Sherry/My visit with the RNY Doc (Long)

[Guest guest]

What I thought was a bit interesting was that the RNY doc was no

beanpole either. He was tall, but I guess his BMI was somewhere in

the neighborhood of 30-31. So while I don't consider him a hipocrit

for offering solutions for weightloss when he doesn't have the

problem conquered himself, I DO think he could show a little more

empathy and compassion for our struggle.

Terri Hassiak

BMI 60

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=H980366398

email(no spaces): bunsofluff @ hotmail.com

> > So, yesterday I held up my promise to my PCP and had a consult

with

> a

> > local surgeon who does the Roux eN Y form of Weight Loss Surgery;

a

> > Dr. T. Singh out of Albany Medical Center. He was extremely

> > pleasant (and easy on the eyes!) and patient as he took his time

> > talking to me. I resisted the urge to tell him everything I have

> > already learned about WLS in its various forms and let him go

> through

> > his schpiel. I really did want to go to this meeting with an

open

> > mind and maybe learn something new about the RNY.

> >

> > He explained the procedure and the only surprise I found was when

I

> > asked him about the length of the common channel. He said he

makes

> > them 150 cm. I thought that was kind of long and then he

explained

> > that he said the only channel length he measures at all is the

> > *alimentary* channel (aka from where the food leaves the stomach

> > pouch until it meets the Y intersection where the bile and

gastric

> > juices meet the food). The common channel would be the entire

rest

> > of the small intestines-like 12-15 feet!! I thought the common

> > channel was about the same as in the BPD/DS procedure (approx 70-

> 100

> > cm or about 3 feet). No wonder they need such a small stomach

> pouch

> > to lose weight!

> >

> > Then I told him about all the research I have done and that I am

> > leaning strongly towards having the BPD/DS. At first he tried to

> > downsell it (the results werent as good, it was still

experimental,

> > blah, blah...). I told him about Dr Hess and his research

showing

> > that the long term results are comparable to the RNY and in many

> > cases BETTER! And a procedure with 13 years of results is not

> > experimental.

> >

> > I said food intake is limited by what is called a " sleeve

> > gastrectomy " and I really like the idea of keeping my pylorus and

> > letting my stomach empty naturally. I didn't like the idea of

> > dumping. He said dumping is the body's way of fixing bad eating

> > habits. I said I didn't think I needed Negative Reinforcement to

> > limit my intake of sweets. (I don't remember his exact words, but

> he

> > said something to the effect of if I could limit my sweets, I

> > wouldn't be here today. But he said it in such a way that I

didn't

> > take offense-and I probably would have if he said it like I just

> did.)

> >

> > But then he says, " You have to ask yourself, 'Do I *just* want to

> > lose weight? Or Do I want to lose weight AND be able to avoid

all

> > those bad foods, in the process?' "

> >

> > I kept my mouth shut, but HEL-LO!!! Maybe it makes me a little

> less

> > noble. But, you know what? I JUST want to lose the weight. I

> STILL

> > want to enjoy a piece of my daughter's birthday cake, now and

> then.

> > So, color me guilty because I want to have my cake and eat it (in

> > moderation, of course) too!

> >

> > Well, so then, I asked him if he thought I would be a good

> candidate

> > for the surgery and how far out is he scheduling (just out of

> > curiosity)? He said he first wanted me to see a NUTRITIONIST to

> work

> > out a " pre-diet " first; that he really wanted me to lose about

120

> > LBS before surgery... You've got to be KIDDING!

> >

> > And at the end of our visit, he said he doesn't perform the

BPD/DS

> > and no one in the area does and he would recommend that if that

was

> > what I wanted then I should make an appt with one of the Drs at

Mt

> > Sinai. I never did tell him I have already had a consult with Dr

> > Pomp at Mt Sinai in NYC for a BPD/DS.

> >

> > Well, I have rambled long enough. I have my endoscopy scheduled

> for

> > 4/10 and pre-sleepstudy consult for 4/11 and a call into the

> > psychiatrist for the evaluation. Onwards!

> >

> > Keep the faith!

> > Terri Hassiak

> > BMI 60

> >

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=H980366398

> > email(no spaces): bunsofluff @ hotmail.com