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More people need to get educated on weight loss surgery.
Replies
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I think the comments prove the OPs point that people do not know much about WLS.
The thinking that people get weight loss surgery and just go back to their regular lives is false on so many level. WLS patients are weighing, tracking, and regulating their food from the day that they leave the hospital. There are specific guidelines that they follow through all stages post op. There are regular post op visits to watch vitamin levels, look at the patients weight loss/gain, check their food logs,etc. WLS patients do learn about nutrition and fitness for long term success. There is also a large community of support in the WLS community. Most programs have in person support groups and there are so many online forums and conferences. Of course a patient can choose to ignore all the rules and never go for their checkups and gain the weight back but almost everyone I have met in the WLS community is dedicated completely to their health, nutrition, and exercise. I have yet to meet someone in person who regrets the surgery, even those who did have considerable amount of complications still do not regret their decision in the long run.
Most programs require some sort of pre surgery nutrition classes, therapy, support group attendance, and/or weight loss requirement before surgery can be preformed. A lot of bariatric patients have lost 100's of pounds over and over again throughout the years but have not been able to keep it off until they had the surgery. Surgery has so many physical, psychological, cardiovascular and metabolic advantages. It is not just about making the stomach smaller so you eat less. WLS is about long term success. What will help an obese person be healthier in the long term. In the long term, surgical patients are far more successful at sustaining weight loss than those who choose non-surgical methods.23 -
I'm getting gastric bypass surgery in july. I have been in this process for 11 months now. I have made the proper changes in my life, but in the past 11 months have only managed to lose 37 pounds. I have a few medical issues that make losing weight and keeping it off extremely difficult. I have 175 more pounds to go to be in a healthy weight range. I am 5'3.5. I weigh 301 pounds. I have educated myself on the whole process. I was the one who brought it up to my doctor. I self referred myself to the bariatric clinic for the information seminar. I have a managed weight loss plan i follow, I exercise daily, and I am set up with a nutritionist. I have literally lost and gained the same 100 pounds 2 or 3 times over the years. I didn't make this decision lightly, i researched both the pros and cons for 7 months before bringing it up to my doctor. This process has not been easy by any means. I've had plateaus, I've gotten sick a couple times, my hormones have been out of whack to the extent of bleeding for weeks on end due to fat loss. The whole thing is worth it though. I've learned a whole new way of eating, i focus on protein first and eat vegetables and fruits as sides, sugar free jello as a snack and sometimes have a fudgesickle for dessert. I get my endoscopy on the 17th, a sleep study in the next few weeks and an ekg. I'm going to Florida for vacation on the 19th and we are planning on being very active the entire time we are there. I booked a hotel room with a full kitchen so we can make our own dinners and keep it healthy.15
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lcoulter23. I wish you so much through all this. I understand something of "hormones being out of whack". Its something only those with their own experiences who can possibly have the slightest clue of all you are going through.
Most of all I hope the "we" you refer to have the most wonderful time together. Keep on taking care.2 -
lcoulter23. I wish you so much through all this. I understand something of "hormones being out of whack". Its something only those with their own experiences who can possibly have the slightest clue of all you are going through.
Most of all I hope the "we" you refer to have the most wonderful time together. Keep on taking care.
Thank you! My boyfriend and I have been together for 20 months and are taking our first vacation together! We're going to both Disney world and universal studios. We're planning on taking our own food and snacks with us to avoid the high priced calorie rich foods.
I'm getting both very excited but nervous about surgery. The good thing is, I have aspergers syndrome and so I am a stickler for following things to the letter when I am given instructions. I'm very detail oriented. Thus the extensive research on the surgery lol3 -
I personally don’t care what someone else chooses to do with their body, I however on my journey to being healthy and thinner I look up to woman/men who haven’t had gastric surgery because I admire the strength & dedication that it takes not just to workout but the struggle to go out and have to face temptation and either say no or make a healthier choice and watch your portion. Someone how has had any kind of gastric surgery has a smaller stomach, they can only eat as much as an egg or so = reducing the amount of calories you can take in. Just my humble opinion and everyone should choose whatever path works for them.9
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I personally don’t care what someone else chooses to do with their body, I however on my journey to being healthy and thinner I look up to woman/men who haven’t had gastric surgery because I admire the strength & dedication that it takes not just to workout but the struggle to go out and have to face temptation and either say no or make a healthier choice and watch your portion. Someone how has had any kind of gastric surgery has a smaller stomach, they can only eat as much as an egg or so = reducing the amount of calories you can take in. Just my humble opinion and everyone should choose whatever path works for them.
