Answer to "Why should I have this surgery?"

I attended a bariatric symposium put on by my surgeon's group last Friday.  I had planned to attend for the CEUs and then my surgeon asked me to be part of a patient panel.  He wanted me to tell my story and talk about the effect surgery has had on my health and life.  I willingly agreed! 

I was very interested to sit through the entire day's program and listen to medical professionals discussing the different surgeries, the complications, case studies and - most importantly - the metabolic changes that the surgery immediately causes in the body.  There was a ton of research provided about the long-term effect each surgery has on remission of diabetes.  RNY is still the gold standard when it comes to long-term remission of Type II diabetes.  

One doctor in particular said he wishes the medical community would start calling it "metabolic surgery" instead of weight-loss surgery.  He said the metabolic changes that the surgery creates in patients, especially those with Type II diabetes, is phenomenal.  He said that if there was a drug in this country that would put people into immediate remission that the insurance companies would be killing themselves to pay for it.  Yet so many insurance companies make it difficult to qualify or flat out deny coverage for patients to get these procedures.  

There were two other patients who spoke besides me:  one was a man who had RNY and lost 110 lbs. and the other was a female who got DS and lost 160 lbs.  Together I believe we gave the group some compelling insight into how we got to the point of wanting/needing surgery and how dramatically our health and lives have improved.  I'm pretty sure we dispelled some myths (even held by medical professionals) that WLS patients are just lazy and lack willpower 

So when someone questions "WHY" they should have the surgery when they can lose weight on their own, my answer will now be "for the long-lasting metabolic changes".  That is what is going to help you keep the weight off.  

Weight loss surgery isn't about losing the weight...it's about keeping it off for the rest of your life.  

Great message, Tracy!  You have been an inspiration to me and to many on this board, I'm sure the people who heard you speak were also inspired.

It is so true, that while weight loss is the immediate goal, the long term goal is better health and knowing that we have the power to improve our own health.  That's some powerful message!

Metabolic surgery rocks!

Dee

I like "Metabolic Surgery". The only reason I'm having this surgery. Thank you for sharing this Tracy. Christine

Since the day I join OH you have been one of my biggest inspirations your words have always impacted my choices you have always  been supportive and caring and compassionate !!! And all that came from reading your words!!!! I can only image how powerful you speaking in person would be!!!   I'm sure it had some major impact!!!!  :-)

♡ Kelly

You are very kind, Kelly!  You are the real rock star 

I am going to have to start using that......

Weight loss surgery isn't about losing the weight...it's about keeping it off for the rest of your life.  

Love it!!

Full disclosure:  my surgeon said this from Day One...and Frisco has always said this too. So it's not an original thought of mine.  

Granted, I may have never lost all the weight without surgery.  But I would never have had a snowballs chance in hell of keeping it off without the surgery.  

Tracey! What a great opportunity! We are the biggest advocate for this surgical intervention that offers the biggest and most successful therapeutic intervention in the management, even resolution, of metabolic disorders. I loved the comment that WLS should be renamed Metabolic Surgery.

I work as an Onsite Nurse Liaison for Homebound Post Acute Services, which actually means that I am based in the hospital assisting with discharge planners/med-surg teams in transitioning patients with home health and hospice services after discharge. I work closely with the upper and lower GI medical/surgical services. I see my share of WLS patients and have the opportunity to give experiential insight into why people struggle so much with weight management, and the metabolic challenges our population subset struggle with.

Sure, we have societal and environmental influences that makes it almost impossible to avoid poor food and lifestyle choices. Larger and larger portions and the "super-sizer" mentality makes it almost impossible to change behaviors. Advertising makes it cool and socially acceptable to eat all you want for as little money as possible. Examples: Hardy's commercials, Pizza advertising...We also have so many fillers and chemical preservatives in processed foods that I truly believe that it changes us on a basic chemical and metabolic level. All of the newest "diets" out there can be dangerous without medical intervention assisting in weight management. The point that I am trying to make is that we are a product of our environment, and many of our adverse behaviors regarding healthy options have been inbred into our psyche by big business.

i think that choosing surgical interventions to resolve the destructive aftermath of our prior lifestyles makes us brave. Sorry for the ramble/rant. I get so excited when I have the opportunity to advocate for WLS as a therapeutic option.

Nice rant - I enjoyed it!  Thanks for being such a great advocate:-)

Great insight, great post. Thanks for sharing!