The Doctors -Grrrrrrrrr

The doctors had a show about a family that had lap band surgery-and a 13 year old who had surgery.  I'm not sure how I feel about 13 year olds, but having that middle age male doctor tower over that girl and say "now did you REALLY try?" just ****** me off.

And the "normal lap band meal" was a friggin joke.  It was a normal first attempt at solids.  The goal of lap band or any of the restrictive WLS is not to cut off food intake, it is to lower food intake.

Now, I know the "doctors" was scripted and of course the surgeon had all the right answers, but I disliked the sensational aspect of it.

I was thinking about it earlier today-my actual intake is more in line with what a single serving is supposed to be-that would make ME normal........LOL. 

Hi, Debra.
You ought to write the show. Tell 'em the way it really is. You're so articulate that I think they'd want to have you on the show. The Good Lord knows, someone should represent the WLS community well on these talk shows.
Blessings,
Mary

Deb huney how many times must I say this....We are NOT normal.....well okay I am not normal...lol.

I agree hat a 13 year old kid having any of these surgeries seems weird.  But then with how unhealthy America is eating anymore it might become a norm beofre too long.  Obesity is an epidemic for sure and its sad the things that parents shove into their children's mouths these days.

I have mixed emotions about kids and WLS.  Life as a fat kid is HELL!  And, we all know once you are morbidly obese it is pretty much game over as far as losing it on your own.  But, they have growing bodies we need to nourish.  I think it has to be a kid to kid decision.

I missed the segment on The Doctors today.  I had hoped they would present a well balanced story.  Sorry to hear they did not.

Oh, it was eventually well balanced, but not before blaming the 13 year old.  I just felt really bad for her-having her weight discussed in front of her, and not in a very tactful way.

Deb, I saw the show.  I think that 13yrs. old might be a little young, but I was always the biggest one in my class, and going to school was pure HELL. Knowing what I know now, If it had been offered to me then, I probably would have done it.  I know that my mother tried everything on me when I was a child so that I could loose weight, but nothing was successful.  I just think some people just can't loose weight.  I do think that the portion size that they showed to her was way off.  I don't know anyone who could live on portions like that.  The family the mom, dad, and the son who had the band wls all seemed to be very happy with the decision, and I think that the son was 13 yrs also. But we also need to remember that this is a TV show, and how much are we supposed to take stock in TV.  I do believe that it was a little misinformation.   Lisa

 My parents tried everything on me - remember Ayds carmel candy.  You'd eat one with ho****er and it was supposed to fill you up.  I also did Metracal powder, Schick Center, TOPS, WW, every single diet that came out in Cosmo and/or Good Housekeeping or whatever my friends and I came up with.  Nothing worked.  I think I would have done anything to lose weight; as a matter of fact, I've probably lost a small nation of people over the years but they keep coming back  donna

I head that.  And I wonder what all that failure did to us as kids?  Again, it's a generational thing, but I think our parent's (or at least mine did) felt responsible for the appearance of our bodies, because it wasn't until an adult that I ever dieted for health reasons.

Interesting question...I wonder what all that "failure" did to us as children. I too have contemplated this very subject. I was an obese child and teen and adult. I was put on WW***chers in the 3rd grade, SEGO shakes, Ayds candies, Metracal, shaklee, ...I could tell stories for days about past pain. Shots, fat doctors, having to have clothes made for me, pills, ...I think what troubles me most is that  some people in society think that children have less stress than adults. They somehow think that words and actions melt away as kids grow up. The scars may be "hidden" in our triumphant exterior personality but they always remain.  It is a wonder that some of us didn't give up entirely on the medical establishment. ~ Lisa~ (ilovemylife)

Lisa-it sounds like we are in the same age group.  Remember, our mother's sole self worth was how they looked and how their house looked (or so it seemed to me).  They were, in essence, preparing us for a life that doesn't really exist any more-things changed a lot-but our Mom's didn't.

A few years ago my Mom was ragging on me about cooking ahead, etc. at at time when I traveled 1/2 the time and when I was home worked more 14 hour days than 8 hour days......At the time, I was furious and felt misunderstood-but now I understand a little bit more-I see that she cannot even conceive of that kind of life and she was offering what advice she could.

In some ways, we chubby girls were our mother's science projects-and my own mother has had severe withdrawal pains with my band as she can no longer control what or when I eat (or at least she doesn't have the illusion of that now).  For us to get through that one-I just finally had to tell her that her need to feed was her own problem and I couldn't help her with it.  (That and I convinced her one wrong bite of something would cause immediate projectile vomiting....)

I really thought about writing a heartwarming southern story of a woman who had WLS and how it turned her family upside down....and I might.  YOu are supposed to write what you know, and I'm not a drunk or a failed movie star......