Thoughts on surgery for weight loss? Gastric by-pass, stapling.
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I have people in my life who've had it done.
You couldn't pay me to do it...no way no how.
It isn't a quick fix, it isn't easy.
I've watched them lose the weight fast...guess what that means...skin surgery later if they can. Compression garments, weakness, no exercise or very little.
And guess what some (can't remember the stat) gain the weight back as they haven't dealt with the underlying issues.
Again...you couldn't pay me to do that.0 -
I have had it recommended to me in the past and even went on the waiting list to have it performed, but in preparation I changed my eating habits on my own and the weight started coming off consistently without any surgery. I made myself inactive on the waiting list because I was going to wait this thing out and see how long I could keep it up. A year and a half and nearly 130 lbs later I'm still going and I'm very glad I didn't go down the surgery road.0
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You lost three hundred pounds on your own and then had surgery? Am I reading that right?
Not on my own - I had a counselor who held me accountable. He worked with me on the issues that contributed to my maladaptive eating behavior. I followed a very strict low carb diet since I was completely immobile. Walking just 20 feet was nearly impossible. My spouse had left me after I had nearly died many years prior and it triggered my eating disorder.0 -
As someone who is underweight and seems to have developed a rather unhealthy relationship with food, I'm curious what your goal was for this thread.0
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If they need the surgery due to severe health issues that may not be resolved by losing weight naturally then yes, I think surgery should be an option. If they are doing it because they are to lazy to do what it takes to lose weight and be healthy it doesn't matter because they will just end up fat again anyways because they haven't learned what it will take to keep the weight off in the first place.0
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BitterGrace wrote: »You lost three hundred pounds on your own and then had surgery? Am I reading that right?
Not on my own - I had a counselor who held me accountable. He worked with me on the issues that contributed to my maladaptive eating behavior. I followed a very strict low carb diet since I was completely immobile. Walking just 20 feet was nearly impossible. My spouse had left me after I had nearly died many years prior and it triggered my eating disorder.
Why would you undergo WLS after you lost 300 pounds naturally?0 -
BitterGrace wrote: »You lost three hundred pounds on your own and then had surgery? Am I reading that right?
Not on my own - I had a counselor who held me accountable. He worked with me on the issues that contributed to my maladaptive eating behavior. I followed a very strict low carb diet since I was completely immobile. Walking just 20 feet was nearly impossible. My spouse had left me after I had nearly died many years prior and it triggered my eating disorder.
Congratulations on your amazing success!
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I can see where you're coming from, but I feel sad for anyone who gets into that state. I guess they're 'cheating the system' when they can accelerate their weight loss, but then they've probably lived an unhappier life than they might have had for years.
If it can get people on track then good for them. It would still take a lot if time and effort to get to a good size. Plus they'll have excess skin and other issues to deal with.
I'd rather stay in control of my weight than eat everything I ever wanted and then go though that0 -
My niece - in her early 20s - was told by her physician that if she did not have weight loss surgery she would die young. She had been obese her entire life. The surgical option was not an "easy way out." There are a lot of changes that must be made to one's lifestyle - including eating very small amounts of liquified food, daily vitamins, high amounts of protein and daily exercise. It is a lifestyle change, too. It is not a decision to be taken lightly and requires psychological counseling. Approximately one year after surgery she has reached her goal weight.0
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I watch my 600 lb life - a show where super morbidly obese people are documented while they undergo surgery, lose weight and attempt to save their lives. I watch it because the success stories are encouraging and emotional. The thing that I can never really wrap my head around is that fact that nearly all of them are told by the doctor that they need to lose 50-60 lbs before they are considered for surgery and most of them do. If you can lose 60 lbs on your own, why rearrange your insides, putting yourself at risk for hernias and vitamin deficiencies? Why not just continue to work on it naturally?
That being said, I don't think it's "a quick fix" in any way shape or form.0 -
I know 4 ppl that have had some kind of weightloss surgery ..each one of them have said they wish they never had it done they have had alot of health problems since having it done .one messed up her stomach by eating more than she should have another one kidneys are failing now and she cant eat anything without getting sick ...everybody has a right to do what they feel is best for them0
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BitterGrace wrote: »I had weight loss surgery recently, and it has made things immeasurably easier. I eat between 500-1000 calories a day (800 on average) and I am never hungry or miserable. It makes everything so much better in general. The surgeries often reset the metabolism. The mechanisms for this are not quite understood. But, for example, my fasting blood sugar went from 180 to 83 two days after surgery. Even just fasting will not do that. It has been 100% normal ever since.
