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Honest opinions on weight loss surgery
Replies
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janejellyroll wrote: »bennettinfinity wrote: »I'm not opposed to the concept, and I know surgery candidates often have to demonstrate some level of non-surgical weight loss as part of the program.
That said, I only know two people that have had WLS and both of them re-gained the weight - so, it's not a miracle cure and there still needs to be the same level of discipline to maintain results as those that lose weight without surgery.
I thought I read that less than 5% keep the weight off...seems like a failing procedure to me.
Statistics are terrible for sustaining any weight loss long term, including that accomplished without WLS.
^ This... if I've learned anything (debatable) from my weight loss adventure, it's that maintenance is the hardest part. I have all the respect in the world for anybody that can pull it off - regardless of the path they take to get there.12 -
janejellyroll wrote: »bennettinfinity wrote: »I'm not opposed to the concept, and I know surgery candidates often have to demonstrate some level of non-surgical weight loss as part of the program.
That said, I only know two people that have had WLS and both of them re-gained the weight - so, it's not a miracle cure and there still needs to be the same level of discipline to maintain results as those that lose weight without surgery.
I thought I read that less than 5% keep the weight off...seems like a failing procedure to me.
Statistics are terrible for sustaining any weight loss long term, including that accomplished without WLS.
while that may be true...when you are going under the knife at phenomenal expense and becoming a high pay out for the insurance company ...you would want the COSTLY PROCEDURE to be viable and it does not sound like it actually is.
What is the source of that 5% figure? The statistics I'm seeing online seem to indicate that it is more successful than that.4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »bennettinfinity wrote: »I'm not opposed to the concept, and I know surgery candidates often have to demonstrate some level of non-surgical weight loss as part of the program.
That said, I only know two people that have had WLS and both of them re-gained the weight - so, it's not a miracle cure and there still needs to be the same level of discipline to maintain results as those that lose weight without surgery.
I thought I read that less than 5% keep the weight off...seems like a failing procedure to me.
Statistics are terrible for sustaining any weight loss long term, including that accomplished without WLS.
while that may be true...when you are going under the knife at phenomenal expense and becoming a high pay out for the insurance company ...you would want the COSTLY PROCEDURE to be viable and it does not sound like it actually is.
What is the source of that 5% figure? The statistics I'm seeing online seem to indicate that it is more successful than that.
My 600lb life website. Dr Now.
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janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »bennettinfinity wrote: »I'm not opposed to the concept, and I know surgery candidates often have to demonstrate some level of non-surgical weight loss as part of the program.
That said, I only know two people that have had WLS and both of them re-gained the weight - so, it's not a miracle cure and there still needs to be the same level of discipline to maintain results as those that lose weight without surgery.
I thought I read that less than 5% keep the weight off...seems like a failing procedure to me.
Statistics are terrible for sustaining any weight loss long term, including that accomplished without WLS.
while that may be true...when you are going under the knife at phenomenal expense and becoming a high pay out for the insurance company ...you would want the COSTLY PROCEDURE to be viable and it does not sound like it actually is.
What is the source of that 5% figure? The statistics I'm seeing online seem to indicate that it is more successful than that.
My 600lb life website. Dr Now.
The TLC website? I just checked it out and I don't see any statistics about weight loss surgery there.1 -
People get their egos too tied up in this. I don't see the merit in trying to do things the hard way. You don't get a gold star sticker for doing more work to achieve the same ends.
That being said, weight loss surgery is significantly more risky and expensive than more conventional means of weight loss. It's hardly the easy way out -- if anything I feel like losing weight the conventional low-n-slow method is pretty darn easy, way easier than recovering from surgery. And if surgery actually was easier, then I'd recommend more people to do it, because the point isn't to prove something about yourself, it's to lose weight and be healthier.
