Why do people have weight loss surgery?

Hearts_2015

Speaking from experience at my heaviest I was consuming close to 10,000 calories a day and had no problem doing that... I consumed foods very calorie dense (21 in. Pizza's, boxes (not individually wrapped) of swiss cakes, hoho's, Nutter butters, bags of chips like Doritos, tortilla chips smoothed in cheez wiz, etc, etc..... It really was not that difficult, my biggest problem at that point was guilt tripping my family or flat out verbally bashing them until they caved and gave me what I wanted.. the Last couple years getting close to my max weight I could barely get around the house, let alone leave the house.. I still managed to get to my truck on occasion and drive myself through the drive thru's when I really wanted something.... When you are in that vicious cycle of being hungry, stuffing your face til you feel like throwing up, then play the why do I do this to myself and saying I am going to change, and that only lasting til you have room in your belly to eat more so you start the cycle over again.... At that point (and I think I can speak for most) you are in a cycle that you can't see anyway out of so you refrain to the fact nothing will change and I would say alot of people view the surgery as an easy way to try and break that bond. If you can't eat all that food because your stomach is the size of an egg now then you'll just get skinny and that is that.

You can't see past that part of it to all the changes you are going to have to make to sustain any of it... Changing your eating habits, exercising for fitness, changing your mindset towards all that you have known to date, etc, etc.... At that size the easy way out is to take the easier road (or atleast what at that time you perceive to be the easy way out.) but in my case I still had enough common sense to know that no amount of Weight Loss Surgery was going to fix what caused me to get to 560 lbs. If I could not fix what was broken in my head then there was no chance in my mind that I would ever be able to lose the weight and keep it off.... So I was totally against WLS for me as an option.. When my doctor asked me if I wanted the surgery I told him HELL NO!! I would do every thing I was asked to do by him and the dietician and whoever else but I was doing this naturally or die trying.... You really have to be in the right mindset to do this.... I don't know the statistics but I would have to say it is in the single percentages of people that can lose 200-300-400 lbs, on their own and keep it off. And for the majority of those people the WLS in the beginning probably looks like the easier option... Little do they know it is NOT and is why alot of them fail because they never tackle the real reasons they got that big to begin with...

A life long friend that had Gastric bypass and lost 200 lbs. and I followed her journey on facebook a couple years ago and was doing so good at her weightloss and exercise had been distant the last year and I had not seen much posted from her until a few weeks ago she said she was moving back home (lived in Missouri the last 10 years) and didn't give a reason why... She called me Friday (knows I am an IT.Computer nerd) and asked if I could fix her laptop and she stopped over and to my horror she has put back on all of her 200lbs, lost and I would say another 50-60lbs. on top of that.. Seeing me she lost it in the driveway, She is so ashamed of failing and seeing my success (even though she is really happy for me and my success) and when I asked her what happened she said she never fixed the mental side of the journey. She never addressed her severe depression, her childhood issues that cause her to eat to hide her problems and even though she experienced so much success in the beginning it wasn't enough... I sat in this very recliner with a loaded handgun for 3 days back in 2009, trying to think of a way to blow my brains out and not leave a mess for my family to come home too, on the 3rd day I realized that was not going to be possible, I accepted I had a major problem, and had that AHA moment and put the gun down and start working to fix the problem...

I can tell you it was nothing short of climbing my own Mt. Everest but I went about it the right way getting to heart of my problems, working through them and taking my progress in steps and finally overcoming my weight issues... So when I say they use weight loss surgery as the easy way out I don't want you or anyone to think I mean that in the sense that it often gets taken out of context in other threads on here. I simply mean when you weigh 500+ lbs. that surgery is looked upon (atleast from my view) as a quick fix so that I would not have to put in all the effect it would take to lose 300+ lbs. but in the end there is NO EASY WAY OUT.... You will have to work your *kitten* off regardless end of story....... Best of Luck

Thank you for this Ed!

Iwishyouwell

For those who are using statistical or anecdotal evidence to prove that WLS patients tend to regain their weight long term...

