Question:
Hi Everyone!!

This is my first post in a long while but I just have to ask if anyone saw the Oprah show today and what they thought. I loved it. It was informational and did not imply we took the easy way out. Go Oprah!! I am 18 months post-op and really appreciated the show. What did you all think??    — Sharon1964 (posted on January 12, 2004)

January 12, 2004
I thought the show was ok, I especially liked the surgeon she had on there who told them obesity was a life threatening disease. I wish they had a few more people on there though and did the whole show on it......:) I am not picky am I? LOL
   — Saxbyd

January 12, 2004
Hi, I saw both the Dr. Phil show and Oprah. Both dealt with weight-loss. Dr. Phil's show was weight loss from a nonsurgical viewpoint, while Oprah's focused on gastric bypass. I noticed that Oprah seemed to make sure that the myth of "the easy way out," was debunked, plus she showed post-op grieving for food, too, which is something I *know* I will do. Two things not addressed, however, were: 1:the various types of wls and 2: gender bias. In our culture, overweight men, like Randy on American Idol, keep their jobs and are shown in public, whereas, females, such as Carnie Wilson, are whisked off the stage and out of the public eye until after the surgery. I've noticed this in an organization I've beenin since 1975. I used to hold several positions and found myself being slowly but surely forced out of them all. It really hurt, especially since I did not truly understand that my size was an issue to them, because it was not, to me. Yet, there are some extremely heavy men in prominent positions in this organization. Thanks. LM
   — catly

January 12, 2004
I really liked the show. Thought she handled the gastric bypass issue with dignity and grace, unlike Dr. Phil in the past. All guests were great as well. Kathy...open proximal rny...June 23, 2003...5'8"...295/200/170
   — Kathy R.

January 13, 2004
I was happy to see the featured doctor set her straight about obesity being a disease. She compared treating it to treating cancer with surgery - you wouldn't deny a cancer patient that opportunity to save his life. Oprah still had to refer to it as "radical" and "extreme" as she was discussing it. Overall, though I think her treatment of WLS has softened a bit from earlier shows. I wish she would have had a longer-term post-op on there, to get a little different perspective on the eating issues, etc.
   — Carlita

January 13, 2004
I watched the Oprah show and the Oprah after the show on the Oxygen network. I think a little too much was made of the woman grieving for food, it made it seem like we all go through that. I certainly haven't. (at least not yet) I haven't had any interest in food since my surgery, I just eat because I have to get my protein in. Maybe I am the exception to the rule, as I have had zero head hunger. <br><br> I saw some other threads on this where people were saying that Randy Jackson said he wouldn't recomend the surgery. Which isn't exactly what he said, he was stressing that it was a personal decision, and he wasn't going to tell someone to go have WLS.
   — Patricia T.

January 13, 2004
hi i really like the show the dr gave some good answer to people who need to know more. i gues i was different i had no fear on having the operation done i had so many medical prombems that i wanted the surgery so bad that i thought if i was one that didnt come out oh well but here i am 18 mos out down 125 lbs and off all my medication except my thyroid meds so i though the promgram was excellent rosemary
   — ROSEMARY A.