Weight loss surgery

[CosmicCowboy]

What the hell are these people thinking? I now know 2 women that have died and another that is very ill from complications...some even years after the surgery....attractive, otherwise healthy women in their 30's and 40's that are now dead because of vanity...I keep hearing these ads on the radio about how "safe" it is and it really pisses me off..

[DirkAB]

Vanity???????? Obesity kills and destroys quality of life, bigtime. Surely some people are rather quick to opt for the surgery, instead of trying to do it the right way, but others I believe have tried and are incappable of losing the weight naturally. I have no problem with this procedure, although some doctors don't discriminate enough when it comes to good canidates.

[SpursWoman]

They are only supposed to do it if the patient is over 100lbs overweight. That's not vanity, that's a serious health concern. And for people that are 400, 500+ pounds...getting on the treadmill is not an option.

I have a cousin that died from complications from that type of surgery, too. But she was going to die if she didn't get the weight off. So she decided to take the risk. :(

[Sonia_TX]

I would never have surgery like that. Although when I do lose weight I might need a boob job. lol I am on Weight Watchers and have lost almost 10 lbs since starting at the end of May. Slowly but surely I will get there!

[SpursWoman]

Needing to lose 10, 20, or even 50 pounds is absolutely nothing like having to lose 200.

[katyon6th]

Good for you, Sonia. Good luck! :tu

[Sonia_TX]

^I know it. (for Spurswoman)


Thanks Katy!!! :)

[SpursWoman]

And yes, that is awesome Sonia ... I wasn't trying to make light of your effort....I'm sorry. :oops :lol

[ALVAREZ6]

Yeah seriously, WTF is up with all these chicks gettin tummy tucks and shit like that...fuckin get off your ass. Please.

I understand if you are extremely overweight and you get this type of surgery, but not if you are only a little overweight, it's not that hard, just exercise more. For a typical American, exercise PERIOD.

[Sonia_TX]

But I don't need to lose just 10, 20 or 50... I am over that. It is sad to say but I'm trying to change it for myself. Just that the surgery wouldn't be something I would do because of the complications. I know someone that had it done. She is doing good but still... you never know.

[SpursWoman]

And I'm sorry about your friend (?) CC. Were these women seriously only a little overweight? Or were they extremely overweight? Sometimes the risks involved in that kind of surgery far outweigh remaining morbidly obese.

[Gatita]

I had a friend who had the surgery. He had a nutritionist for a year and a half and also worked out to lose a certain amount of weight prior to having the surgery.

[2Blonde]

Yeah seriously, WTF is up with all these chicks gettin tummy tucks and shit like that...fuckin get off your ass. Please.

I understand if you are extremely overweight and you get this type of surgery, but not if you are only a little overweight, it's not that hard, just exercise more. For a typical American, exercise PERIOD.

Just an FYI Alvarez... Liposuction is what a lot of people have to get rid of unwanted fat or fat that won't come off even when they have worked out. Tummy tucks are generally just excess skin, not fat from not exercising. The excess skin is usually there from previous childbirth when the skin stretched and never went back as taut or when someone has lost a lot of weight and the skin doesn't have the elasticity to shrink when the fat cells get smaller.

Additionally, although all surgery can be risky, the percentage of complications for those surgeries don't come anywhere near what CC is talking about for weight loss surgeries.

[dougp]

And I'm sorry about your friend (?) CC. Were these women seriously only a little overweight? Or were they extremely overweight? Sometimes the risks involved in that kind of surgery far outweigh remaining morbidly obese.
Do you think losing 100lbs is like losing 200lbs?

There are people who get into this type of condition (severe obesity) even though they eat properly. But that's very rare, a lot of people just don't give a shit about what they eat and down a pizza every other day, etc. My aunt did it to herself and then had her stomach stapled. She ate too much and burst the staples, and ended up gaining more weight from over eating. She finally opted for the G.B. surgery and has lost a lot of weight due to reduced portions, but now she's gaining it back because of the type of food she eats.

Where as, my friend here in Houston who is very overweight has modified his diet to match mine exactly (mine is altered due to my in-ability to process fats cause of my galbladder removal) and he has lost 46lbs since January, with only a change to the TYPE of food he eats and how he cooks it. He doesn't exercise or eat less food. When he gets down to his goal weight, he will have lost over 150lbs and he should have it done in about a year or two, without having surgery.

[jcrod]

Do you think losing 100lbs is like losing 200lbs?