Are you aware that the statistics and anecdotal evidence for ALL weight loss methods and tools, including CICO, are just as abysmal? That the vast and overwhelming majority of people who lose weight either fail at it, fail to reach their goal, or succeed and regain their weight. Even the very few "success" stories typically are comprised of people who've regained but managed to keep off just some of the weight.

RHachicho

Speaking from experience at my heaviest I was consuming close to 10,000 calories a day and had no problem doing that... I consumed foods very calorie dense (21 in. Pizza's, boxes (not individually wrapped) of swiss cakes, hoho's, Nutter butters, bags of chips like Doritos, tortilla chips smoothed in cheez wiz, etc, etc..... It really was not that difficult, my biggest problem at that point was guilt tripping my family or flat out verbally bashing them until they caved and gave me what I wanted.. the Last couple years getting close to my max weight I could barely get around the house, let alone leave the house.. I still managed to get to my truck on occasion and drive myself through the drive thru's when I really wanted something.... When you are in that vicious cycle of being hungry, stuffing your face til you feel like throwing up, then play the why do I do this to myself and saying I am going to change, and that only lasting til you have room in your belly to eat more so you start the cycle over again.... At that point (and I think I can speak for most) you are in a cycle that you can't see anyway out of so you refrain to the fact nothing will change and I would say alot of people view the surgery as an easy way to try and break that bond. If you can't eat all that food because your stomach is the size of an egg now then you'll just get skinny and that is that.

You can't see past that part of it to all the changes you are going to have to make to sustain any of it... Changing your eating habits, exercising for fitness, changing your mindset towards all that you have known to date, etc, etc.... At that size the easy way out is to take the easier road (or atleast what at that time you perceive to be the easy way out.) but in my case I still had enough common sense to know that no amount of Weight Loss Surgery was going to fix what caused me to get to 560 lbs. If I could not fix what was broken in my head then there was no chance in my mind that I would ever be able to lose the weight and keep it off.... So I was totally against WLS for me as an option.. When my doctor asked me if I wanted the surgery I told him HELL NO!! I would do every thing I was asked to do by him and the dietician and whoever else but I was doing this naturally or die trying.... You really have to be in the right mindset to do this.... I don't know the statistics but I would have to say it is in the single percentages of people that can lose 200-300-400 lbs, on their own and keep it off. And for the majority of those people the WLS in the beginning probably looks like the easier option... Little do they know it is NOT and is why alot of them fail because they never tackle the real reasons they got that big to begin with...

A life long friend that had Gastric bypass and lost 200 lbs. and I followed her journey on facebook a couple years ago and was doing so good at her weightloss and exercise had been distant the last year and I had not seen much posted from her until a few weeks ago she said she was moving back home (lived in Missouri the last 10 years) and didn't give a reason why... She called me Friday (knows I am an IT.Computer nerd) and asked if I could fix her laptop and she stopped over and to my horror she has put back on all of her 200lbs, lost and I would say another 50-60lbs. on top of that.. Seeing me she lost it in the driveway, She is so ashamed of failing and seeing my success (even though she is really happy for me and my success) and when I asked her what happened she said she never fixed the mental side of the journey. She never addressed her severe depression, her childhood issues that cause her to eat to hide her problems and even though she experienced so much success in the beginning it wasn't enough... I sat in this very recliner with a loaded handgun for 3 days back in 2009, trying to think of a way to blow my brains out and not leave a mess for my family to come home too, on the 3rd day I realized that was not going to be possible, I accepted I had a major problem, and had that AHA moment and put the gun down and start working to fix the problem...

I can tell you it was nothing short of climbing my own Mt. Everest but I went about it the right way getting to heart of my problems, working through them and taking my progress in steps and finally overcoming my weight issues... So when I say they use weight loss surgery as the easy way out I don't want you or anyone to think I mean that in the sense that it often gets taken out of context in other threads on here. I simply mean when you weigh 500+ lbs. that surgery is looked upon (atleast from my view) as a quick fix so that I would not have to put in all the effect it would take to lose 300+ lbs. but in the end there is NO EASY WAY OUT.... You will have to work your *kitten* off regardless end of story....... Best of Luck

Thank you for this Ed!

