BIG MEDICINE One-Hour Special to Air Nov. 18, 9PM Eastern on Discovery Health!
Hi Kimberly. A good number of us DS'ers have been fed enormous lines of hogwash ourselves about this procedure, plus we have to combat hogwash on a daily basis whenever we try to pay it forward. Your employers have not been forthcoming in a good way on TV about the DS. Therefore some of us are very suspicious about how this will play out in reality. They have, as others have pointed out, mentioned the old, no longer performed, BPD on national television. We consider this to be very, very STUPID, as in UNINFORMED, of them. I realize y'all don't have control over editing, but they are expected to be totally on top of the bariatric surgery ballgame and therefore to know such little gems as the fact that the BPD is outdated and should never be performed again.
You are perhaps unaware of the ENORMOUS amount of bad press the DS gets, and therefore equally unaware of how your show has played (perhaps inadvertently) into this bad press. Some of us are, because of rich experience, very suspicious of medical people who play for attention.
I would say, "I'll believe it when I see it" regarding "your" docs, but I don't want to see it, because as I said elsewhere, I hate seeing fat people exploited for ratings, sales, etc. I will not be watching. Please let me know when they publish about their DS experience in peer reviewed journals. Those are the kinds of sources in which I place any confidence whatsoever.
As for patient compliance? Guess what. Patients don't comply with ANY instructions whatsoever. There is nothing complicated about the rules required for living with the DS. So I call bull**** on that paltry excuse. Educate your patients correctly and be more diligent about followup if you're having problems with compliance. They will do what they will do. That's no reason not to give them the best possible chance at normal weight, normal life and best possible resolution of comorbidities. If they are too stupid to comply with DS requirements, they are too stupid to comply with any other WLS requirements and should be turned down totally. Quit throwing bands at people you think won't comply with postop requirements. That's bad medicine.
You are perhaps unaware of the ENORMOUS amount of bad press the DS gets, and therefore equally unaware of how your show has played (perhaps inadvertently) into this bad press. Some of us are, because of rich experience, very suspicious of medical people who play for attention.
I would say, "I'll believe it when I see it" regarding "your" docs, but I don't want to see it, because as I said elsewhere, I hate seeing fat people exploited for ratings, sales, etc. I will not be watching. Please let me know when they publish about their DS experience in peer reviewed journals. Those are the kinds of sources in which I place any confidence whatsoever.
As for patient compliance? Guess what. Patients don't comply with ANY instructions whatsoever. There is nothing complicated about the rules required for living with the DS. So I call bull**** on that paltry excuse. Educate your patients correctly and be more diligent about followup if you're having problems with compliance. They will do what they will do. That's no reason not to give them the best possible chance at normal weight, normal life and best possible resolution of comorbidities. If they are too stupid to comply with DS requirements, they are too stupid to comply with any other WLS requirements and should be turned down totally. Quit throwing bands at people you think won't comply with postop requirements. That's bad medicine.
I'm sorry that your experience has been so negative, and it sounds like, downright hurtful. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
If you ever have the opportunity to meet Drs. Davis, you will realize that they are men with big hearts whose goal is to try and educate the public about morbid obesity and appropriate treatment. They also wish to combat the discrimination runs rampant in our society. It's not okay for those of us that struggle with weight to be the brunt of jokes and they hope to do their part to change that.
As far as BPD, we do attend the annual conferences of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (sometimes we attend semi-annual conferences, too). The BPD is fairly outdated and is not being performed much ... this is a true statement. The DS, however, is being performed and is a widely accepted procedure within the ASMBS. It is the goal of Drs. Davis to perform current procedures, including the DS; therefore, they will be offering the DS to patients.
I guess I'd like to see more acceptance of all individuals who have had any procedure to treat their obesity. The DS isn't right for everyone, nor is the LAP-BAND or gastric bypass. We look at each individual and develop a surgical plan for them specifically based on how much weight they need to lose, their comorbid conditions, medications, health history, risk factors, etc. We do take the total person into consideration when making a recommendation for surgery, which is why they wish to offer all procedures.
As far as patients not needing additional supplementation after DS, the DS surgeons I personally know would take issue with this. I guess I would encourage all of us to do our homework and make sure we're taking our vitamins so that we don't trade one issue (obesity) for another (permanent nerve damage, including psycho-neurological symptoms from B vitamin deficiencies, for example ... or osteoporosis from insufficient calcium ... or cardiac issues from a vitamin D deficiency). Our vitamin and mineral supplementation is so vitally important to our overall health. I'm sure we can agree on that point.
I do wish you the very best on your journey. Congratulations on taking the steps to get healthy, to lose the weight, and to live your best life! What a blessing to get a "do over!" As a gastric bypass patient myself, there are many days I've wished I had had a DS ... but I digress!
Take good care,
Kimberly
If you ever have the opportunity to meet Drs. Davis, you will realize that they are men with big hearts whose goal is to try and educate the public about morbid obesity and appropriate treatment. They also wish to combat the discrimination runs rampant in our society. It's not okay for those of us that struggle with weight to be the brunt of jokes and they hope to do their part to change that.
