X-post: 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.  

very insightful and I agree. That is the key piece that a lot of folks do not understand. My father has even said, why don't you just exercise like they do on the biggest loser. Well dad, the moment they stop they are going to put it back on. I wont. Thank you for this.

No one can exercise like they do on "Biggest Loser"!  They exercise 8 hours a day.  And every doctor will tell you that the battle of the bulge is won in the kitchen, NOT the gym.

Exercising isn't for weight loss.  Exercise is to improve your muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness so that you can move through life with more comfort and ease, without hurting yourself.  

Do you know how many overweight and obese people I see running marathons and half marathons?  LOTS!  So exercise doesn't equal weight loss.  

Excellent post, Tracy!! Thank you for sharing the insight. 

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

Exactly.   I have lost a bazillion pounds over the course of my life, and managed to gain it all back... and more.  I felt my only option to keep it off permanently was WLS, and even that is no guarantee.  The vets on here will tell you that maintenance is even harder than the weight loss so you have to be diligent for the rest of your life.  It's a commitment to changing your lifestyle, not just testing out a new fad diet.

I love that phrase "metabolic surgery."  That is my #1 reason for getting the surgery:  I wanted help with my diabetes.  The weight loss is awesome, and will no doubt improve my life, but at this point, my diabetes was a bigger threat to my health. 

Great post!  Thank you for sharing!

A lot of bariatric surgeon do call it metabolic surgery. I remember back 11 years ago when I was first researching, I was struck by the thought of surgery that would actually change my metabolism.