Comments on: Star Jones: Weight loss surgery for compulsive overeaters? http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/star-jones-weight-loss-surgery-for-compulsive-overeaters/ Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:22:31 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: vesta44 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/star-jones-weight-loss-surgery-for-compulsive-overeaters/comment-page-1/#comment-31752 vesta44 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:52:38 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=141#comment-31752 Laura, they must have changed the requirements for WLS in the last 10 years then. When I had mine in 1997, the only test I had to take was the MMPI, I didn't have to follow a dr supervised diet at all, I didn't have to follow an exercise regimen, nor did I have to take a gazillion other tests. My nurse practitioner recommended it, referred me to a surgeon, I took the psych test and passed it, and they were ready to do the surgery within a month of my referral (and this was at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, mind you). The only question they asked me was what diets had I been on in the past, but they didn't ask for proof of any of them. I had used diet pills (speed given me by a doctor), I done Atkins, and I had done phen-fen (prescribed by the nurse practitioner that recommended the WLS). Medicaid paid for it, so it wasn't even as big a money-maker for them as it would have been if private insurance had paid for it (I was on SSI at the time). I wasn't "desperate" to lose weight, all I wanted was some relief from the pain of arthritis in my knee and was told that no orthopedic surgeon would even consider a knee replacement at my then-weight of 350 lbs. And the NP was just positive it was my weight causing the pain and that my arthritis would go away if I lost weight (in spite of the fact that I'd had the arthritis for 10 years at the time, and arthritis runs on both sides of my family). WLS is not an easy way out, but I can guarantee you that I would have been MUCH better off not having had it (I lost 70 lbs and gained 110 when it failed, as they usually do, which people are just now learning happens more often than not unless you are willing to starve for the rest of your life and deal with malnutrition and all the other horrid side effects). I'm not willing to do that, so I'll stay fat and healthy and not go in for a revision of my WLS, I don't care how many doctors think it's a good idea. They can all kiss my fat ass. Laura, they must have changed the requirements for WLS in the last 10 years then. When I had mine in 1997, the only test I had to take was the MMPI, I didn’t have to follow a dr supervised diet at all, I didn’t have to follow an exercise regimen, nor did I have to take a gazillion other tests. My nurse practitioner recommended it, referred me to a surgeon, I took the psych test and passed it, and they were ready to do the surgery within a month of my referral (and this was at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, mind you). The only question they asked me was what diets had I been on in the past, but they didn’t ask for proof of any of them. I had used diet pills (speed given me by a doctor), I done Atkins, and I had done phen-fen (prescribed by the nurse practitioner that recommended the WLS). Medicaid paid for it, so it wasn’t even as big a money-maker for them as it would have been if private insurance had paid for it (I was on SSI at the time). I wasn’t “desperate” to lose weight, all I wanted was some relief from the pain of arthritis in my knee and was told that no orthopedic surgeon would even consider a knee replacement at my then-weight of 350 lbs. And the NP was just positive it was my weight causing the pain and that my arthritis would go away if I lost weight (in spite of the fact that I’d had the arthritis for 10 years at the time, and arthritis runs on both sides of my family).
WLS is not an easy way out, but I can guarantee you that I would have been MUCH better off not having had it (I lost 70 lbs and gained 110 when it failed, as they usually do, which people are just now learning happens more often than not unless you are willing to starve for the rest of your life and deal with malnutrition and all the other horrid side effects). I’m not willing to do that, so I’ll stay fat and healthy and not go in for a revision of my WLS, I don’t care how many doctors think it’s a good idea. They can all kiss my fat ass.

]]> By: wriggles http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/star-jones-weight-loss-surgery-for-compulsive-overeaters/comment-page-1/#comment-31700 wriggles Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:28:30 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=141#comment-31700 I can't believe the ignorance of the people in the link, they seem to think there is no difference between binge eating disorder and compulsive eating, although there is an overlap compulsive eating is when the eating impulse remains switched on regardless of what you eat, whereas binge eating is more about endless cylces restricting then rebounding. Is it more common in women, or is this cultural? The culture amongst men tends to valorise eating large amounts in a similar way to that of drinking a lot of alcohol, it could be 'hidden' in there. I can’t believe the ignorance of the people in the link, they seem to think there is no difference between binge eating disorder and compulsive eating, although there is an overlap compulsive eating is when the eating impulse remains switched on regardless of what you eat, whereas binge eating is more about endless cylces restricting then rebounding.

