Who benefited from DSers posting on other forums?

I thought I had already posted in this thread, but I guess not. Anyway, yes, me.

I had considered WLS in the past but never very seriously. For many reasons, I started looking into it more seriously early this year--but I still didn't want to do it. Having WLS was, to me, admitting failure, and having my body cut up and permanently changed didn't really appeal to me either.

Nevertheless, at over 400 lbs and having failed another attempt at "diet & exercise", I decided to pursue it. Half-heartedly, anyway.

Despite a background in academic research, I did absolutely none before going to a seminar at a local hospital--which was my internal way of rebelling against the idea. So, when the doctor doing the presentation told me that "the" options were lap band, VSG, and RNY, and that RNY was the "gold standard", I figured that at my size I needed the gold standard--but I certainly didn't want it.

I looked over the information I'd been given, including the post-op meal plans and the list of foods that you should never eat again (yes, the St. Vincent's dieticians give you an entire page with two columns of foods you should never eat again). Depressing.

Basically, I felt like after years of being on the run, the fuzz had finally tracked me down and now I was going to have to go to food jail for the rest of my life.

I went  to talk to my PCP about WLS, and he was very non-committal. The only thing he was really willing to tell me was to research it carefully--especially failure rates. Hoooooo boy, did I research failure rates. Regain, regain, regain. What the hell? I always figured you had surgery and you got skinny, simple as that. Turns out not.

Well, to make a long story a little bit less long, I now realized that the food police were hauling me to a cell where I wouldn't even necessarily get skinny, but I'd have to stay in the cell anyway for the rest of my life. I started looking around for escape routes, and from the shadows I heard, "psst...buddy...we're busting you out of here".

Lo and behold, it was a bunch of DS'ers posting on the main board. They knocked the food police over the head, hauled me the hell out of there, and I haven't looked back. I'm so grateful I found out about the DS, and it never would have happened without this bunch of renegades that busted me loose.

I knew nothing of the DS before coming to OH. It was a post made by Mrs Batt on the main board about the DS that got me looking into it. Had she not paid it forward I wouldn't have changed my mind from an RNY to a DS.

*raises hand*

I thought I'd posted here already, but I guess not. In my case it was a progress post from Gwen M. on the main board that made me really want to give the DS a second look. I am so glad that I did. 

I had my lapband for 4 years now..and was kinda just feeling like...oh well, I lost a few pounds.  Not happy with it at all, but really didn't think about a revision.

One day one of my long time friends told me a "secret".  She said she was planning on getting the RNY.  So I was happy for her, and even thought she was a close friend,  I hadn't told her about my Lapband...so I shared that with her. 

After her telling me she was getting surgery.  I thought about what options I might have..So after several years of not visiting the board..I came back. 

I just looked around mostly at first.  revision board etc.  Good thing there was info on the DS on the main board and revision board.  That's what got me interested.  As a revision..the most important is not having to even think about having another surgery because I didn't lose my weight.  The DS gives me that, and being able to eat fairly normal is a big plus.

4 years ago I remember seeing surgery wars and people talking about DS, but it scared me then...Thank you all for continuing to pay it forward.  Sometimes it's all about timing, it was for me..so thanks for being there still.

Not sure how I missed this thread all this time... 
the below info is on my profile...

******************************************************************************
Originally after seeing Dr Hutcher on 60 Minutes I thought I wanted
the RNY, . Through a goggle search I found Diminishing Dawn's blog
which lead me to Barix & the OH forum. From there I  had a free group
consult  at Barix with Dr Pop (they were great BTW). With the
old & inaccurate DS description found on OH, I knew for sure that the RNY
was for me  So I got all the required OHIP forms filled out, my PCP sent
them in, and in less than a week I was approved for the OHIP OOC RNY..

In the mean time I continued to lurk in the Ontario forum devouring every
thread with my insatiable thirst for WLS knowledge, it was time well spent.
DS'ers like Bruce Jr (ED), Randy B, Kelly A & Zappre  got me very curious
and occasionally I strayed into the Dark Side forum  to read about all their
horrific bowel habits,  guess what I found out... I currently have more
bowel issues pre-op, than most DS'ers post-op. Considering that was
major reason I discounted this alternate surgery, that & the fact I LOVE
Food I started to do more  research, and low and behold,
I changed my mind, thankfully before it was too late.

Now I had to approach my PCP and discuss this new found revelation,
fortunately for me he was totally receptive, he signed the new OHIP form,
he even signed a letter I wrote from his perspective to OHIP about the
change of procedure. Two days later I got a call from Barix asking why
they received an agreement cancellation fax.... This worried me a bit
because I didn't want that door closed before the DS door was opened.
In just under two weeks I was  once again OHIP approved, but this time
just for a Consult only so If Dr Lutrzykowski thought I was a good
candidate for the DS surgery,I should be approved no problems.
**************************************************************************

The rest is History, I'll be forever grateful to all the DS'er that came before me
and the truth they post about all the misinformation out there.

Me. I read something about the DS on the RNY forum and that started the research. I never looked back.
I believe the original post I read had something to do with how a pouch is made, and not having a pyloric valve and dumping. I think someone had posted that they had a DS, which meant they didn't dump. I remember thinking, "That valve things sounds like something I want to keep." lol

Anyway, thank goodness I read it, and even more so, someone wrote about it!

When researching WLS and I read Diana Cox pay it forward~ I was sold and know this was for me. I am forever gratiful to Diana Cox!!

BUMP

Thanks for the bump, Elizabeth.

I had never heard of the DS.  I came onto this site this fall, when I was trying - yet again - to reach my pre-op goal weight for Kaiser.  I was looking for a support group, actually.  I had posted on the main board, and then on the CA board a few times.  I'd see a few posts by DSers about bacon & cheeseburgers, saw their sig lines, and my curiousity was peaked, but not enough to go looking.  Hey, I was raised by a surgery nurse - I was going with what was the "gold standard", I thought, and I'd never heard of this DS surgery, so it must be too new to consider, right?

I got a PM from Larra.  I will be forever, eternally, unwaveringly thankful to her for reaching out to me directly.

Her message was direct, and polite, and factual.  The fact that she is a surgeon probably helped.  And that she said she and Diana would help with the insurance fight.  She sent me research, facts, and I realized I really wanted this surgery.  As I spent more time on this board, I realized that you all are truly paying it forward, in every sense. 

Pretty soon I was trading emails (a lot of emails!) with Larra & Diana, and they helped me get my ducks in a row.  I was wondering at the time - who are these women, and why on earth would they help me with letters and all of this?  What do they get out of it?  And I couldn't answer that, other than to know that they were for real.  And that this was fate intervening, before I had the RNY and ended up miserable.

So I closed my eyes, and took that leap of faith.  Here I am, all approved and waiting for my surgery date to be booked!

Thanks Larra, and Diana, and every one of you who shares your stories & experiences.  Ya'll ROCK!

 Me, me me!!!  I visited the main board for the first time, not thinking I would want an RNY, but feeling desperate about my weight.  I saw an exchange between babycatcher and others that made me think I should find out what this "DS thing" is.  I started doing research and decided that the DS was the only surgery that I would ever be happy with.  Thank you so much for the "wars!"  If it weren't for them, I would either have an RNY or still be obese.  Either one is a poor option compared to my new life with my DS!!!