I have a consult date with Dr. Gagner!

Ok, so I am convinced I want the DS. I want all of the benefits, especially the long term weight loss. Like my mother said when I was making the decision between lapband and RNY, "You are having surgery anyway, you may as well do the most effective surgery." So looks like I found it. Anyway, I called Dr.Gagner's office this morning and got an appointment for Sept. 20. I am already going for preop testing this Thursday with my PCP and Erika told me to get everything done that I can before I see the doctor. I will also have my therapist write the letter for me when I see her this Friday. It seems like things will just start rolling from here. Now my two anxieties:1) insurance approval and the fact that Dr. Gagner basically doesn't take it, but Erika said that since I have an indemnity plan that shouldn't be a problem, 2) I am anxious about travelling 2 1/2 hours for my wls and to the City on top of it. That's minor, I am just a wimp. Thanks again all of you wonderful DSers for your support!

Carolyn, Congratulations on your decision to get a DS and on one of the country's foremost surgeons as well. I had my surgery on November 9th of last year (2004) and have lost 92 pounds so far. I also had to travel quite a bit 2-1/2 to 3 hours away for my surgeon, so I can empathize with the driving. But, you'll see it's well worth it. My health has reversed all of the problems I was encountering. My blood pressure is normal, my cholesterol and triglycerides are well within range and I am no longer at risk for diabetes which I had on both sides of the family (so I was moments away.) Please ask lots of questions, the folks here are the bestest around. Warmest regards, Fern B. 267/175/150 (who knows?)

Thanks Fern, I really am looking forward to getting this ball rolling. I am at risk as well for diabetes and my older sissy, who just had a RNY, developed it too. SO I know all of my mother's health problems are knocking on my door. I can't wait to be healthy and feel comfortable in my own skin.

That's where I am. I have a lot of things that are showing up on blood tests, but have not yet actually begun to affect me on a daily basis......yet I know they are coming sure as carolers at Christmas. My dad had a heart attack (which he now denies?!) in his early 50's, and had triple bypass surgery (which he doesn't deny - go figure). My grandmother had her first stroke at 42 (I'm 39). My grandfather was sickeningly healthy for someone who took such poor care of himself, and both my mom & brother died of cancer, and the whole fam damily is overweight. I can't win for losing on the genetic scale. So, for me - I feel like this is my only way to combat this and win. I look back at how quickly I came to decide on the DS, and it seemed longer, but I think it really only took about 10 days - maybe less. In that time I went from "I don't know if I want to have surgery" to "This is the one I want", and everything accelerated from there. Welcome to the Sisterhood of the Switch (handing you a willow branch). --BT

BT, I know what you mean about making the decision quickly. I definitely knew I wanted WLS, but once I learned about Ds, I knew yes this is my surgery. Just to know that I can go out to dinner and still have some really great foods without having to worry about dumping is fantastic. I am taking the willow branch with much gusto.

I know, I kept waiting for someone to reveal the big negative, but everything that's a downside to the DS I pretty much already do or deal with. I already eat lots of protein. I already take stuff every day. I already have bloodwork done regularly. And quite frankly, I already have issues because of some of the medications I'm hoping to get OFF of. So if that's all there is, this is going to be a cake walk compared to the RNY. I mean I know it's not going to be easy. Being sliced open like a Thanksgiving turkey, basically disemboweled and put back together like a Tinker Toy doesn't sound like fun. But other than that......*laugh* I remember reading a story years and years ago where a budding psychologist tested some kindergarteners and found that early signs of success were evident even back then. They found that the children most likely to succeed were the ones who passed the Marshmallow test. Children were given two options. They could have ONE marshmallow NOW, or they could wait twenty minutes and have TWO. They followed up decades later, and found that the children who waited for the 2nd marshmallow had a higher than average success in life than those who didn't because they were willing to delay gratification for a bigger reward. So that's what this surgery is for me....waiting for the second marshmallow. --BT

Hello Carolyn. To me, the biggest drawback with traveling for DS is that I don't get to visit my surgeon's monthly DS support group meeting. I feel kinda like I miss out on the peer support. I've found a local mostly RNY support group where I'm welcome, but their problems aren't my problems. I am so grateful for the support on this board. Anyway, welcome! Best of luck to you in getting approval. (The DS is worth the fight, believe me.) -joanne s 277/161/150

You can take amtrack into nypenn, and a cab the 4miles to the hospital, or if you drive in the best parking is on 68th under the hospital,u get off the fdr at 71st, up to the light, south to the next corner and turn in, max for the day is 24bucks, just leave the super suv at home they surcharge them. I would suggest get a appointment with liz goldenburg for the same day. she is the nutricionist. I saw dr dakin his associate on a thursday because he was in net,and he refered me to gagner, as he was a rny,not ds doctor, so i am doctors dakins patient and dr gagner is "assisting' on the ds. send me a email and i will tell you more about how that is working out. i did get full reimbursement for dr g and liz, from aetna.

I think I will probably drive down, my boyfriend is trying to get the day off, he doesn't mind driving down there. I will call again tomorrow and see if I can get an appointment for Liz Goldenburg on the 20th as well. This very exciting stuff. I don't think any of the surgeons down there are in my plan, but I have an indemnity and I can go outside of the plan for service. Thanks again all, this going to go a lot quicker than I thought.

That's great news on it going quicker than you thought, and best of luck to you - you've chosen one a very skilled surgeon! I've heard good things from his patients. Jill