Three months AFTER surgery
This is not why I chose to have weight loss surgery (I was a giant fatass) but why I chose a Biliopancreatic Diversion with a Duodenal Switch.
You see, most people who have weight loss surgery have a lap-band or get a Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass. But I chose a DS.
And even though I’m about to start another round of iron infusions because my intestines do not absorb iron, even though I’ve had enough ass-related issues for a lifetime thanks to those same intestines, I know that a Biliopancreatic Diversion with a Duodenal Switch is the most effective weight loss surgery of all. Here’s why:
1. No “dumping” syndrome
Unlike those who have a RNY Gastric Bypass, I have my original stomach, my original intestines (although they do less) — my anatomy is the same as before. My plumbing is a little more effective. At any rate, there’s no concern about “pissing off the pouch” (or the band) which leads to indigestion and vomiting.
2. I can take NSAID medication, and get scoped if I need to
If you have RNY surgery, you get a pouch, rather than a stomach. One concern is that you can’t take NSAIDs with a pouch. Nor can you have an endoscopy if you’re having problems that could be diagnosed using that test.
3. Long-term, it’s a more effective wls
When “long-term” means “Statistically, how much excess weight is still off at 10 years post-op,” the Duodenal Switch wins.
Also, you can eat more normally with a BPD-DS since you still have a stomach — although my lactose intolerance has increased exponentially since surgery. And obviously my body doesn’t digest gluten like it once did, since I feel way better physically when I’m gluten-free.
This is not to say that the BPD-DS is without problems; obviously vitamin deficiencies are a huge concern. Taking lots of supplements every day to compensate for malabsorption is a necessary by-product of the surgery, and good vitamins aren’t cheap. I admit, I haven’t been as committed to my vitamins as I had been previously, and now I’m paying the price. My iron is a mess and I’m starting infusions on Wednesday. But I’m recommitted!
Even with the complications — and the fact that the first few weeks post-op were horrendously painful — I don’t regret my decision to have weight-loss surgery. And I’m really glad I had a Biliopancreatic Diversion with a Duodenal Switch instead of any other surgery.
I can eat cake!
****Note: the Bpd-DS isn’t available everywhere; it’s a more complex surgery and fewer surgeons perform it than rny or lap-band. Also not all insurances cover it.****
Filed under: weight loss surgery | Tagged: bariatric surgery, BPD DS, duodenal switch, weight loss surgery, Wls | 6 Comments »