I didn't even get close to this kind of weight. But allow me to say that I can totally understand that depression and mental trauma can do that to a soul. And I am so utterly glad for you that you managed to get your head on right.

For me I lost someone at a young age in a violent fashion. The experience was so traumatic that I didn't even remember it until about a two years ago. But I think it had always been sitting there. All my life I had been paralyzed by a constant nagging fear of imminent death because of it. And my personal depression and overeating where coping mechanisms. I was literally eating to feel alive. My recovery didn't begin really until I remembered the incident. Took me a couple of years even then to sort it all out in my head. After that weight loss and living healthier and cleaner just sort of clicked into place. I didn't need coping mechanisms anymore. I was ready to stand alone. I share this story because so many just assume that everyone is fat because they want to be. They assume that people reach for food out of slovenly greed instead of out of a desperate need for something to pleasure or comfort them because those things are so needed or missing from their lives. Being fat is often labelled as a cause of many horrible conditions and diseases. But it is often itself a symptom of a thorn carried in the heart.

Mrs_Waddlez

I had the lapband surgery in 2011, because I was 21 years old, couldn't barley walk and was borderline diabetes. Everytime I tried to lose the weight on my own, I was successful...but I would eventually gain it back. The lappand prevented me from gaining back...at first. With that being said....It was the biggest mistake of my life. I lost 75lbs, gained and eating disorder and got so sick I couldn't swallow water. I had it removed last year. I am back to my original weight. I am now doing it on my own...but hoping I can keep it off this time. Most people have these surgeries because you can lose weight fast, and sometimes people do not have a year to wait. It isn't an easy fix... I exercised a lot. Please be mindful when you post, it can come off very offensive.

uniquexbritt

People have weight loss surgery because of their health. Usually from high blood pressure. If their health is at severe risk, doctors tell them they need surgery.

Meerataila

Life is hard enough as it is. Do we really need to make it worse for people by judging them? We ALL have imperfections and struggles.

Next you'll want humans to stop exploiting and killing each other.

Then what will we have left to watch on TV?

lalaruggles

I am scheduled to have gastric-bypass surgery in October. I have been working towards this goal since January. I have gone thru numerous medical tests, (heart ultra sound, upper gi, endoscope) and psych evals and have worked with 2 different dietitians. I was hurt 4 years ago and have not been able to exercise since. I found out in Feb that I could swim. I now do laps for an hour, 3-5 times a week. I also attend a water exercise class a couple of times a week. I have been in a wheelchair for the past 4 years. Even with watching calories and doing what dietitians have said to do and the exercise, I have only lost 31 lbs, since January! I am very frustrated with working so hard to lose weight, but not getting it to come off as much as I think it should.

Since January, I have given up yellow cheese, white rice, flour products, pasta, and carbonated drinks. I also don't drink alcoholic beverages. I eat 6 small meals a day, with more protein than anything else. I drink protein shakes also. I am on a 1100 calorie diet now and honestly it is VERY hard to stick to. Most days I do make it, but I feel like I am starving. Some days I do give into that and go up to 1300 or 1400 calories.

I need to lose 140 lbs. I have high blood pressure, diabetes 2 and thyroid deficiency. I also have a severely damaged right leg and even with two major reconstructive surgeries, I cannot walk much. When I have the surgery, I have been told by 2 drs that my diabetes 2 will go away, even before losing the weight. The surgery is a tool. It is supposed to help you not be hungry. I am hoping that works! I have been paying attention to why I am feeling hungry. Am I bored? Am I using food because I feel lonely, depressed or am I really hungry?

I have fought my weight all my adult life. I have tried all the diets and while I can usually lose 30-40lbs, I have never been able to get over that 40lb mark. The surgery will be a life style change. I am willing to make that change to lose the amount of weight I NEED to lose!!

SunofaBeach14

Life is hard enough as it is. Do we really need to make it worse for people by judging them? We ALL have imperfections and struggles.

Next you'll want humans to stop exploiting and killing each other.

Then what will we have left to watch on TV?

Food porn?

