HokeyReligions Posted June 24, 2006 Posted June 24, 2006 A friend of mine had obesity surgery last spring. (not really a friend - we met her when we were inquiring about such surgeries from people who have actually had it done). She's doing great now - but was really sick in the beginning. Now that she is up and around and losing weight (she's lost someting like 80 pounds in 3 months) she will be facing the baggy-skin syndrome next year. She knew going in that the medical insurance that paid for part of her surgery would not pay for the 'tummy tuck' and other skin reduction surgeries. She can't afford to pay for them herself and is miserable and hoping that there are exercises / cremes / lotions / something that will help her skin. I don't think there are, although there are lots of what I consider "snake oil" remedies advertised in health food stores and especially on the Internet -- she's run into that too and did not used to give any credence to these things. Now she is thinking about trying some of them - I guess out of desperation. Her doctors office has provided names and numbers and even some financial aid places tht she can contact so she can have these procedures. I don't know why these are not covered under insurance too since they are all connected to the surgery - surely all that skin poses health risks too? Anyway, does anyone know of any topical supplement or device that helps sagging skin? Something to help firm up the skin? She's wearing girdles and support hose and mastectomy bras to help her, which in Houston is waaaaaay too much in the summer heat and she said that causes rashes. I just thought I'd ask if anyone here had some suggestions (good or bad) of things she could try (or stay away from). We are considering that bariatric surgery for my husband for his health, but neither his medicare/medicaid nor my limited health insurance will cover any plastic surgery after the fact. Plus, hubby is in his late 50's and his skin is not nearly as elastic as my friends' - who is in her late 30's. The surgery itself is scary as hell - we went to a seminar to learn about it and hubby has been going to doctors and doing some preliminary health things in preparation for it - so that he will be healthy enough to undergo the surgery. His health is to a point where if he doesn't have it he may only have a few years left. He could die on the table - the surgery is that extreme, but the alternative is to continue being miserable and deteriorating rapidly anyway. And for those who think that all an obese person has to do is eat right and exercise - you should get more medical information. There is a point that the body reaches where diet and exercise will not work - no matter how hard a person tries. My husbands' body has reached that point.
Tony T Posted June 24, 2006 Posted June 24, 2006 Nothing comes without a price. I looked into such ointment or exercise for a friend sometime ago and struck out. The hanging skin is just there. However, it's a small price to pay for ten or fifteen extra years on the planet. The surgery is very risky and some people don't come through. This person was very courageous. I am inspired not to eat my two Oreos with milk tonight. Obesity is an epidemic in America and is among the top five causes, indirectly, of death here. We are just eating way too much. I don't know what caused your acquaintance's obesity but for most of us it's simply eating too much and we should all be motivated to do that to avoid the kind of problems it can create. The whole thing is VERY scary. Everytime I write on this forum that fat is not pretty, I get accused of being superficial, shallow and a butthole. Oh well. I would recommend that the person you're doing the research for see a dermatologist for one...and find the oldest doctor in town and see him or her as well. Some of the very old physicians have home remedies for things that really work. Hanging skin....I just don't know about that. I can't even imagine.
Curmudgeon Posted June 24, 2006 Posted June 24, 2006 If it's any comfort to your friend, the ex had the reduction surgery at age 38. She, too, had trouble following the surgery but got over it in a few months and lost over 100 pounds in a year. I have no idea what her final loss was but she did not end up with the sagging skin problem. Your friend is younger, her skin is more elastic and with reasonable exercise (a lot of walking for one), she may not have that problem at all except for a bit around the middle.
Author HokeyReligions Posted June 25, 2006 Author Posted June 25, 2006 Thanks guys! I like the 'oldest doctor' scenario -- that's definately 'food for thought' -- pun intended. As the doctor explained in the seminar there are many factors that lead to obesity. The main one is overeating and lack of exercise at a young age and the behavior continues into adulthood and is now being passed on to the newer generations. Modern living requires less effort - we don't even have to walk across the room to change the TV channel now. And as progress changes with each new generation - human development changes too and genetic studies are showing changes - however minute - in our genetic capabilities. Capabilities is not the word I want but I forget what the doctor called it - its something to do with how our genetic structure is the same but different. Our ancestors had different body types than we do today in areas where there has been dramatic 'progress' in technology. I've seen that in museums where people used to be - generally speaking - smaller. With each generation of larger people we are passing that new genetic behavior on and because we don't understand it we are not always countering it with our environment or our own behaviors, such as eating too much and not getting enough exercise, and added mental stresses too. In essense, genetics are not our fault but how we live knowing what we DO know, is our responsibility. I've been on a weight roller-coaster my whole life and I've never had problems with sagging skin -- but I've never been morbidly obese either. The doctors have said that not everyone will require plastic surgery and that the sagging skin is not a big problem for everyone, so I'm going to hope that it is not for my husband and that my friend will be able to exercise and tone her muscles enough - and nourish her skin enough - to not need it either. Stretch marks are one thing - but skin that hangs down almost to the knees is something else, and lemme tell 'ya - the video we saw of this at the doctors seminar was frightening! Hubby is going to (hopefully) be healthy enough for the medi-fast diet in July and I'm going to do it with him - the doctor said it wouldn't hurt me if I supplement it enough for my own body chemistry and health. I could stand to lose some weight but with me I'm going to have to change my whole routine when I come off the medi-fast - which should be about the same time hubby is starting to eat solid food (about 2 - 3 weeks after his bariatric surgery), so that I don't damage my body and gain the weight back. It should just be a spring-board for a healthy(er) diet for me. For him - it's going to be totally life-changing. Part of what we have to do together (and alone) is go to counseling 2 - 3 times a week for a while, taper to once a month, then after six - eight months we will stop regular counseling. I hope our marriage is strong enough for this. Some of the things that we accept as great inventions and progress can actually be damaging because no one thought of, or presented, the long term effects (long term meaning over several generations) to the human body. Dishwashers - we don't have to stand for long periods anymore washing dishes. Self-propelled or riding mowers. