dawn4511
Junior Member
Posts: 92
Surgery Type: Revision
Surgery Date: 08/14/2014
Surgeon: Dr Dennis Hong
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Post by dawn4511 on Jul 17, 2014 17:44:42 GMT -5
Hello friends
I'm having a tough night. Two weeks before surgery and I'm in self doubt mode. I want answers to questions that no one can answer. I'm scared. Not so much of the surgery because I trust my surgeon and he does it in two stages so I get to take baby steps. I'm more scared of failing. What if I can\t lose with a DS? What if I go threw this to end up in the same spot 7yrs down the road? Then what? This is my last hope and last option. I think Ive done a lot of growing up, maturing since my RNY. I have also done alot of counselling but I still have issues sticking to a diet. How am I going to stick to it this time?
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Post by bboop on Jul 17, 2014 18:08:11 GMT -5
Sounds like freak out time has hit you.
First of all I don't understand why you insist on having the two part DS...I say cut once and do it right the first time. But that's just me. I really wish you would explore other surgeons who do the DS in one step.
You will be fine. I don't know of a single person who has died of the DS surgery itself. Seven years down the road you will look and feel so much better...I promise. Eat low carb, take you vitamins, stay hydrated and exercise...you will be fine.
Just think in two weeks you will almost be there...get ready for the ride of your life.
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Post by west4thavenue on Jul 17, 2014 18:57:05 GMT -5
Hi, Dawn.
I'm a last hope/last option DSer, too! All the fears you express weighed heavily on my mind pre-op. My physical condition was AWFUL.
Sometimes you have to ask yourself what would you do if you were not afraid, then do that...no matter what you are feeling. Statistics show a higher success rate with this surgery than with any of the others. When I asked my surgeon about failure, he said I would have to work VERY HARD to regain all the weight. This is a very effective surgery. I read everything I could get my hands on and felt ready for my relationship with food to be different for the rest of my life. When I went into the OR, I was nervous, of course, but I was mentally ready. That was a good thing, too, because I knew I wouldn't live much longer if I didn't make big changes, and I needed this tool.
Everyone is different, but I have to tell you that not sticking to the diet hasn't been an option for me. I am simply not able to overeat or eat carbs without making myself really sick. I have been told this will change and it may, in time. Even at four months out, the way I see food is entirely different. This has changed me and I'm so damned glad!
You are very smart to do the kind of soul searching you are doing right now. Pre-surgery jitters aside, nobody should be unsure of their decision when they check into the hospital. I encourage you to talk to your surgeon about your fears and stick with us on the board. How is the rest of your support system?
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dawn4511
Junior Member
Posts: 92
Surgery Type: Revision
Surgery Date: 08/14/2014
Surgeon: Dr Dennis Hong
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Post by dawn4511 on Jul 17, 2014 19:26:56 GMT -5
Sounds like freak out time has hit you. First of all I don't understand why you insist on having the two part DS...I say cut once and do it right the first time. But that's just me. I really wish you would explore other surgeons who do the DS in one step. You will be fine. I don't know of a single person who has died of the DS surgery itself. Seven years down the road you will look and feel so much better...I promise. Eat low carb, take you vitamins, stay hydrated and exercise...you will be fine. Just think in two weeks you will almost be there...get ready for the ride of your life. It's not so much I insist it's that the only surgeon within one day of travel that will do a RNY to DS revision will only do 2 step. So it's 2 step or nothing. |
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dawn4511
Junior Member
Posts: 92
Surgery Type: Revision
Surgery Date: 08/14/2014
Surgeon: Dr Dennis Hong
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Post by dawn4511 on Jul 17, 2014 19:29:43 GMT -5
Hi, Dawn. I'm a last hope/last option DSer, too! All the fears you express weighed heavily on my mind pre-op. My physical condition was AWFUL. Sometimes you have to ask yourself what would you do if you were not afraid, then do that...no matter what you are feeling. Statistics show a higher success rate with this surgery than with any of the others. When I asked my surgeon about failure, he said I would have to work VERY HARD to regain all the weight. This is a very effective surgery. I read everything I could get my hands on and felt ready for my relationship with food to be different for the rest of my life. When I went into the OR, I was nervous, of course, but I was mentally ready. That was a good thing, too, because I knew I wouldn't live much longer if I didn't make big changes, and I needed this tool. Everyone is different, but I have to tell you that not sticking to the diet hasn't been an option for me. I am simply not able to overeat or eat carbs without making myself really sick. I have been told this will change and it may, in time. Even at four months out, the way I see food is entirely different. This has changed me and I'm so damned glad! You are very smart to do the kind of soul searching you are doing right now. Pre-surgery jitters aside, nobody should be unsure of their decision when they check into the hospital. I encourage you to talk to your surgeon about your fears and stick with us on the board. How is the rest of your support system? Hello, thank you so much I needed to hear this tonight. My family is amazing, I have my husband, 17yr and 3yr son and then my inlaws. How long were you in the hospital? |
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Post by west4thavenue on Jul 17, 2014 20:01:46 GMT -5
I was in longer than normal. I actually had a heart attack the day after surgery. PLEASE NOTE!! This was my 3rd heart attack and the surgery had NOTHING to do with it. That's what I meant when I said I was a last hope/last option patient. I was not in good shape.
