Fwd: Re: [MGB-TRUTH] A reply from Dr. R - fact finding

[Guest guest]

If this has already made it to the group I apologize for the

redundancy. I thought it was a good post, that made a number of good

points. I'll forward my reply as soon as I'm able.

Keep the Faith!!

Sincerely,

na

MGB 12/27/1999 @ 272 & size 28W

NOW 09/27/2000 @ 152 & size 12P

I hope I don't make EVERYONE on this list hate me but I went to some

of the

links below and the explanations seemed a valid rebuttal. I am

wondering if

the surgeons website may in part, be because Dr R is very honest

about the MGB

and all WLS being risky and the surgeons are worried that knowing the

honest

facts about WLS will deter prospectives in general. Because I have

not

noticed them taking a website out against known quacks in the field

(I won't

mention any names here but one real butcher everyone knows about

comes to

mind, who is STILL performing procedures). In my research, it's been

my

experience that most surgeons sites I've seen, really understate the

dangers

involved with WLS and what risks they state, are given are in thick

medical

terminology that prospectives won't bother to read. That's one thing

I really

liked about Dr R's site that he was so honest about the risks. I

linked his

'risks' page to my site - it agrees with everything else I've read in

the

medical literature in general about WLS.

He states that he has a real concern about the dangers of ulcer and

strictures

with the RNY and that's why he does the Billroth II. I have written

to him

inquiring for cites of studies showing these dangers are greater in

RNY's.

In fairness to him, he must believe in the Billroth II in order to

have chosen

it. It is to his advantage to do the procedure with the least side

effects and

the least bad problems because bad problems tend to turn into nasty

law suits.

I knew an anesthesiologist who was present at a death which was

proven to be

'his fault' But in fact, it was a rare thing which happens and

wasn't really

his fault at all. A young handsome man with blond hair (I can still

see his

face), his career was over in a flash. I had him in my fiddle class

and the

man could literally not work as a doctor from ONE very nasty

lawsuit. All

physicians have heard these horror stories so it's to their advantage

to try

and do - what they feel is - the best procedure.

Usually physicians tend to have a 'professional courtesy' towards

other

physicians yet the MGB dot.com website goes in opposition to this.

And one

might say that this is because these physicians are so upset that Dr

R is

doing this horrible procedure. I would like to believe that but I

have seen

'professional courtesy' to real quacks like 70 year old abortionists

who have,

out of proven negligence, killed patients, for example (one gent

comes to mind

who ate his lunch while a patient bled out in another room and told

the nurses

to not bother him - he eventually lost his license but in such a way

that he

still can practice in other states - he's over 70 years old). I have

also

seen the medical community totally slander and character assassinate

those

whom they think are stealing business. In fact, this is happening on

a wide

scale at present, with nurse practitioners and it's not pretty and

it's not

fair and many of us feel that it's not because of anything else but

that some

folks are seeing that NPs are delivering a holistic type of empirical

medical

care which patients love and which has a high rate of efficacy as far

as the

healing process.

Operating with an extremely limited medical knowledge (and it ARE

limited...

although I did study thoroughly in medical literature the procedures

I feature

in my site including in medical A & P books and more and have

researched this

well over a year rather intensely), it seems to me that:

1. Dr R. is performing a procedure which is NOT any MORE dangerous or

risky

than other types of RNY. It's just that the dangers of RNYs are

generally not

detailed on websites.

2. Dr R. may be performing something safer than an RNY because it

seems, in

part, a procedure still done to non weight loss oriented patients and

from my

own experience, people of size are still the most abused segment of

this

population - thus receiving surgery that non fat people receive may

be an

advantage.

3. Dr R's procedure may APPEAR more dangerous than other types of WLS

because

Dr R is so open about the risks.

I am asking these questions openly. There is a lot at stake. First,

individuals who have received this procedure may NOT be worse off

than those

receiving other types of WLS. WLS is risky and those going into it

should be

aware of that - this lack of awareness on the part of pre ops has

long been a

concern of mine. Second, this upset about the MGB might be fueled at

least in

part by something other than 'professional concern' - not to repeat

but to

emphasize, I have seen it happen before in the medical community.

It is so difficult for us, laypersons to figure out exactly what is

happening

when talking of highly complex things. Just think if I launched a

discussion

of intricate software development concepts here how lost everyone

would be?

These scientific things involve so much learning - all medical

providers go to

intense schooling for many years and equally intense practicum.

When I began studying the GI tract via medical books, my son told

me " You will

not even begin to scratch the surface of understanding this " . He was

SO

right. That is why he IS the advisor for my Health site and why I run

everything by him. The best we can hope for is a surgeon who is

honest enough

to tell us the full story and that we can figure out enough to ask

the 'right

questions' before we have a procedure done. I to this date, am not

convinced

that Dr R is NOT trustworthy. Yes he has made some tactical errors

in dealing

with this situation but that just shows he's not a politician.

However,

people hire Dr R for his medical ability and not his political

correctness (or

lack thereof). Need I remind of certain politicians who ARE very

charming and

politically correct but totally corrupt?

To date, the item of most concern here, seems the risk for cancer in

20 years

or more. But from my research it appears that ALL WLS post ops have

this risk

and if not for esophageal cancer then for colon cancer or other.

Some post

ops have gotten cancer the year after surgery and their doctors have

told them

it was probably partially due to the WLS.

But if you think of it, we all are at some risk. I with GERD am also

in risk

of esophageal cancer. My husband with a vasectomy is at high risk for

prostate cancer. People who have taken birth control pills or had an

abortion

are at high risk for breast cancer. Seems most folks walking the

face of the

earth are at risk for SOME kind of cancer.

There are steps which can be taken to prevent cancer or significantly

cut down

the risk - many veggies have actual anti cancer chemicals IN THEM.

WLS post

ops can go rich on the supplements to help prevent cancer. A regular

exercise

program (3 times a week, aerobic exercise or more) can cut the risks

of cancer

by 40 percent. Not smoking, not consuming alcohol, eating a good

nutritious

diet, lowering the fat consumption (which most WLS patients do). All

these

things cut down the risks.

I am throwing this out for honest discussion and rebuttal. I too have

experienced dreadful character assassination (not by surgeons though

but by

very zealous pre ops and post ops who for some reason do not wish

prospectives

to know about the dangers and risks or about alternatives to

surgery). So

please heap no more abuse on me. If you can answer my concerns here

preferably with sites and facts, I would be very interested.

I don't think surgery is for everyone and laying out the facts

including the

risks before AND the alternatives is a good step towards making sure

that

those who seek the surgical path are making a full INFORMED consent

decision.

Dr R still provides the most information about this on his website

and I have

not seen any of the info he provides which is not reliable according

to all my

other research.

I look forward to your comments to any of my points but please no

flames or

insults, thanks in advance,

Sue

Re: Bile reflux question for Dr. R and

> post ops

>

>

>

>

> Hi,

>

> Please see

>

> http://clos.net/grumpy/grumpy.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth_ii_today.htm

>

> http://clos.net/old-loop.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/billroth_ii_ca.htm

>

> http://clos.net/aotd/05-00/aotd0531.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/cause-g-ca01.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/cause-g-ca02.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/b2-ca01.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/b2-ca02.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/b2-ca03.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth_cancer_surgeons.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/ulcer-ca01.htm

>

> http://clos.net/billroth2/ulcer-ca02.htm

>

>

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