Re: dream surgery/ Save the gall gladder?-Kathy

[Guest guest]

Dear Kathy,

In January, my husband had his gallbladder taken out. He still gets

terrible diarrhea, gas and bloating if he ingests even a small amount

of fat. He also gets frequent indigestion and an " upset " feeling to

boot. His surgeon told him that some people just don't " adjust " when

they get their gallbladder out and my hubby just has to be very

careful with what he eats. I felt " if it ain't broke " , don't fix it.

Statistically, I was told that only 20%-25% of patients that lose a

great deal of weight will end up needing their gallbladder out. I

was willing to take my chances. A routine lap gallbladder surgery is

not a big deal if I eventually need one. I am 6 months post-op, only

took Actigall 2x (it made me sick) and just had a routine ultrasound

of my gallbladder done by my PCP and I am fine. YMMV but I just don't

believe in taking healthy organs out because it " may " go bad one day.

Jane J. 38 yrs. old

230/155 (-75 lbs.)

Lap BPD/DS

4/26/01

> Nick,

>

> I hadn't realized that the GB is only a " holding tank " , so to speak!

>

> I just know that several people I know,including my mother and one

of

> my sons-in-law, who have had their GBs removed MANY years ago,

still

> get deathly ill ingesting fats. Evidently their bodies didn't

adapt.

> Perhaps some do and some don't?

>

> I don't want to be in THAT position after the DS for Pete's sake.

And

> at 54 years old, a slower weight loss would be worth it to me. I

> don't want to be Mrs. America or even play her on TV,

>

> I WANT MY bit o' CHEESECAKE, darnit!!

>

> Any other ideas of how to keep quality of life?

>

> Kathy sen

> BMI 58, 352.5 lbs

> Surgery scheduled Nov 19th

> Dr. Welker

[Guest guest]

Another of those issues is where the surgeon cuts the duodenum.

Different

> surgeons have very different ideas about this and some of them have

> increased complications because of how they do it.

Nick,

Don't just say that and then leave us hanging.......

We've gotta know: WHO/WHAT/WHEN/WHERE????

TIA, Oh Sage One!

Kathy sen

BMI 58, 352.5 lbs

Surgery scheduled Nov 19th

Dr. Welker

>

[Guest guest]

Jane, you wrote:

A routine lap gallbladder surgery is

> not a big deal if I eventually need one.

I can testify to that, I had a lap thingy gall bladder

removal (I won't even try to spell cholicystameistersinger)

done as an outpatient and could have easily driven myself

home. I had very little pain and saved all of my vicodin for

when my back injury gets feisty. Two of my scars have

disappeared, one is kind of ugly and one has turned into a

keloid that I keep thinking I can will away with a

persistent little fingertip massage but it's not going

anywhere fast. It's a relatively easy procedure though

(relatively speaking).

Jean.

[Guest guest]

> Another of those issues is where the surgeon cuts the duodenum.

Different

> surgeons have very different ideas about this and some of them have

> increased complications because of how they do it.

>

> Best-

>

> Nick

>

>

>

Nick do you think you could give a little more info about what you

wrote above. I would really appreciate it. Thank you

Regina B

[Guest guest]

At 3:34 AM +0000 11/2/01, Eth90mat97@... wrote:

>...Nick do you think you could give a little more info about what you

>wrote above. I would really appreciate it. Thank you

>

I hasd recently posted this note from Dr. Elariny (with his

permission). He was discussing the Scopinaro vs the DS, but much of

what he wrote is apropos:

I have also had a discussion with another surgeon who stopped doing the DS

in favor of the Scopinaro operation. He also quoted a higher leak rate and

pancreatitis rate and had one patient who died as a result of pancreatitis.

I have had one case of mild pancreatitis, no deaths, and since I have

started hand-sewing the duodeno-ileal anastamosis (probably the last 50

cases), I have not had a single leak. I think alot of surgeons' problems

come from two things done during Lap-DS surgery. 1) stapled duodeno-ileal

anastamosis; 2) devascularizing the pylorus to get the duodenal stump

disected. If you devascularize the pylorus, and totally detatch it from its

surrounding structures, then you are asking alot to expect it to continue to

function. Another thing is the extent of gastrectomy performed adjacent to

the pylorus and adjacent to the esophagus. The closer you go to these

structures, the more likely they are to affect the gastric emptying. We

avoid doing any of these things. In any case, the Scopinaro procedure is

still a good operation, but it does increase the risk of B12 and Iron

deficiency compared to the DS, and there may be a higher stomal ulcer rate.

--

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/02/2001 12:54:50 AM Central Standard Time,

sage@... writes:

> It is really amazing how differently surgeons perform this surgery. I

> really thought that I was totally informed as a pre-op. I am continually

> finding out things that I had no idea about. It was my luck to find a

> surgeon who takes great pains to do each part of the surgery in the way most

> calculated to make things work in the best possible way.

>

I feel the same way about having gone to Dr. Hess. I am so thankful I ended

up there. I did research to end up there, but the more I learn the more

grateful I am that I had him as my surgeon. I am not sure with every surgeon

you know what you are getting. With Dr. Hess (and some others) there method

is tried and true. His experience at dealing with complications is

extraordinary. I don't consider any surgeon " god " but I highly recommend

Dr. Hess.

Dawn--South Suburban Chicago area

Dr. Hess, Bowling Green, OH

BPD/DS

4/27/00

www.duodenalswitch.com

267 to 165 5' 4 "

size 22 to size 10

have made size goal

no more high blood pressure, sore feet, or dieting