What is a down side of having DS?

[Sheanie]

Why, oh why do people ever think they can pull the wool over our eyes here? Don't they realize who they are dealing with?

I predict a Flouncing Fairy Princess moment soon, complete with hairpins twirling in the air, a la the Witch in Bullwinkle cartoons. @Daphne , you are a FRAUD and a TROLL. Worse than those, you are a LIAR. Nobody will ever listen to you again after this. IP addys don't lie, babe, and you just got punked.

BOOM!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

They, the sociopaths, do it because they can get away with it. You know that from Teflon Mary, right?

 

[Sheanie]

They, the sociopaths, do it because they can get away with it. You know that from Teflon Mary, right?

Just because they can get away with it? See, I believe none of us will EVER know the reason why they actually do these things. Because in order to understand a crazy person, you have to be able to think like them, which is impossible. I've fingered this out in my own life. Embezzlers, sisters who steal you blind, psychopaths, liars. I don't even bother trying to figure out their motives anymore. Makes my head hurt.

Once I asked our embezzler why she did what she did. She stole money from us for decades as a trusted employee. She looked me straight in the eye and said "Because you didn't need it". At the time, she took that money to the casinos and lost it. She drove a new car, carried Coach purses. I shopped at KMart, cooked all our meals, bought Goodwill clothes, made Christmas gifts, and we drove beaters, never had a new car. So I will never understand her logic.

I really need to write a book. Make some money off these stories. Teflon Mary makes the Embezzler look like Mother Teresa in comparison. Both are close relatives, BTW.

 

[DianaCox]

Minor update (again, on information and belief):

"Daphne's" posts have been brought to the attention of Nina at the Mexicali Bariatric Center (where Aceves' practiced, and Ungson is now also part of the practice), and she will be showing them to the hospital director. And Arellano claims that Michelle doesn't work for him, but it appears he is trying to distance himself from her, while still keeping her around to make money for him.

And, just in case, I am saving her various posts on this thread and on PB here:

What she said on PB: http://weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/thread/9400/vsg-ds (where she was challenged to disclose who her surgeon is, and dissed Ungson on a board OWNED by an Ungson patient):

I am very happy with my surgeon. I do research for a living and I live very near my surgeon, I have many friends in common with him. Dr. Ungson is not on my list of future surgeons. I am sure he is a good surgeon but his staff are unacceptable.

I am very comfortable with my decision on surgeons. I was not asking for surgeon suggestions, but I thank you anyway. The doctor I am going to works out of the same hospital as Dr. Aceves and helped to proctor Aceves along with Dr. Ungson. Since it is my risk, it is my choice. I understand you do not approve of him, that is your prerogative. In the end it is my choice. I work in California and I have many contacts. People who live there, people who work there, people who work in the hospital, they are all suggesting my surgeon. I agree with them. I thank you for your concern.

I disagree that the only good surgeons for DS in Mexico are Dr. Ungson and Dr. Aceves. Dr. Aceves died about 3 months ago from what I understand. I am very sure Dr. Ungson is a good surgeon but he is not the right surgeon for me, I will not go to him. In all my research Dr. Aceves was not experienced enough for me to go to him if I could. I did choose a surgeon after a great deal of research and he is who I will go to.

My job is part desk/part field. I can make it desk job for a couple of weeks with no problem.

I am not really traveling for surgery, I live in California on the border and I am about 10 miles from my surgeon. He is in Mexicali. He works out of the same hospital as Dr. Aceves did, he was partners with Dr. Aceves for many years. He is one of 2 surgeons that proctored Dr. Aceves in DS. Dr. Ungson is the other. The surgeon I am going to has far more DS experience than Dr. Aceves did. I am very comfortable with my choice of doctors.

Yes, the phone number you list is where I called. Nina is the person I spoke with. He is simply not the surgeon for me. He would fly to Mexicali the day of surgery, do surgery, and fly home that evening. A band doctor would do my aftercare. I am not comfortable with that and I do not believe you would be comfortable with that either. Dr. Ungson is still practicing out of Hermisillo but Nina is coordinating for him now that Dr. Aceves passed away. She is basically a medical tourism coordinator now instead of working as an employee for Dr. Aceves. I have had very negative experiences with Nina. She has been dishonest from the beginning. For example, she told me Dr. Ungson is FACS. He is not. I do not care that he is not FACS, I care that she lied to me. That is one example of many. She required a $500 non refundable deposit to even speak to Dr. Ungson on the phone to discuss options. Then another $3,000 non refundable deposit to schedule surgery. That is not standard in Mexico.

