Honest Feedback PLEASE
OH Certified Support Group Leader
Pasadena Support Group 2nd Monday at 6:30pm
Katy Krew Support Group 4th Monday at 6:30pm
'This is my glock, There are many like it, but this one is MINE.' R Lee Ermey
David, Well, First, Welcome to the Men’s Message Board. Honesty (and sometimes bluntness) is the normal state of affairs here. Second- Bariatric surgery is really “The Last Option.” Reserved when all else has failed. It’s a major surgery, and comes with the risks that involves. It is a “do over” that gives post-ops a chance to completely “re-boot” their life style and eating habits. Third- “I also read a statistic that states 90% of morbidly obese individuals gain all the weight back within 5 years of dieting.” Where did you read that dude? It’s off by about 60%. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, the American Surgical Association, and the American Society For Bariatric Surgery, the stats are- For those losing weight with Diet and exercise alone- 90% failure rate, resulting in 30% of cases in a regain higher than the initial weight. (based on 5 to 10 year follow-up) For Diet and Exercise added by Bariatric Procedure? 70 to 85% success rate. (based on 5 to 10 year follow-up) For those 30 to 15% who fail to maintain the loss of 60% or more of their excess weight? They tend to maintain 40% loss of excess weight even when being counted as “failing” at complete success. I’d recommend that you read up more on Weight Loss Surgery. There are several different types of procedures, the RNY, Lap-Band, DS, and VSG being the most popular, and they all work for different reasons. If you’ve got the chance to drop your weight with a diet plan? Go For it! If you’ve tried MULTIPLE TIMES, only to regain? Then look into Bariatric Surgery as an Option. I started at 385+lbs and have been at a constant 180 to 185 for the past 3 years. My experience in that regard is typical. At least the same for 7 out of 10 WLS Post-Op patients. Seriously, where did you “read” those figures? Hope you find all of the info, experience and support that this bunch has to offer. Best Wishes- Dx
All I can say is that when you're ready to have surgery (If you become ready) you will not care what anyone else says. If you feel the need to try again, then you probably need to do that.
Don't be afraid of the process (insurance, appointments, etc). It's as unpredictable as Californian politics. My insurance approved my surgery before I was home from the appointment and knew what hit me.
I would never trade the surgery. I actually wish I had done it earlier.
--Jake