Hey losers! ;) Help please!
Hello all!
I'm in the process of writing a research paper for my Medical Sociology class. My topic is concerning WLS, and how participants are viewed. Being over one year post-op, I know how I feel about it, but I'm looking for more perspectives! Any input would be greatly appreciated!
If you can answer any of the following questions, I'd greatly appreciate it! If you're comfortable, please tell me your first name (for reference in the paper).
1. What was your 'turning point' when it came to making the decision to have surgery?
2. How have your family/friends responded to you? (Pre-op and Post-op)
3. Do you notice any differences in how you're treated socially? (Pre-op as opposed to post-op)
4. What was/is your experience with Doctor's before or after surgery?
If you can think of anything to add, please do! I'm still in the forming stages of this paper... Thank you in advance!
I'm in the process of writing a research paper for my Medical Sociology class. My topic is concerning WLS, and how participants are viewed. Being over one year post-op, I know how I feel about it, but I'm looking for more perspectives! Any input would be greatly appreciated!
If you can answer any of the following questions, I'd greatly appreciate it! If you're comfortable, please tell me your first name (for reference in the paper).
1. What was your 'turning point' when it came to making the decision to have surgery?
2. How have your family/friends responded to you? (Pre-op and Post-op)
3. Do you notice any differences in how you're treated socially? (Pre-op as opposed to post-op)
4. What was/is your experience with Doctor's before or after surgery?
If you can think of anything to add, please do! I'm still in the forming stages of this paper... Thank you in advance!
Hi my name is Rose and I hope that I can contribute to your paper.
1. I don't know when my turning point was. My daughter and husband had lap band surgery in 2008, 2009 respectively. I had watched the transformation of the years and how well they had adapted and the dramatic weight loss that they had experiened. I had always had my doubts about having WLS because I am a picky eater and did not think that I would survive without the foods that I was used to as I don't eat fi**** took a while for me to find that will to say. If I don't do this, I won't live too much longer because I cannot continue to carry this weight and work full time as a nurse. I did know that i did not want to have the band and opted for the sleeve after some research that was in October of 2009. I had the sleeve in April 2010.
2. Over the years as I got bigger ( I was a very skinny girl up until my last child, 25 trs ago) I was always teased by my uncles"here come my fat niece" Those remarks made me hate my uncles. Even my father would comment on my weight. Now he is my biggest fan. My immediate family has been very supportive as most of them have had the surgery. My youngest daughter who is also a nurse really did not like the idea at first because she looked at it as a cop out. She has always had success loosing extra weight on her own. However, after my surgery she came to me and said Momma, I wanna thank you and Dad for giving me many more years to share with you too. I know I would not have this opportunity if you both did not loose weight" This was very special to me.
3. Socially I am treated completely different. I am approached by men to help with lifting things. Doctors who never gave me the time of day now have no problem talking to me. It has really opened my eyes to the way people view obese people. I am now more sensitive to obese people because I know how it is to be in their shoes.
4. I have never had any problems with doctors. I was told to loose weight by some but I know that and was never hurt by those words.
Hope this information is helpful to you and your paper. Good Luck
Rose
1. I don't know when my turning point was. My daughter and husband had lap band surgery in 2008, 2009 respectively. I had watched the transformation of the years and how well they had adapted and the dramatic weight loss that they had experiened. I had always had my doubts about having WLS because I am a picky eater and did not think that I would survive without the foods that I was used to as I don't eat fi**** took a while for me to find that will to say. If I don't do this, I won't live too much longer because I cannot continue to carry this weight and work full time as a nurse. I did know that i did not want to have the band and opted for the sleeve after some research that was in October of 2009. I had the sleeve in April 2010.
2. Over the years as I got bigger ( I was a very skinny girl up until my last child, 25 trs ago) I was always teased by my uncles"here come my fat niece" Those remarks made me hate my uncles. Even my father would comment on my weight. Now he is my biggest fan. My immediate family has been very supportive as most of them have had the surgery. My youngest daughter who is also a nurse really did not like the idea at first because she looked at it as a cop out. She has always had success loosing extra weight on her own. However, after my surgery she came to me and said Momma, I wanna thank you and Dad for giving me many more years to share with you too. I know I would not have this opportunity if you both did not loose weight" This was very special to me.
3. Socially I am treated completely different. I am approached by men to help with lifting things. Doctors who never gave me the time of day now have no problem talking to me. It has really opened my eyes to the way people view obese people. I am now more sensitive to obese people because I know how it is to be in their shoes.
4. I have never had any problems with doctors. I was told to loose weight by some but I know that and was never hurt by those words.
Hope this information is helpful to you and your paper. Good Luck
Rose
Had GBS 12/2006.
1. when I could not take a shower without sitting down to take a break because I was out of breath. I had reached an all-time highest weight of 397...had adopted my now 7 YO son (he was nearly 2 at the time of my surgery) and decided I could not live my life any more like that. I was at the point of death anyway....risking my life in surgery was no different thn living my life day to day at that point. (I also have to add that my mother had GBS in 2001 and died a few weeks later from pulmonary emblism, a side affect of any surgery, because getting around right after surgery was painful for her, lack of caffiene headaches and they gave her an eppidural to ease some pain during srgery/immediately following. for several years I was addamantly against weightloss surgery for that reason. But, as I said, I had reached that point of being ready to die, litterally).
