Western NC DS meet up ! July 15 Asheville

1st Western NC DS meetup!  July 15, 5:30 pm at The Grand Bohemian Hotel at the entrance to Biltmore!

Come on out and meet other DSers from the eastern TN, western NC, upstate SC region!!!

What made you decide to do the DS? How has this process been for you?

I decided to have the DS once I learned that it has the best science behind it in terms of long term success. I also wanted to have the surgery with the best results in terms of curing diabetes.
Once I learned both of those facts, and then found out that the post-op diet was something I knew I could actually live the rest of my life with, I was sold.
I have written some things on my blog here on OH that might be of interest to you.
I am almost 20 lbs below my surgeon's goal and am 9 months post-op. I am off my blood-pressure meds and the pain meds I needed almost every day. I am able to do everything I want to do and I know I am sleeping so much better . I no longer need a nap every day just to survive.
It is very important to be able to learn about the post-op needs of someone with a DS and to be able to be a strong self-advocate in medical situations. Most surgeons are not able to give good advice about post-op vitamin supplementation and you will have to do your homework (this site will help) so that you can be healthy and not just skinny !!!!

PS
If you would like to meet us at our DS meet up we would love to meet you. You can be amazed at the amount of food us skinny ladies can put away in one sitting!!!

Thank you for the invitation....I am unsure if I will be able to come to the meeting as I have several appts and a busy work week.  I am considering RNY and am in the process of being worked up for this.  I will check out your blog and appreciate your reply as I have not met very many people who have had DS but have read some about it.  Congrats on your success and your new health. 

Keep reading!  Have you been to www.DSFacts.com?  Also make sure to check out the revisions forum here on OH.  You'll see folks revising from the RNY to the DS but I have never seen anyone who wanted to revise from the DS to the RNY.

The reason I picked the DS over the RNY was because I wanted the best chance at KEEPING the weight off.  Like most of us I had a lot of practice at loosing weight.  It was the maintenance I couldn't do.  The DS has the best stats for that.  It also has such a great way of life in terms of what you can eat.  There was no way I was going to succeed on an RNY diet for the rest of my life, especially after the malabsorption ended after a couple of years.  The DS malabsorption lessens some, but never ends the way the RNY does, which I guess is why DSers have such a much easier time keeping the weight off long term.

The folks in Asheville (I've been to the support group at Mission) are ANTI DS so please don't believe a word they say about it.  It is patently NOT true that we have chronic gas, chronic vitamin deficiencies, live on the toilet, etc...  We are the healthiest post-ops out there IF we follow the DS rules (high protien, low carb and supplement according to labs).

I hope you will take time to come meet some DSers in person.  That's why we are meeting!  There is no support group in the area where you can meet us and pick our brains.

Best wishes on your journey,

I will check that site out......I have not met anyone who has had the DS but I have read about those seeking revision and that is one of the reasons I replied to your post.  I appreciate the added info.  I was just talking with friend at the gym today about pursuing weight loss surgery and she could not understand why.  This is her first attempt at losing weight and is doing very well.   She kept saying keep doing what you are doing now.  I explained I HAVE for 20 years and not been successful......it is hard to defend sometimes why I am pursuing something that I feel is the best decision for me.  I will learn more as I do not want to have to pursue a revision and want this to be a tool to help me make the choices that I have struggled with at times but utilzie the additional help combined with knowledge to make this a permanant change in my life. Please let me know if you all will be meeting again in the future.  Hearing about others journeys is very helpful.  p.s. I find that Asheville is really pushing the sleeve.....

I'm glad to hear that Asheville is pushing the sleeve, especially over the lapband. Last time I was at a Mission support group the leader said she thought they were going to quit doing the band altogether. I hope one of the docs there starts doing the DS.

We will always announce any meetups here on OH. I expect we will try to do this quarterly.

People who have the ability to loose weight and keep it off don't understand why everyone can't do what they do. But the scientific research says your chances of loosing and keeping off 100 lbs without surgery are less than 1%. So don't let your friend make you feel bad. I didn't tell many people before I had surgery as they would all have said "you aren't heavy enough" but now that I've lost 115 lbs they are very interested in how I did it!

Let me (or anyone here on the DS forum) know if you have any questions!! There are also lots of old posts along the lines of "why the DS v. the RNY" if you scroll back and look for them.

Yeah, the impression I got from Mission is that they will eventually go to the sleeve instead of lap bank AND RNY.  I could be wrong about that impression though.  DS is not covered by my insurance, nor the sleeve.  I could probably wait, and eventually the sleeve will be covered, but I do not think that procedure is for me.  

I understand you not telling a lot of people. I havde told very few (5) and have received VERY mixed reactions. The people who truly know me though are supportive.  The friend I wrote about is losing weight for the first time and is having a very successful journey and I am happy for her.  I truly hope she is one of the few who can succeed.  LIke you, I am not super, super big, but big enough to be appropriate for surgery (apprx 100 pounds overweight).  I would rather do this now though before all the illness arise, etc.  I want to be as active as possible and I can see changes in me as far as this and it scared me. 

Anyways, I appreciate the support and will keep an eye out regarding further support group posts.  Your pictures look great by the way.  :)  I have to ask though....does it feel strange to be thin?   :) 

I'm sorry but I'm not clear. Did you decide to have the RNY? If so there is a support group at Mission that meets 4 times a month. The reason we are having a DS meetup is because there is no support group for folks who have had or are going to have the DS.

If you are not having the DS because of insurance there are folks here who can help you with an appeal to the carrier.