Support Group Drama: Advice Please

First of all - not saying anything just confirmed that moderator's false statements as truth.  If you want the truth spoken, then speak it yourself.

Next, I like the idea of letting the surgeon's practice know that these group leaders are misinforming their patients.

First of all, I know it's hard.  DO NOT ever take anything personal that a Moderator says in a support group.  They may use your story as an example, that doesn't mean they are singling you out.  Lots of Moderators go by scripts.  To find a good Moderator is very hard.  Some do not know how to handle "something different".  The one thing I will say, the DS brings about "tough skin".

I understand having problems from the get go.  Everyone is different.  Just remember that with the DS as well.

First and foremost, the DS is more forgiving as far as exercise.  However, in order so that the muscles do ok, one must exercise ~ even if it is just walking the dog

With regards for #2 Support Group statements.

A moderator who is hired by a hospital to speak about it is going by a script, she is not going speak of what a Dr said in a patient consult. 

What you need to know is this:

1.  Your surgeon can say that regarding "malabsorbing", he is not being 100% honest with you.  Having a longer CC does not lead to less complications.  It leads to being able to absorb more nutrients from food.  Complications are a different ballgame.  A moderator is not going to go against or make comments on what a Dr says to a patient in their own private consult because of HIPPA laws and liabilites on both the hospital and/or surgeon.

2.  The DS does have the highest complication rate of all WLS, that is true.  Even my surgeon Dr Stewart's Dietician tells you that.

3.  My surgeon's office said I would take max 6 pills a day.  Guess what, between all my doses, I take 34 pills a day, and adjust the labs accordingly.  If I took what the surgeon's ofc told me to take, I'd be scared to see what my labs would be like.

4.  I was told by my surgeon's office including his office manager when I asked the question.  I've read online about bathroom issues.  Are they that bad?  Everyone (the Dietician, NP & Ofc Mgr) said "NO".  Well, this surgery is different for everyone, some have an easy time, some not so easy.  I have chronic diarrhea. 

5.  I was warned by both the Dietician and the NP in the surgeon's office if I don't take my Vitamin A, I will go blind.  They told me that very same thing.  The NP in the class after surgery, referenced another patient who did not take their A properly and is 1/2 blind now. 

6. Regarding body odor.  I do not think I have an odor.  I have been around people who seem to have a smell of some kind.  Not sure what it is about.  I do know that my bathroom odor lingers.  I carry Poo Pourri in my purse all the time.

7.  No one can explain this to me.  I will have nothing but protein (with whatever carbs are in my Greek Yogurt) and then just shakes, and a piece of fish for the whole entire day.  Then the gas comes out of no where.  It can be uncontrollable.  I was so horribly embarrassed this week.  I do the Macy's one day sale w/ the added coupons.  I have lost 1/2 shoe size.  I literally bent down to get a shoe at the bottom of the sale rack and out came a toot.  No one was on my isle but there was a couple on the next size over.  It stunk.  They were making comments.  That is the first time that has happened.  I was horrified!!!  I've always been able to feel them coming.  That day, I couldn't.  I didn't even shop anymore.  I went to go get in the car and bent and poof again.  For the next 2 hrs, it was that way, anytime I bent.  I bent down to put the leash on my dog, I'm like what is going on!?  

So, when people say "Your Mileage May Vary" it is the ONLY 100% sure statement about this surgery that anyone can say.

This surgery is a miracle for some for other's it's a nightmare (me).  I have had complications that aren't even listed.  Low WBC count which now I've found out happens but no surgeon knows why.  I have more Dr's than I've ever had in my life, I have more medical problems than I've ever had in my life.  I have more medicine beside my bed than ever in my life.  Other's breeze right through it, no problems. 

For what this surgery has done for me, I've lost a lot of weight ~ look good ~ feel terrible! 

I've made some wonderful friends on here who I couldn't have made it through it all without it on this WLS journey.  For them, I am grateful!

Until you have the surgery, no one can tell you how your body will react to it.  We are all so different!

For the moderators, just remember, they may be scripted.  Don't take it personal.  If they personally attack you, then that is entirely different!

Best of luck to you on your journey!

For the record, I would never do this surgery again in a lifetime for myself.  Everyone's journey is different.  The complications/issues are not worth it for me!

Well I don't know what to say about the support groups but for me there is some truth to what was said.  I take far more than 15-20 pills per day.  I did physically smell in the couple of weeks after surgery but it quickly subsided.  My gas can certainly smell quite bad at times and sometimes not at all.  And I do have my share of diarrhea or loose stool , but some people don't.  I guess my point is that you may be the person that experiences these problems and you may be the person that has none of these problems.  You need to consider that these are possibilities.  But even though these do apply to me, I am super glad that I got the DS and would do it again.  I am a slow loser (only 75 lbs in 8 months) but it is faster and easier than any other time I've lost 75 lbs.