2. I have never been really social so my friends are few to begin with. Everyone has been supportive and a few family members have seen my success and would like to also have surgery but for one reason or another cannot (be it insurance problems or health is in a state that they are unable to yet). Some people do not GET IT, meaning you can no longer eat what or how much you use to so I still get offers for those donuts in the back office or that birthday cake but that is not their fault I just have to remind them that those things make me feel yuck. My SO did not know me before surgery and he doesn't always get why I can't eat substantial amounts of food at one sitting. He only knows the me now.
3. I get doors held open for me now. I get looks and smiles in the store. Before I felt invisible even though I was hardly that! IT still is a little disconcerting to get attention since I spent my life hiding behind the fat. And, some days I still feel like the biggest person in the room when I am far from that.
4. My primary Dr. was supportive of surgery and I did not really feel pressured one way or the other. I have also had a baby nearly 8 months ago (at 39 YO!) and that would never have beenpossible before surgery....my social life was non-existent then and physically my body was just screwed up, cycles irregular and sometimes non-stop (my hormones were so jacked up I bled for a year straight, no physical reason found, just hormonal).
Let me know if you need anything else.
Elaine
1. when I could not take a shower without sitting down to take a break because I was out of breath. I had reached an all-time highest weight of 397...had adopted my now 7 YO son (he was nearly 2 at the time of my surgery) and decided I could not live my life any more like that. I was at the point of death anyway....risking my life in surgery was no different thn living my life day to day at that point. (I also have to add that my mother had GBS in 2001 and died a few weeks later from pulmonary emblism, a side affect of any surgery, because getting around right after surgery was painful for her, lack of caffiene headaches and they gave her an eppidural to ease some pain during srgery/immediately following. for several years I was addamantly against weightloss surgery for that reason. But, as I said, I had reached that point of being ready to die, litterally).
2. I have never been really social so my friends are few to begin with. Everyone has been supportive and a few family members have seen my success and would like to also have surgery but for one reason or another cannot (be it insurance problems or health is in a state that they are unable to yet). Some people do not GET IT, meaning you can no longer eat what or how much you use to so I still get offers for those donuts in the back office or that birthday cake but that is not their fault I just have to remind them that those things make me feel yuck. My SO did not know me before surgery and he doesn't always get why I can't eat substantial amounts of food at one sitting. He only knows the me now.
3. I get doors held open for me now. I get looks and smiles in the store. Before I felt invisible even though I was hardly that! IT still is a little disconcerting to get attention since I spent my life hiding behind the fat. And, some days I still feel like the biggest person in the room when I am far from that.
4. My primary Dr. was supportive of surgery and I did not really feel pressured one way or the other. I have also had a baby nearly 8 months ago (at 39 YO!) and that would never have beenpossible before surgery....my social life was non-existent then and physically my body was just screwed up, cycles irregular and sometimes non-stop (my hormones were so jacked up I bled for a year straight, no physical reason found, just hormonal).
Let me know if you need anything else.
Elaine
1. What was your 'turning point' when it came to making the decision to have surgery?
I've been thinking about doing this for years, but the turning point was when my elementary-aged son pointed me out to a friend from a group of parents as 'the fat mom.'
2. How have your family/friends responded to you? (Pre-op and Post-op)
Pre-op. I'm a bit of a loner, but my few friends have always been kind and treated me normally. I've never been so obese that I was ignored and ridiculed like I have seen happen way too often. I'm newly post-op but so far everyone has been very encouraging and supportive.
3. Do you notice any differences in how you're treated socially? (Pre-op as opposed to post-op)
Not really.
4. What was/is your experience with Doctor's before or after surgery?
I'm in the medical field (Physician's Assistant) and I generally have good interactions with the docs. As a patient, my PCP was very supportive and did everything he could to help me with the pre-op requirements. My surgeon is awesome (but I picked the best one in the region!).
~~Dee
I've been thinking about doing this for years, but the turning point was when my elementary-aged son pointed me out to a friend from a group of parents as 'the fat mom.'
2. How have your family/friends responded to you? (Pre-op and Post-op)
Pre-op. I'm a bit of a loner, but my few friends have always been kind and treated me normally. I've never been so obese that I was ignored and ridiculed like I have seen happen way too often. I'm newly post-op but so far everyone has been very encouraging and supportive.
3. Do you notice any differences in how you're treated socially? (Pre-op as opposed to post-op)
Not really.
4. What was/is your experience with Doctor's before or after surgery?
I'm in the medical field (Physician's Assistant) and I generally have good interactions with the docs. As a patient, my PCP was very supportive and did everything he could to help me with the pre-op requirements. My surgeon is awesome (but I picked the best one in the region!).
~~Dee
Height: 5'5" / HW: 223 / SW: 196 / GW: 125 reached 12/22/2011 / CW: 121
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