Denial: It ain't just a river in Egypt

It is interesting to me that you come to the VSG forum where most people have had (you guessed it) VSG and are peddling DS as the superior weight loss surgery. Could you be an individual who thrives on conflict and loves to **** people off?  Reading your "disclaimer" at the bottom of your post....I'm guessing you do.  Well, we all have to keep our lives stimulated somehow so hellooooooooooo and welcome to the VSG board. I just got back from cracker barrel where I had some chicken salad and cake for dessert and I made it out of the restaurant without crampy diarrhea from the sugar......which brings me to the reason I chose VSG for myself in the first place. I wanted to be able to eat normally (smaller portions and any type of food I choose) without being tied to a taxing daily regimen of supplements. Another reason I chose this surgery is because I perceived that I had at least some element of control over what I ate and did not need anything more than a restrictive procedure.  I made good food choices in terms of types of foods just not in terms of quantity so when I chose a procedure I wanted one that addressed the problem for me.  I think most people here have done a great deal of research and have probably migrated to this forum based on what they believe is their own individual problem with food and how they think it can be best fixed surgically.  At any rate, it is okay for us all to hear about other surgeries but I would ask you to not try to statistically condescend those of us who have had VSG to satisfy your apparent need for conflict in your life. Regards......Barb

Wow!  So well said!  Thank you for that. 

Why do these DS people even care what our results turn out like regardless?? It makes no sense. They need a hobby! This is not a competiton, if the DS worked for them...great! To each his own, we chose what we wanted and so did they. Everyone does what they feel is best for them.

Our message isn't for you who have already had your VSG -- except to the extent that those of you who end up regaining will have the information.  It is for the pre-ops who are listening to your fairy tales of what you HOPE will happen long term, because the first two years of VSG history showed it didn't work well, and there is NO proof or even reasonable evidence that the "revised procedures" will do any better, will understand the real risks they are taking in listening to you.

For those for whom the VSG isn't going to be enough to get you to or keep you at a reasonable weight, this is what is going to happen:

1)  You will go through the struggle and misery of dieting and failing again.
2)  You will have to face again the difficult choice of what to do.
3)  If you decide to have a revision surgery, you will have to figure out how to get insurance coverage, how to pay another set of co-pays, undergo a risky revision surgery (anesthesia, risk of infection, risk of leaks if your sleeve needs to be revised), take time off to recover -- IF you qualify for a revision surgery.  And that's IF you still have insurance coverage, IF your BMI is above 40,and IF your insurance doesn't have a one-WLS-per-lifetime exclusion. 
4)  You may have to meet another FIVE YEARS OF BEING MO requirement before you can get revision surgery, another SIX OR TWELVE MONTH DIET REQUIREMENT, IF your insurance at the time covers a DS surgeon, of course.

I think this is the perfect place for posting these warnings.

Well Diana, if your insurance paid for your procedure you have already one-upped me. Best of luck to you and keep choking down those supplements. If I regain, I'll be contacting you for advice on a revision..........Barb

Of course I got my insurance to pay for my procedure.  I was able to prove to them back in 2003 that there were STATISTICS SUPPORTING THE LONG TERM SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF THE PROCEDURE I WANTED.  I guess you weren't able to do so for the VSG.

Choking down those supplements?  Really?  You want to go there?  At 5.5 YEARS out, I religiously take the following supplements:

Morning:
2 calcium citrate tablets
1 zinc
I prental vitamin
1 iron pill (will see if I still need it after my next blood work -- I only started taking it a few months ago because my ferritin was trending down -- my iron levels are still excellent)
1 chewable vitamin C (because they taste good, and I have always taken vitamin C, and because it is good to take ascorbic acid when taking iron and calcium)
1 probiotic

Wow.  Five tablets/capsules, and one chewable C.

Evening:
2 calcium citrate tablets
1 probiotic
1 chewable vitamin C
Three times/week, a vitamin D capsule (which I will be seeing if I still need after my next blood work, because my levels were still fine, just trending down [I didn't spend much time in the sun this summer]

Wow.  Three tablets/capsules, and one chewable C.

Yeah, I'm really choking down supplements.  It is just torture.

If you regain, hon, you'll have to talk to someone else.  I have a very good memory.

Wow that's alot of pills down the pipes. Too much for me!  My insurance company has exclusion for weight loss surgery so it wouldn't have mattered what statistics I slapped down in front of them.  Surely you detected the sarcasm in my statement about revision.....I believe I have enough medical knowledge to guide myself without your valued input......but "don't be hatin" on me.  I would shutter to think I am in your permanent memory bank as foe.  Regards....Barb

By the way....you can have the last word as I have gotten my chuckle for tonight and it's 9:42 pm in good ole Kentuk and I have to work tomorrow.

Compare to the number of pills and SHOTS you'll be taking when you become obese again and get diabetes.  Then tell me how many pills that is.

My insurance had an exclusion for the DS.  I fought and won.  But then I'm a ***** about stuff like that.

Seriously, Barb...you don't take any supplements? 

Even non-WLS women should be taking at least calcium (4 a day), a multi, and probably iron, D and E in today's world. Even VSGers and Banders need to supplement because of the restriction.

Before my DS, I took 9 vitamins plus I was about to be put on diabetes meds. Today, a year out from my DS, I take just 14 vitamins and no diabetes meds. It's an easy trade-off.

Please look into supplements! If your doc doesn't recommend them, find another doctor!

Nicolle

So, according to posts on here, DSers heat a high fat diet and it is malabsorbed, and you're telling me you have no bouts with diahrrea?  Ever?  Unless that fat is evaporating into the mist, that's a  lie.

BTW, I am pre-op and there's another reason I wouldn't have the DS.  From the posts in this thread, the surgery obviously turns you into an a$$hole.