WLS patients literally do the exact same thing. And they can eat well more than an egg.
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Livematthew25 wrote: »Weight loss surgery is not the easy way out. If you think it is, you have been lied to. There is a very long approval process and a very long adjustment period after. There can be pain, sickness and follow-up surgeries afterwards not to mention comments made in ignorance by people who have no clue what you go through emotionally, physically, spiritually and finacially. All of this just to get you a little closer to being ready to diet and EXERCISE for the rest of your life just like everyone else or gain it all back! There are no free rides!! Surgery is a tool not a free ride!! I put this under debate because I know a lot of people are against getting the surgery.
I wish I could tag my M.I.L in this. She got weight loss surgery and is using it as an out to eat the same, not exercise, etc. I keep trying to tell her that just because the weight is gone does not mean she is now healthy, but she doesn't get it. Never will.7 -
peaceout_aly wrote: »Livematthew25 wrote: »Weight loss surgery is not the easy way out. If you think it is, you have been lied to. There is a very long approval process and a very long adjustment period after. There can be pain, sickness and follow-up surgeries afterwards not to mention comments made in ignorance by people who have no clue what you go through emotionally, physically, spiritually and finacially. All of this just to get you a little closer to being ready to diet and EXERCISE for the rest of your life just like everyone else or gain it all back! There are no free rides!! Surgery is a tool not a free ride!! I put this under debate because I know a lot of people are against getting the surgery.
I wish I could tag my M.I.L in this. She got weight loss surgery and is using it as an out to eat the same, not exercise, etc. I keep trying to tell her that just because the weight is gone does not mean she is now healthy, but she doesn't get it. Never will.
Unless I'm misunderstanding the post, if her excess weight is gone then she's not eating the same as she was before. She's eating less.5 -
I personally don’t care what someone else chooses to do with their body, I however on my journey to being healthy and thinner I look up to woman/men who haven’t had gastric surgery because I admire the strength & dedication that it takes not just to workout but the struggle to go out and have to face temptation and either say no or make a healthier choice and watch your portion. Someone how has had any kind of gastric surgery has a smaller stomach, they can only eat as much as an egg or so = reducing the amount of calories you can take in. Just my humble opinion and everyone should choose whatever path works for them.
WLS patients literally do the exact same thing. And they can eat well more than an egg.
Sorry but it’s Not the same.9 -
I personally don’t care what someone else chooses to do with their body, I however on my journey to being healthy and thinner I look up to woman/men who haven’t had gastric surgery because I admire the strength & dedication that it takes not just to workout but the struggle to go out and have to face temptation and either say no or make a healthier choice and watch your portion. Someone how has had any kind of gastric surgery has a smaller stomach, they can only eat as much as an egg or so = reducing the amount of calories you can take in. Just my humble opinion and everyone should choose whatever path works for them.
WLS patients literally do the exact same thing. And they can eat well more than an egg.
Sorry but it’s Not the same.
What do you see as the key differences?
People who have had WLS will still have the urge to eat, they still have to watch their portions, they're still facing the same sorts of temptations we all face. They may be restricted in how much they can eat, but they're still capable of consuming more energy than their body can use.10 -
lcoulter23 wrote: »lcoulter23. I wish you so much through all this. I understand something of "hormones being out of whack". Its something only those with their own experiences who can possibly have the slightest clue of all you are going through.
Most of all I hope the "we" you refer to have the most wonderful time together. Keep on taking care.
Thank you! My boyfriend and I have been together for 20 months and are taking our first vacation together! We're going to both Disney world and universal studios. We're planning on taking our own food and snacks with us to avoid the high priced calorie rich foods.
I'm getting both very excited but nervous about surgery. The good thing is, I have aspergers syndrome and so I am a stickler for following things to the letter when I am given instructions. I'm very detail oriented. Thus the extensive research on the surgery lol
Have a great time! One thought, having been to Disney with my family with food allergies/preferences, they do a fantastic job! Even at the quick places in the park, if you pull a team member aside and ask for a food preference they'll make it happen with a smile Don't hesitate to ask for anything to be made special to keep yourself on track and enjoy yourself too!2 -
janejellyroll wrote: »I personally don’t care what someone else chooses to do with their body, I however on my journey to being healthy and thinner I look up to woman/men who haven’t had gastric surgery because I admire the strength & dedication that it takes not just to workout but the struggle to go out and have to face temptation and either say no or make a healthier choice and watch your portion. Someone how has had any kind of gastric surgery has a smaller stomach, they can only eat as much as an egg or so = reducing the amount of calories you can take in. Just my humble opinion and everyone should choose whatever path works for them.