However, I had a virgin lap DS on Friday and I was set to be released on Sunday. Surgery-wise, I really did beautifully. I was actually up and walking the next morning and the pain was well controlled. With a revision, I don't know. There are a lot of "revisionistas" on this site. They will give you a better idea of what to expect.
I really believe you are going to do very well. You sound motivated, and that makes a big difference. Attitude really is everything.
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Post by cherylbaker on Jul 17, 2014 21:24:12 GMT -5
Hello friends I'm having a tough night. Two weeks before surgery and I'm in self doubt mode. I want answers to questions that no one can answer. I'm scared. Not so much of the surgery because I trust my surgeon and he does it in two stages so I get to take baby steps. I'm more scared of failing. What if I can\t lose with a DS? What if I go threw this to end up in the same spot 7yrs down the road? Then what? This is my last hope and last option. I think Ive done a lot of growing up, maturing since my RNY. I have also done alot of counselling but I still have issues sticking to a diet. How am I going to stick to it this time? Definite freak out time. You should go to the ds forum and read all my freak out posts ha ha .. Now I'm having post op freak out posts ha ha. For a revision I actually think 2 stages is best. Just taking the pouch away and getting the stomach back is a big job. The way I see it is either your ready or your not. If your ready you will continue reading learn all you can and have surgery .. if your not you won't. You sound like every revisionist I have talked to. You've grown you've learned you've read about the ds and your ready to start your life over. . Again. .. good luck and keep reading |
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Post by Girlrocker on Jul 18, 2014 10:04:47 GMT -5
Hello friends I'm having a tough night. Two weeks before surgery and I'm in self doubt mode. I want answers to questions that no one can answer. I'm scared. Not so much of the surgery because I trust my surgeon and he does it in two stages so I get to take baby steps. I'm more scared of failing. What if I can\t lose with a DS? What if I go threw this to end up in the same spot 7yrs down the road? Then what? This is my last hope and last option. I think Ive done a lot of growing up, maturing since my RNY. I have also done alot of counselling but I still have issues sticking to a diet. How am I going to stick to it this time? Hi, very normal you are freaking out and upset, second guessing right now so close to surgery! We talk about this a lot here, the fear of failure, it is something many of us deal with heading into surgery the first time, and for those of us having revisions it is magnified. While I can't predict what your total weight loss will be with the revision, and I can tell you that it's a different process, it's a revision to one malabsorptive procedure we've already had, the weight loss isn't necessarily rapid (isn't with virgin surgeries either) and might go a bit slower than a virgin surgery. But, the likelihood of keeping the weight off is the key, it's the significant difference between the RNY and the DS. That's because the switch component of the DS is what provides a metabolic reset that the RNY does not. I know successful RNY people, but I know many who are going through what we are. It took me meeting my surgeon to understand the differences between the procedures to finally understand that I had not failed, the RNY procedure had failed me. I wasn't approved yet by insurance, but I knew from that moment on, I would be different, because I didn't blame myself any more. Again, if you were a virgin DS and in good health, I'd say why two-step procedure too. But being an RNY to DS revision is so different, and I as I've said before, given the complexity of the surgery, can't find fault with a surgeon proceeding with caution. As for the word diet...that's something you have to lose out of your vocabulary! Bariatric surgery - any procedure - isn't about dieting, but a tool that facillitates a way to eat that makes sense for life. With the DS, due to the malabsortpion of protein and fats, it means we can eat a lot, and, a lot of really good food. No surgery is a free pass to eat whatever we want (as you know). Any food issues/demons we have going into surgery must be dealt with - and you sound like you've worked very hard on yours. Carb addiction/emotional eating are tough, we aren't necessarily ever cured, but we learn how to cope and manage them better. I had started a protein/moderate carb lifestyle before my RNY and I loved it, it was the first eating plan that made sense, something I knew I could live with. It didn't work for me with the RNY, but it does with the DS. I have to still watch my carbs, and for instance, will be today extra since I allowed myself a few pieces of delicious focaccia at dinner last night. I keep an eye on my trouble/trigger foods, the emotions that drive me there, and eat and enjoy life. YOU will too! |