I guess it is lucky for me I am one smart cookie that knows how to research and I will not be going to such a surgeon. My choice of surgeons was limited. The doctor I am seeing is the only surgeon I would see other than Dr. Ungson and as I explained, Dr. Ungson will not be doing my surgery.

People here are suggesting an inexperienced dead surgeon to do my surgery and you suggest I do not know what I am doing? Dr. Aceves died in a plane crash some time ago yet Nina is merely claiming he isn't doing surgery anymore.

I would think he isn't doing surgery considering the circumstances.

I can appreciate where you are coming from. But please remember, I did not ask about surgeon advice. I know what I am doing. Just because I disagree with you does not mean I am dead wrong. I have lived on the border all my life except for my college years. I know people in Mexicali in every field of work. I did do my research, I did not make this decision quickly, the only decision left is which surgery to have.

A couple of the people I have encountered on this board and another have issues of some sort. I do not understand the mentality but it really doesn't get them very far in my case. I know Mexicali like the back of my hand. Do you? Do you know all the surgeons there? Do you know the hospitals well? The owner of the hospital that Dr. Aceves used is one that advised me. Dr. Ungson and my surgeon work out of that hospital, the owner of the hospital (a surgeon) told me either doctor is highly skilled and experienced. Either one would be fine for a VSG or DS.

Everyone locally is wrong, the people that know these surgeons personally and work with them are all wrong and people on the internet are the only people that are correct. Is this accurate?

I wonder if more people would be honest with you about their surgeons if they could be honest without a beating. I see another person posting on this page (perhaps it was the other) that had surgery by my surgeon and I looked at her posts. Nowhere does she tell the truth of who did her surgery.

Maybe it is because she can't.

I haven't argued about anything. Surgeon choice is not up for debate. I have to live with the good and the bad of the surgeon so I have to make the decision that is right for me. Having a Lap Band surgeon do all my aftercare and resolving potential complications is not responsible medical practice and you are going to have a tough time showing me how that is superior to my decision. Going back to work earlier than what is ideal is not a debate, it is a reality. It is that or not have surgery. I agree with the bathroom issues, that is something I do not know how to overcome right now. So what have I argued about?

I have not asked anyone to agree with me but please stop insulting me. This is not the way to educate people. I might just know more about this hospital and surgeon than you.

It makes far more sense to have a local surgeon and my surgeon is about 10 miles from my home. He is a mile from the border, I am about 9 miles from the border. I disagree with Dr. Ungson if he feels a band surgeon can handle a DS complication. He is still not a surgeon for me regardless of state. If you want to go to him for surgery I am happy to provide a couple of phone numbers and an email address. I am not going to him. I have made the decision that is right for me.

By the way, the band surgeon would only follow me for 24 to 48 hours. Then a non surgeon who specializes in nutrition will complete my post op hospitalization. Do you realize that if I had a major complication the surgeon I would have to call is the one I am already going to anyway?

Hospital will be a full week and my surgeon will be following me the entire week.

For people that are somewhat new to DS boards you have to admit that it would be much easier to lie about surgeon choices just so we could get the information we are looking for. I am mixing up boards here but either on this one or another there is a person lying about her surgeon. She went to the same doctor I am going to but that isn't what she claims. I don't blame her. I have talked to her extensively on the phone but I did not realize at that time she was posting claiming another surgeon. I understand, it would make life much easier.

The other page doesn't seem too fond of this page, I can only assume there is a history there. I cannot get questions answered there, they are too busy trying to degrade me. I don't have time for that, I am trying to make a decision about surgery choices. I can't be bothered anymore with high school drama.

I get a strong feeling that the coordinator I was working with for Dr. Ungson reads these boards. My sincere hope is when she sees this in black and white she changes her ways of doing business. My bigger hope is that Dr. Ungson realizes that having a band surgeon take care of a DS patient is not a wise move.

And then the posts on THIS thread (before she deletes them):

I am aware that Dr. Aceves died. He was not on my list anyway.

