Worst WLS advice. EVER.

We've had some interesting threads here lately and it's gotten me thinking hard. I want to get my head around some of the friction. Sometimes emotions get heated and the truth gets lost in the resulting scuffle.

So here's my question: What is the WORST wls advice you have ever gotten? It could have been here or IRL or on another forum. Maybe you didn't catch it at first and unknowingly followed it only to find out that there was a pile at the end of that rainbow and it wasn't gold. Or maybe you recognized it as bat-stuff and ignored the crazy. Or maybe you are even there now - wondering if you should cut your losses and ditch whatever it is that someone swore was a factor in their success.

Initially I thought I'd limit it to post-ops or even to vets. Obviously your focus changes once the surgery is over. You certainly can't change your mind at that point. But honestly even preops may have some input that would help other preops so have at it.

I'll start with mine:

edited here: t/l dr: mine in a nutshell = one surgery (DS) fits all

Joining OH in the midst of the surgery wars years ago was quite the experience. Since I was scheduled to have a bypass, there was a LOT of advice for me; because I obviously was quite wrong in my choice. I needed the DS. I was "intellectually challenged" if I chose any other. If my insurance declined there was someone who could help me appeal. If my surgeon declined there was someone who would help me find another surgeon.

For me the DS would have been a death sentence due to stomach and intestinal issues I already had. Even my RnY is kind of a mutant. My stance was then and always has been that there is no one-fits-all-better surgery. No one on this board can know your medical and psychiatric history, your station in life at the moment and what might possibly be on the horizon for your future. The DS is a great surgery for those who qualify and want it. But that opinion wasn't allowed to be voiced unchallenged, ever.

OH has come a long way since then. I want everyone to get the surgery they want and need. And I'm grateful that this has become a safe place to voice that opinion.

Your turn now. If you have a story, tell it. You may help someone out and as we all know, venting can feel really good! And also I'm going to feel really dumb if no one posts! ;)

Flintstone vitamins, lemons as a panacea, and eating everything in moderation. Terrible advice.

My sister had RNY just in December. They told her to buy flintstones vitamins. I tried to talk her out of it but she didn't listen. There's still crappy advice out there.

Oh, yikes. Hopefully she will relent.

That advice was pretty popular about 10-12 years ago, and don't forget to take Tums for calcium.

Worst....advice....ever. I'm not even a fan of designer bariatric vitamins. The are NEVER enough for DS.

I had missed your post Valerie; I'm glad you chimed in about the vitamins.

Those of you who have had the DS are as a rule the most knowledgeable vitamin experts on OH. Hands down.

I appreciate that, Amy. We have to learn ourselves because the surgeons, nutritionists and dieticians lump us into a "wls" file and not bother to truly understand our distinct differences. It was here that we started sharing our own experiences and strategies over a decade ago that we started to finally get our heads together, understand our labs and make our own adjustments.

Not being snarky, just honestly asking, what is wrong with Flintstone's? That is what my surgeon suggested and I take 2 a day and have had perfect lab work every time and am 2&1/2 years out.

Flintstone vitamins are not complete. Have you seen your lab values? Some doctors like to scan our labs, and if everything is within range tell us we are fine. It is possible some of them are low or falling. It can be difficult to pull up slumping values.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I review my full lab reports every time and review my values compared to the normal and optimal ranges and mine are always perfect. My patient portal allows me to review and compare my full results from every lab that has been pulled. I tend to be a research nut and I am a firm believer that if we are not our own medical advocate no one else will do it for us, even our doctors. I went through nursing school before I changed career paths so I know enough to be dangerous in the medical field but I am by far no expert ;) I have to wonder if some people just don't absorb the nutrients as well as others (beyond the absorption issues that come from the various surgeries).