I don’t understand why surgery is considered ‘the easy way’ in the first place... I’ve never been big enough to be a candidate but I can’t imagine finding a surgeon, doing all the preparation, getting a risky surgery, going through a painful recovery, risking complications, and after all that STILL having to count calories and use good portion control to get results. It doesn’t change what you need to do in the end, and you have way less flexibility on how you want to ‘spend’ your calories (no more big meals after fasting all day).
If you need vomiting and stomach pain to stop you from eating, you probably need a counselor as well.16 -
anyone that I know that has had any type of weight loss surgery has went through hell one way or another. one thing was the very low calorie diets you have to do for several months after the surgery because your stomach cant handle big amounts of food, some have issues with being able to absord certain vitamins,some have issues with not being able to digest certain food,
one kept having complications from the surgery and died,she was in and out of the hospital over the course of a year the first 3 months she had an issue where a hole opened up in her stomach and she went into sepsis,she was in a medically induced coma for 3 months because she was so bad off they didnt think she would make it. she tried losing on her own and for some reason just couldnt do it.,my hubbys friends has lost a lot of weight but hes not having an easy time.
he isnt losing weight again and hes trying to be more active,but its still not easy he was over 500lbs.(closer to 300 now). in my opinion its harder having the surgery because you are more liable to have issues with things and your health. losing weight withou surgery can have a big impact on health but I think,its more positive impacts and less complications can arise. not saying its the case.most of us work hard to lose weight,but I think those who dont have the surgery dont have to face all the issues those with the surgery do.
only one of them has gained it most of it back and stopped losing only because she thought it would be a quick fix.she obviously didnt listen when they told her she would have to still watch what she ate. most doctors will still make you lose so much weight on your own before you have the surgery especially if you are severely obese,because of safety issues due to the anesthesia.4 -
I don’t have any opinion. Someone getting weight loss surgery doesn’t affect me at all. Life isn’t a competition on who works harder at something. This discussion somewhat reminds me of people thinking moms who have c sections are taking the easy way out. To me that is hilarious. I don’t know that I would ever consider surgery to be an easy way out18
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I don’t have any opinion. Someone getting weight loss surgery doesn’t affect me at all. Life isn’t a competition on who works harder at something. This discussion somewhat reminds me of people thinking moms who have c sections are taking the easy way out. To me that is hilarious. I don’t know that I would ever consider surgery to be an easy way out
I don't know if this is the primary issue, but I agree with your point - the path to success is irrelevant. As lame as virtue signaling is someone claiming moral superiority over this has to be the lamest of the lame. Changing behavior is incredibly difficult and the chances of success diminish overtime. This isn't only true for weight management, but for all behavior.
Surgery is never an easy path, but unfortunately this is not reflected in the marketing of surgical intervention around weight loss and all aesthetic medicine. This is my primary concern as the adverse events are dramatically under-reported.12 -
I don’t have any opinion. Someone getting weight loss surgery doesn’t affect me at all. Life isn’t a competition on who works harder at something. This discussion somewhat reminds me of people thinking moms who have c sections are taking the easy way out. To me that is hilarious. I don’t know that I would ever consider surgery to be an easy way out
I don't know if this is the primary issue, but I agree with your point - the path to success is irrelevant. As lame as virtue signaling is someone claiming moral superiority over this has to be the lamest of the lame. Changing behavior is incredibly difficult and the chances of success diminish overtime. This isn't only true for weight management, but for all behavior.
Surgery is never an easy path, but unfortunately this is not reflected in the marketing of surgical intervention around weight loss and all aesthetic medicine. This is my primary concern as the adverse events are dramatically under-reported.
Yeah, my main concerns around weight loss surgery are around the ethics/transparency of those who stand to financially benefit from it. That is, are doctors and clinics being honest and forthright about the challenges of WLS, the overall success rate, the potential adverse consequences? Are they seeking to expand, for financial benefits, into populations that don't benefit as clearly from it (those who are "just overweight," for example, as opposed to those who are obese)?