Froody2

I've known many people who have had WLS including myself. It is really hard for me to see people with the attitude that you describes. It almost always indicates that the person will not be successful with the surgery. I had a friend who went to an all you can eat chicken place right before her bypass. Guess what? She had a VERY hard time sticking with her post surgery diet and before long was eating all of the wrong foods for weight loss. Last time I saw her she was nearly up to her original size and could eat a dozen chicken wings with bleu cheese dressing for a snack.

I had another friend who had it and never learned to cook for himself, never embraced exercise and ate from McDonald's twice every day albeit in smaller portions, following his surgery. He has regained over 200 pounds.

Fortunately there are many others who don't follow this pattern. I did a doctor supervised 800 calorie VLCD for 13 weeks prior to my surgery and stuck with it faithfully. Even BEFORE that I was eating healthily and exercising. On the day of my surgery I was down 70 pounds from my original weight. People ask me, "well if you could lose 70 pounds on your own then you obviously don't need surgery, so why go through with it" My answer is simple, I have lost 70 pounds and even more than that in the past and gain it all back. For me weight loss is like telling yourself you're only going to breathe four breaths each minute. You can do it.. For a while. If you put all your focus into it. I had constant nagging hunger. I felt like I was starving all the time. It was more than my willpower could conquer over the long haul.

You want to call it an excuse, go ahead, I don't care. I know it was something I needed help with. So I got VSG surgery to remove my excessive hunger from the equation without affecting nutrient or calorie absorption. Now I can make a good meal choice and eat a few ounces of chicken, a bit of veg, and 1/4 of a potato and feel very satisfied. Before I'd eat a piece of chicken, a few servings of veg and I wouldn't feel satisfied without a heaping portion of starch.... and while I'd be eating it, I'd be thinking about my next meal. Now I just have hunger like a normal person and feel satisfied after eating a reasonable portion of food. It's a wonderful feeling not obsessing about food all the time and not having constant nagging hunger and urges to eat. I think I deserve this feeling. I'm happy with my decision. It's the best thing I've ever done for myself.

Weight loss surgery will NOT make you magically lose and maintain your weight. If you approach it like it will, then you'll find yourself as somebody's anecdotal "I know someone who gained it all back and more" story. What weight loss surgery CAN be is an aid to help you stick with a calorie deficit so you can lose weight. It might reduce your hunger so you can more easily resist cravings. It will reduce the amount of food you need to eat to feel satisfied. It will not prevent you from snacking, drinking frozen milkshakes, eating gallons of cake frosting, overeating to the point of pain, drinking high calorie beverages etc.. It will not drive you to the gym or tie your workout shoes for you.

Thank you for sharing. I agree with everything you've said, especially about weight regain - 95% of the people posting in this thread are doomed to regain the weight they've lost. Except for people who've had WLS, their losses stay off for longer (statistically speaking).

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa066254#t=articleTop


Just to clarify, I haven't had surgery but I'd totally consider it if I regain what I've lost in a few years time, as I have many times before. Obesity sucks and shortens your life, end of story.



.

Fraileya19

There are many reasons why someone chooses to get WLS, none of which are any of mine or anyone else's business.

I wish they had like buttons! I agree with you, its none of our business.

klaff411

You know how people filing bankruptcy go out and start maxing out their credit cards? (Losers) Same basic concept. I would say that with few exceptions (because there are medical necessities sometimes), people don't want to put the work in. This site shows hundreds of people who have lost 200- 300 pounds so it proves WORKING it, it CAN be done.

Hey. I don't think that's a good analogy. Financial problems are not always in a persons control. People lose their jobs and can go into a spiral to avoid becoming homeless. I wouldn't call someone who had money problems a "loser" unless you know the circumstances. Where as you have pretty much have 100% control of what goes in your mouth. Probably one of the only things in life you do have control.

Man you got a lot of gumption calling someone (or a company) a loser because they file bankruptcy. I guess you forgot about the subprime mortgage crisis and the recession.

LINIA

People who have WLS are to be admired for being brave enough to realize " hey, I'm worth it". WLS is not the easy way out:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/01/health/irpt-weight-loss-shannon-britton/index.html?c=homepage-t&page=1

symba1130

The surgery is a tool.

This...
I think whatever "tool" you need to make it work for you is the avenue you should go.
If the same method worked for everyone, we would all be healthy!