Oprah Show

Did anyone tape the Oprah Show today? I saw some of it. Wow, I felt very defensive. Gastric Bypass does not cause you to drink. They had much deeper issues. Check out her "Oprah.com" web site. They have clips from the show. What do you all think??? Vera

I am soooo mad I forgot to set my dvr!

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

Yes, thats it exactly. Now I do understand they phsyc. evaluations. But is that enough? I am sure many of us just filled in those little circles with what we thought they wanted to hear. I never saw any of the emotions in me until I understood more about myself. We always were hiding under all that fat. It was a great cover. Now we face issues we never knew we had. I still do not believe the surgery is the issue. It is all about our inner self. Whether I had surgery or lost 100 lbs dieting, end result is our shield is gone. I too think Oprah needs to do the flip side of gastric bypass. We all have issues of some sort, but portraying Gastric Bypass patients as drunks is not what this surgey is about. I am sure some did replace one addiction for another. Some struggle still with the same old issues. Just another reason for all of us to attend our SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS! Hugs and Support! Vera

Oprah didn't let anyone down......Come on! The fact is if you have an addictive personality it is likely that you will trade one addiction for another. That's true of all addictions. Also what % of people do you think has this surgery for the wrong reason? For that quick fix to get skinny? Thinking being skinny will make all their problems go away. And would they every admit they did it for the wrong reason? NO Or would they admit they still eat the wrong food? NO Because they want to blame their failure or other addictions on the WLS or the surgeon or their nut. I personally have 2 friends and an aunt that had this surgery. The two friends absolutely did it for the wrong reason. They both have lost some weighed not as much as they could have, they have never ate the right foods, eating until they puked most every time they are around food, they both excessively drink and are down right promiscuous now. My aunt that had the surgery has lost about 130lbs. (I'm guessing she weight 400lbs or more) 130lbs is great and we all know the first year it comes off no matter what. But its basically stopped.....does she eat what she's supposed to...NO she doesn't but if you ask her....oh my God yes she does, follows the new life style to the T including Chocolate Doughnuts and Chocolate milk for breakfast. Oprah is just showing things that can happen to some after this surgery. NO it doesn't happen to all but there is a % out there that it does happen. I've seen it first hand. Personalities changing, even making fun of people that are obese, the drinking, sleeping around, actin a total fool. I don't think its fair to blame Oprah say she's letting us down. When the truth of the matter is the people that are making the bad choices, having the surgery for the wrong reason are the ones letting us down. Letting themselves down. This is not a quick fix, being a healthy weight doesn't solve anyone's emotional problems....if you think it will....you're so wrong. Seriously, we'd all be better people if we just took responsibility for our actions. Have a Great day y'all!!! Lisa

I totally agree with taking responsiblity for your actions Lisa, absolutely!! I work hard at doing the right thing, but I am not perfect. I don'****ch shows like that because for me being so involved in the industry it does upset me. I work very hard at being compliant and I work hard constantly at finding additional tools to work with the first tool the doc gave me.. I also agree with you that we have addictions, I have an addictive personality, I realize it and work with it everyday almost challenging myself. But what I would like to see is a show on the folks who are successful..Showing to others what it takes to do this and do it right! I travel from Dayton down to Lexington visiting support groups, I put together meetings and conferences for professionals in the industry as well as for patients. I hear it all!! I have gone to lunch or dinner with patients who tell me about how much trouble they have, getting sick, pains, vomiting. I order my salad or protein, usually asking for half orders or share with someone else..then my friend orders fried fish sandwiches, french fries or cole slaw. I am not the food police and never say a word..it's not my job and would do no good unless they ask me to help. If I speak up it will normally cost me a friend. you are right on another account, I know of at least 5 people who are now drinking heavily since they cannot eat to satisfiy their anxiety. I also believe that the failure rate is why it's more and more difficult to get this surgery approved...I have been around the industry now for 3 1/2 yrs since my own surgery...I talk to tons of people involved in support groups. I can also tell you that we find more dropping out of support after 2 yrs because they begin to struggle, gaining weight back then eventually many disappear....This should be a lesson to many of us about our future. Taking responsibility is so important! ..struggling isn't failure, I don't want anyone to think that of themself or to think that of me...This isn't easy and with the negativity around us many think we are set up for failure..but isn't that our own thinking? in talking to these patients I hear so many blame their past, we all have been there, many had it more difficult than others, but our destiny is not our past..We learn from the past then teach it! I started counseling almost two years ago because i didn't want to go through it alone and because I realized I had a problem. it's a challenge daily for me but I enjoy life more now than ever before. It was a lifestyle change that was important to my success. If I were the alcoholic and stopped drinking but struggled I am sure I would be told to seek counseling and to STAY OUT OF THE BARS...if I kept doing all the same things I did before I stopped drinking it would be predicted I would fail. This is no different, we have to find that lifestyle change to be successful. ok soap box over, I gotta get back to work.. Someone please, tell Oprah to find some successful patients and lets here from them, I am tired of negativity period...we all have a positive side, we just need to find it, bring it out and share it!!! if you think you will fail, you will... if you are afraid of hard work and lifestyle changes, then don't have the surgery..is the risk worth it?? Brenda