There are people who get into this type of condition (severe obesity) even though they eat properly. But that's very rare, a lot of people just don't give a shit about what they eat and down a pizza every other day, etc. My aunt did it to herself and then had her stomach stapled. She ate too much and burst the staples, and ended up gaining more weight from over eating. She finally opted for the G.B. surgery and has lost a lot of weight due to reduced portions, but now she's gaining it back because of the type of food she eats.

Where as, my friend here in Houston who is very overweight has modified his diet to match mine exactly (mine is altered due to my in-ability to process fats cause of my galbladder removal) and he has lost 46lbs since January, with only a change to the TYPE of food he eats and how he cooks it. He doesn't exercise or eat less food. When he gets down to his goal weight, he will have lost over 150lbs and he should have it done in about a year or two, without having surgery.

It's not as rare as you think, but yeah everybody I know who trys to lose weight always says I'm on a new diet. Well diet is only 20% of it, you need to exersize to lose the weight. You can diet all you want, but if you don't increase your activity its going to take you a long time to lose weight.

[Sonia_TX]

Enigma your friend did it the healthier way (IMO). That's what I am trying to do. I never used to eat fruit/veggies 5 times a day but I am doing so. Congrats to him! :)

[ShoogarBear]

Just an FYI Alvarez... Liposuction is what a lot of people have to get rid of unwanted fat or fat that won't come off even when they have worked out. Tummy tucks are generally just excess skin, not fat from not exercising. The excess skin is usually there from previous childbirth when the skin stretched and never went back as taut or when someone has lost a lot of weight and the skin doesn't have the elasticity to shrink when the fat cells get smaller.

Additionally, although all surgery can be risky, the percentage of complications for those surgeries don't come anywhere near what CC is talking about for weight loss surgeries.

This is true, but even liposuction, though it is generally "same-day" in/out surgery, can be risky. I have personally witnessed two horrible complications from people who went in for liposuction, both resulting in them going to the ICU.

[dougp]

I know he won't be able to complete his goal without getting exercise in ... I think he's too embarassed to go out and do anything physical right now.


------------------------------

Late 2003
http://www.geekmojo.org/dougold.jpg

Late 2005
http://www.geekmojo.org/doug.jpg

Took me about 14 months to lose a total of 100lbs (250lbs to 150lbs), from a 42in to 32in waste and an XXL to M shirt size. I played sports everyday with my cousin (football and basketball) & altered my diet radically. The rapid weight loss is what cost me my galbladder, but it was well worth it.

Honestly Sonia, don't do the WW thing ... speak with a nutrionist and alter your diet like that, because IMO it's more liveable and cheaper.

[jcrod]

Did anybody see that special i think HBO. Plastic surgery gone bad, some shit like that. They were talking about what shoog just wrote. Lipo can be very bad if they poke you in the wrong spot.

[2Blonde]

Late 2003
http://www.geekmojo.org/dougold.jpg
I think you have every fast food joint there is represented in that picture. :lol

[2Blonde]

Oh, BTW Congratulations on your weight loss. You look amazing. :spin

[katyon6th]

Looking good, Doug!

[jcrod]

classic pic with the sonic food. Man dude lost a shit load of weight with just dieting. I've gained 30 pounds in the last 2 yrs. But thats mostly because i stopped going to the gym. The only exersize i get is with playing BB once in a while or SB, but thats not really exersize.

[SpursWoman]

Do you think losing 100lbs is like losing 200lbs?


I lost 80 several years ago, and I know what it's like being that fat just starting out on a vigorous exercise/diet regime. It was but for the mercy of God to be able to get my shit together, and I'm still nowhere near sig-worthy. I couldn't imagine adding another 100lbs on top of that. So, I'm probably not a good target for patronization on this particular subject, either.

Congratulations to you, though, your success is a great inspiration. :)

[easjer]

One of my friends watched her friend nearly die from the GB surgery. Her friend could only take three ounces of food at a time and was constantly suffering from low blood sugar, to the point of dizziness. She was unable to drive or work for more than an hour at a time or walk around for more than 20 minutes without fainting, but she couldn't take more food, because her stomach wouldn't hold it. She then became very unhealthy, because in order to combat the low blood sugar, she would eat half a candy bar, and be full.

I think it should be done when necessary, but the risks have to be fully understood. It's not a quick fix or a cosmetic thing, and if Al Roker has taught us anything, it's also not permanent.

Change your diet and eat right, exercise more and it'll last longer.

