Question:
I need to find information on long term weight loss.

I have just come from my PCP and showed her the Appeal letter, all other doctors paperwork, articles on WLS and prescription costs. I'm going to have to appeal my insurance because they have denied coverage. She said that she will have the office copy my records and write a letter saying that we have discussed WLS and the effects of my weight on my health, that it would help if I were to lose weight. She doesn't agree with this because I didn't include anything about long term weight loss, how many people, how much weight they took off and kept off overlong periods    — Colleen K. (posted on June 21, 2000)

June 21, 2000
I had the same problem with my pcp, she wasn't thrilled with it. Then I searched the internet asking the same question, when i got replies from people i printed them for her. I found all the info from the internet and printed it and gave it to her. She was very impressed >just type gastric bypass surgery and you'll get all kinds of websites that will give you information. This is the one of the best sites there is for information. Good Luck Shirley
   — smul3

June 21, 2000
I had the same problem with my pcp, she wasn't thrilled with it. Then I searched the internet asking the same question, when i got replies from people i printed them for her. I found all the info from the internet and printed it and gave it to her. She was very impressed >just type gastric bypass surgery and you'll get all kinds of websites that will give you information. This is the one of the best sites there is for information. Good Luck Shirley
   — smul3

June 21, 2000
Shirley is absolutely right.. There is a wealth of information out there and here on AMOS.. I have 10-15 websites in which give excellent factual information and answers to your question.. if you want these sites email me, also go to main page here on this site and type in weight loss on the keyword.. lots of posts there for you to read many long times there reporting..and keep in mind to maximize your weight loss on any surgery type.. "It all depends on you" a-Utilizing your WLS tool and maximizing that tool b- dedication and determination c- Sticking with the lessons and skills you learned the first 18-24 months and follow through with those skills. <p> On that note here is an excellent abstract of the benefits of support groups like this one or local groups off line. <p> Obes Surg 1998 Oct;8(5):535-42 <p> <p> Effects of participation in bariatric support group after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. <p> Hildebrandt SE <p> Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group, Inc., San Diego, California, USA. <p> BACKGROUND: Support group is a service provided by Pacific Bariatric Surgical Medical Group to its gastric bypass patients before and after surgery. It has already been well established that group therapy helps breast cancer patients survive longer. METHODS: 102 patients answered self-report questionnaires that were mailed out in the spring 1998 newsletter. The questionnaire was designed to investigate weight loss, mood, postsurgical problems, and the reasons patients chose not to attend the support group meetings. RESULTS: The mean preoperative weight was 303.65 lb (137.73 kg), with a mean weight loss of 95.79 lb (43.45 kg). The mean desired goal weight was 152.47 lb (69.16 kg), and there was a 63.3% loss of excess weight. The mean elapsed time since surgery was 15.2 months. After surgery, 25.5% of patients reported seeing a mental health professional. There was no difference in mood between group meeting attenders and nonattenders. There was a statistical trend for more weight loss (P = .08) in group attenders than in nonattenders. For group attenders, the more often patients attended group meetings, the more weight they lost (P < .05). Patients with reported emotional, psychosocial, dietary, and lifestyle problems were no more likely to attend group than nonattenders. CONCLUSIONS: The mean weight loss was as good as or better than reported in the literature. Patients who attended group meetings regularly tended to lose more weight, and increased frequency of attendance was associated with greater weight loss. The implications are discussed. <p> PMID: 9819086, UI: 99034395 <p> Visit my profile page for links to abstracts and websites..
   — Victoria B.

June 21, 2000
send her a copy of the national instititutes of health consensus statement recommending wls for morbidly obese patients. kind of hard for an md to deny what the fed government nih has recommended. available at the nat'l institutes of health website. good luck
   — shelly R.