You are so right carbonblob.  I believe I'll check the support group in the church for awhile.  There are others in the church who are completely supportive and happy for me.  But the mere group that should be there decided to bail.  And if it weren't for this forum, tonight may have ended differently for me, but I'm still looking to my time to be on the looser's bench in the locker room!  Thanks again for your words, Bob McQueen

Their concerns while valid are very misguided. We fear what we don't know or understand. Educate them is the best thing to do. ask them to walk around with 150LBS of weights for a few days. Let they experiences the toll it takes on you body everyday. Not literally walk around but give them the mental picture. One thing that blew me away ayt my intial meeting with the WLS Docs was this.....   50K   people die every year from brest cancer  150K people die from lung cancer 400K people die from obesity every year They have the nest intentions and that should make you all warma dn fuzzy inside. They just need some realf acts and not Oprah or Dr Phil facts. Maybe even the mortality rates from your Dr and /or hospital you'll be at. Good luck

I may try to educate them, many are farmers and believe that all I have to do is follow them around through the days and I won't need surgery.  They don't understand tha  I could work hard and eat what they eat and never take off than many pounds, or take off the pounds just to turn around and put them back on and more.  Thanks GoingMobile.

Bob.

Bob, It looks like people who don’t know better who are concerned and attempting to express their love and concern for you.   

 

Maybe share some info with them and thank them for their concern and what is an awkward and bungled attempt to support. ________________________ SOME OUTCOMES OF BARIATRIC SURGERY

(information taken from

 

Clevland Clinic Journal of Medicine, March 2006)

 

 

Dr. Buchwald (*) collected data on outcomes of bariatric surgery In a meta-analysis of 22,094 patients.

The average excess weight loss for all types of procedures was 61.2%.

 

When stratified by type of surgery, the average excess weight loss was:

 

• 47.5% for gastric banding

 

• 61.6% for gastric bypass

 

• 68.2% for gastroplasty

 

• 70.1% for biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch.

 

 

Overall, each type of surgery was safe, with the more complex surgeries

 

Carrying a greater risk of morbidity and mortality.

 

Mortality ranged from a low of-

 

0.1% for restrictive procedures

 

To 1.1% for biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch.

 

 

The Effect on Comorbidities?

Importantly, the reductions in comorbidities are also quite impressive.

 

In this same meta-analysis,

 

Diabetes resolved in 76.8% of cases,

 

Lipid profiles improved in 70.0%,

 

Hypertension resolved in 61.7%,

 

And obstructive sleep apnea resolved in 85.7%.(*)

 

 

Effect on life span?

 

Evidence suggests that bariatric surgery also increases life span.

 

In a study comparing survival between 62,781 morbidly obese patients

 

Who had undergone gastric bypass

 

And 3,328 morbidly obese patients who had not,

 

The 15-year survival rate for patients younger than 40 years was 13.8%

 

For those who underwent surgery vs 3.0% for those who did not.(**)

 

(A 10% increase of Life Span)

 

 

Effect on overall health costs?

Studies are beginning to emerge that suggest that bariatric surgery

 

Yields savings in overall health care expenditures over time.

 

Typical are the results of a retrospective study by Potteiger (***)

 

In 51 consecutive patients with obesity-related hypertension and diabetes

 

Who underwent bariatric surgery. The average number of medications

 

Taken by these patients fell to from 2.44 preoperatively to 0.56

 

At 9 months after surgery, and the total monthly cost of their diabetic

 

And Anti-hypertensive medications declined 77% over the same period.

 

 

Obesity is a major public health problem in developed nations worldwide.

 

Currently, the only treatment for severe obesity

 

(BMI ≥35 kg/m2 with comorbidity)

 

That provides long-term weight loss is bariatric surgery.

 

Restrictive, malabsorptive, and combination procedures have been developed.

 

Each type of procedure has its merits and unique set of risks and complications.

 

Weight loss after bariatric surgery is accompanied by predictable improvement

 

Or resolution of obesity-related comorbidities and improved quality of life

 

And life expectancy.