As far as BPD, we do attend the annual conferences of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (sometimes we attend semi-annual conferences, too). The BPD is fairly outdated and is not being performed much ... this is a true statement. The DS, however, is being performed and is a widely accepted procedure within the ASMBS. It is the goal of Drs. Davis to perform current procedures, including the DS; therefore, they will be offering the DS to patients.
I guess I'd like to see more acceptance of all individuals who have had any procedure to treat their obesity. The DS isn't right for everyone, nor is the LAP-BAND or gastric bypass. We look at each individual and develop a surgical plan for them specifically based on how much weight they need to lose, their comorbid conditions, medications, health history, risk factors, etc. We do take the total person into consideration when making a recommendation for surgery, which is why they wish to offer all procedures.
As far as patients not needing additional supplementation after DS, the DS surgeons I personally know would take issue with this. I guess I would encourage all of us to do our homework and make sure we're taking our vitamins so that we don't trade one issue (obesity) for another (permanent nerve damage, including psycho-neurological symptoms from B vitamin deficiencies, for example ... or osteoporosis from insufficient calcium ... or cardiac issues from a vitamin D deficiency). Our vitamin and mineral supplementation is so vitally important to our overall health. I'm sure we can agree on that point.
I do wish you the very best on your journey. Congratulations on taking the steps to get healthy, to lose the weight, and to live your best life! What a blessing to get a "do over!" As a gastric bypass patient myself, there are many days I've wished I had had a DS ... but I digress!
Take good care,
Kimberly
Where on EARTH did I say any DS'er doesn't need additional supplementation?!?!?!? LEARN TO READ FOR COMPREHENSION. DS'ers do INDEED need high levels of supplementation. If you are preaching that lap banders do NOT need supplementation, then you need to be sued immediately for malpractice. Learn how to EDUCATE your patients the RIGHT way, to screen your patients the RIGHT way for basic intelligence and understanding of needs in advance, and quit performing that Crap Band thing. For crying up a bucket, can't you READ?
It is YOUR responsibility to educate your patients. And it is YOUR responsibility to quit publishing a piece of crap, nonfunctioning, BAD surgery on national TV.
Congratulations for proving what this show should go away IMMEDIATELY. If your comprehension is this low, you can't be trusted to educate patients, and I don't care how big of a heart you or your employers have.
It is YOUR responsibility to educate your patients. And it is YOUR responsibility to quit publishing a piece of crap, nonfunctioning, BAD surgery on national TV.
Congratulations for proving what this show should go away IMMEDIATELY. If your comprehension is this low, you can't be trusted to educate patients, and I don't care how big of a heart you or your employers have.
Elizabeth,
I'm not sure what I ever did to you personally since we've never met, but wow ... I'm sorry that you feel the need to take any frustration out on someone who -- like you -- is just trying to make a positive difference for those of us that suffer with morbid obesity.
You are correct that DS patients need additional supplementation. More so than any other procedure. All WLS patients need to be supplementing vitamins and minerals, including LAP-BAND patients. I'm not sure why you think we're throwing bands at patients, because we are not. To the contrary, Drs. Davis prefer malabsorptive procedures because the weight loss is greater and comorbid conditions resolve quicker (generally speaking). That being said, there are patients who need a band over a bypass or vice versa. There are also individuals who would do better with a sleeve gastrectomy over a band, etc. Not one surgery fits all, but I am happy to say that they perform all procedures (band, bypass, sleeve) and will soon offer the DS as well.
My spirit and heart are saddened by this interaction; nonetheless, I'll keep trying to make a difference every day. I do believe when we're given a blessing, we should be a blessing to others.
You and I have been given a gift in having been fortunate enough to have WLS. There are many out there that still do not have access to care, whose insurance won't cover it, or who are misunderstood because of their obesity. With BIG MEDICINE, we truly are trying to make a difference and change the stigma. I'm sorry you feel we have failed in that regard. We receive emails daily from people saying "Thank you ... without your show, I wouldn't have had the courage to have surgery." "Thank you ... without your show, my husband never would have supported my decision." For those, it lets us know we're making a difference.
I don't know if you're familiar with the story of the starfish. One day, high tide came in and deposited thousands of starfish on the shore. A man watched a young girl walking on the beach, stopping every few feet to bend down, pick up a starfish, and throw it back in the water. As he approached the young girl, he said, "You're never going to be able to make a difference ... there are too many starfish and you'll never get them all back in the sea." As the words still echoed in her ears, she bent down and picked up another starfish and tossed it back into the water. "I made a difference to that one," she said.
God bless you, Elizabeth. May you, I, and all the others of us here make a difference just like that little girl did. May He make His face to shine upon us.
After all, when it's all said and done and our lives are over, if we've made a difference, then we truly have mattered.
