, these well-established DS surgeons all considered

him too high a risk at this weight to undergo the DS.

M.

---

in Valrico, FL, age 38

Starting weight 299, now 156

Starting BMI 49.7, now 26.0

Lap DGB/DS by Dr. Rabkin 10-19-99

http://www.duodenalswitch.com

Direct replies: mailto:melanie@...

_________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I have been treated, not surprisingly unsuccessfully, by a

subspecialist in bariatric medicine. When he finally realized that

no medical intervention would work, he suggested surgery. At the

time, the doctors (RNY, of course) he knew had a limit of 350# for

the surgery. He said " No problem, I can get you down 50# in a

hearbeat. " I think that he was correct. All of the medical

interventions work - somewhat and for a while. The 50# was

realistic. He would have put me on a liquid diet and I would have

been compliant long enough to reach the goal (but not a minute

longer - LOL).

The same could be the justification for the use of the AGB

temporarily (plus a lot of prayer for no band erosion, etc.) or the

new gastric baloon (not yet on trial in the US according to a

conversation I had a couple of months ago with Biometrice, the maker).

Another possibility is to try to do the two phase surgery.

Aren't here are fewer surgeons on the west coast worrying about the

intrabdominal pressure?

Nick in Sage

> > For me, the important part of his post has nothing to do with

> > criticizing the doctor's expertise, rather it is the criticism of

the

> > judgment of the doctor who takes a person weighing almost 700

lbs. as

> > their first DS patient.

>

> I know of one particular gentleman who is in the high 600's and has

been

> told by numerous established DS surgeons that he must lose down to

the

> mid-500s range in order to get his DS. The overriding concern is

that

> his intra-abdominal pressure is simply too high to risk surgery at

his

> present weight. (I'm not sure if this is the same thing as abdominal

> compartment syndrome). He consulted with 3 or 4 well-established DS

> surgeons and they all told him the same thing. Of course it's a

vicious

> cycle, because if he could lose 100 pounds, he may not have reached

the

> weight he has reached! And even though he desperately needs to get

some

> serious weight off, these well-established DS surgeons all

considered

> him too high a risk at this weight to undergo the DS.

>

> M.

>

> ---

> in Valrico, FL, age 38

> Starting weight 299, now 156

> Starting BMI 49.7, now 26.0

> Lap DGB/DS by Dr. Rabkin 10-19-99

> http://www.duodenalswitch.com

>

> Direct replies: mailto:melanie@t...

>

>

> _________________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

I have been treated, not surprisingly unsuccessfully, by a

subspecialist in bariatric medicine. When he finally realized that

no medical intervention would work, he suggested surgery. At the

time, the doctors (RNY, of course) he knew had a limit of 350# for

the surgery. He said " No problem, I can get you down 50# in a

hearbeat. " I think that he was correct. All of the medical

interventions work - somewhat and for a while. The 50# was

realistic. He would have put me on a liquid diet and I would have

been compliant long enough to reach the goal (but not a minute

longer - LOL).

The same could be the justification for the use of the AGB

temporarily (plus a lot of prayer for no band erosion, etc.) or the

new gastric baloon (not yet on trial in the US according to a

conversation I had a couple of months ago with Biometrice, the maker).

Another possibility is to try to do the two phase surgery.

Aren't here are fewer surgeons on the west coast worrying about the

intrabdominal pressure?

Nick in Sage

> > For me, the important part of his post has nothing to do with

> > criticizing the doctor's expertise, rather it is the criticism of

the

> > judgment of the doctor who takes a person weighing almost 700

lbs. as

> > their first DS patient.

>

> I know of one particular gentleman who is in the high 600's and has

been

> told by numerous established DS surgeons that he must lose down to

the

> mid-500s range in order to get his DS. The overriding concern is

that

> his intra-abdominal pressure is simply too high to risk surgery at

his

> present weight. (I'm not sure if this is the same thing as abdominal

> compartment syndrome). He consulted with 3 or 4 well-established DS

> surgeons and they all told him the same thing. Of course it's a

vicious

> cycle, because if he could lose 100 pounds, he may not have reached

the

> weight he has reached! And even though he desperately needs to get

some

> serious weight off, these well-established DS surgeons all

considered

> him too high a risk at this weight to undergo the DS.

>

> M.

>

> ---

> in Valrico, FL, age 38

> Starting weight 299, now 156

> Starting BMI 49.7, now 26.0

> Lap DGB/DS by Dr. Rabkin 10-19-99

> http://www.duodenalswitch.com

>

> Direct replies: mailto:melanie@t...

>

>

> _________________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

You're right Tom--

I don't know all the doc's " exclusions " --you may be able to walk--but

how much? Many have back trouble and knee problems--they can walk

but not much to shake a stick at. They need to move in other ways--

flexing and extending.