I am very comfortable with my decision on surgeons. I was not asking for surgeon suggestions, but I thank you anyway. The doctor I am going to works out of the same hospital as Dr. Aceves and helped to proctor Aceves along with Dr. Ungson. Since it is my risk, it is my choice. I understand you do not approve of him, that is your prerogative. In the end it is my choice. I work in California and I have many contacts. People who live there, people who work there, people who work in the hospital, they are all suggesting my surgeon. I agree with them. I thank you for your concern.

I have listened to you, I just disagree. I will not use Dr. Ungson, that does not mean I am going to die. Dr. Ungson is not the only good surgeon in the entire country of Mexico. It is a pretty big place.

If I use Dr. Ungson he will fly into Mexicali the day of my surgery and return home that evening. A Lap Band surgeon will do the rest of my care including complications. I do not believe you would agree to that in my place. Dr. Ungson feels it is a good move. I disagree with him.

You do not even know who my surgeon is and you are just sure I am an idiot because I do not agree with you. I did not ask for surgeon suggestions. You are the same people that thought I should use an inexperienced dead surgeon. My surgeon helped to proctor your dead surgeon so I feel confident you do not know all the surgeons in Mexico.

I should have clarified. All the people telling me how stupid I am because I do not agree with people on the internet and I must go to Ungson; I have grouped everyone together. Perhaps I am confusing all the slams and insults. I apologize. I am having a hard time keeping up with all of them.

Raise your hand, who here would go to a DS surgeon and have a Lap Band surgeon follow you through potential complications? A lap band surgeon that has done about 200 Lap Bands and about 30 sleeves. Who here believes that is a wise decision? That is what Dr. Ungson is suggesting.

The Lap Band surgeon is advertised as having 800 sleeves at Almater Hospital. This is the same coordinator now working with Dr. Ungson. If you call the coordinator's friend in administration at a very specific phone number the nice lady in Administration of the hospital will tell you yes, the Lap Band surgeon has done 800 sleeves and 500 bands. If you talk to the owner of the hospital as well as the OR staff and nurses they say 30 sleeves and less than 200 Lap Bands.

This is the surgeon Dr. Ungson has take over his patients when he goes home the day of my surgery.

I never suggested Dr. Ungson is not a good surgeon. He's just not going to be my surgeon.

You do not even know the surgeon's name and you are already slamming and insulting because you are just sure he's bad.

We aren't getting anywhere with the topic.

You appear to assume you know the reputation and experience of every bariatric surgeon in the entire country of Mexico.

You have to admit, this is pointless.


Why haven't you answered my question about having a Lap Band surgeon follow you after surgery? Or am I making assumptions? Would you find it acceptable to have a band surgeon follow you in the hospital after DS or VSG?

I am going to go out on a limb and assume you would not find this acceptable, either.

I don't know who Huacuz is.

I am very comfortable with my choice in surgeons but thank you for your kindness.

It is interesting that nobody responded to Dr. Ungson's methods for hospital care. That puts everything in perspective for me.

If I cared a bit more I would post all the emails here from the coordinator. I can only assume that would be ignored as well. All that matters is how stupid I am, not the problems of using Dr. Ungson. You don't even know who my surgeon is but all you can do is sling mud. All of this is just silly and childish.

AFTER I POSTED THAT SHE IS MICHELLE:

I think you are insane. I live on the border, I have all my life. The coordinator made it a point to tell me the surgeon was FACS. I verified it and found it was not accurate. A smarter person would have contacted me to see if I would do as you claim. A more stupid person would sling mud because I won't cave to your demands. I did not bring up surgeons, you did. This is worse than high school drama. I never asked about surgeons, I never brought up the topic, I never wanted to discuss surgeons. You are insane.

Daphne is my middle name, this is a private situation to me.

 

[robs477]

Stick a fork in her…she’s done after that slam dunk post!! Looks like this poor woman done brought a knife to a gunfight!! She’d a been better off crawlin in to a starving Lion’s Den nursing their cubs than to take on this group! She can’t dance with any of you guys, especially D.C. or that "spiky haired bugger" chick!!..lol

The resounding silence of late reminds me of that classic “Michigan J. Frog” cartoon…lol

 

[more2adore]

Oh lord... this thread went from a giant facepalm/headdesk session to hilarity. And sadness. Really sad that someone would feel the need to do this.