 

 

Candidates for bariatric surgery are often at high risk for complications

Because of obesity-related comorbidities.

Therefore, careful patient selection for bariatric surgery,

Together with well-designed strategies for preventing and managing complications,

Are keys to success. Close monitoring for nutritional deficiencies

And short- and long-term complications is required

 

To completely assess outcomes of these procedures.

 

 

From the following studies-------

*. Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric surgery:

 

a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA 2004; 292:1724–1737.

 

 

**.

Flum DR

, Dellinger EP. Impact of gastric bypass operation on survival:

 

a population-based analysis. J Am Coll Surg 2004; 199:543–551.

 

 

***. Potteiger CE, Paragi PR, Inverso NA, et al. Bariatric surgery:

 

shedding the monetary weight of prescription costs in the managed

 

care arena. Obes Surg 2004; 14:725–1730.

 

 

 

Hope this helps others just scanning by as well!

Best Wishes-

Dx

 

 

Hi Bob, I think this is why I chose not to tell very many people about having surgery. Once I had the support of my wife I really didn't care what any one else thought.   I think there is a fear of looseing some one they care about and not really knowing the procedure either. It is obvious that you have done your research and are entering in this with you eyes wide open. I also don't think they understand where you are coming from. The "walking a mile in some ones shoes" thing. I finally had to come to a point in my life where I "had" to do something.  When I came to the fork in the road and chose this path, I was 375. At 5' 9"  it was hard to do anything. I weighed 256 this morning, 324 the day of surgery. Now it is great just to feel like doing things. I am looking forward to spring and all the things I can do around the house and yard, really just being able to do things again. Although I have not been traveling this road very long, 12-14-06. I know I made the right decision for me and that is what  you have to do. If this is what is right for you then go for it. No guts, no glory. Some times you have to take a chance. This board is my means of support. I learned more lurking the first few weeks than I can tell. I have tried my surgeons support group meetings and do not get any thing out of them. One other guy and my self.  Hang in there Bob, just let what happened give you more resolve to make this work for you. Turn it into a positive. pan head

Thanks Panhead for your comforting words.  I questioned why I told everyone, it was a concerned church member and friend who turned me on to looking at the surgery in the first place.  Of course my family is behind me, wife and brothers.  my children....no....but they young and don't understand that they can't have their 'big' daddy for long.  Thanks again Panhead I'll certainly remember your advice and words. 'A well placed word is finer than gold' Bob McQueen

Bob, I'm sorry they aren't being supportive of your decision.  My wife and I work together and both had WLS in April 2006.  We decided only to tell our supervisors and not anyone else because we didn't want to hear their negativity.  Luckily we had each others support because I wasn't aware of this great forum.  It was just recently that I discovered this mens group and I thoroughly enjoy the fellowship and support.  Good luck, my friend.  We're here for you. Floyd

Hi bmcmo I had a vsg 6-7 weeks ago and originally decided to keep it private - but that's not me.  Over a long time I have learned that I am a very emotional person and that I function much better being 'open'.  This does not mean that I place an ad in the paper to describe my daily feelings or activities, but I have learned to confide in a largish group of people that I trust. I decided not too bothered by what people think when I revealed that I had wls.  I could have done more research before surgery but I am disappointed if friends and associates don't respect my right to make the best informed decisions that I can. Your committee are probably very well-intentioned but it may be useful for them to know of your disappointment and to know that you would 'support' them in any moral and informed decisions they may choose / need to make. My prayers are with you. Rick

I am the same, very emotional, always dealing with a large group of people, and am very on top of their emotional concerns and life issues.  I believe I made a mistake in that the only prevalent thing I hear is 'how long are you going to off work' and 'do we have to pay your replacement'.  I knew I was in a cheap church but I had no idea.  LOL  It's said, but once I get the burn on - away I will go! Thanks for answering and  may your have a wonderful week! Bob McQueen

This may well be their opportunity to learn how important you are to their lives.  You've made no mistake Bob.