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Post by goodkel on Jul 18, 2014 13:12:16 GMT -5
Hello friends I'm having a tough night. Two weeks before surgery and I'm in self doubt mode. I want answers to questions that no one can answer. I'm scared. Not so much of the surgery because I trust my surgeon and he does it in two stages so I get to take baby steps. I'm more scared of failing. What if I can\t lose with a DS? What if I go threw this to end up in the same spot 7yrs down the road? Then what? This is my last hope and last option. I think Ive done a lot of growing up, maturing since my RNY. I have also done alot of counselling but I still have issues sticking to a diet. How am I going to stick to it this time? You are not getting the DS. You are getting the VSG. The sleeve. Is the second part of your surgery already scheduled? Has your insurance already approved TWO bariatric surgeries? These are the issues that would be keeping me up at night, if these questions hadn't been answered yet and written in stone. If this is as you say, your "last hope and option," I would make absolutely certain that there was no way for them to wiggle out of giving you the second half. You will lose weight with just the sleeve, often just enough to make you ineligible for the second half of the DS. This is why it is important to have the second part already scheduled for no more than approximately 3-4 months out, barring complications from your initial surgery. And your overall weight loss results with the sleeve (% of excess weight lost & % of excess weight loss maintained long term) won't come close to what the DS can provide. Nor does it provide the pleasurable eating lifestyle of the DS as it lacks the malabsorption component. As your sleeve stretches, your loss will only be maintained through diet, exercise, and portion control. I know that Dr. Hong does the virgin DS in one step. Is there a particular reason he isn't doing your revision in one step? |
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dawn4511
Junior Member
Posts: 92
Surgery Type: Revision
Surgery Date: 08/14/2014
Surgeon: Dr Dennis Hong
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Post by dawn4511 on Jul 18, 2014 14:47:39 GMT -5
Hello friends I'm having a tough night. Two weeks before surgery and I'm in self doubt mode. I want answers to questions that no one can answer. I'm scared. Not so much of the surgery because I trust my surgeon and he does it in two stages so I get to take baby steps. I'm more scared of failing. What if I can\t lose with a DS? What if I go threw this to end up in the same spot 7yrs down the road? Then what? This is my last hope and last option. I think Ive done a lot of growing up, maturing since my RNY. I have also done alot of counselling but I still have issues sticking to a diet. How am I going to stick to it this time? You are not getting the DS. You are getting the VSG. The sleeve. Is the second part of your surgery already scheduled? Has your insurance already approved TWO bariatric surgeries? These are the issues that would be keeping me up at night, if these questions hadn't been answered yet and written in stone. If this is as you say, your "last hope and option," I would make absolutely certain that there was no way for them to wiggle out of giving you the second half. You will lose weight with just the sleeve, often just enough to make you ineligible for the second half of the DS. This is why it is important to have the second part already scheduled for no more than approximately 3-4 months out, barring complications from your initial surgery. And your overall weight loss results with the sleeve (% of excess weight lost & % of excess weight loss maintained long term) won't come close to what the DS can provide. Nor does it provide the pleasurable eating lifestyle of the DS as it lacks the malabsorption component. As your sleeve stretches, your loss will only be maintained through diet, exercise, and portion control. I know that Dr. Hong does the virgin DS in one step. Is there a particular reason he isn't doing your revision in one step? He had complications with some of his one step revision in 2010 and ever since then has gone two steps. Yes insurance has covered both surgeries and no he won't book the 2nd surgery until we see how i recover from number one. That was my concern too and he promised that unless I die from the 1st he will absolutely without doubt within 6mths do the 2nd. I feel weird about having just a sleeve, even back in 07 when I was researching I wanted either RNY or DS never just a sleeve lol. If this is what I must do to get it done then I'm willing to accept the extra step. |