As for easy, it's not easy at all. You need six months of attempts at weight loss before a surgeon will do it. Additionally, insurance requires a psychiatric approval, about eight tests involving a heart test, a lung test, sometimes a colonoscopy and an endoscopy, etc. Then you must make several appointments with a nutritionist before and after. There are often severe complications with the more detailed surgeries. It is definitely not easy.
I track everything that I eat in terms of volume because overeating damages my stomach. I have to get between 75g-90g of protein a day and drink 64+ ounces of water. With a stomach that holds only two ounces that takes a lot of time management. Many of the surgeries also require you to permanently take vitamins for the rest of your life.
Is it worth it if you are morbidly obese? Absolutely. Easy way out? Absolutely not.
This is exactly what my loved one went through with their surgery. It was literally a 7-year process to actually do it. One doesn't just decide "Oh I can't do it anymore so I'll just get surgery". There's so many facets to the process. So many appointments, tests, and evaluations. And for people who have serious health risks because of their morbid obesity, there's even more to think about.
Edit: It was a 7-year process because my loved one decided the first time that it wasn't the right time. Turns out it was a good decision because the docs suggested lap band, which now has been found to have problems. And the 2nd time around, they had to go through the ENTIRE process again in order to be approved for surgery (this time the gastric sleeve).0 -
I have very mixed feelings about WLS. I definitely don't think it's "the easy way out" because I think it creates a whole host of different problems - maybe better, maybe worse - than being obese. For some, I think it's a life-saving choice, but in all cases, it's a decision best left to the doctor and patient to decide together and there needs to be a frank discussion about all benefits and risks. I think a good doctor should require a WLS candidate to have both nutrition and psychological counseling ahead of the surgery. Both to understand the risks and ramifications of the surgery and how to eat in a healthy sustainable way after the surgery. I know several people close to me who have had WLS surgery (my SIL, my college roommate and my mother's best friend). All three are at least 5-years post surgery. Only one of them has been successful long-term and I believe she is the one that had the most counseling/help prior to the surgery. While only one of them has kept the weight off, all three have lingering issues related to the WLS. Some minor and some not. I know three people is very, very far from a scientific study, but based on just that limited sample, WLS doesn't appear to have any better success rate than just plain old diet and exercise.0
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levitateme wrote: »I watch my 600 lb life - a show where super morbidly obese people are documented while they undergo surgery, lose weight and attempt to save their lives. I watch it because the success stories are encouraging and emotional. The thing that I can never really wrap my head around is that fact that nearly all of them are told by the doctor that they need to lose 50-60 lbs before they are considered for surgery and most of them do. If you can lose 60 lbs on your own, why rearrange your insides, putting yourself at risk for hernias and vitamin deficiencies? Why not just continue to work on it naturally?
That being said, I don't think it's "a quick fix" in any way shape or form.
That's a great question, and one I often ask myself. I think it's mostly that these people are desperate for the tool they think will be most successful - and I think the initial weight loss is prescribed merely to be a test of their mental dedication.
I don't necessarily agree with the surgery, and when I was heavy enough to qualify for it, I chose to go the natural route (diet and some exercise). That being said, if my mom wanted to sign up for it, I'd be all for it, and would support her. It's one tool in a giant tool box. IMO, just because someone's hoping for a little help in achieving a deficit doesn't mean they're looking for a short cut. (Although - speaking of "My 600 Pound Life," it's obvious that some are. I've seen the doctor on that show reject patients for that very reason.)0 -
Had the bypass myself. It is a good thing to take weight loss classes and lose weight before surgery, because we learn the skills that will be required to be successful post-surgery. This includes addressing those habits or hindrances (eating disorders) that might prevent success.
@BitterGrace , bravo for your courageous enterprise towards health and strength. I salute you.
I am a little disappointed that the OP developed some opinions from some show, which very likely had a slant to it. Is WLS a trend? Does anyone consider this surgery without sober consideration?
