Oprah

I jus****ched Oprah's show on Gastric Bypass Surgery and "trading addictions" I was a little disappointed - okay more than a little - I have to wonder why all the coverage on this surgery is negative...I think there should be a show on how wonderful it is for people...I think that the people that shift their "addictions" to drinking and/or drugs have had a problem before the surgery...the surgery didn't cause a drinking problem. The question that Oprah failed to ask any of her guests is ... would you do it again? I guarantee that the answer would be YES. If there was trouble in the marriage before the surgery losing weight wasn't going to fix that...they operated on my stomach not on my head... I'm sorry for venting but I am just tired of the negative publicity Love, Linda

Oprah is not fair on this one. There are a lot of people of this website who have tried to get on her show to do a positive show on wls and she just won't do it. She always shows the negative side. I am not surprised, just disappointed in her that she wasn't more fair on this. I am sure once it airs on the west coast my mom will be calling me to find out if I'm drinking! I was also nervous about Carnie being on because she has always been so positive and thanifully she still was. I mean the bottom line is what we all know, tbis surgery does not make oiur life golden but it sure does give us a level playing field with the rest of the population. pooh to O!! At least be fair and show others that had the surgery and aren't alcoholics or sex addicts. She just made it soiund irresponsible love donna

I guess Im one of the people they was talking about on Opral. I did have a drinking problem in my early 20s. Now I have it again. I took to the bottle first then to beer. I had marriage trouble before my surgery. But these ladie**** it on the spot with my addition trading. It was so much like me. I know this is a positive surgery and I would do it again. What they failled to get out was that we was easy addicted before the surgery. The surgery just pushed my drinking over the edge. Yes I can get tipsy on one ounce of beer. But then again look what its doing to me. It is lkilling me. So I need to stop. and I have. But again most of you never had a addiction to acohol. So you will not need to worry. I think a postive show should have been done. Now they are scaring people with cross addictions. That is why people need to get their head fixed before surgery. Because look what happen to me this year. That is enough to make anyone drink. all i have been threw with my life. Most of you are settled happy married. My marraige has been on the rocks many years. Hugs Barb

Hi sweet friend, I know you've had your problems with this honey and my heart goes out to you Barb. I also know that you are not the only one, I do see this in other wls people. I guess what I resented was the fact that there was nothing positive about it and thus I felt an unfair representation. Barb, I think of you often and wish we lived closer so we could hang together. You'll make it, I know youo will. You're a strong woman and just hang on. You have a loving family that is supportive and of course we love you here. love you Barb, donna

yes i agree that they need to get their heads fixed before, but like they said on Oprah, that could take years and most people are already sick.. I liked the part where they showed how quickly the alcohol is absorbed. that was neat.. I think with me is that a few years ago i lost a little weight and went a little crazy, so i got all that out of my system then.. i do drink, but not anymore than i did before surgery.... we usually go out on saturdays, but not every, so thats the only night i normally drink, but i have always done that, now i do get drunker quicker, but i dont always get drunk...(make sense).... but i am also drinking vodka, were before i drank beer. They should do a show on the good part of this surgery.

You know, I think one of the reasons surgery has been so sucessful for me is I lost a bunch of weight 5 years ago, went a little crazy, and gained it all back. When I did this I was ready for all of the attention that I would get and the emotional stuff that can be really hard to deal with. I knew it wasn't going to fix everything and would make some things harder. I drin****asionally also, but find I don't enjoy getting falling down drunk from one drink. I also fee icky when I drink. I haven't stopped completely, but I don't drink like I did before surgery.

This show really made me mad. I was really glad that Carnie was there to say some of the things that she said. I completely understand about the transferring additctions, but what about the other 70% of the people who are fine. Why do they have to make it out to be such a horrible experience- now I feel like people are looking at me wondering what kind of new addiction I have developed. Also they only talked about bypass, they didn't mention any other type of surgery. The doctor that Oprah had was the one that made me the maddest. I got the biggest kick(not a good one either) out of her comparing us to people who have a sex change. Maybe we should have to go around for a year in a skinny suit to see if we can handle it. Get a grip!!!! This is coming from someone who probably has weighed 100 pounds all her life. Oprah needs to get a grip, Christine

I think that Oprah was unfair in airing that show. Would she do a show on diabetics or epileptics on how they've turned into alcoholics and sex addicts once they've been diagnosed??? I think not! It's always been known that Oprah is against WLS...I think if she can put a negative "spin" on it, she will, and can. She's like the all powerful "OZ"...SO many people listen to what she has to say and who she has on. I think (personally) that it's a small precentage of people that trade or transfer addictions after WLS. I think it goes for anyone with any type of addiction. An alcoholic will go sober and then take up gambling or even jogging in an obsessive way. It goes both ways for all types of people Why did she single out WLS? I don't know... I would like to see stats on how many people transfer addictions after they have WLS. Millions of people are having this surgery done. Her show even said so, can it be that rampant? I don't think so. Though it is true that weight loss is a life long struggle, even for us WLS people, it is true that we have to also deal with the psychological aspect of why we eat like we did/do and deal with that. Hopefully we've dealt with that prior to surgery and now when it comes up. She failed to touch on that issue. I wish she'd have a panel of successful WLS patients on in all stages of years out and see how they've done. She did a dis-service by not having any positive outcomes on during that show. That's why we have the power to turn her off if we don't like what she puts on. For me, Oprah has gotten too big for those size 10 britches of her's. She's a total snob and even treats her so called best friend "Gayle" like a pion. It's terrible. Just my two cents worth. paula

I didn't see the show, but it sounds about like what I would expect. Oprah has lost her weight the "hard way" and is proud of it. LIke me, she has done it several times and I respect her for it. Unlike me she can afford to hire a personal trainer to follow her around and a cook to make her tasty, yet healthy meals. I don't begrudge her at all. She's welcome to her opinion. I do think statistically we WLSers have a better chance of keeping our weight off than she does. However, every once in a while I do think--I've done something really drastic to my body and have no idea what problems this could cause in 25 or 30 years. However, it was a risk I was aware of and willing to take. Not everyone develops addictions. I haven't, but I'm clear that the surgery hasn't solved all of my problems. However the unfortunate truth is, the world is nicer to skinny people.

Let me tell you I watched that show and it made me mad too and I thought these people had problems before they lost the weight and try to blame it on the surgery. I had issues of being molested from my dad when I was a child and thats where my issues come from mentally but I had diabetes too and I feel like I was dying. My blood sugars were over 500 and since the surgery I haven't had any shots no medicines etc. I am healthy now because of it. Do I have issues "yes I do" but they are issues from before of being molested not because of the surgery and I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES MYSELF has nothing to do with the surgery and if I could go on OPRAH and tell my story I would. She didn't give us any credit to those who have been successful in their journey and I think she should.