 

[DianaCox]

Rob, I can't tell from your post if you are enjoying the carnage in a "man watching a catfight" sorta way, or being sarcastically ironic because you thought it was "too harsh" - it's hard to tell tone of voice sometimes. But I hope you understand that the person who called herself "Daphne" is a WLS nutjob whom many of us have been dealing with for MANY YEARS, on multiple message boards. When her posts here and elsewhere were brought to the attention of people who were familiar with her style of craziness, it was confirmed (her passive-aggressive style is distinctive). And of course there's the further confirmation by the location from where she was posting.

The following is of course MY OPINION:
And this woman is not only NUTZ and a thorn in the side of ethical bariatric surgery advocates, from EVERY WLS type, who try to correct the lies and undo the damage she does, but also is (at the very least, unethically, because she is LYING about and defaming other surgeons) recruiting patients to the practice of a surgeon who apparently pays her a bounty, and she receives payments from the patient to be their "patient coordinator." And that surgeon is not only not a "vetted" DS surgeon, he is not a DS surgeon at all, as far as we know. And if he KNEW (or should have known) that she is doing this, he is at least as guilty as she is, based on the legal doctrine of conspiracy.

What Michelle does is not "sad" or even "pathetic" - it is freaking EVIL. And if it's illegal under Mexican or US law (since she is contacting people in the US with her lying scams), I hope the authorities prosecute.

Remember - the goal of Michelle's troll posts was to get pre-ops to contact her (perhaps to avoid charges of solicitation) off-board and away from the view of the vets who know who and what she is, to ask about her mysterious surgeon, whom she refused to name. This was a SCAM to latch onto self-pay pre-ops and try to convince them to pay her to help them see a non-vetted Mexican surgeon.

 

[DianaCox]

By the way, notice that she came to the various boards with a mysterious "special" surgeon ALREADY CHOSEN, whom she refused to disclose or discuss, because she felt she knew everything she needed to know about the surgeon and hospital, while giving her a platform to diss the real qualified DS surgeon, Ungson. She then posted extremely elementary questions about the DS and VSG in places that are very DS-centric, while stating an utterly ridiculous requirement (only taking off 2 weeks or something) designed to DELIBERATELY provoke the vets on these sites to attack her stupid plans. This was, I repeat, deliberate - because then she could paint herself as a "victim" of our bullying and abuse, and therefore make it seem reasonable that anyone who was interested in discussing things with her further should do so by private conversations - where the vets can't interject the TRUTHINESS that she finds so inconvenient.

She manipulates people to select a less experienced (that's as kind as I can be) surgeon, and thereby potentially endangers people's lives with lies, for money. In my opinion, of course.

 

[k9ophile]

I have seen your posts on another board, and I have the following observations:

(1) You are being utterly foolish and shortsighted about the amount of time you are going to need to take off after surgery. And you are probably completely overemphasizing your importance at your place of business, and their inability to get along without you. AND you are not even asking yourself WHY you don't think you are entitled to take off sufficient time to recuperate. What if you had a fucking HEART ATTACK tomorrow? What would happen to your work while you recuperated from that, for chrissakes?? What will happen if you have a complication (it happens, even with the smallest surgeries and bariatric surgery is not small) and you have to stay in the hospital for three weeks? Will the world come to an end? Will your company go out of business? And even if the answer to THAT is yes, will the world come to an end? What are you going to do for the first couple of months, where the odds are you are going to be shitting loose stools URGENTLY? Wear a diaper because you are too important to take time off and recuperate with a bathroom handy until your guts settle down?

(2) Who is your surgeon? There is only ONE DS surgeon in Mexico whom the majority of experienced DS vets (myself included) will endorse - and we've seen some TERRIBLE outcomes (including death) with others.

(3) The odds of a volume eater being able to make a VSG work are between slim and none, and slim left the building.

Best reality check I've seen in a long time and this board is full of them.

 

[DianaCox]

Best reality check I've seen in a long time and this board is full of them.

I don't know if you posted that before you finish reading this entire thread, but the OP and "reality" have NO relationship whatsoever.