There was a lovely girl in my weight loss therapy group that was in her twenties and her weight was killing her. She was essentially a shut-in. Just because she is young and hasn't perhaps tried hard "enough" for some folks, I don't think that this surgery should be denied her. Her parents had her on diets since she was quite young, by the way.0 -
Ultimately the choice is up to the individual... with that said, there are some things to think about first.
I know several people who have had surgery done for weight loss. A few of them now have more health issues than they had prior to surgery. (Heart problems being a main issue). Yes they look great, but there are risks involved. Get as much info as you can before deciding; pros AND cons.0 -
Had the bypass myself. It is a good thing to take weight loss classes and lose weight before surgery, because we learn the skills that will be required to be successful post-surgery. This includes addressing those habits or hindrances (eating disorders) that might prevent success.
@BitterGrace , bravo for your courageous enterprise towards health and strength. I salute you.
I am a little disappointed that the OP developed some opinions from some show, which very likely had a slant to it. Is WLS a trend? Does anyone consider this surgery without sober consideration?
There was a lovely girl in my weight loss therapy group that was in her twenties and her weight was killing her. She was essentially a shut-in. Just because she is young and hasn't perhaps tried hard "enough" for some folks, I don't think that this surgery should be denied her. Her parents had her on diets since she was quite young, by the way.
From what I understand no one can make this decision without sober consideration. At least when insurance is involved you must meet a strict list of criteria to be considered for coverage. My Dr. suggested WLS to me last year. I decided to try to lose weight through diet & exercise after seeing several friends & family members suffer from the terrible after effects of WLS. I also didn't think the risk from the surgery was worth it.
That being said, I have a neighbor who has lost most of her mobility due her extreme obesity. I think the surgery could be a good idea for her because she can't even really exercise at this point. I would think that WLS would help her with the hunger, which I don't care what people say, when you're not used to being hungry it's a sickening feeling with an easy fix. I don't think it's an easy choice at all. There are many, many risks involved and a lot of pain, from what I understand, but for some I think it's kind of a last resort.0 -
I can only speak for myself. It would not be the right thing for me to do because:
1. I can and have lost weight using diet and exercise.
2. I hate surgery more than I hate diet and exercise.
3. I know people who have side effects of the surgery that are more unpleasant to me than diet and exercise.
4. I gain great personal satisfaction from losing weight via diet and exercise.0 -
BitterGrace wrote: »Thank you for sharing this. I appreciate hearing about it, and learning. WLS is not in my horizon but it's something that I have pondered about if I was unable to stop binge eating (have ocd behaviours/anxiety/compulsive eating).
I put it off for six years until I could lose a few hundred pounds on my own and get my binge eating under control via counseling. You can definitely lose weight without it! Everyone needs the tool that works best for them. Good luck in your journey!The majority of surgeons require a psychological evaluation to determine if you have the willpower to do it. They refuse to do the surgery if you cannot control your eating habits.
@BitterGrace thanks for sharing your story.
I'm confused about why the surgery is needed if you've demonstrated you have the ability to lose weight without it.0 -
christinev297 wrote: »I think I would try everything else humanly possible before resorting to weight loss surgery.
From what I've read, it is a major and painful procedure that can have many complications.
The people who think it's an easy quick fix maybe haven't researched it enough, or are getting the rose coloured glasses version from their doctor.
Me trying everything else humanly possible first is my philosophy regarding all surgery 0 -
I only know one person, an aunt, who has had this done. She lost soe weight before hand or they wouldn't do it. After the procedure she lost a lot of weight and got into the normal weight range, then the weight crept back on. Now she is just as big as she used to be, she just eats less at a time.
You would think it would be cheaper to put people on a medically supervised diet than to do surgey.
I'm not a fan.0 -
annacsophia wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »BitterGrace wrote: »Thank you for sharing this. I appreciate hearing about it, and learning. WLS is not in my horizon but it's something that I have pondered about if I was unable to stop binge eating (have ocd behaviours/anxiety/compulsive eating).