[CosmicCowboy]

The last one just died a couple of weeks ago. To be honest, i didn't know her when she was heavier. She was a friend of mines new girlfriend (maybe a year or two)...I noticed she had a boob job (lecher that I am LOL) but didn't know about the weight loss surgery and she was height/weight proportionate when I met her. The surgery was apparently several years ago...not sure but I think she had it done in Mexico...She apparently developed complications recently, went into the hospital, and died 4 weeks later from an infection in her guts caused by the blockage...apparently a very nasty way to die...

[dougp]

Thanks guys - and that's an edited picture, there's a LOT cut out from the background ... I was in shape n crap during high school, got out and when I moved out of my parents, I started playing games when I wasn't at school/work and gained quite a bit of weight.

Eventually, got laid off and didn't know wtf to do with my life and had my mind set on the service ... dropped the weight and my grandparents wanted me to find an alternative ... that's how I ended up in H-Town :)

[ALVAREZ6]

Good job enigma, way to do it the right way.

[ALVAREZ6]

I know that there are obese people with excuses (post pregnancy, diseases, etc), but it really startles me how so many people let themselves get so big in the first place. That's really the key, don't get really obese in the first place and you won't have to go through a lot of complications.


I just think it's sad that people who are obese are getting surgeries because they can't work it off themselves, and there are people around the world that don't have any food period.

[SpursWoman]

I just think it's sad that people who are obese are getting surgeries because they can't work it off themselves, and there are people around the world that don't have any food period.


A lot of the research on the subject I did included online journals of people who have undergone the weight loss surgery...with a lot of before & after progress pictures. The real people the surgery was intended for ... people like 200, 300, 400+ pounds overweight. Most of them couldn't even walk, or walk without severe pain. Breathing normally is a problem for obese people as well.


Funny ... I showed youknowwho one of my *before* pictures (actually, he found it by accident....I thought I burned them all) ... and he had no clue that was me. :drunk

[dougp]

A lot of the research on the subject I did included online journals of people who have undergone the weight loss surgery...with a lot of before & after progress pictures. The real people the surgery was intended for ... people like 200, 300, 400+ pounds overweight. Most of them couldn't even walk, or walk without severe pain. Breathing normally is a problem for obese people as well.


Funny ... I showed youknowwho one of my *before* pictures (actually, he founding it by accident....I thought I burned them all) ... and he had no clue that was me. :drunk
Yah, most people don't believe that it's me ... no idea why, but eh.

[Sonia_TX]

Honestly Sonia, don't do the WW thing ... speak with a nutrionist and alter your diet like that, because IMO it's more liveable and cheaper.


Wow you look amazing! WTG!

My cousin has been doing WW for a year now and looks awesome. She's my inspiration. The WW plan isn't too bad, I don't have to buy their food and can eat what I want just in moderation. I compare what I eat now to what I ate back then and it's just disgusting to think of the crap I ate before. I haven't had fast food since we started in May whereas I would probably have FF every/other day without WW. I will probably stick to the plan even though it costs money but I know that it's my motivation because I have to weigh in each week. If I didn't have to weigh in then I wouldn't do it. That's how I am. So WW will help me, I am 100% sure of it.

[SpursWoman]

Yah, most people don't believe that it's me ... no idea why, but eh.


Sometimes it's nice not to be recognizable. :)

[SpursWoman]

If I didn't have to weigh in then I wouldn't do it. That's how I am. So WW will help me, I am 100% sure of it.

Any plan that keeps you motivated and works for you (and WW is completely safe and realistic), definitely stick with it for as long as you can. :)

I don't do that great diet-wise because I get fed up after a while and binge, but I love to exercise ... so that's how I lost all of mine. Kickboxing is my favorite, because it's a challenge no matter how often you do it...but between that and step aerobics I have pretty much no knees left. :fro

[Kevin Trudeau]

It's what they put in our food that makes us fat,
like the hormone injected meats and pesticides on our fruits and vegetables, and the water we drink which is loaded with poisons such as chlorine and fluoride.etc...

Also the prescription and non-prescription drugs we take.

It all makes our bodies unable to lose fat as quickly and gives us sickness and disease.

Of course these are things "They" don't want you to know about.
I'm blowing the whistle!

[Jekka]

Funny ... I showed youknowwho one of my *before* pictures (actually, he founding it by accident....I thought I burned them all) ... and he had no clue that was me. :drunk

My super-fatty pictures are horrific - a lot of people from high school didn't recognize me the summer after my first year in college. I may not have lost weight that year in a very healthy way, but damn I'm glad I got the weight off. Of course, then I put 20 of the 65 I lost back on and actually dieted healthfully and got it mostly back off (which I am now doing again because I suck and school stresses me out, which means stress-eating).