WLS patients literally do the exact same thing. And they can eat well more than an egg.
Sorry but it’s Not the same.
What do you see as the key differences?
People who have had WLS will still have the urge to eat, they still have to watch their portions, they're still facing the same sorts of temptations we all face. They may be restricted in how much they can eat, but they're still capable of consuming more energy than their body can use.
^^This! It is exactly the same. If WLS patients did not have to deal with the same issues of temptations and portion control, there would not be WLS patients who gain weight back. There are many advantages to having the surgery but it also does not negate the struggles that everyone faces when dieting, especially when you are talking about people who have been compulsive eater and yo-yo dieter their whole life.6 -
Isn't it inconsistent to say it's EXACTLY the same and that there are benefits to the surgery? If it were really exactly the same, how could you ever justify the risks and difficulties of surgery? (I think it's enough the same that I can't imagine choosing to have surgery, so I don't deny there are many similarities, but apparently for some there are sufficient differences to make it a good decision.)11
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Isn't it inconsistent to say it's EXACTLY the same and that there are benefits to the surgery? If it were really exactly the same, how could you ever justify the risks and difficulties of surgery? (I think it's enough the same that I can't imagine choosing to have surgery, so I don't deny there are many similarities, but apparently for some there are sufficient differences to make it a good decision.)
Concerns of temptations and portion control are the same. Yes right out of surgery, you are very limited on your consumption but the honeymoon period is 6-12months for most and up to 18months for some before a lot of the restriction and psychological benefits start diminishing. WLS patients gain weight back which means they are eating a significant amount of calories so they struggle with temptations and portion control just as everyone else does. There are WLS patients who are very athletic who eat 3,000+cals a day. Most people think WLS means that your calories are significant reduced forever which is false.
There are other benefits to surgery outside of temptation and portion control which is what I was referring to when I say there are many benefits to surgery.3 -
The only way for calories/dietary intake to be reduced in the long term is for the person to be committed to constantly monitoring their intake, keeping it below their point to gain, presupposing there are no overlooked health problems which is highly unlikely though some intolerances such as salicylate and histamine, (problems of elimination) and allergies can independently of calories consumed cause problems.1
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Isn't it inconsistent to say it's EXACTLY the same and that there are benefits to the surgery? If it were really exactly the same, how could you ever justify the risks and difficulties of surgery? (I think it's enough the same that I can't imagine choosing to have surgery, so I don't deny there are many similarities, but apparently for some there are sufficient differences to make it a good decision.)
Concerns of temptations and portion control are the same. Yes right out of surgery, you are very limited on your consumption but the honeymoon period is 6-12months for most and up to 18months for some before a lot of the restriction and psychological benefits start diminishing. WLS patients gain weight back which means they are eating a significant amount of calories so they struggle with temptations and portion control just as everyone else does. There are WLS patients who are very athletic who eat 3,000+cals a day. Most people think WLS means that your calories are significant reduced forever which is false.
There are other benefits to surgery outside of temptation and portion control which is what I was referring to when I say there are many benefits to surgery.
What do you perceive as the other benefits of surgery beyond the (claimed, at least) better stats for maintaining weight loss (which would relate to temptation and portion control)? (Note: I don't think we know enough to say that there are better stats if all else were equal.)
The only things I can think of is the immediate effect on T2D, which is intriguing, but of course weight loss itself will generally have such an effect.
IMO, if there really is so little difference when it comes to things like maintaining weight loss, temptation, portion control (and I suspect that's true), that's a reason NOT to have or promote WLS.9 -
I want to start off by saying I am not promoting WLS more than I am defending those who have had it. Back to the original post, I dont believe that people NEED to be more educated necessarily. If you dont want to have the surgery and dont care if someone else does then good. I am more along the lines of being more educated before you are going to judge those who have had it. Surgery is a very personal decision and it is not right for everyone.
There is the obvious medical benefits that could be achieved through weight loss without surgery. Other benefits include alterations in the types of bacteria that normally reside in the gut (the gut microbiome) and changes in hormones, metabolic factors such as bile acids, and nervous system pathways controlling feeding behavior and metabolism. The research on WLS is still new. There is still a lot of questions as to why some of these benefits are seen in WLS patients.
