Question:
Should you or shouldnt you??? The million dollor question
— Lovett (posted on April 8, 2004)
April 8, 2004
Tina: I am so sorry about your friend. It must be devastating for you in
light of what you've just told us. Did your friend do any research at all
on the surgeons she chose? If not, that was a mistake, but I can
understand her emotions regardless. It can be hard not to be carried away
with the desire to have this surgery. We have to fight between the
intellectual and the emotional throughout the entire process. I am
somewhat skeptical about professionals advertising in the way those doctors
did, as I'm old enough to remember when it was not legal for lawyers to
advertise their services. But that may not mean, necessarily, that they
are bad doctors. If they did not put her through a battery of tests and
requirements, and thoroughly check her health status prior to surgery, then
yes, they are bad doctors.<p>I would like to tell you that I think
there should be limits on the surgery, but if I said that and meant it,
then I would have been excluded from having it myself. My only health
problems prior to surgery were heel spurs, back and neck pain, and mild
sleep apnea. I was 100 pounds overweight, and had not been under 200
pounds for over 25 years. I suffered quite a bit, however, from mental
anquish, depression, loss of hope, and did so for many, many years because
I could not control my weight problem through my own efforts. If you asked
me, "did you really need the surgery?" my answer would be a
resounding "yes." So where do you really draw the line for this?
I honestly can't say, but I would like to hear others' opinions on this
part of your question.<p>I and I know many others here will be
praying for your friend to make it. Please try to be strong for her. Best
wishes.
— Carlita
April 8, 2004
My nightmare Wanda Smart.
<P>http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/status.phtml?N=S1007516003<P>
If you visit please leave some encouraging words. I was her inspiration,
she spent over a year in the hospital, mostly in ICU. I have had a very
hard time with this. But EVERYONE who gets WLS is informed of the risks in
advance. My surgeons patients sure are. Will the poster please drop me a
email at [email protected] and we can talk privately if you want. I KNOW how
difficult this is. No I dont believe there should be limits, as a matter of
fact I think that 100 pound standard should be lowered a lot. Theres
physical pain and illness, but the mental hassle of being so big is
difficult too. Each one of us has to make our own decisions in life. I will
say a prayer she recovers and does great.
— bob-haller
April 8, 2004
I'm so sorry for your friend. I hope she improves.
I knew about all the risks before I had surgery. I accepted those risks vs
being fat for the rest of my life. The 1 in 200 mortality rate is pretty
standard for most surgical procedures. I wouldn't hesitate to have any
necessary surgery. I don't quite think it's right to say something like
you need to be 150lbs overweight and have 3 co-morbidities to be considered
for surgery. I believe the process is complex enough. If it was up to me;
any morbidly obese competent adult could have the surgery. If you do
some indepth research on this site I think you would learn that more people
die while waiting/fighting for surgery than expire from the surgery itself.
— PattyL
April 8, 2004
Tina, I will continue to keep ypur frined in my prayers. However, it was
not the surgery. What people fail to realize is that the suergery is not
more or less comlicated then any other surgeries.
When considering this option, you must find the perfect Doctor. One who has
performed hundreds of surgeries with little or no complications.
It would seem a bit scary and would cause me tothinki if the surgeon is
advertising. That would have caused me to wonder. Most surgeons that
perform the surgeries are gerneral surgeons and practice in other areas.
RESEARCH is the key to success. I chose a Dr. here is Jacksonville, Florida
where I am from but was glad that my primary Dr. refused to allow me to
see this surgeon due to what he knew. He refered me to a great Sergeon who
is two hours away but he has performed thousands of ths surgery and others.
He is a practicing sergeon and teacher at UF in Gainesville. RESEARCH is
the key.
— Steffanie J.
April 8, 2004
Selecting the right surgeon is certinally very important! My surgeons group
does the super MOs of 750 pounds who cant walk and complicated revisions
too most done LAP. Yet his groups death rate is .4 percent well under the
ations average for the RNY of 1 to 2%. I think its because they are a
teaching hospital, a high volume operationd doing the last time I asked
about 25 a week. Experienced means seeing lots of rare complications and
having had them come up before. My surgeon does intensive pre op testing,
where some here report had blood test the morning of surgery and that was
all the testing required:( My surgeon does nearly all RNYs LAP. That
minimizes the cutting and trauma to the body,and with the small holes the
chance of infection too. All of this makes it easier on our bodies.Plus we
are encouraged to walk walk walk right after surgery. The teaching hospital
means the best and britest support docs are there too. Heck a Dr Rosser a
world known surgeon picked my surgeon to do his RNY. He looked fantastic
last time I saw him and had some funny sad comments about SOME surgeons who
are just in it for the money. He recommends if your first visit to a
surgeon doesnt find MO comfy big chairs go elsewhere. I hope some of this
helps people find the safest best surgeon available.