Whether the people who are having surgery are choosing the "easy way out" is irrelevant to me.11 -
rheddmobile wrote: »The people I know who have had the surgery both had serious, even life-threatening, complications. One was able to lose weight after and the other lost but gained it back. Neither lost enough weight to be normal weight. So surgery is definitely not a magic bullet.
Personally I would be willing to endure a lot of dieting and exercise before I would resort to suffering through surgery, especially after seeing how rough it was, but that's me. I don't understand the mindset of wanting the surgery, but I understand enough to know that different people are different. It's none of my business whether other people are lazy or work hard to lose weight. I just hope that they do whatever leads to the best outcome for them.
^^^^^ This exactly. I've had several close friends and family members who opted for WLS with less than ideal outcomes. One of my closest girlfriends has had nothing but complications - two additional surgeries to repair esophageal issues, plus gall bladder removal. Not sure the last was related but after two years she is still struggling with digestive problems, constant nausea and frequent diarrhea. My sister-in-law lost 130 pounds and now can't seem to stop losing. She hasn't figured out how to get enough nutrition, the medical follow-up is abysmal, and she appears to be wasting away. Her son, who also had the gastric bypass, is doing great, but he is 25 years younger so the age may be a factor. My SIL paid for it all out of her own pocket and it was over $30,000. She freely admits she just didn't want to do the hard work to do it on her own. Everyone is complaining about loose skin. Not that loose skin isn't a problem with any large weight loss, but the rapid loss seems to come part and parcel with a lot of it.
While it is not my business, these are people I care very much about and I hate to see them struggling. My advice for anyone considering it is to think long and hard about what comes afterwards before you make a decision that may affect you for a lifetime (and not always in a good way).11 -
IMO, WLS isn't for me. I've never been more than slightly overweight though, so I can't say if I'd still feel that way if I was at the point of qualifying for WLS, since I've never actually been there...
Anyway, for those at that point, either way they choose, they are making that decision to improve their health and having to commit to that decision to get the results.
Also, I wouldn't exactly say WLS is an easy way out. Everyone I know who had it still worked very hard after their surgery to continue and maintain the weight loss, including becoming and staying more active as well as following MD advice for nutrition.4 -
Thank you for all the replies, I originally asked because I have had a few friends who have had weight loss surgery and it seems the opinions on it very as well as the reactions. My one close friend has went from 600 lb down to 230 lb and seems to be doing great. I still feel like anyone getting healthy is a great thing and every weight loss journey has its own struggles.9
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My father and sister have both had it. My sister had hers some years back and has had some ill effects due to the surgery not having been perfected to the degree it later was. My father has had much fewer side effects. He was after me to get it done.
What made me balk was looking at the pre- and post-surgery diet. I see that my father can't eat fresh bread anymore; it needs to be toasted. Whole grains and legumes need to be avoided, at least in the short-term, possibly longer.
I'm a vegetarian. Having the surgery would eliminate too many of my dietary staples for too long. It just wasn't something I was prepared to accept. But I certainly don't look down on people who did find WLS to be the right choice. It simply wasn't mine.5 -
If it were the easy way out it wouldn't the tool of last resort for the majority.5
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I think it’s not up to me to decide what is best for others.
However, I am a RN and worked on a surgical recovery floor for 4 years. Our hospital did the sleeve procedures so we would have those patients post op. We would also have admissions for any medical patients who may undergo surgery such as bowel obstructions etc. I can’t even tell you how many people would come in with complications from this surgery. Leaks from the surgical site, malnutrition from not eating a proper healthy diet, severe dumping syndrome, obstructions from adhesions from the surgery. Now I don’t have the statistics of how frequently people would have complications but it seemed very common. However, I didn’t ever see the healthy people either.
I do know that people who choose to have this surgery have to go through nutrition counseling, psych evals etc for months before they have the procedure. I definitely don’t consider it the “easy” way out. Seems more difficult to me than just changing your diet and exercise. Yes the weight comes off faster but if you aren’t careful, it’s easy to gain the weight back. From what I understand maintenance is difficult no matter what route you choose.
