Oprah Feedback Wanted!!!!

I think it's pretty nervy of her to say it's the "easy way out." This has been anything but easy for me! People in her position really shouldn't speak one way or the other about things they have no personal experience with. Walk a mile in my shoes, babe, and see how "easy" this has been! Traci

You go Scott! Thanks for responding to my post! I have very similar feelings about this! Ilyssa

First off I must say that it is nice to see Ilyssa posting you have been missed. Now lets play devils advocate here. Without a doubt WLS is the easy way out, bare with me now! Like everyone here I spent my entire adult life dieting, working out at the gym and at different times popping diet pills with the goal of not being fat and to be healthier. I have never ever had the will power or the stamana or what ever you want to call it , to be sucessful. I was banded on 1/25/06 and in 6 months time I droped more weight than I have my entire life. I did not feel hungry and I followed my doctors diet. With little effort I lost 60 lbs. So I would agree compared to any diet it WAS EASY. That is the perception that many people including Oprah have when it comes to WLS. Lets face it people without WLS we probably would have been domed to a life time of obesity. The difficult part is the all important behavior modification we must all achieve for a lifetime of sustained weight loss. Sometimes many of us forget that the WLS is not a magic bullett. Just a week ago at my support group meeting one fella boasted that he has no need to count calories ,carbs or sugar because he is loosing everyday. I thought to myself that he was certainly setting himself up for a huge failure. I struggle EVERY DAY trying to stop the snacking and to change the way I think about food. So for WLS patients the difficult part is sustaining the weight loss, having the surgery is truly easier than the traditional dieting. Don't get caught up in what Oprah says. After all she has never experienced the struggles of marriage,parenthood or working two jobs to make ends meet. I wonder what her point of view would be if she was divorced with 2 or 3 kids and working a part time job at Wal Mart? How would she dealt with her obesity? Would her view change if she could not afford her personal trainer, her chief or her nutricianst? Just a different opinion! Kenny

Here, here! I totally agree! Traci

Well Kenny I have to agree with you. Surgery was an easy way out for me. I found this so easy to follow than being on a diet. Being on a diet is one of the most hardest things for me. I couldn't follow anything. With a diet you can cheat and not get sick. With gastric bypass, you can cheat and get sick. So you have a choice. I don't like being sick so I don't cheat. I also have never had the will power to diet, but to have the will power to follow a gastric bypass program FOR ME is easy.

Hey ken ,did you get surgey mon

Hey Kenny, Ok, I agree w/ you on the Oprah stuff. She is just a piece of work! But, you said it was the easy way out for you, yet its a struggle everyday to make the right food choices, soooo was it the easy way out really? Ilyssa

With out a doubt the easiest 60lbs I ever lost. As with all weight loss loosing it is half the battle now to change the way I look at food is the hard part.

Hi Ilyssa Hi everyone. I watched the show last night. I have many feelings about it. Everything that everyone has said so far is very true. I have to agree that people should be required to have much more mental preperation for this surgery. The doctors are very concerned about the physical aspects of the surgery which is understandable from their standpoint. They want the safest surgery for us as possible. However the psychological aspects of this surgery are just as important. Most of us are heavy due to issues in our lives. If we do not address these issues at some point then we are bound to fail. I feel for many of us it is ok to deal with the issues post op as opposed to pre op. Post op we are much more confident, feel much better and have more energy to focus on what it was that got us fat. Support Support Support....This addiction is no different then any other addiction. I know many recovering addicts, people that were addiccted to drugs, alcohol etc....They do develope other addictions following recovery. We are no different then they are. That is why they must attend AA meetings, surround themselves with others just like them. As for Oprah well I feel that it is necessary to show the negatives. It is a very difficult surgery. I dont feel offended that she is depicting the negative because she had Carnie there and although Carnie did develope a drinking addiction post op ...she dealt with it, she was honest about it and she is doing well. Carnie tells it like it is, she does not hide the ups and downs of the surgery. The surgery in my eyes is a gift. It is up to us to educate ourselves, take care of ourselves and remember we are not perfect. We are going to make mistakes ...It is how we recover from the mistakes that will determine our futures. YOu guys are doing wonderful...You are my support and have kept me on track{most of the time anyway lol} Keep up the good work, dont beat yourselves up for the mistakes but do pat yourselves on the back for the good you have done and will continue to do. Love Ya LisaMarie

Hey LisaMarie, Glad to see your staying positive as always! You look great! Ilyssa