Re: Digest Number 1732

[Guest guest]

Kate wrote:

I kept an active file of really horrible complications, and used to offer to

send it out to pre-ops so they knew what some of the risks were first hand.

Less than 1% of the people reading ever asked for it. I know these are the

same people who later say " But no one ever told me about.... "

-----

I entered into this surgery as an active fat person who biked back and forth

to work for about 20 miles a day. I overate, yes, but no more than my

husband who is a a fit 180 lbs at 5' 10 " tall. I walked everywhere. I

could go to the Y and hop on the elliptical at for 2 hours and had.

I was a healthy fat person who chose to have surgery even though I had gone

on really only 1 or 2 diets in my life.

I had not, obviously, tried everything. I had read the stats about 95% of

diets fail, the horrible side effects of previous drugs for weight loss, and

also had read that it was healthier to remain fat than to yo-yo diet. At

240 lbs in college, I tried to accept that I was fat and would always be

fat... the problems was that I was still gaining weight, 10-20 lbs a year

every year. I just knew that in 10 years, I was going to weigh 500 lbs and

my body would eventually cave and I would no longer enjoy the physical

freedom that I still enjoyed. I wasn't willing to do that and I felt

powerless against my weight gain.

When Carnie appeared on People magazine, I felt like a bomb had

dropped from the sky. There was a way out - this gastric bypass surgery.

So, I elected to undergo surgery, a healthy fat person without any major

comorbidities other than sleep apnea who had never really dieted to any

great extent.

Was it a stupid decision?

I don't think so. I could have spent 10-15 years trying every diet first

to fail... putting my body and my metabolism through so much more. But,

the National Institute of Health says this is the only long term cure for

obesity. I believe them. I thought it better to undergo surgery while

still healthy instead of waiting until the obesity had eventually ravished

my health which it would have done in a matter of time.

The only thing I ever really worry about is that I could have waited 10

years and there would be something even better than this surgery with fewer

side effects and risks - but I'm enjoying my late 20's now... doing so many

things I couldn't do before, even as a " fit " fat person - skiing, hiking,

scuba diving. I am living life to such a greater extent now and I have

begun to live NOW instead of waiting until I'd tried 15 more diets first.

Yes, the surgery is risky. So is any surgery. For that matter, looking

at the world, so is waking up and going to work or getting in your car for

that matter. A woman I know lost her best friend when she was 12 - she had

simply gone to the dentist to get her wisdom teeth removed and died under

anesthesia.

Some people will undergo this surgery and they will lose their lives. Or

experience severe complications. It's sad and my heart goes out to them.

The surgery IS extreme, but it's the only thing that works for so many

people. Obesity is such a horrible disease as it ravages the soul as well

the body. There is little public sympathy.

What I'm simply trying to say is that I don't think a person should have to

try " EVERYTHING " first before surgery because nothing else has the success

rate. The risk of surgery is great, but it's still smaller than the risk

of long-term obesity. Be informed to make their own decision - to throw

their dice, so to say, yes. But, it's a dice throw - with the odds greatly

in your favor.

Alisa's 2 cents.