Anyway, that’s my 2 cents. Bariatric surgery is not for me, but might be the right choice for others.14 -
I think to under estimate the differences in people's bodies is over estimating your own ability to be "disciplined". Hunger is hormone driven - bodies consume calories differently. We all know people who eat crap and are skinny and the largest person in the room who eating salads and diet coke. Hunger overrides everything when dieting. If people have a hormonal imbalance that drives hunger they are not going to have easy weight loss. When I was 35 I lost 25 pounds in 12 weeks on weight watchers - easiest thing i ever did. I kept those eating habits with me (I am now 49) and I am now almost 50 pounds heavier and struggle with weight loss. I eat less carbs and more veg than many of my skinnier friends and I can literally recite menus of every takeout in town for the number of calories. I have a ton of knowledge and I do apply it but i feel like I am fighting a losing battle.
To think someone who is 500 pounds is there strictly because they are wildly out of control is under estimating them and over estimating yourself. Until you walk in people's shoes you shouldn't judge. Some day it maybe you who is making that decision. From what I see making the decision to be on supplements the rest of your life and constantly being criticized by others because you no longer eat similar portion size can not be easily made no matter how you try to simplify it..... and that even excludes all the economic factors.15 -
Hi , i was looking for some honest opinions on weight loss surgeries such as gastric bypass and sleeves etc. While it's great people are bettering their health do you feel the person who makes hard lifestyle changes and loses the weight on their own works harder ? Is it wrong to feel that way? . I guess to me when you decide to change your lifestyle and really grind for what you want health wise it seems slot harder vs losing weight with surgical help, maybe I'm wrong but I'd like some opinions, like I said it's still grwat when anyone betters their lifestyle
My feelings about weight loss surgery is that it is actually the harder riskier choice. I would not do it personally unless my doctor said you are going to die unless you lose weight faster.
To be succesful losing weight with or without surgery you have to change. People who can sustain the changes they make will be able to maintain their loss.
I don't feel that weight loss has to be hard work, a grind or painful even without surgery. A reasonable goal should be attainable with some effort but not require spending all day at a gym, eating 1,200 calories or never having dessert again.8 -
I had the gastric bypass and the results have been life-changing. I most appreciate getting my mobility back, though getting off all my medications was a big plus.17
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I've know a couple of people who have done it including my sister. One lady struggled with the surgery (s) for years until sepsis finally killed her. My personal opinion is that the surgery should be considered a last resort type of thing. While my sister and a co-worker lost significant amounts of weight after the surgery it was and is still a struggle for them. My co-worker is out more frequently due to illness and complications that pop up due to the surgery. It seems like it affected his immune response negatively. If anything the surgery forces the person to adopt a new mindset and be more diligent about their diet and health but if they lose focus that is when things start to go awry (malnutrition, weight gain, surgery complications, etc.). It's not an easy route at all and I see a lot of struggle two to three years down the road.
It crossed my mind when I was at my heaviest weight but I decided if I was willing to go through a dangerous surgery to lose weight then I might as well try getting my head right and get the ball rolling on just trying to lose weight the old fashioned way. It's taken some time and effort but I am happy with my results and the path I am on. A lot of it is just your mental state of mind, if you are convinced you just can't do it then it won't happen. If you shrug off those negative feed back loops and put your mind to it you can do anything and make some type of progress. The only person holding you back is yourself <- I continue to tell myself this when that dark cloud of negative thoughts boils up.
I do worry about my sister and I hope this works out for her long term.8 -
Im scheduled for the surgery. 50% BMI. Heart and cancer issues. Can hardly walk anymore at 335 pounds. Lost 15 pounds in less than a month on pre-op diet. Always could diet-but always gain more back. I'm still up in the air and afraid of more surgery. Figure I'll die soon if I don't. Guess will see. If I thought I could truly change my eating habits long term I'd nix the surgery. My dilemma-we will see.22
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