When will the medical community give us respect?

Oh my goodness, something similar just happened to me this week! I am pre surgery and working on my clearances, and the pulmonologist I was sent to by my surgery program gave me quite a speech about the "ridiculous risks" I was taking I considering the WLS.  She said, this is totally elective and avoidable - why don't you just go to the gym and join weigh****chers? 

I started to go into all my attempts at weight loss and my reasons for considering surgery and then stopped myself.  I decided she didn't deserve any more of my time.  So, I assured her I knew the risks of surgery, as well as the risks of remaining morbidly obese for decades.  And then I asked to meet another doctor.  The second doctor (same office) treated me with courtesy and respect.  Thankfully, every other doctor, from my own PCP to the specialists I've consulted for clearances, have been wonderful.  Yay for that! 

Don't they think we've tried other methods of losing weight first! I have a theory that doctors that say these things to us are just worried about being out of a job. Once we lose the weight, we won't need their services as much anymore. They probably see effective treatments for obesity as a threat to their practice.

Yep, one of these was a cardiologist 

Statistically those who do with out surgery are like I believe 5% successful as opposed to over 80% with surgery. How can they ignore those numbers?

Good grief. I'm glad you got them straight!  I'm happier that I haven't run into any doctors with this mindset. As a matter of fact, all my doctors were trying to get me into WLS faster than I was, LOL! They knew the great health I could have if I took that first step. Hopefully, after they remove their foot, they will take 2 minutes to do a little research before making "educated" assessments. Hmph!

Sadly, if they have a closed mind at this stage of the game unless it touches them personally I don't think they will get it.  As you and everyone said the point is to lose and get healthy no matter how...

I was lucky in the fact I have never had a doctor show any negativity towards what I was doing. I told my Family Practitioner that I wanted the surgery and he was very supportive. He just told me his opinions on which one he thought I should get based on what he had seen. I appreciated that, and it helped me make my decision. I wish people would respect the surgery more and stop seeing it as the easy way out. This has been by far harder than any diet I could of done.