NYTimes Editorial on WLS - TODAY!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 25, 2006 Editorial The Complications of Obesity Surgery The latest evaluation of drastic weight-loss surgery provides both good news and bad news for patients who are severely obese. The study by federal health analysts found that the death rate from so-called bariatric surgery was relatively low but that the rate of subsequent complications was twice as high as measured in previous studies that followed patients for much shorter periods. Even so, for some people, the benefits of the drastic surgery, which typically involves shortening the intestines and reducing the size of the stomach, must surely outweigh the risks. The new study, which was conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, examined insurance claims data for some 2,500 people under age 65 who had weight-loss surgery in 2001 and 2002. The death rate was only two per thousand patients. But 22 percent of the patients suffered complications during their initial stay in the hospital, and that number rose to 40 percent during the first six months after discharge. The complications ranged from the relatively routine, like diarrhea and vomiting, to more serious leakage of gastric fluids, abdominal hernias and infections. The report found that laparoscopic bariatric surgery, which requires only small incisions, had a lower complication rate. So as laparoscopy increasingly becomes a favored mode of treatment, complications should come down. Patients will need to be aware of these problems, but they do not seem grave enough to warrant shunning surgery that is often the only hope for morbidly obese patients who may be 100 or more pounds overweight. # # # # # Home World U.S. N.Y. / Region Business Technology Science Health Sports Opinion Arts Style Travel Jobs Real Estate Automobiles Back to Top Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company

sounded fair. makes me glad my surgery will be laparoscopic. Michelle

Dear Michelle, You are soooooo right! LAP RNY is, I think, ideal! I just looked at your profile and it appears that your WLS date is coming up soon. What's the exact date so I can hold you in prayer? That's a great photo of you with your loving "spice." I've been calling my husband of 37+ years "spice" rather than spouse for almost that long, 'cause I think spouse sounds awful (rhymes with louse, mouse, dowse... -you get the idea )! I finally got my "BACK TO BASICS" story in the last issue of OH MAG - "THE KEY TO OVERCOMING SELF-SABOTAGE & YO-YO DIETING" - scanned onto digital CD-rom, so if you or ANY ONE ELSE READING THIS would like a FREE copy emailed to them, just email me. Read my OH member profile and you'll see how positive my experience and journey has been. Blessings, Lauralyn

Hello Lauralyn~ I really enjoyed reading your profile. You sound like you have had a totally happy and positive experience with your weight loss surgery and afterwards too! I am having my surgery August 31'st, 4 weeks from this coming Thursday. This Thursday we are taking a cruise to Canada, 13 of us, after we come back, it's all down to the business of getting ready for surgery If you could give me one piece of advice, being 4 weeks away from surgery, what would it be? Also, I would LOVE to see your article "Back to Basics"! You can e-mail it to [email protected]. I would love to read it. Thanks for the prayers and your lovely response. Michelle in NJ

Lauren: I would love to read your article too, if you don't mind emailing to [email protected]. Thanks, Donna C.

Donna~ What a great picture, you are glowing! I love it. Michelle Brennan

Thanks, Michelle. I couldn't get it working myself so I sent to the OH folks and they put it up for me. It is from my son's wedding. It was a happy day until I saw the full length pictures and saw just how FAT I was but it was one of the reasons, I found this path to surgery so it is good. Donna

It may feel like I've forgotten requests for me to Email REPRINTS of my OH MAGAZINE article on OVERCOMING SELF-SABOTAGE; but, truth is, I was in NYC (my hometown) Thurs. thru Sun. and am just digging out from under the backed up communications! I'll be emailing the digitally scanned repro of the article today, tonight, tomorrow - to all who have emailed me! Promise. Lauralyn