Re: ?Swedish Study/help?

[Guest guest]

Hi. I have been trying to go back and read the study. The one that I

saw was on Fox was listed under a different post than the one that

you are referring to. After I read both studies, I will post again. I

did notice that one of the studies lasted only four years, and I

wonder if it could be that they are saying five years because that is

the length of time that they have been able to do follow-up with that

study. Also, the type of WLS followed in the study would make a HUGE

difference. The VBG, for instance, is known to fail after just a few

years in many cases. I know four people, one who had WLS 20 years

ago, and all of them have been able to maintain their weight-loss.

Three of them are over three years out. The MGB has only been done

for three years, but I would think that the malabsorbtion would make

it very difficult to regain weight for most of us. With some " other "

types of surgeries, you also have the risk of staple disruption which

can lead to weight regain. This is not a possibility with the MGB. I

will go back and find the story from MDweb and compare it to the

other link posted. They were both Swedish studies, and may indeed be

the same study, but I will have to go back and look. I'll post again

later.

Stormy

> I'll try again.Does anyone know what in the world were they

referring to

> when they said wt loss surgery would be effective for morbid

obesity for UP

> TO 5 YEARS?What in the heck does that mean?I have been in touch

with pts of

> DrR's as far out as 6/98and 7/98,but it never ocurred to me that

this is not

> forever.Someone,anyone know what they were referring to,please help

me rest

> my worried self. Janet

>

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[Guest guest]

I finally found it. Here is part of the study.

Harvey Sugerman, MD, tells WebMD that the study's findings actually

may be more significant for American patients than for Swedish ones.

He points out that surgeons in Sweden tend to use a kind of operation

that results in less weight loss than the gastric bypass surgery used

most often here. The American patients also tend to weigh more, which

would make their symptoms even worse before surgery.

Sugerman also points out that no dietary program has been shown to

successfully keep weight off in these individuals. But surgery has a

significant effect on weight loss that continues for at least five

years. Sugerman is the M. Hume professor of surgery at the

Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in

Richmond.

" This article adds to the support for surgical treatment of obesity, "

Sugerman says. " I think it is reasonable to assume that if it shows

improvement in Swedish patients, there should be a much greater

improvement in the heavier American patients. "

It sounds to me like the Swedish Doctors are using restrictive

surgeries that are known to fail after a few years. The VBG and the

lap-band would be two restrictive surgeries. Also, the study only

went on for four years, and the study states that " the significant

effect on weight loss continues for AT LEAST five years " . I wonder if

they are saying that because the study lasted only four years and

five years is the longest that they have been able to follow up on

that study? Maybe Dr. R will read and comment on this study since he

knows how this research stuff is worded. I'm not worried, though,

because I know that with the amount bypassed during the MGB I will

not be asorbing much of what I eat. All WLS is just a tool, though,

and we must do our part to learn proper eating and exercise habits.

Just my opinion, but I wanted to comment since you have posted your

question twice and not gotten a response.

Stormy