Fitday.com has been awesome for dieting, and I like how it keeps all the nutritional info so I can make sure I'm getting all the iron and calcium, etc., that I need. The weight will come off again eventually.

Weight loss surgery freaks me out - it's so invasive. I know it has helped a lot of people, but those really are scary procedures.

[SpursWoman]

Weight loss surgery freaks me out - it's so invasive. I know it has helped a lot of people, but those really are scary procedures.

It alters the way you have to live the rest of your life significantly ... but I guess if that was your only alternative to dying prematurely by one of the million-and-one health problems that obesity causes, do whatchagotta do I suppose.

[scott]

Let's hear more about this boob job, Sonia.


Seriously though... Sonia is down 10 lbs and enigma dropped 100... that is awesome. Way to go, guys.

[Sonia_TX]

lol Scott. Maybe next year I can put up a great Bravatar like the other girls. ;) Next playoffs and I'm in! Now, the Spurs just have to do their part.

And thanks too!

[pache100]

I have no problem with this procedure, although some doctors don't discriminate enough when it comes to good canidates.

This is true. I know a woman who weighed 230 lbs and her doctor told her she had to weigh 275 to "qualify" for the surgery at her height. She gained 45 lbs so she could have it! How stupid is that? I don't have a problem with the surgery, either, per se. I know several people who have had it (one was almost 10 years ago!) and are doing great.

[CubanMustGo]

Weight loss is such a bitch. For many of us it's worse than trying to quit smoking ... after all, you do have to eat. ;-) So while it is a matter of self-discipline and making the right choices, there are other things going on in your brain that work against you.

WW is a good program if you adhere to its guidelines and exercise too. I dropped 85 lbs a few years back, then went back to my bad habits but am still down 50 from where I started and have recently resumed the program. Sonia, if you are doing Flex then you absolutely have to write everything down, even when you think you have gone off track. And, like they say, the key is that you are making permanent lifestyle changes, not going on a diet. Easier said than done. Check out dwlz.com - a lot of support for WW members. Congrats on your weight loss so far and keep up the good work!

[1Parker1]

:tu :tu to Sonia and Enigma, that's truly awesome.

I think a large part of the reason why so many American's are overweight is because there's not portion control in this country. There's McDonald's and fast food places in almost every country in the world. The French eat fatty foods also. Difference is, here when you go out to eat you get a portion on your plate that's enough to feed TWO people in any other country. I say this because the other day I went to an Italian restaurant and got this Pasta dish that was filled to the brim. I ended up havign enough leftovers to last me 3 days!!!

As for the surgery, I don't like it...even for the people over 200, 300 pounds overweight. Even though ultimately it comes down to the individual and if they're willing to take on the risks, I just think it's better for the long term if they lost the weight with healthier eating and exercise. Obviously it would be 100x harder to lose 100 pounds than 10, but if you get professional help and support, I've read lots of success stories of people losing that much weight the old fashioned way.

[polandprzem]

Damn - I need to lose some weight !

It will take me whole year but I will do it. I just need to drop about 40 lbs

[Old School Chic]

I would never have surgery like that. Although when I do lose weight I might need a boob job. lol I am on Weight Watchers and have lost almost 10 lbs since starting at the end of May. Slowly but surely I will get there!


:tu

[polandprzem]

What's the Weight Watchers?

[Old School Chic]

What's the Weight Watchers?

Only in America :lol

[Sonia_TX]

Weight loss is such a bitch. For many of us it's worse than trying to quit smoking ... after all, you do have to eat. ;-) So while it is a matter of self-discipline and making the right choices, there are other things going on in your brain that work against you.

WW is a good program if you adhere to its guidelines and exercise too. I dropped 85 lbs a few years back, then went back to my bad habits but am still down 50 from where I started and have recently resumed the program. Sonia, if you are doing Flex then you absolutely have to write everything down, even when you think you have gone off track. And, like they say, the key is that you are making permanent lifestyle changes, not going on a diet. Easier said than done. Check out dwlz.com - a lot of support for WW members. Congrats on your weight loss so far and keep up the good work!

