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

Yes, I'm going to repost this from time to time, as newbies who arrive here to start their research of weight loss surgery need to see this.  If it bores you, or makes you feel badly about your surgery choice, move along.  Nothing for you to see here.

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 nearly 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!

I want to thank you for posting this. It is great information for newbies.

When I was researching the different types of surgery I had decided to have the DS but then I found out there was a $3000.00 program fee. I could not afford that, so I ended up having the RNY. I am not disatisifed with my surgery I am learning what works and does not as far as eating.

God Bless you.

Sue

It is my understanding that the CA DMHC will not permit a program fee to be charged to a patient who is using an in-network provider.  I'm not sure what happens with out-of-network providers, self-pays or Medicare/Medi-cal.

Thank you for the added information but it is to late now. But I will keep that in mind for future refernece if anyone asks about it.

Sue

Thank you so much -- knowledge is power, and you surely don't have to be a DSer to "pay it forward" to newbies to make sure they make an informed choice, of all aspects of their options, whatever that choice is.

This is a wonderful post for pre-ops! I remember when I was a pre-op and new to OH many years ago I have never even heard of the DS! Only the RNY and the band. I'm so glad you posted a similar thread years ago and I began my research on the DS! OK it wasn't a nice post like this, it was more of a huge "surgery war" type thread! But it got my attention! I remember all those research papers you posted and that was what really convinced me to take a second look. Hard to argue with the facts, although many do! BTW, if any pre-ops are curious, some of those papers are on my profile or can be found at www.dsfacts.com.

Thanks Diana! And thanks again for helping me fight my insurance company to get my DS!

Hello, Its good that you want everyone to be informed about DS but what the heck do you mean
'If it bores you, or makes you feel badly about your surgery choice, move along?" I choose the RNY because I thought it was best for me. Let me tell you something it you want people to read your information new and old members then do it in a positive way and try not to make people feel like **** May be you regret your decision to have the DS. and just don't want to admit it.  My question to everyone is ARE WE ALL NOT HEAR FOR SUPPORT AND GET INFORMATION? OH YEA, ARE WE NOT HEAR BECAUSE WE ARE ALL OBESE  or ONE ARE WAY TO BECOME HEALTHY? Another thing you stopped me from reading your very informative information just after you said makes you feel badly about your choice. I did however read the part about the laws in CA. I only did that because I like law. I plan on going to law school in 2yrs. Next time if you want people to listen (read the information) use tact. If you don't know what that means change your attitude and wording. Like my grandma used to say you can get more bee's with honey then you can with vinger.

Perhaps if you become a lawyer, you might want to learn one of the cardinal rules of law: never ask a question if you don't already know the answer to it ahead of time, because it could backfire and make you look like an idiot.

You apparently know NOTHING about the attitude of certain posters on this CA message board towards people trying to disseminate information about the DS to PRE-OPS AND POTENTIAL REVISION PATIENTS.  I was making the point that this post WAS NOT INTENDED FOR THEM TO READ and to get their knickers in a twist, which they invariably do.  Check the thread mentioning the DS a few posts below, originated by a chicken**** poster who has me blocked but calls me out by name.  Now, click on my "recent posts" button and read some of the threads I have been involved in and then perhaps RETHINK the reason for my caveat about my audience.

Reading comprehension check:  I was NOT addressing this post to "new and old members." Since you are post-op and just a few months out, you are not in either category of people to whom I am speaking.  So move along.  Nothing for you to see here, nor to get your knickers in a twist about.

And now, you presumptuous pup, are you trying to tell me, an Ivy-educated lawyer with over 20 years of experience, how to write persuasively?   Let me say that if you actually intend to attempt to even get accepted to law school, you need to work on your spelling (that's HERE for support, not HEAR; that's ON OUR WAY, not ONE ARE WAY; vinegar not vinger; inter alia).  You need to work on  your grammar as well; for example, I have no idea what this abomination of an attempt at a sentence means: "Another thing you stopped me from reading your very informative information just after you said makes you feel badly about your choice."  Oh, and you presumably meant "bees" as a plural, not a possessive.  You do realize that being a lawyer presupposes the ability to read, comprehend, write clearly and using spelling and grammar, don't you? 

I wouldn't want you to waste your time learning something that is ultimately going to be of no use to you, after all.  Heed my advice, grasshopper.

Well fist of all what makes you so sure that I don't know the answers? I just did not like your attitude toward people that choose a different path. It did not feel so good did it when I turned it around. One thing you must know about me is I don't put people down for there decisions about there surgery. You did and obviously the way you stated about other people choice of surgery made me wonder. Do you regret your decision? If you don't then it was the right surgery for you. I love to find out about different weight loss surgery and once I get past your comment I will go back and read you informative news. It only makes since to research all options including the DS. This post about my spelling you are right. I am taking classes to learn how to spell correctly but if you must know I am Dyslexic. I wanted to know have you ever been an English teacher? LOL j/k  By the way my RNY was a revision from a lap band. That makes me old member. Good for you if are a lawyer. I only stated that I like law and will be going to law school in the next couple of years  Why are you putting me down because most of what you said had nothing to do with your comment?  Grasshopper??  Why would it not be of any use in learn something new? We all learn something new everyday. Maybe if I learn about the DS surgery then if I find someone that does not know about I can inform them too. You see I'm not prejudice about weight loss surgeries. I just did not like you comet. Thanks for the Information.

Cat,

It would serve you well in your future career as an attorney to LISTEN and READ CAREFULLY.

Diana can't spell it out more clearly that her information is for NEWBIES only.  She is not trying to make anyone who already had another surgery feel bad about their choice or bring information that would make them regret their choice.

She is providing PROBONO information to assist those who are interested in the DS but are being told by their insurance companies that they don't cover the DS.  The state boards are OVERTURNING every insurance co denial of DS but the insurance co's don't want people to know that little secret.

Every month, we get CA people over on the DS board with their tale of woe that they had originally wanted the DS, but their ins wouldn't pay and didn't realize that with a little insurance savvy and some tenacity the DS would have been handed to them.  Some settle for another surgery and some self pay.

Another point Diana is trying to make and you are obviously not getting it ... is that she had made a clear disclaimer that her information is for NEWBIES.  NEWBIES ONLY.

And for some reason, droves of post ops ***** at her every time she posts and you've joined the club.  So since you've already had surgery then this information is NOT for you.

That is why she is telling you to move along,  Grasshopper.

Get it?

Laurie