I put it off for six years until I could lose a few hundred pounds on my own and get my binge eating under control via counseling. You can definitely lose weight without it! Everyone needs the tool that works best for them. Good luck in your journey!The majority of surgeons require a psychological evaluation to determine if you have the willpower to do it. They refuse to do the surgery if you cannot control your eating habits.
@BitterGrace thanks for sharing your story.
I'm confused about why the surgery is needed if you've demonstrated you have the ability to lose weight without it.
Because obese people lose and gain weight many, many times in their life. Maintenance is part of the issue with many that are morbidly obese.
From her wording, I took it as she lost 300lbs and then got WLS to continue losing weight, not because she gained it all back.
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FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »Why would you undergo WLS after you lost 300 pounds naturally?
I had several metabolic issues that were not reduced with losing weight on my own. I also have three autoimmune disorders, one of which is arthritic. That combined with morbid obesity is bad, to say the least. I also began to have a lot of issues with weight loss. I wasn't gaining, but it slowed to a crawl, and I was starving all the time at 900-1000 calories. I was starving so badly it was driving me insane. When we raised calories or added exercise it froze for weeks at a time. When I dropped below 1800 calories pre-surgery I would literally go crazy and obsess about food. Now, I have binge eating disorder, so this would then trigger a binge. While not as bad as before my weight loss started, even once every two weeks is defeating and makes you feel full of fail.
Surgery was basically a switch that immediately shut it off... frankly, it was worth that alone. I no longer think about food 24 hours a day. I no longer starve incessantly. I ate 663 calories yesterday and wasn't starving in the least. Weight loss is also far faster and medically monitored - I've lost nearly 22 pounds since June 22nd.
Psychologically, it is very helpful for me to know that I literally can no longer over eat. It's very easy when we have an addiction to justify it. Surgery put a very concrete boundary in my mind that I am extremely grateful for.0 -
annacsophia wrote: »Because obese people lose and gain weight many, many times in their life. Maintenance is part of the issue with many that are morbidly obese.
I have never regained weight. My highest weight was over 700 pounds. I was able to lose those hundreds of pounds with counseling and a very strict low-carb diet.
Maintenance is absolutely an issue for those who are or were morbidly obese. I feel that obesity is a symptom of other issues, and if we do not resolve those issues we will revert back to horrible habits. In my case, severe trauma triggered an addiction and a very bad attitude on my part. Since I started taking care of that I lost 300 pounds, came off disability, and now work 80 hours a week while in grad school.
It is possible to overcome on your own. As for me, I needed mental and behavioral support to help put my addiction into remission, and I have zero problem admitting that.
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kshama2001 wrote: »Me trying everything else humanly possible first is my philosophy regarding all surgery
Absolutely 100%! It is definitely not for everyone! And it's quite possible to lose without surgery! Everyone must find out what tools work best for them. A lot of folks do well on the pre-diet and then do not get surgery because they keep the momentum going with good support which is fabulous in my book.
I think if we had more comprehensive behavioral health/nutritional centers and also worked on prevention for people that have eating disorders or signs of food addiction that fewer people would have weight loss surgery. I myself had no idea it was so common, but I literally run into someone wherever I go who has had it. It's uncanny. I figured I was in the minority.
For me, surgery was a last resort after many years of weight loss and contemplation, and nearly a year of discussing it with my PCP doctor while monitoring my diet with a nutritionist.0 -
I watched a show recently about young people and the increasing acceptance on invasive surgery as a means to lose weight.
I suppose for an extremely morbidly obese person whose life is in mortal danger such a surgery could be argued as a necessity.
Some of the reasons the young, otherwise fairly healthy (meaning they are fat because their own doing) gave were in my opinion, troubling.
Some were like:
"Oh I did try to exercise a couple of times but I felt self-conscious of exercising in front of people with all my fats jiggling"
"Oh I did try to go on a diet and tried every diet, but I was just so SO hungry and kept eating"
"Oh I just didn't want to take so much time to lose weight and to be healthy"
I've heard and read about people who had these surgeries and physically couldn't eat, but still had the cravings and the urge because much of these things are emotional as much as it is physical, and they would blend oreos, junk food, oil, fried chicken and suck it up through a straw to get it in their system just to get pass the physical restriction of their small stomachs! So they still ended up gaining weight!
