REPOST: Welcome Newbies! Make sure you learn about the DS before choosing which WLS...

Yes, I'm going to repost this several times over the next week or so, as newbies who arrive here to start their annual research of weight loss surgery need to see this.  If it bores you, move along.

Also, please note that the DS option is UNIQUELY available to most CA residents, because the CA Dept. of Managed Health Care (for HMOs) and the CA Dept. of Insurance (for other plans) is STRONGLY in favor of the DS, and if you appeal a denial of the DS in CA, you are almost certain to win on appeal.  In particular, HMOs such as Kaiser and Health Net can be forced to PAY EVERYTHING for an out-of-network, REAL DS surgeon to do their DS.  NorCal Kaiser even has a contract in place with Dr. Rabkin, one of the best DS surgeons in the world, to do the DS for their insureds who appeal to the CA DMHC and inevitably win.

It is that time of year, when people resolve to commit themselves to new beginnings.  For some, it is the time when they finally realize that Resolution #1, “To Lose Weight," is just not going to happen without help, and perhaps that is why you are reading this. 

There are several types of weight loss surgery available.  LapBand and RNY are the best known, but there are others.  The duodenal switch (or DS, or BPD/DS (biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch), or GR-DS (gastric reduction with duodenal switch), among other synonyms) is a less well-known surgery, with an over 20 year history, which is becoming increasingly acknowledged to have superior outcomes and easier lifestyles than the other surgeries.  In order to make a fully informed decision about which surgery to have (which is YOUR choice, not that of a particular surgeon!), you need to have complete and accurate information about this option as well. 

Because information about the DS is sometimes not easily available, and because MANY bariatric practices are not competent to perform the DS (it is a more difficult surgery for the surgeon to learn), there are far too many people who end up getting bariatric surgery who never learned accurate information – or any information at all – about the DS.  The Regrets Forum and Revision Forum are full of people with lamentations about this.  Please don’t let yourself be one of them. 

What if you learn about the DS and want to have it, only to find that your surgeon does not offer the DS?  There is an easy answer to this – CHANGE SURGEONS.  You may find that your insurance company SAYS they don’t cover the DS, or only cover it for people who are bigger than you – the answer is to APPEAL their denial.  More and more insurance companies now cover it, and most people win their appeals.  If you live in California, you are almost guaranteed to win such an appeal, EVEN IF YOU HAVE KAISER or another HMO, because the CA Dept. of Managed Health Care believes the DS is the best and will almost without exception overturn insurance denials of the DS.  

Please come over to the DS Forum Message Board and learn more about the DS (Message Board).  Compare and contrast how we feel about our surgeries, how many of us are YEARS out and easily maintaining the highest percentage of excess weight loss, and how we eat -- compared to LapBanders and RNYers.  And there are experienced people on there who can help you find a reputable DS surgeon and help you fight your insurance company if needed.  DO NOT trust the “DS surgeons" list here on ObesityHelp – it is NOT accurate, because many surgeons SAY they do it to get on the list, and then use the “bait-and-don’t-switch" tactic to talk prospective patients into the surgeries that they actually know how to perform. 

No, I make no money off of this posting – I am just Paying it Forward, in honor of those who helped me 6 years ago and led me to the DS when I despaired of ever having WLS, because I knew I could not live with the issues associated with LapBand or RNY.  This is how I express my gratitude. 

Whatever surgery you chose, make sure you are making a fully informed choice.  Do not be one of those *****gret not doing their own research before choosing which bariatric surgery to have.  And welcome to the beginning of the rest of your happier and healthier life!

You know it is all fine and great that you post this on the boards Diane and wanting to pay it forward and such, but you make it sound like having a DS is the only way to go.

I do not think that most of us who had the RNY or the LapBand did any less research about what kind of procedure we have had. In fact with my personal experience with an individual who has had a DS, she informed me (and she was the one who got me to have wls) that the reason she choose the DS is because she would be able to eat anything she wanted after the surgery and still lose weight.

