Re: **Big decision - Robin**

[Guest guest]

Thanks for replying Margaret. I need all of the encouragement that I can

get right now! Thats what I love about this group. Anyways, I was pouting

yesterday, but I'm a little ready to fight again today. I'm going to keep

trying. My doctor said that he may back me on a local surgeon. Everyone

local does the Roux En Y. I'm so invested, (emotionally), in having the MGB

and having it done by Dr. R that I'm not taking " no " for an answer very

well.

And, by the way, what I did was copy the Patient Educational Manual and the

sample Dr. letter and submitted my own letter to my doctor one week before

my appointment with him. I explained in my letter that I had " yo-yoed " all

of my life. Given many programs my " all " just to gain it back. I also

submitted the Patient Physical information to him, to let him know what Dr.

R would be wanting. So, I dropped all of that off on a Monday and had my

appointment the next Monday.

He admitted to me that he didn't read it all...only " skimmed " through it.

He feels that I would be " trading one problem for another " .

He just let the air out of my hot air ballon!

Robin from Ohio...still a Pre Op Hopeful

not selling MGB

>>

>>

>> >Hi,

>> >

>> >I had my MGB on 9/22/00 so I am about 7 1/2 weeks

>> post op.

>> >

>> >I have lost 35lbs to date and 9 inches in my waist

>> which is the only place

>> I

>> >measured:( Although not diagnosed officially for

>> sleep apnea I had a lot

>> of

>> >the symptons which seem to have resolved. I also

>> had headaches almost

>> daily

>> >and 1-2 migraines per month. Since MGB I have had

>> 1 headache and 1 sinus

>> >headache, no migraines at all. I also had edema

>> which is gone and a lot of

>> >lower backaches which are gone.

>> >I used to have A LOT of heartburn, that has mostly

>> resolved also.

>> >

>> >I must say I had bile reflux since about 2 weeks

>> after surgery for almost 3

>> >weeks. I was prescribed an estrogen patch and I

>> don't understand the

>> >correlation, but that seems to have helped and I

>> have had no bile reflux

>> for

>> >a couple of weeks.

>> >

>> >Although I still favor my left knee I do not " hurt "

>> it nearly as often when

>> >I am going up and down steps or getting out of the

>> car. I don't know if

>> the

>> >damage to my knee is permanent, but when I lose

>> some more weight I am going

>> >to have it checked out.

>> >

>> >I feel so good. I can't adequately express this

>> " feeling " . It is more

>> than

>> >just physical it is mental as well. I feel kind of

>> like a fog has lifted.

>> >I don't worry about food all the time. That is so

>> hard to explain too. I

>> >eat whatever I want and whenever I want. It seems

>> I mostly want good,

>> >healthy food. I have eaten chips and candy, but

>> there is no craving, no

>> >void that needs to be filled. Strange, but true-1

>> small piece of candy is

>> >enough-1 small handful of chips is enough. Simple

>> and no guilt and no

>> >feelings of deprivation-NONE.

>> >

>> >I went to the Dr last week and she said I look

>> awesome. That was funny to

>> >hear her say since she was not pro WLS and she is

>> about 80 years old. She

>> >looked at my ports and listened to my stomach and I

>> told her how I feel-she

>> >is very interested in following me.

>> >

>> >I am having a lot of requests to be a contact which

>> I am more than happy to

>> >do. If you are pre-op I will tell you this. It is

>> not my job to sell you

>> >this surgery. It is my job to tell you about my

>> experience. That's it. I

>> >have had some people ask me if I would recommend

>> it-nope I won't recommend

>> >any surgery to anybody. I do hope that everyone

>> who decides to have any

>> WLS

>> >does as much research as we do, but I know that is

>> not true, I have 2 RNY

>> >friends who were clueless, 1 didn't even know what

>> dumping was, 1 was in

>> the

>> >hospital for 4 weeks after her RNY after having

>> some horrible

>> >complications-her surgery was the beginning of Sep

>> and she is still not

>> back

>> >to work. Of course MGB has complications and

>> died, but our forced

>> >education makes us face these facts. They are not

>> glossed over or hidden

>> in

>> >the fine print and we aren't asked to sign consent

>> forms at the last minute

>> >that lists these things-yes, that happened to the

>> person with the 4 week

>> >hospital stay. Needless to say, she felt duped.

>> >

>> >Many people who have surgery for weight loss

>> weren't forced to know all the

>> >possible complications. If you don't believe this

>> go on the obesityhelp

>> site

>> >and read a few of the profiles. I sat in tears

>> reading some of those

>> posts.

>> > It is really heartbreaking.

>> >

>> >I guess what I am taking a long time to say is that

>> if you want the quick

>> >fix without the homework don't even try to have the

>> MGB with Dr Rutledge.

>> >Also, if you decide to have the MGB you should

>> really, really make peace

>> >with yourself about this decision. If you do that

>> then when you get the

>> >emails from or her cronies you will already

>> be at the place where she

>> >can't touch you.

>> >

>> >I bring up 's name because she is not going to

>> go away. Sorry to

>> burst

>> >your bubble. For those people who post here for

>> the first time you will

>> >probably hear from her. You need to know the truth

>> and while MGB-Truth

>> >could be a good place-it is not. The only person I

>> have seen who posts

>> >truths is Beth-wundedbird. The MGB-Truth group

>> seems to have some

>> >gravitational pull that attracts disturbed people

>> who feed on each other

>> and

>> >I see no good in it. It is a mostly negative

>> environment and I do not

>> think

>> >that is where anyone needs to be at such a

>> vulnerable stage.

>> >

>> >I continue to say whatever your choice

>> MGB/RNY/DS-Good luck in your quest

>> to

>> >get healthy. I would also say-if you are having

>> any other WLS maybe you

>> >should research that surgery and doctor even though

>> its not " required " . I

>> >did a lot of research before I even found out about

>> the MGB and though I

>> was

>> >going to have the Lap RNY and had the consult set

>> up and everything I

>> >postponed the appt for 2 weeks after I found out

>> about MGB in order to give

>> >myself a little more time. For me it wasn't about

>> the money or the time

>> >either-when it came down to it what made me choose

>> the MGB was the fact

>> that

>> >it was easily reversible-period.

>> >

>> >That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Sorry its

>> so long.

>> >

>> >Best Regards,

>> >Donna Schanzenbacher

>> >BMI 40 size 20W (was BMI 47 and size tight 24W)

>>

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>>

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