Kimberly
I'm not sure what I ever did to you personally since we've never met, but wow ... I'm sorry that you feel the need to take any frustration out on someone who -- like you -- is just trying to make a positive difference for those of us that suffer with morbid obesity.
You are correct that DS patients need additional supplementation. More so than any other procedure. All WLS patients need to be supplementing vitamins and minerals, including LAP-BAND patients. I'm not sure why you think we're throwing bands at patients, because we are not. To the contrary, Drs. Davis prefer malabsorptive procedures because the weight loss is greater and comorbid conditions resolve quicker (generally speaking). That being said, there are patients who need a band over a bypass or vice versa. There are also individuals who would do better with a sleeve gastrectomy over a band, etc. Not one surgery fits all, but I am happy to say that they perform all procedures (band, bypass, sleeve) and will soon offer the DS as well.
My spirit and heart are saddened by this interaction; nonetheless, I'll keep trying to make a difference every day. I do believe when we're given a blessing, we should be a blessing to others.
You and I have been given a gift in having been fortunate enough to have WLS. There are many out there that still do not have access to care, whose insurance won't cover it, or who are misunderstood because of their obesity. With BIG MEDICINE, we truly are trying to make a difference and change the stigma. I'm sorry you feel we have failed in that regard. We receive emails daily from people saying "Thank you ... without your show, I wouldn't have had the courage to have surgery." "Thank you ... without your show, my husband never would have supported my decision." For those, it lets us know we're making a difference.
I don't know if you're familiar with the story of the starfish. One day, high tide came in and deposited thousands of starfish on the shore. A man watched a young girl walking on the beach, stopping every few feet to bend down, pick up a starfish, and throw it back in the water. As he approached the young girl, he said, "You're never going to be able to make a difference ... there are too many starfish and you'll never get them all back in the sea." As the words still echoed in her ears, she bent down and picked up another starfish and tossed it back into the water. "I made a difference to that one," she said.
God bless you, Elizabeth. May you, I, and all the others of us here make a difference just like that little girl did. May He make His face to shine upon us.
After all, when it's all said and done and our lives are over, if we've made a difference, then we truly have mattered.
Kimberly
To clarify, Dr. Davis does NOT use DS stats when representing the success of WLS. He uses gastric bypass, LAP-BAND, and sleeve gastrectomy stats. I verified this with him personally just yesterday, so I wanted to clarify that point on the above two posts.
As to training, once a surgeon has completed their general surgery training, they can perform ANY general surgery -- other than the adjustable gastric band -- without further proctoring. Proctoring is required with the band both by Allergan and Ethicon/J&J because of FDA requirements.
Proctoring is not required in order for a surgeon who has gone through medical school, completed extensive laparoscopic surgical training, passed their boards and has become board certified, etc to perform the DS. Having said that, bariatric surgeons that truly care about their patients and their surgical outcomes tend to proctor ... and that's what the plan is for Drs. Davis to do on the DS. It's the right thing to do.
We're excited to be able to offer the procedure and the extensive support and nutritional education that goes along with it! It's all good stuff!
Y'all have a great weekend and keep doing the thing!
Kimberly Taylor
The Davis Clinic
Lap RNY 7-8-02
As to training, once a surgeon has completed their general surgery training, they can perform ANY general surgery -- other than the adjustable gastric band -- without further proctoring. Proctoring is required with the band both by Allergan and Ethicon/J&J because of FDA requirements.
Proctoring is not required in order for a surgeon who has gone through medical school, completed extensive laparoscopic surgical training, passed their boards and has become board certified, etc to perform the DS. Having said that, bariatric surgeons that truly care about their patients and their surgical outcomes tend to proctor ... and that's what the plan is for Drs. Davis to do on the DS. It's the right thing to do.
We're excited to be able to offer the procedure and the extensive support and nutritional education that goes along with it! It's all good stuff!
Y'all have a great weekend and keep doing the thing!
Kimberly Taylor
The Davis Clinic
Lap RNY 7-8-02
Thanks so much for the heads up! We are very excited and looking forward to a new season. Have you put an official Big Medicine profile on Facebook? I've only found a couple of profiles that don't look so very official. That might help to spread the word though. I know there are fans there.
Watching the show helped me take the final steps to follow through with getting this wonderful tool. Dr. Robert Davis performed RNY on me October 7th and did a wonderful job! He's a great surgeon and a kind man. I can't wait to see the show. I'll pass this info on to everyone I know. My husband and I will definately be there.
Watching the show helped me take the final steps to follow through with getting this wonderful tool. Dr. Robert Davis performed RNY on me October 7th and did a wonderful job! He's a great surgeon and a kind man. I can't wait to see the show. I'll pass this info on to everyone I know. My husband and I will definately be there.
"Living never wore one out so much as the effort not to live." Anais Nin
HW: 436, Start wt: 413 (7/20/09), Goal: -200. RNY 10/7/09 at 362 (-51).
HW: 436, Start wt: 413 (7/20/09), Goal: -200. RNY 10/7/09 at 362 (-51).
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