Everyone is different and I don't think I should judge, but what are your opinions on people taking the "easy way out" to have surgery for a 'quick fix' to the problem, and does the problem actually go away through these methods?
I don't agree with it. I think its a complete lazy copout. It shouldn't even be done. Only 5% of the surgeries are successful long term anyhow. so really its an irresponsible allocation of healthcare funds.0 -
newfutures wrote: »
I don't agree with it. I think its a complete lazy copout. It shouldn't even be done. Only 5% of the surgeries are successful long term anyhow. so really its an irresponsible allocation of healthcare funds.
I'm curious as to what makes it lazy. I see a nutritionist, make meal plans, record and measure everything I eat by volume including tastes/licks/etc of things, exercise an hour a day, and attend counseling once a week. How precisely is that lazy?
You are also grossly misinformed by the statistics. Psychology research is my current trade and I actively do research. I'm curious where you got this 5% from. More like 5-10% of people who diet regain weight in general, not merely surgery-related. Here is a scientific and peer-reviewed example of success rates due to the gastric bypass surgery:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1421028/
"This study of isolated gastric bypass with a 5.5-year follow-up rate of 88.6% revealed a success rate of 93% in obese or morbidly obese patients and 57% in super-obese patients. Isolated gastric bypass compares favorably with biliopancreatic diversion in terms of weight loss, maximum weight loss, weight regain, current body-mass index, and percentage of patients with a body-mass index less than 35 kg/m2."
Given that, the actual treatment failure rate was 43%, which is much lower than traditional dieting's failure rate. Even my anti-surgery former nutritionist admitted that 90% of people who attempt to diet and exercise for weight loss fail. That's a staggering difference in numbers, there, for it being ineffective.
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BitterGrace wrote: »FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »Why would you undergo WLS after you lost 300 pounds naturally?
I had several metabolic issues that were not reduced with losing weight on my own. I also have three autoimmune disorders, one of which is arthritic. That combined with morbid obesity is bad, to say the least. I also began to have a lot of issues with weight loss. I wasn't gaining, but it slowed to a crawl, and I was starving all the time at 900-1000 calories. I was starving so badly it was driving me insane. When we raised calories or added exercise it froze for weeks at a time. When I dropped below 1800 calories pre-surgery I would literally go crazy and obsess about food. Now, I have binge eating disorder, so this would then trigger a binge. While not as bad as before my weight loss started, even once every two weeks is defeating and makes you feel full of fail.
Surgery was basically a switch that immediately shut it off... frankly, it was worth that alone. I no longer think about food 24 hours a day. I no longer starve incessantly. I ate 663 calories yesterday and wasn't starving in the least. Weight loss is also far faster and medically monitored - I've lost nearly 22 pounds since June 22nd.
Psychologically, it is very helpful for me to know that I literally can no longer over eat. It's very easy when we have an addiction to justify it. Surgery put a very concrete boundary in my mind that I am extremely grateful for.
I have binge eating issues and the incessant non-stop obsess about food if you feel you can't get something. The main issue for me though is that after I had gallbladder surgery I had side effects of severe IBS (but not lose weight because of my intake). There were days I felt like I was going to die. Well, they don't know if it's IBS but alike to some undiagnosed major stomach and bowel issues. I couldn't go anywhere. I couldn't leave the house. I felt so sick I would lay down exhausted from being bathroom sick. Then I was put on a low fodmap diet to try to help, change up some meds I was on that might have contributed and had improvement right away. The key is knowing that I CAN'T or else I will be VERY sick (binge eating) and I don't want to go back to that. Seriously, if there was no danger to me stopping-I don't feel I could stop eating etc. So, I totally understand that the WLS gave you that option. To know inherently you CAN"T do that again (how you were eating) or else "danger" of some sort.0 -
newfutures wrote: »
I don't agree with it. I think its a complete lazy copout. It shouldn't even be done. Only 5% of the surgeries are successful long term anyhow. so really its an irresponsible allocation of healthcare funds.
I have a friend who paid for the surgery herself. I don't think you can assume it's "an irresponsible allocation of healthcare funds" when not everyone even lives in the same country on on this page. Also, being morbidly obese most likely means countless appts for medical issues, pain etc anyways so the WLS might be more cost-effective in the long run.
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