Why is weight loss surgery so controversial?

7 Comments

1. TheCocaineDiaries says:

   June 28, 2010 at 6:59 am

   Because people think it makes fat people even lazier. I personally think only obese people should have surgery, everyone else has to work for it like the rest of the world. But some people were born obese, because it’s a disease or something is wrong with their bodies.
2. Yooper says:

   July 1, 2010 at 2:34 pm

   Because there are too many people out there who think it is their right to tell everyone else how to live their lives.
3. runner says:

   July 2, 2010 at 9:42 am

   I have mixed feeling about the surgery. I have heard of a few stories where the surgery the person had caused more health problems than they had before they were obese. Also after seeing the biggest loser show and watching people shed 50% of their body weight when they were clearly obese at 300-400 lbs. It makes it hard for me to believe that it is impossible for someone to lose weight without surgery. I also think that the surgery all depends on the person, look at some of the celebrates that have had the surgery, they look great.
   You are correct though that it is a personal decision. I think as long as they know all the risks and make a life change it will all work out. I don’t agree with people who get the surgery and not change there life and then gain it all back, that just isn’t healthy.
4. Diane Y says:

   July 5, 2010 at 2:18 pm

   Because those people are judgmental. It is a personal decision and it was based on medical advice and so no one else should care. I had lap band and I have an irregular person in my life that knows everything and I haven’t told her that I had the surgery but no matter what I do, it is not right. I can’t make her happy and so I made myself happy. It is the fact that she ridicules everyone for being fat, skinny or just right. I just say she is an irregular person in my life and go on about my business.
5. non_offensive_nickname says:

   July 8, 2010 at 9:14 pm

   I know four people who have had the surgery in the past ten years. All four of them lost dramatic amounts of weight. All four of them are still battling with weight issues, having regained most or all of the pre-surgical weight.

   I once considered weight loss surgery, as I was over 100 lbs. overweight and had a BMI of 42. There was insufficient long term survival data. About the only thing I could find is that weight loss surgery would probably extend my life by 20 years, if I stayed at the weight I was, but long term results beyond 10 years weren’t available, and if I lost weight “the hard way” my chances of long term survival were still much better than $40,000 surgery, along with the risks of major surgery on a morbidly obese person… At the age of 40, weight loss surgery would extend my life by 20 years..figuring myself dropping dead from heart disease at 45 (family average for coronary artery disease to show itself), weight loss surgery would take me through to 65… still not really worth the risk, if I can extend my own life span to 65 through proper diet and exercise…and maybe even extend it longer.

   It IS a personal decision, but I think so many people go into it with blinders on, thinking that weight loss will answer all their personal problems. I don’t think that medical facilities are doing their patients a favor by giving them ALL the facts. People die from this kind of surgery. People get sick from this surgery. People will suffer malnutrition, or will overeat and undo the surgery. This surgery requires major lifestyle changes to work in the long term, and patients aren’t getting the emotional support and education they need to make the proper decisions.

   If someone is going to get this done, they need to get counseling to help them deal with all of their issues. Obesity is more than just a physical problem for so many people. It’s a symptom of very severe emotional issues.
6. Sarah R says:

   July 12, 2010 at 3:17 am

   Good question. I think because theres the stigma that fat people are lazy and in some ways I agree with that but in other ways I don’t. I’m only 20 and looking at the posibility of a lung transplant in 5-10 years. My doctor has told me I need to loose weight to be healthy enough for this. At 20 and weighing 115kgs I know I need to do something. I look at the statistics and I see that overall 90% of the people that loose weight with diet and what not usually gain it back within 5 years. I dont want to loose 50 kgs and then put back on 100 and then be told I can’t have a transplant. I’m currently looking at getting the lap band – within the next couple of months and I think for me it is worth it, with the lap band I can loose the weight and maintain it where as if I didn’t have it I know I probably could loose the weight but like I said I don’t want to loose it thengain it and be told I can’t have the surgery. At 20 my life is only just beginning and I need to address this now. I look at people that are my age and you know 500lbs and it is disghusting, I don’t know how they can get that big. I think in certain cirumstances they should do the surgery but when a person knowingly and willingly gains weight and ends up at over 600lbs then I don’t think they should be entitled to the surgery. Also I don’t think anyone under 18 should have the sugery mainly because you NEVER hear about anyone under 18 dying mainly because there fat.
7. Chris C says:

   July 13, 2010 at 11:09 pm

   Simple. Weight loss surgery is a quick fix solution for a long term problem.

   It treats the symptoms of the disease not the cause of it.

   It doesn’t address underlying emotional issues that cause weight loss, or educate the patient on how they can turn there life around.