Support for MGB - from a medical professional (long)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/26/2000 2:08:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

bondssl@... writes:

<< In medicine, NOTHING is concrete. Study. Read. Learn. Decide.

The choice is yours.

Susie Bonds

MGB 1/24/00

283/207 >>

Thanks for this post!!!!!!

Cathy Morrow in Lenoir, NC

BMI 42

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

As a member of the medical community, I feel I need to say this in

light of all the accusations flying on this list and others.....

Reviews of medical literature can be twisted to support almost any

hypothesis. There are mountains of research articles out there. If

you look hard enough - you'll find something that supports the view

that you " want " to take. The real challenge lies in obtaining the

consensus of all that literature.

The medical community is typically very slow to " bless " new

procedures. They tend not to sanction a new treatment until several

years worth of research and data have been collected. That's where

we come in. We are those patients who create that data. We are that

research. This is a part of the normal evolution in a new surgical

technique.

For what it is worth, I believe the MGB IS a new procedure. In my

research, I looked at the MGB, Mason Loop, the RNY, the duodenal

switch, the VGB as well as several others. The MGB is different from

the old loop. The gastric pouch created for the MGB is a vertical

one rather than a horizontal one. This allows the gastric secretions

to drain DOWN and AWAY from the esophagus. This in turn, reduces

acid reflux and esophagitis. It doesn't eliminate it - but it does

reduce it.

You have to make your own educated decision. Trust your heart and

your head. Do your own research. If you are not comfortable with

this procedure -- it's not time for you. Many of us were ready. I

put my trust and my life in Dr. R's hands and have been thrilled with

the outcome.

For me, I was 44 years old and weighed 283 lbs. My brother died of

heart disease when he was 44. My father died of heart disease when

he was 52. I had been on blood pressure medications for more than 20

years. I knew that if I didn't do something -- I wouldn't live to

see my 50's and 60's. So..... I did my research. I read, I studied,

I filtered through lots of medical literature. I chose Dr. R and the

MGB.

In medicine, NOTHING is concrete. Study. Read. Learn. Decide.

The choice is yours.

Susie Bonds

MGB 1/24/00

283/207

Before I get flamed...... I am not a nurse, I am not a doctor. I

have, however, been employed in the medical profession for 21 years.

I have a BS in Health Education including post graduate work in

clinical studies. Currently, I work at a cancer center in the area

of data management and research for breast cancer, cutaneous oncology

and gi cancer. Incidentally, we do quite a few Billroth II's

here...... on patients from ages 20-80.