FDA approves stomach pump

Nearly every post I've read in this thread is based on emotional reaction alone. If it's just not for you, if you morally object, if it grosses you out, if it'd cause you to relapse into your previous diagnosed ED, no problem. Don't ever consider it as an option.

As for posts assuming it's a permanent medical device with a high unsupervised abuse potential, it is not:

Patients require frequent monitoring by a health care provider to shorten the tube as they lose weight and abdominal girth, so that the disk remains flush against their skin. Frequent medical visits are also necessary to monitor device use and weight loss and to provide counseling on lifestyle therapies. The device also has a safety feature that keeps track of the number of times the drain tube is connected to the port and automatically stops working after 115 cycles (approximately five to six weeks of therapy); patients must return for a medical visit to get a replacement part for the device in order to continue the therapy. This safety feature helps ensure patients use the device properly during therapy.

Source: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm506625.htm

This is not a "fix it and forget it" surgical procedure. Sounds to me like it's a far more comprehensive, with far more frequent, continued, and hands one medical intervention post-op, than any other current physician assisted weight loss program.

From a medical standpoint, I think it is wonderful news. I'm happy to hear it was approved as now there's one more tool in the kit for medical professionals for those who meet the criteria and pass the vetting process without resorting to permanent surgical intervention.

It is not mechanical bulimia. You can't just eat and purge you have to spend time to chew your food to pump your stomach. If you eat and flush too often you will not be able to connect the device to your stomach. If you try to use it as mechanical bulimia you will gain weight because it empties a 3rd. of your stomach. Also your stomach will stretch causing pressure and some pain because you are streching the tube (its cut to lay flat on your belly) that will force you to lose weight to stop that feeling. The device was not made for binging and purging anyone with that mindset shouldn't use it.

GuineaKitty wrote: »

It is not mechanical bulimia. You can't just eat and purge you have to spend time to chew your food to pump your stomach. If you eat and flush too often you will not be able to connect the device to your stomach. If you try to use it as mechanical bulimia you will gain weight because it empties a 3rd. of your stomach. Also your stomach will stretch causing pressure and some pain because you are streching the tube (its cut to lay flat on your belly) that will force you to lose weight to stop that feeling. The device was not made for binging and purging anyone with that mindset shouldn't use it.

Bulimics don't chew their food???

singingflutelady wrote: »

I just don't see how it will help anyone except during the months it is in place. It can be life saving for a bit but shouldn't we be concerned with long term success? I guess the problem is so new they haven't figured it out yet. Back in the day they used to put lots of anorexics on feeding tubes to gain weight quickly but they realized that most will just lose it quickly after it is stopped because it didn't teach them anything. Now they only use them short term and if you were so sick you will die tomorrow if you didn't have one.

So yeah implant it in near death morbidly obese but know it is only a quick fix and the likelihood that they'll become as big if not bigger or develop bulimia (which can very well be deadly) is high. Once that happens I guess it's back to doctor approved purging.

Even most of the morbidly obese are hardly "near death". They are at significantly higher risk relative to the general population, but their absolute risk is still not incredibly high. It's like smoking - smoking definitely greatly increases risk of lung cancer, but even so, the vast majority of lifelong smokers will never get cancer.

Losing weight is definitely a major health improvement that the morbidly obese can make, but most aren't in imminent danger of rapid death.