New to Obesityhelp.com

I applaud those who choose bariatric surgery, given its benefits.  However, I have always urged patients (I am a physician) to first make a concerted non-surgical approach to their weight issue.
For those of you who have not seriously worked at a well-designed weight management program, please consider doing it before you seek surgery.  For those of you who have made a concerted honest effort and failed, I wish you good luck in your surgical solution to your problem!

There isn't one person here who would chose surgery before trying other methods.  People who finally come to the difficult decision of using the surgery tool in their ONGOING weight battle, have been battling for YEARS.  I didn't make A concerted effort and fail.  I succeeded.  And gain it all back.  And then succeeded again.  And gained it all back and more.   And then succeeded again and gained it all back.  There is no "FAILING".  It's just the same b.s. over and over and over.  Your words were chosen poorly. 

Laurie:
I wish you well with your upcoming surgery.  I had a problem many years ago, worked through it without surgery to a really significant weight loss, which I have maintained for the past 25 years or so.  And yes, it is not easy, it is an ongoing battle.  But it is winnable.  As a physician who has now limited his practice to medical bariatrics, I work very hard to assist my patients to achieve their goal with conservative, non-surgical means.  And I also work with others who have already had surgery and now need either ongoing support, or having regained weight years post-surgery and are again seeking a conservative approach to weight loss.
And I understand that nobody on this website is undergoing or comtemplating surgery lightly, and that the decision must have come after so many heartbreaking and fruitless attempts---and certainly you have reached your decision on the January surgery only after great deliberation.  Bariatric surgery is an effective tool for achieving the weight loss you require, and can lead to a healthier you.  So go for it.
I'm sorry you felt I chose my words poorly.  They came from decades of personal experience (me!) and professional experience.  They were not meant to offend.
Good luck!

 I agree.  I think if those of us on this forum had been able to maintain weight loss by conventional means, we would not be seeking surgical intervention.  As a lifelong struggler with weight, there isn't a program I HAVEN'T tried.  And besides, surgery is not a cure all - it is hard work and a lifelong committment.  As a friend once told me, "the first six months are the surgery, the rest is up to you."  You still have to watch what you eat, you still have to exercise.  This is just a tool to help us get the help we need to succeed.  I appreciate your perspective but know in my heart of hearts that without surgery I will inevitably become diabetic and hypertensive and die much younger than I will after surgery.  Not to mention the improvement to the quality of life following surgery...... the surgery is my stepping stone - the rest is up to me.

 I'm sorry, but for a physician you seem to be very misinformed.  A large majority of the members on this site have already tried non-surgical approaches to our weight issues, and it is obvious that after trying, we have decided to go on with the surgery.  As a physician, it is your job to keep your patients health at a high priority, but seriously-coming onto a website designed for people who are undergoing Weight Loss Surgery, how smart is that?

I, for one, doubt your credibility as a physician.  I would think that any person who is allowed to practice medicine legally, would have enough common sense to not do what you just did. And that is try to belittle those who have chosen or are considering WLS.

Your comment" For those of you who have not seriously worked at a well-designed weight management program", implies that those who have chosen surgery or are considering surgery have not "seriously worked at a well-designed weight management program" as you state.  That is just wrong.

A real physician would not come onto a website designed for those dealing with WLS surgery and try to sway the members.  You are doing what is commonly referred to on the internet as "trolling".  Your profile has no information on who you are, what the name of your practice is, or any other information that will allow us to determine if you are indeed a physician.

So even though you may be doing something that you think is good by coming to these forums and trying to sway the decisions that people have made, or are thinking about making, you are not doing any good.  Any self respecting physician would not make an account on a website for WLS, just to come on it and tell the members not to go through with their surgery.