Did a surgery war open your eyes to the DS? If so, post to this thread.

I first read the words: "Duodenal Switch" on a surgery war thread.  After I read a few posts I was definitely in the "this sounds too good to be true phase" and I remember that Kerry wrote a rather blistering and short note to me that just caused me to do more research.

Without the DSers who posted on the main forum I would probably not have had surgery at all.  THANK YOU people.

THANK YOU.

Yup, so I just posted. I'm glad I was saved from a crappy revision. I owe you all big time.

Hi Diana, good to see you posting!

It really wasn't a surgery war that got me on the DS bandwagon, it was a combination of having lived with a pouch for 28 years and knowing what I wanted; then discovering through this board what the DS had to offer. It didn't take long for me to figure out I wanted a revision to DS and that nothing else would do; the hardest part was finding a surgeon who would or could revise me. And of course scraping up the money to pay for it.

Since I was going to self pay, I checked out Dr. Unsgon in Mexico first, but he was afraid of my very old stapled and torn stomach and wouldn't commit to a revision to DS. Then I spoke to Schlesinger in Phoenix AZ and he tried to blame my regain on me and my eating habits, trying to convince me to revise to a "modern RNY". He told me all the lies and BS I had already dealt with, so I knew I didn't want him cutting into me. Then I spoke to Dr. Anthone and he gave me some hope, but also said I could wake up with a "Modern RNY" because he wouldn't take any chances and if he thought a revision to DS would be too dangerous he would revise me to a modern RNY.

Then I spoke to Dr. Rabkin and what a relief to speak to someone who had revised people with my screwed up anatomy successfully. He said that it's not a matter of anything but patients and skill and that if he just took his time he would get through all the adhesion's and scar tissue and he would revise me to DS. Besides that, he's a pilot, so I figured he was my man.

All of this is now ancient history as are the 90 - 100 pounds of fat I'm not packing around with me everywhere I go. I've never been happier in my 58 years than I am right now, I've never felt better, I've never felt more confident, more fit, more ready for what ever the future hold than I am right now. And I owe it all to Dr. Rabkin, this board and the DS! Thank you, thank you all!

Kerry

I was pretty much exclusively posting on the California board for four or five years while I wrangled with Kaiser about WLS. Never did I see anything mentioned about the DS. I had figured that since it was a huge group that I would learn there about all the surgeries. Wrong!

I was complaining on that forum about not being able to satisfy Kaiser's 10% weight loss requirement when Diana and Larra came to my rescue. It was suggested that I go to the CA Dept. of Managed Health Care to appeal the weight loss requirement, but why didn't I go ahead and go for the best surgery while I was at it and get the DS. Just that comment probably started another war but I didn't care. I had switched over the the DS board and hardly looked back. There were some really rotten and defensive personalities on the CA board that I would just as soon never have to deal with again.

I do look forward to posting my century club membership on the CA forum. It is sad, but I saw so many people join that group and get their surgery while I waited and waited and jumped through insurance hoops. I was so envious then, but now I rejoice that I didn't get the RNY approved. Many of those same people that I made friends with, some in person, have gained back all or most of their weight. Others are in a constant struggle to maintain their weight with the other types of surgery.

Thank you veteran DSers for playing it forward. You saved my life!

It did for me! Never heard of the DS before this site.  My lapband surgeon advised me of his surgeries ONLY.  After a year and half of suffering with strict dieting and excercising to only a 20 lb loss, I remembered this site and started lurking the revision/failed wls boards.  Went back to my lap band surgeon with the wonderful news of the DS, only to be "fired" as a patient (was told misinformation). 

Don't remember a surgery war going on at my initial lurking, but quickly found a few and here I am..post op to DS (found a surgeon and doing pre-op testing).  I am only pre-op, but am so grateful at this SECOND chance to getting healthy and loosing my weight.  Thank you!

YES!! I think Kerry started a war over on the AZ Board and I had no clue what he was talking about when he said "DS." I was in the process of getting my RNY approval and was completely unhappy with the prognosis of dieting for the rest of my life, but thought it was the punishment I deserved for allowing myself to be an obese person who needed surgical help. None of the surgeons had ever mentioned anything about the DS (of course not, they don't perform it! $$$), so I was intrigued and went on a little research journey.

Honestly, I have to say I was irritated at first by Kerry's smug comments and I didn't agree with the idea of a "superior" surgery (still don't), but I did my homework because of that post and found a better option for me in the DS - so thank you Kerry for your smug comments!! You may well have saved me multiple surgeries and years of heartache!

-Lisa

I learned of the DS via a surgery war post.  Before that I thought there was only RNY and the band.  I'm grateful that the thread about the DS was started.

I did not learn of the DS from a surgery war post - I had someone reach out to me with a PM. That said, it was shortly thereafter that a surgery war on the main board made me raise my eyebrows and say, "Oh really?" about this surgery. I lurked, I read, I got excited, and the rest is history.

I'm another one who came over almost a year ago thanks to said wars. I'll have to post in the thread after my surgery! I was NOT happy with my options. Lap band I kept reading wouldn't work for high BMI patients, and I had seen so much failure with RNY. I had no idea there were other options.

Definitely glad someone mentioned it. It started me looking around, I found Duke, started (and now have finished) the 6 months with my PCP, and hopefully with have the surgery this summer.

LOL!  My panties have been in a twist for years but I'm finally on board in a big way!  I always felt like the DS was the best surgery for the high BMI's but just recently found out it is pretty much the best surgery for EVERYONE!!!

I'm still in the insurance loop for my own DS.  I'm hoping for a summer overhaul!!!

Kudos to all the valiant (and obnoxious) DSers who have paid it forward!!!