Bariatric Surgery: "Medical Miracle" For Some, But Is It Healthy Weight Loss?
Sep 27 '00
Why Did I Allow Things to Get to This Point?
The picture on my Epinions profile is misleading. Oh, it's a recent photo of me, alright - but it doesn't show ALL of me. That's the way I wanted it. I rarely ever allow anyone to take pictures of me. I'm told that a lot of overweight women feel that way. We don't want to see pictures of ourselves. It hurts too much. I'm overweight. Not just am I overweight, I'm obese. There, I said it. It doesn't feel any better to have said it.
Now, there are some out there who have said to me, "All you need to do is push yourself away from the table." Or, "If you would just exercise, the pounds would drop off."
Many look at an overweight person and think that they're lazy and slovenly. You know what? I'm not going to argue with these things. We all know it's true - the BEST way to lose weight and keep it off is through a sensible diet and exercise. Study after study shows this to be true. But what do you do when you've dieted and exercised with no success?
I'm tired of being told, "You have such a pretty face..."
What I've Done About It
I was an average sized child and teenager, relatively active. But when I started college - over 12 years ago - I started gaining weight. The causes were probably many. Emotional, psychological, environmental (see what a diet of pizza and beer will do to you?). When I realized it was becoming a problem, I started trying various diets: Scarsdale, Weight Watchers (several times), Jenny Craig, Atkins, Sugar-Busters - to name just a few. These diets met with varying success, but eventually, I always gained the weight back - and then some. I also tried health clubs, over- the-counter diet aids, Slim Fast and even the fiasco we called "Phen-Fen".
It's been years of yo-yo dieting and now I'm convinced that my body is "resistant" to losing weight.
I'm also caught in a downward spiral: more weight = less energy, less energy = less exercise, less exercise = more weight... and so on...
Now, my blood pressure is being affected. I'm having problems with edema (water retention) and joint pain. Plus, I just want to LOOK and FEEL better.
So... what to do?
Bariatric Surgery: What it is and Who it's For
Bariatrics is the medical specialty that deals with obesity and weight problems. Bariatric Surgery is any type of surgery that attempts to modify the digestive system to assist the patient in losing weight. There are several different types of surgeries - also referred to as obesity surgery, or you may have heard people talk about "stomach stapling".
Bariatric Surgery is a LAST DITCH EFFORT and is NOT for people who are just trying to lose a few pounds. This is a medical procedure that requires a hospital stay of several days and a long recovery period.
Who Should Have the Surgery?
Patients who want to be considered as candidates for surgery must be extremely overweight - many times these patients need to lose 100 pounds or more. Also, their weight must be causing problems that would make the surgery medically necessary: elevated blood pressure, joint pain, sleeplessness, diabetes, etc.
And, most of all, the patient must be willing to have the surgery and willing to complete the necessary medical follow-up.
Most bariatric surgeons do a psychological profile to help determine if the patient would be compliant with the follow-up and with treatment and an altered diet after the surgery.
Weighing the Risks/Side Effects (no pun intended!)
As with any surgery, there are risks. Less than percent of those who have had this type of surgery have died from complications, however, there are other risks. Some patients have lost too much weight and have had to have further surgical interventions to correct that. Because the digestive system is being altered - there may be permanent changes in diet - just as if one were diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease or food allergies.
Of course, there will be a scar. Most common risks are leaking from the surgery site.
Potential Benefits
Well, obviously, the ultimate benefit is that the patient will lose weight. I've seen success rates quoted saying that most people who have the surgery reach their goal weight in 18 months to 2 years. "Goal weight" meaning the weight on those insurance charts we've all seen. I'm not talking a "weight loss program goal weight" which is usually higher than recommended goal weights.
Patients report that they feel much better, they find that their weight-related medical conditions improve or completely resolve.
And - here's the big one - they report that their self-esteem increases.
How Much Does This "Miracle" of Modern Medicine Cost?
Depending upon the surgeon and the area of the country and which way the wind is blowing, the surgery costs about $40,000. However, many major insurance plans will cover all or a majority of the costs if the surgery is "medically necessary".
Is This "Healthy" Weight Loss?
There will be some who say that this is going too far and that people should be able to lose weight through other means. But I'm thinking that, when you're extremely overweight, ANY weight loss is "healthy" weight loss, even if you had to have surgery to attain it.
More Information, Please
Some great places on the web to visit for more information about bariatric surgery are: The Association for Morbid Obesity Support ("AMOS") at: www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity , The Center for Obesity Surgery at: www.ctrforobesitysurgery.com and The American Society for Bariatric Surgery at: www.asbs.org .
Where Do I Go From Here?
As for myself. I'm at a point where I'm willing to try. I've done my research and now I'm going to my doctor armed with that research. Over the next few months I'll report how things are going. Since this is my first visit with this particular doctor, I don't know how receptive she'll be to the surgery idea. But this is a first step . . .
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Epinions.com ID:
oriongirl82
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Member: Debby
Location: Michigan, by way of Texas
Reviews written: 52
Trusted by: 23 members
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