I don't have trouble walking but I do tend to let the blood pool in

my butt!! I am too sedentary--sit at puters too much!! But I try to

pump my feet and legs when I'm here!!

Pammi

>

> Hi Pammi:

>

> Your reply to was right-on, with just one exception.

>

> > If you are unable to walk before

> > surgery-- you can " move " in other ways.

>

> My understanding is that you really need to be able to walk, at

least

> short distances, before you can be considered a safe enough risk to

> have the operation.

>

> Dr. Anthone, who takes on more super-heavy patients than any other

DS

> surgeon I am aware of -- 2/3 of his patients are " super-morbidly

> obese " and he currently has a patient with a starting BMI of about

> 109 -- uses this as his rule-of-thumb. I.E., if you can't walk,

then

> you'll need to lose some weight before he'll do your DS.

>

> Tom

>

> Panniculectomy, Dr. Anthone, 11/10/2000

> Open DS, Dr. Anthone, 03/30/2001

> Goal: Lose 80% of Excess Weight

> *******************************

> * Starting Weight = 386 *

> * " Ideal " Weight = 142 *

> * =========================== *

> * Total Excess Weight = 244 *

> * 80% x Excess Weight = 201 *

> * Goal Weight = 386-201 = 185 *

> * =========================== *

> * Total Needed to Lose = 201 *

> * Loss To Date = 116 *

> * =========================== *

> * Remainder to Goal = 85 *

> *******************************

> Weight By Date:

> 11/10/2000 . . 386

> 03/30/2001 . . 360

> 04/19/2001 . . 338

> 05/03/2001 . . 328

> 05/18/2001 . . 316

> 06/03/2001 . . 301

> 06/15/2001 . . 299

> 06/25/2001 . . 293

> 07/03/2001 . . 286

> 07/16/2001 . . 278

> 07/23/2001 . . 276

> 07/30/2001 . . 275

> 08/06/2001 . . 272

> 08/13/2001 . . 270

> USC DS Support Group: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ds_usc>

[Guest guest]

You're right Tom--

I don't know all the doc's " exclusions " --you may be able to walk--but

how much? Many have back trouble and knee problems--they can walk

but not much to shake a stick at. They need to move in other ways--

flexing and extending.

I don't have trouble walking but I do tend to let the blood pool in

my butt!! I am too sedentary--sit at puters too much!! But I try to

pump my feet and legs when I'm here!!

Pammi

>

> Hi Pammi:

>

> Your reply to was right-on, with just one exception.

>

> > If you are unable to walk before

> > surgery-- you can " move " in other ways.

>

> My understanding is that you really need to be able to walk, at

least

> short distances, before you can be considered a safe enough risk to

> have the operation.

>

> Dr. Anthone, who takes on more super-heavy patients than any other

DS

> surgeon I am aware of -- 2/3 of his patients are " super-morbidly

> obese " and he currently has a patient with a starting BMI of about

> 109 -- uses this as his rule-of-thumb. I.E., if you can't walk,

then

> you'll need to lose some weight before he'll do your DS.

>

> Tom

>

> Panniculectomy, Dr. Anthone, 11/10/2000

> Open DS, Dr. Anthone, 03/30/2001

> Goal: Lose 80% of Excess Weight

> *******************************

> * Starting Weight = 386 *

> * " Ideal " Weight = 142 *

> * =========================== *

> * Total Excess Weight = 244 *

> * 80% x Excess Weight = 201 *

> * Goal Weight = 386-201 = 185 *

> * =========================== *

> * Total Needed to Lose = 201 *

> * Loss To Date = 116 *

> * =========================== *

> * Remainder to Goal = 85 *

> *******************************

> Weight By Date:

> 11/10/2000 . . 386

> 03/30/2001 . . 360

> 04/19/2001 . . 338

> 05/03/2001 . . 328

> 05/18/2001 . . 316

> 06/03/2001 . . 301

> 06/15/2001 . . 299

> 06/25/2001 . . 293

> 07/03/2001 . . 286

> 07/16/2001 . . 278

> 07/23/2001 . . 276

> 07/30/2001 . . 275

> 08/06/2001 . . 272

> 08/13/2001 . . 270

> USC DS Support Group: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ds_usc>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/13/01 8:27:39 PM, duodenalswitch writes:

<< I'm going to take a flyer on this one. The outcome would indicate

that they weren't used or are they not 100% effective?

>>

I really don't know... I mean the exact cause of death has not been stated.

People began thinking it was an embolism or something due to the fact that

Larry all of the sudden turned blue and could not be resusitated...

I think Dr. Husted needs to do a live chat or something to answer all our

questions about this! LOL

all the best,

lap Ds with gallbladder removal

January 25, 2001