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Post by goodkel on Jul 18, 2014 20:20:01 GMT -5
That's reassuring, that you are already approved for the second part. Given that people recover at different rates, it makes sense to be sure sure you are fully recovered before going in again. I was holding my breath worried about it. It was under different circumstances, but we had a member recently who had difficulties getting the promised second half from her surgeon so my Spidey Sense goes on alert when I read about 2 part DS surgeries. You did not fail the RnY, it failed you. If you haven't, yet, read this (or watch the video): weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/thread/3804/roslin-discusses-patient-fail-procedureThe DS will not fail you. |
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dawn4511
Junior Member
Posts: 92
Surgery Type: Revision
Surgery Date: 08/14/2014
Surgeon: Dr Dennis Hong
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Post by dawn4511 on Jul 18, 2014 21:02:24 GMT -5
That's reassuring, that you are already approved for the second part. Given that people recover at different rates, it makes sense to be sure sure you are fully recovered before going in again. I was holding my breath worried about it. It was under different circumstances, but we had a member recently who had difficulties getting the promised second half from her surgeon so my Spidey Sense goes on alert when I read about 2 part DS surgeries. You did not fail the RnY, it failed you. If you haven't, yet, read this (or watch the video): weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/thread/3804/roslin-discusses-patient-fail-procedureThe DS will not fail you. Thank you goodkel I really appreciate your concern. I was worried about it too but was reassured many times by Dr Hong. I also really appreciate your positiveness that the DS will work. I've read and watched Dr Roslin's and also shared it will my family when I originally saw it is what made me start my journey again. It makes since that one surgery wont work for everyone. |
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Post by Girlrocker on Jul 19, 2014 10:42:34 GMT -5
Hi Dawn, I'm glad to hear your surgeon has a solid plan. It sounded like that to me from what you've posted, but it is definitely good to have it confirmed, cover yourself, since there have been some odd occurrences for some people dealing with a two-step process or the surgeon really wanting to do a SADI and not DS. As I've said, having been through this revision, and watching many others have it too, I can't disagree with the strategy. If my surgeon had opened me up and found the DS too complicated to do and it was safer to have it done in two steps, I would have been ok with that because I trust him. I also know even more now than when I made the decision to have the revision. It might sound like over-confident hindsight but I mean it. This revision is no small deal. It's a different mindset then doing it all at once, but you know what, a revision is a different mindset anyway, so this is part of your story. I would also be glad to be rid of my RNY. I know I needed the metabolic reset the switch portion of the DS gives. But I would treat your sleeve like a great set of training wheels to get ready for Phase 2.  You will be able to lay down some really excellent ground work eating habits wise, you can get started on an Atkins-type lifestyle. And in the first months you'll be healing and won't be eating a whole lot of exciting anyway. And hopefully that second step will come sooner in those 6 months rather than later. |
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Post by OnMyWay2Thin on Jul 21, 2014 16:38:09 GMT -5
Hi Dawn,
Today is two weeks post-DS for me. There was no bigger freak out person than me. I actually had this scheduled for July, 2012, and canceled one week prior. Then was scheduled for June, 2013, once again I canceled two weeks prior. This time I was determined, overcame it and had the surgery July 7, 2014. Dr. Greenbaum is a saint for putting up with me and giving three chances. Don't do what I did. Instead of being recovering right now, I could be enjoying the wonderful lifestyle. You will be fine; be strong and hang in there.
Good luck,
Kelly
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dawn4511
Junior Member
Posts: 92
Surgery Type: Revision
Surgery Date: 08/14/2014
Surgeon: Dr Dennis Hong
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Post by dawn4511 on Jul 21, 2014 17:47:34 GMT -5
Thank you Kelly I really appreciate your advise :-).
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You will be able to lay down some really excellent ground work eating habits wise, you can get started on an Atkins-type lifestyle. And in the first months you'll be healing and won't be eating a whole lot of exciting anyway. And hopefully that second step will come sooner in those 6 months rather than later. 
