**Big decision - Robin**

[Guest guest]

Robin:

I would get another opinion. There are other doctors

you can use as your primary. They are also human and

do not know everything. Nowadays it is harder for our

doctors to keep up with all the changes that occur

every day in the healthcare field.

The first time I mentioned this procedure to my PCP he

said no. So, I went to his office and personally

handed him the patient manual. Explained that I

appreciated his concerns but that it was different and

asked him to read the manual.

Later he said he thought it would be a good option for

me and has even recommended it to another patient.

They have to be educated about this particular

procedure.

JMHO

Margaret in St. Louis

--- Robin & Otis wrote:

> Donna, those are the main reasons that I wanted Dr.

> R to do my

> surgery...because there is only one connection,

> which reduces the chances of

> a leakage and because it's easily reversed.

> However, I went to my PCP today

> and he said that he may back me if I have it done

> locally, but not to have

> it done in NC where to surgeon who did it is 500

> miles away. I'm

> heartbroken today. I was convinced this was the

> best thing for

> me...although I understand my doctor's point of

> view,too. He wants me to

> check at a local hospital here that does the Roux En

> Y, now I've got a

> decision to make...don't I?

>

> Robin from Ohio

> 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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