— bob-haller
April 8, 2004
It sounds like this group of surgeons is a big part of the reason insurance
companies are stopping coverage of
WLS. More and more marginally qualified surgeons are getting into it for
the money, not because they really want to help people. The way my
insurance company has it set up, there is criteria that must be met, using
the NIH criteria. There is always an appeal process, but if you don't meet
criteria in some way, forget it. (I haven't seen anyone be turned down.) I
don't think just anyone should be able to get WLS. I think we all know of
someone who had WLS and didn't do well or had unrealistic expectaions. I
saw a request come yesterday for a woman who is a "lightweight" -
she had a page and a half of allergies and another page and a half of
surgeries and things that have happened to her. If I was the surgeon, I
wouldn't touch her!
— koogy
April 9, 2004
— Lovett
April 9, 2004
It has become a $$$$$$$ for some surgeons, they get the money and dont seem
to care about the needs of the person. Overweight/obese people are/get
desperate, and these surgeons pray on that..I had my surgery the 9th of
dec. 2003 and was so blessed to have a great surgeon.. I feel that the
surgeon MUST have a great pre-op (testing, bloodwork,diet ect.) and at
least a 12 month post-op plan, and have it put in place BEFORE you have the
surgery.. there is enough risks in the surgery alone without having added
risks with a surgeon that is just in it for the money. I didn't want to
think this way at first, but it's a proven fact..research your surgon
FIRST, and ask all the uneasy question's, if they dont want to answer them,
then find another surgeon. Prayers for you friend for a GODS speed
recovery!
— Kalli R.
April 9, 2004
Hi Tina, first let me start by saying that I am very sorry about your
friend and hope that she recovers well. I am not sure of which medical
group in Fresno you hear on the radio, but I did travel to Fresno for
surgery and I am very happy with my surgeon. He does follow patient for
five years and although he does not require that you lose weight, he does
track your body fat percentage and requires that you walk 2 miles a day. I
don't agree that you should have to have a medical problem to qualify for
surgery. I would have not qualified. I am 28 years old, and a single
parent and I was not only too overweight to enjoy life, but even had
trouble staying awake after 8 hours of sitting at a desk! I am very
grateful, and feel that I have been blessed. 9/4/03 278/188/150
— Natalie G.
April 9, 2004
In no way was I knocking this particular surgeon as a matter of fact I have
no idea who they are. Insurance is trying to elminate surgery for obesity
just to save money. they look at the rising demand for WLS as a expense,
rather than how much good it does for all of us:( Insurances trouble is
most people change carriers every 2 or 3 years. So insurance companies dont
feel they save money long term because their customers dont remain that
long. To them we are but a expense to minimize:( My surgeons comments are
to give people something to look for when they are shopping for one to help
people get good care. I pray your friend recovers. As I found out from
wanda people can and do survive such sad times. BTW I spoke with wanda a
week or so ago and she sounds great with a good attitude. Although I had
mentioned some downside risk before wanda had her surgery I never thought
she would have such a tough time. I recommend everyone encouraging others
to talk of what can go wrong. That helps some if things go bad. We are all
responsible for our own decisions in life.
— bob-haller
April 9, 2004
the sad fact is that those who have severe surgical complications from WLS
would likely have had serious complications from ANY surgery they had. I
cannot comment on the docs as I do not know them or the whole situation. I
personally believe that any one who is severly obese should have this
surgery available to them. As far as "trying everything" to lose
weight first, well, in my case it was wasted years of my life that I didn't
get to live the way I wanted to trying to lose weight on diets that are
destined to fail, that 95% of all people will fail. It sure beats you up
struggling at something that is a losing battle before you even start.
< 5% of morbidly obese will lose weight thru diet and exercise, and
making them sruggle for years to get "earn " the right to have
surgery is like unfairly imprisoning a person. **my opinion**
— **willow**
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