 

[k9ophile]

I have no patience for reading this entire long ass thread. I've read enough to know it will not end well. As you have mentioned before, many of your posts are for the benefit of lurkers as well as OP's. Let's hope lurkers will not be so obstinate about their choices. But then, they may not have such "hidden agendas" which you have so cleverly exposed in #68.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

By the way, notice that she came to the various boards with a mysterious "special" surgeon ALREADY CHOSEN, whom she refused to disclose or discuss, because she felt she knew everything she needed to know about the surgeon and hospital, while giving her a platform to diss the real qualified DS surgeon, Ungson. She then posted extremely elementary questions about the DS and VSG in places that are very DS-centric, while stating an utterly ridiculous requirement (only taking off 2 weeks or something) designed to DELIBERATELY provoke the vets on these sites to attack her stupid plans. This was, I repeat, deliberate - because then she could paint herself as a "victim" of our bullying and abuse, and therefore make it seem reasonable that anyone who was interested in discussing things with her further should do so by private conversations - where the vets can't interject the TRUTHINESS that she finds so inconvenient.

She manipulates people to select a less experienced (that's as kind as I can be) surgeon, and thereby potentially endangers people's lives with lies, for money. In my opinion, of course.

One addition: On PB, she started her scam off by saying she was writing research on WLS....Sounding like it was for publication. THEN out came the assertion that she was getting WLS, etc.

 

[DianaCox]

One addition: On PB, she started her scam off by saying she was writing research on WLS....Sounding like it was for publication. THEN out came the assertion that she was getting WLS, etc.

It was pretty much in the same breath:
"Due to my job I do a great deal of research and I have been working on an article outlining the long term aspects of weight loss surgery. My research made me realize this is something I would like to do for myself."

 

[DianaCox]

I have no patience for reading this entire long ass thread. I've read enough to know it will not end well. As you have mentioned before, many of your posts are for the benefit of lurkers as well as OP's. Let's hope lurkers will not be so obstinate about their choices. But then, they may not have such "hidden agendas" which you have so cleverly exposed in #68.

I had help - there were suspicions on the part of multiple people - then she posted tells - and then the location of the IP address sealed it. I usually take people at face value - but I'm not stupid.

 

[MsJacquiiC]

Rob, I can't tell from your post if you are enjoying the carnage in a "man watching a catfight" sorta way, or being sarcastically ironic because you thought it was "too harsh" - it's hard to tell tone of voice sometimes. But I hope you understand that the person who called herself "Daphne" is a WLS nutjob whom many of us have been dealing with for MANY YEARS, on multiple message boards. When her posts here and elsewhere were brought to the attention of people who were familiar with her style of craziness, it was confirmed (her passive-aggressive style is distinctive). And of course there's the further confirmation by the location from where she was posting.

The following is of course MY OPINION:
And this woman is not only NUTZ and a thorn in the side of ethical bariatric surgery advocates, from EVERY WLS type, who try to correct the lies and undo the damage she does, but also is (at the very least, unethically, because she is LYING about and defaming other surgeons) recruiting patients to the practice of a surgeon who apparently pays her a bounty, and she receives payments from the patient to be their "patient coordinator." And that surgeon is not only not a "vetted" DS surgeon, he is not a DS surgeon at all, as far as we know. And if he KNEW (or should have known) that she is doing this, he is at least as guilty as she is, based on the legal doctrine of conspiracy.

What Michelle does is not "sad" or even "pathetic" - it is freaking EVIL. And if it's illegal under Mexican or US law (since she is contacting people in the US with her lying scams), I hope the authorities prosecute.

Remember - the goal of Michelle's troll posts was to get pre-ops to contact her (perhaps to avoid charges of solicitation) off-board and away from the view of the vets who know who and what she is, to ask about her mysterious surgeon, whom she refused to name. This was a SCAM to latch onto self-pay pre-ops and try to convince them to pay her to help them see a non-vetted Mexican surgeon.

Respect to you @DianaCox
And I hope you aren't offended by this - but I think "Bad Cop" is not a great custom title for you. "Good Cop With Balls" seems better imo. In the vein of Edmund Burke's "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
It takes balls to do what you've done. And I feel you've done it for the benefit of the entire WLS community. Good on you! ((applause))

J.