Fast forward 9 years or so later....she has gained a significant amount of weight just like a RNY'er or LapBand person who did not make lifestyle changes. BTW...she is a former patient of Rabkin.

Personally, I like the fact that I have the restrictions I have having a RNY. It automatically puts the stoppers up to me without having to have a conversation with myself do I or don't I. Know what I mean?

I think people are intelligent enough and internet savvy to find the information about DS or any other kinds of procedures they see fit either on this website or others. In a round about way and although you meant this post in a good way...it comes off a tad insulting to people who have had a RNY or LapBand and to people who have made the choice this year to have these procedures.

I wish you continued success and a Happy New Year!

Janine, I know perfectly well how it sounds.  I DO think that having the DS would be the way most people would go IF THEY HAD THE KNOWLEDGE AND OPPORTUNITY.  I'm trying to make sure that at least all the pre-ops know that it is an option.

I really don't care what POST-OPs think about my posts which are aimed at pre-ops and potential revisions.  I'm not talking to post-ops who are happy with their surgeries.  And if they chose to read and be insulted, that's their choice.  I've tried to be clear about that EVERY time -- it's even in my siggie line. 

And come over to the DS forum and read the recent posts from newbies who apparently did NOT have the correct information before reading this and other posts by DSers over the last few days -- they are coming to the DS forum in droves, and PMing me constantly over these posts.  So to imply I don't need to make these posts for people to get accurate information about the DS is mistaken.

As for your friend, anyone can f*ck up any surgery.  The DS is simply the easiest one to NOT f*ck up.  There is still some level of personal responsibility involved,  And as has been shown time and again, even years out, if your DS friend who has gained "a significant amount of weight" decides to cut the carbs, it is likely her DS will still work for her.

In any case, thanks for your good wishes, and the same to you -- you've done very well with your RNY.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONE SURGERY FITS ALL!! EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN SITUATIONS AND IT IS UP TO YOUR SURGEON TO FIT YOU WITH THE RIGHT ONE.


ya know, I use to think maybe the DS was a good surgery, maybe it is, but after going to the Seminar in San Ramon in 2007 and seeing the guy at the DS booth and they way he shot his mouth off it really turned me against it. Have you noticed the attitude of the people that are DSer's?

This is 2009 and I think most doctors are aware of the different surgeries and what is available for the patient. The doctors are the ones that should say what type of surgery is best for the patient not the other way around.

I have no problem with you posting on the CA board, but you will notice, not many of us say which is the best surgery, we aren't tooting horns for this type or that surgeon, we are a SUPPORT network for WLS people no matter what type of surgery they havev had. Keep that in mind, you probably should post these on the main boards as that is where the new people go to first.

Darlene

With your reasoning skills, I think you made a very good choice -- because you're right, the DS isn't for everyone.  It requires the ability to make sound, logic- and science-based choices.

As IF surgeons who aren't qualified to perform the DS would steer their patients to it.  Really.

A good surgeon thinks of the health of his patient, not the health of his wallet. Too bad your surgeon needs people like you to drum up business.

Now, after posting this I shall use my choices and block you....

Darlene

Oh, but you didn't block me!

Nope, my surgeon is one of four or five experienced DS surgeons in California -- I recommend people to use whomever they want, so long as it is one of them.

What a rude and *****y  thing to say to another person!! How dare you get off with your holly  than thou attitude! Seem to me every time you post over here on the Cali board you shout of your mouth and call people name and hurt some feeling.
No need to reply to this post your blocked.

To be honest, I turned away from the DS because of the spamming of the boards on this issue. It just seemed weird. These posts have been bothering me too, so I am glad someone said something.

With your reasoning skills, I think you made a very good choice -- because you're right, the DS isn't for everyone.  It requires the ability to make sound, logic- and science-based choices.

Wow.