Bariatric surgery or lose weight without it?

I have a friend that is having her surgery on June 11th and I said the same thing! the surgery is a quick fix and she would lose weight if she followed the plan anyways! Doesnt seem worth it to me to be sick more times than not after eating something! I completley agree with you im not going to let her get skinny and me still be fat but im doing it the natural way!

Bariatric surgery comes with big risks; it's one of the riskiest operations going. Both my older sister and my aunt had the surgery, and successfully lost weight without any dire consequences; my sister regained almost all of her weight.. Alarmingly, though, my sister's current doctor can find no evidence, not even scar tissue, that she ever had gastric bypass surgery - he thought her medical charts were wrong! It seems that her stomach had essentially "come undone" and healed itself. It could very well have ended her life. That's one of the biggest problems I see with it. I know two people who have died from complications very similar to my sister's.
Another problem I see with a surgical fix is that there's only one way to gain weight (outside of a few rare genetic conditions), and that is to consume more than you use. Unless you can identify the reasons you chose to do that, and know that you are in control of those things, how would you know you wouldn't put yourself at risk following surgery by eating more than you should, or buy eating in a way that creates malnourishment? If I'm not feeling up to making the right nutritional choices, it's just as easy to fill up on ice cream as on cauliflower.
I'm 47, 5'4' and stay between 250-260 pounds. I'm also recently diagnosed with type II diabetes which runs in my family. My aunht and my sister both share that bloodline, and neither of them have developed diabetes. Diabetes is the only thing which would make me consider surgery. For as yet undetermined reasons, gastric bypass seems to "heal" diabetes. Scientists aren't sure whether it's a rebalance of gut microbes following the surgery, or if it's related to the extreme diet followed after surgery. Except for diabetes, my health is good, and I've always been physically active.
Yeah, there's probably something in my metabolism or genes that makes it easier for me to gain weight than it is for some others, but the reason for my weight is my behavior. Unless I had comorbidities which threatened my life, I can't see considering surgery - to me it almost feels like cheating. I want to be proud of myself for making the right choices and doing what's best for me, I think I NEED that, and I think surgery would take that away.
Just my opinion, but I think you're on the right track. There's a Japanese doctor who has had some success (very small study, only 11 people) controlling diabetes and wieght loss with an extreme crash diet which lowers fatty deposits in the liver and pancreas. I think that's where I'm going as soon as I can find a doctor willing to supervise me. I'm not foolhardy, and diabetes makes extreme dietary changes a little riskier.
Best of luck!

@Jeb...I'm diabetic, got myself off of insulin with diet and excercise...PLEASE research Bitter Melon, cinnamon, Banaba leaf, and Colius forskholin.....combined, they honestly changed my diabetic life.

Disclaimer: I have had the sleeve and am doing FABULOUS. I see a therapist and am working through my food issues so that this surgery will be a lifelong success.

That being said, if you have reservations about it and feel you can do it on your own, then for sure that's what you should do.

HOWEVER, when you talk about "eating like you had the surgery", gee, don't you think people who have had to resort to surgery have tried that and failed? 90% of people who have had WLS have tried everything under the sun and are having surgery in a last ditch effort to save their own lives. Not very many people have 75-85% of their stomach removed on a whim. Nobody in their right mind has their guts rearranged and risks malabsorptive (sp?) issues, which are very unpleasant.

I applaud people who can do it without surgery, I do, but please don't think people who have had surgery haven't tried it all.

Hello fellow Arizonan :flowerforyou:
Set your mind to it, stick within your calorie (etc) range and weigh, measure & log everything.
It IS doable to lose the weight on your own.

My husbands friend just had the gastric sleeve. He ended up having major complications. He got a major infection and also had part of the suture where they removed part of the stomach rupture. He had to have at least 2 extra surgeries. He has been out of work for four months and will be out at least 3 more. I think diet and exercise is the way to go. Also, because our insurance wouldn't cover his surgery and it was an elective surgery they won't pay for any of the medical care for the complications.

Def Listen to the 'voice inside you'!! Before mfp i was 234#'s (at 5'4") and i almost went for gastric sleeve or band..
but didnt.. I joined mfp and lost 41 pounds in 4mo! a friend of mine (same height as me) and weighed 280 got gastric sleeve AND band.. and lost wt SLOWER then me... and is still at only 40 #'s wt loss (same as me/non surgical) and her dang stomach is CUT IN HALF WITH A BAND around IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! :indifferent:
and she had NO INSURANCE and spent 14 grand on this surgery!! yes.. cash..
and she is just like :grumble: you lost faster then me.. where im at basically NON surgery.. im like yep!
and I workout all the time and she never does.. super lazy and didnt change her eating.. besides maybe less.. but now she tells me 9mo after surgery that she can eat a whole hour grazing if she wants.. and she hasnt lost wt in months..!
and this is GASTRIC SLEEVE AND BAND...

I am diabetic, type II. Was diagnosed about 5 years ago. Was controlling it with medication, but now I am on insulin 4 times a day and STILL have high glucose levels. Could you give me more details about the herbs you described as changing your diabetic life? I am SOOO scared. I have been on MFP for 2 months....gained 4 pounds. I am overwhelmed with counting carbs, calories, glucose levels and insulin injections. Any insight you have would be greatly appreciated. I am 5'2" and weigh 245.

Check out the "Type 2 Diabetes Support Group". It's awesome! Lots of people there to help answer questions.

Please don't have the surgery! I know people that did, and they had digestive problems and other complications from the surgery for the rest of their lives!