BariatricTV Episode 1 is up

Hey Rockne -- Great info.. send an email to us at [email protected] with some of this great stuff and we might be able to do a segment on the DS.. Toni and I both had RNY so we have no clue what the DS is all about!  :-) 

Done and thank you. We DS'rs often get little attention paid when faced with the deluge of misinformation, subterfuge and lack of understanding by so many Bariatric practitioners. My reply to the post above speaks to this issue a bit more but I'll copy it here for your convenience. Thanks for having an open mind and for your welcoming suggestion.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/CA/a,messageboard/action,replies/board_id,4806/cat_id,4406/topic_id,3772628/

I think THIS recent but hardly uncommon decision also points out WHY we fight so hard to help pre-ops be fully INFORMED and, moreover, AVOID the HEARTBREAK of REGAIN and MISERY at having to so RESTRICTIVELY DIET FOR LIFE  that we DS'rs so often see and get privately and publicly messaged from other WLS surgery types years out. How many times have you, I and so many of us who had the foresight and good fortune to choose the DS have gotten tear laden keyboard PMs from post-ops in abject agony seeking a revision to DS?? Not an uncomplicated or without significant risks procedure.

"If only I had known about or thought the DS was even an option." My surgeon never told me about the DS or misled me and even lied about the risks and benefits... "

The Reviewers findings here state what we have known for years, and more importantly, what can be backed by scientifically, peer reviewed LONG and short-term well populated studies.

http://tinyurl.com/5t9brc

"Reference ID #      Type
MN05-4402     Medical Necessity
Patient Age     Patient Gender
54     Female
Diagnosis Category     Diagnosis Subcategory
Morbid Obesity     Hypertension
Treatment Category     Treatment Subcategory
General Surgery     Biliopancreatic Diversion
IMRO Determination     
Overturned Decision of Health Plan     
Reviewer's Findings

The patient is a 54-year-old female who is 5’3” weighing 226 pounds with a body mass index (BMI) of 41. She has comorbid conditions of hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and degenerative joint disease. She has undergone a psychological evaluation and is considered an appropriate candidate for weight loss surgery. She is requesting authorization for a duodenal switch procedure. The Health Plan has denied this request and in the alternative authorized Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Peer-reviewed literature demonstrates duodenal switch has superior long-term outcomes and quality of life compared to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. In addition, the incidence of weight regain is much higher for patients who undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass than those who undergo duodenal switch. Furthermore, there is less likelihood of complications with duodenal switch than with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Therefore, I have determined the requested procedure is medically necessary for treatment of the patient’s medical condition. The Health Plan’s denial should be overturned."

Rockne

Great show! You two are definitely entertaining. :0) I can't wait for next week to get the explanation of "freak" though. I can understand that after surgery one would need to become OCD about what they can and cannot eat or drink to maximize the benefits of WLS surgery, but I don't think I'd use the word freak to describe that.

Anywho, I can't wait to watch next weeks epi!

Good luck with this, Toni and Lynnda!

Shells

Thanks Shells...

I can see your point.. really I do.. and we don't mean to offend anyone with the term FREAK.. but some folks will be okay with stuff that we do.. and some won't..  Trying to please all the people all the time means nothing gets done.  So take a look at episode 2 for our explanation.  I do feel like a freak sometimes -- but I definitely don't mind.  Cutting up my food into tiny bits... eating 1/4 of what is on my plate.. having to dash for the restroom because something got stuck.. Eating the insides of a burrito so that it looks like it exploded on my plate.. all of that stuff makes 'normal' folk stop and say.. "hmmmmmm".. so yeah.. sometimes I feel a bit freaky.. but I EMBRACE it.. It is why I am no longer wearing size 24 pants..  So bring it on!

Seriously - thanks for watching... and we really do appreciate all the feedback!  :-)

~lynnda

Trying to please all the people all the time means nothing gets done. 

Amen, sister.