I think the biggest benefits are;
1) That studies show very little if any change in metabolic rates in patient who have had weight loss surgery compared to those who lose weight via calorie restriction. This is obviously helpful for long term maintenance.
2) You have that "honeymoon" period right after surgery to get your life, mind, body in check to set yourself up for long term success. As I said before, most WLS patients I have come across have used that time to work on their relationship with food and the reasons why they eat, develop habits and routines that they can follow long term in their life. This period is not a long time though. Missing this window to correct your behaviors will result in the same patterns when you are back to the same temptations and portion control issues as the rest of the weight loss population deals with.6 -
Jjanejellyroll wrote: »I personally don’t care what someone else chooses to do with their body, I however on my journey to being healthy and thinner I look up to woman/men who haven’t had gastric surgery because I admire the strength & dedication that it takes not just to workout but the struggle to go out and have to face temptation and either say no or make a healthier choice and watch your portion. Someone how has had any kind of gastric surgery has a smaller stomach, they can only eat as much as an egg or so = reducing the amount of calories you can take in. Just my humble opinion and everyone should choose whatever path works for them.
WLS patients literally do the exact same thing. And they can eat well more than an egg.
Sorry but it’s Not the same.
What do you see as the key differences?
People who have had WLS will still have the urge to eat, they still have to watch their portions, they're still facing the same sorts of temptations we all face. They may be restricted in how much they can eat, but they're still capable of consuming more energy than their body can use.
Listen how I feel shouldn’t make a difference to you. Having surgery is a little help that the rest of us don’t get. Tell me why not just do it without surgery? I personally was at a point where I couldn’t bend over I was so unhealthy and unhappy till I hit rock bottom so to speak and said enoug is enough. I took my fat butt to the gym and read about how to lose weight and began my life style change. I’m still so far but I have gotten here all by myself and as I started in my original post I admire that in women who do it “naturally”. Again how I feel shouldn’t make a difference to you. You have a good night.14 -
Jjanejellyroll wrote: »I personally don’t care what someone else chooses to do with their body, I however on my journey to being healthy and thinner I look up to woman/men who haven’t had gastric surgery because I admire the strength & dedication that it takes not just to workout but the struggle to go out and have to face temptation and either say no or make a healthier choice and watch your portion. Someone how has had any kind of gastric surgery has a smaller stomach, they can only eat as much as an egg or so = reducing the amount of calories you can take in. Just my humble opinion and everyone should choose whatever path works for them.
WLS patients literally do the exact same thing. And they can eat well more than an egg.
Sorry but it’s Not the same.
What do you see as the key differences?
People who have had WLS will still have the urge to eat, they still have to watch their portions, they're still facing the same sorts of temptations we all face. They may be restricted in how much they can eat, but they're still capable of consuming more energy than their body can use.
Listen how I feel shouldn’t make a difference to you. Having surgery is a little help that the rest of us don’t get. Tell me why not just do it without surgery? I personally was at a point where I couldn’t bend over I was so unhealthy and unhappy till I hit rock bottom so to speak and said enoug is enough. I took my fat butt to the gym and read about how to lose weight and began my life style change. I’m still so far but I have gotten here all by myself and as I started in my original post I admire that in women who do it “naturally”. Again how I feel shouldn’t make a difference to you. You have a good night.
That's like saying you don't respect someone with a college degree because their parents paid for their tuition. The work to get the degree is the same, they just don't have as big of a financial burden.
Do you also not respect people who lose weight with a personal trainer? or use a food delivery service so that they dont have to plan and make their own food? There are a million ways that people get a little more help that others don't. I respect anyone who has the strength to lose weight no matter what method they choose to do it. Weight loss is not easy no matter who you are or what you do. It is not a contest on who has it harder or who has to face the most struggles.21 -
Listen how I feel shouldn’t make a difference to you. Having surgery is a little help that the rest of us don’t get. Tell me why not just do it without surgery? I personally was at a point where I couldn’t bend over I was so unhealthy and unhappy till I hit rock bottom so to speak and said enoug is enough. I took my fat butt to the gym and read about how to lose weight and began my life style change. I’m still so far but I have gotten here all by myself and as I started in my original post I admire that in women who do it “naturally”. Again how I feel shouldn’t make a difference to you. You have a good night.
We're in the debate area. If you don't want to discuss your views, I'm confused as to why you are here.24
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