I keep track of my points online and if I go somewhere (which is rare) I take my restaurant guide with me to figure things out and then write it down so I can remember. Last week I thought I was screwed because we went to corpus and I didn't eat like I should. But I did swim ALOT so I figured I was okay. Then Friday before weigh in I went out with some friends and was fairly good with what I ate but I did end up having some alcohol. lol I still lost over 1 lb! lol I don't know how that happened but I am glad it did. I actually started going to dwlz.com for the past two weeks. She has alot of helpful ideas on there and reading about her journey helped ALOT!

Thanks everybody! Good luck to those of you that are trying also.

[SpursWoman]

Thanks everybody! Good luck to those of you that are trying also.

We actually have a private forum on this website for this, but it quit being active after Shelly went MIA. :depressed

[polandprzem]

Only in America :lol

Yeah but. Is it a group of people who are watching your weight?

:angel

[travis2]

http://www.weightwatchers.com/index.aspx

It's been around a long time. My mom was in it when I was growing up.

[Sonia_TX]

Yeah but. Is it a group of people who are watching your weight?

:angel

Basically. lol Some people though do it online and weigh themselves at home which I could never do because I have tried before (to lose weight on my own at home). So when I go to a meeting here in town there is someone that does check my weight and records it in our 'folder'. I would hate to go in there and have the woman say "sorry, but you gained 3 lbs this week!" lol That would suck.

Check out the Link Travis posted.

[Sonia_TX]

We actually have a private forum on this website for this, but it quit being active after Shelly went MIA. :depressed

Maybe it should start up again... .

[tlongII]

If I had my weiner surgically removed I would lose 30 lbs immediately.

Not gonna do it.

[katyon6th]

Oh dear.

:lmao

[ShoogarBear]

You are a weiner.

And given the timing of this thread, I can only conclude that CC follows Star Jones' career closely.

[SpursWoman]

Maybe it should start up again... .


Kori will give you access if you'd like ... send her a message. :)

[polandprzem]

I thought it was some kind of "thing" machine or semething. Never thought it was about people.

Wow - you americans have meeting for everything.

Are there meatloaf meetings?
How to eat them how to cook them, how to make a good choice in a shop buying them, how not to drop them on the floor, how not to smush it on husband's face....etc.

[pache100]

Wow - you americans have meeting for everything.

Are there meatloaf meetings?
How to eat them how to cook them, how to make a good choice in a shop buying them, how not to drop them on the floor, how not to smush it on husband's face....etc.

Nah, we just watch the Food Network at home for that. :lol

[dougp]

If I had my weiner surgically removed I would lose 30 lbs immediately.

Not gonna do it.
I'd assume this would be the removal of everything from the neck up, including your ego. :rolleyes

[Sonia_TX]

If I had my weiner surgically removed I would lose 30 lbs immediately.

Not gonna do it.

:lol

[Spurfect]

enigma, you look GREAT! I've had a similar experience to yours. what part of Houston do you live?

[dougp]

enigma, you look GREAT! I've had a similar experience to yours. what part of Houston do you live?
River Oaks / Galleria area, kinda on the border.

[Spurfect]

River Oaks / Galleria area, kinda on the border.

ooh that's far from me, lol. anyway i'm back to dieting again, I need to lose like 30 lbs :( congrats on the weight loss though, that's really awesome. :tu

[dougp]

ooh that's far from me, lol. anyway i'm back to dieting again, I need to lose like 30 lbs :( congrats on the weight loss though, that's really awesome. :tu
everything in this damn city is far, my two good friends are 45 minutes in either direction. Thanks, and hope you achieve your goal :)

[Spurfect]

everything in this damn city is far, my two good friends are 45 minutes in either direction. Thanks, and hope you achieve your goal :)

haha, yeah. I'm in the Southeast area that's why. I might be getting a job soon (hopefully) on the NW side and then when their location opens up in San Antonio in August hopefully I can get a transfer. This is all wishful thinking for now of course! anyway did you do the nutritionist thing here in Houston? I need to find a good one because I suck at eating healthy foods. I had lost alot of weight but gained about 20-25 back over the last 3 years and have been yo-yoing ever since. Trying to lose that and more.

[dougp]

haha, yeah. I'm in the Southeast area that's why. I might be getting a job soon (hopefully) on the NW side and then when their location opens up in San Antonio in August hopefully I can get a transfer. This is all wishful thinking for now of course! anyway did you do the nutritionist thing here in Houston? I need to find a good one because I suck at eating healthy foods. I had lost alot of weight but gained about 20-25 back over the last 3 years and have been yo-yoing ever since. Trying to lose that and more.Personally never did the nutritionist thing - I did the Army thing, lol.