Is it more common in women, or is this cultural? The culture amongst men tends to valorise eating large amounts in a similar way to that of drinking a lot of alcohol, it could be ‘hidden’ in there.

]]> By: Laura http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/star-jones-weight-loss-surgery-for-compulsive-overeaters/comment-page-1/#comment-31632 Laura Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:21:50 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=141#comment-31632 This is in reply to Jamie.... Weight loss surgery is NO QUICK FIX! First of all before you can even be considered for it, you need months of a doctor supervised diet and exercise, psychotherapy and a gazillion other tests. Why would anybody voluteer to have surgery like that unless they were desperate and had tried everything they could think of to lose weight. I feel sorry for the people out there who look at people who've had weight loss surgery and think they've taken the easy way out. Walk a mile in someone's shoes before you make comments. This is in reply to Jamie…. Weight loss surgery is NO QUICK FIX! First of all before you can even be considered for it, you need months of a doctor supervised diet and exercise, psychotherapy and a gazillion other tests. Why would anybody voluteer to have surgery like that unless they were desperate and had tried everything they could think of to lose weight. I feel sorry for the people out there who look at people who’ve had weight loss surgery and think they’ve taken the easy way out. Walk a mile in someone’s shoes before you make comments.

]]> By: Jamie http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/star-jones-weight-loss-surgery-for-compulsive-overeaters/comment-page-1/#comment-16291 Jamie Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:40:06 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=141#comment-16291 I think that people are just looking for a quick fix...which it probably isn't that quick, but they feel that it will help them lose the weight faster because they feel full quicker. And maybe it helps them not obsess so much about what they put in their bodies, because the surgery makes it so they CAN'T put much in their mouths. I think that people are just looking for a quick fix…which it probably isn’t that quick, but they feel that it will help them lose the weight faster because they feel full quicker. And maybe it helps them not obsess so much about what they put in their bodies, because the surgery makes it so they CAN’T put much in their mouths.

]]> By: Celeste http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/star-jones-weight-loss-surgery-for-compulsive-overeaters/comment-page-1/#comment-16216 Celeste Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:51:29 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=141#comment-16216 I totally agree with you. I have had a few people bring up bariatric surgery to me out of the blue. I don't consider it a loving thing to do, BTW. I had one girl tell me she lost 70 lbs via lap band, and how she had to do something to "solve the problem" because she couldn't find a way to do workouts. I don't consider 70 lbs to be life-threatening. I ALSO don't think my overweight (maybe 85 lbs. max) is due to something being wrong with my STOMACH. I think my stomach works great. I also think it's INCREDIBLY hard to burn off stored fat. I also want to tell the weight loss surgery fans that I think it's really lopsided to tell a starving anorexic that she's sick and needs therapy, while telling a starving bariatric patient that she's a hero for her decision and DOESN'T need therapy. Both people are starving to be thinner. How is it good in one person but bad in the other? I totally agree with you. I have had a few people bring up bariatric surgery to me out of the blue. I don’t consider it a loving thing to do, BTW. I had one girl tell me she lost 70 lbs via lap band, and how she had to do something to “solve the problem” because she couldn’t find a way to do workouts. I don’t consider 70 lbs to be life-threatening. I ALSO don’t think my overweight (maybe 85 lbs. max) is due to something being wrong with my STOMACH. I think my stomach works great. I also think it’s INCREDIBLY hard to burn off stored fat.

I also want to tell the weight loss surgery fans that I think it’s really lopsided to tell a starving anorexic that she’s sick and needs therapy, while telling a starving bariatric patient that she’s a hero for her decision and DOESN’T need therapy. Both people are starving to be thinner. How is it good in one person but bad in the other?

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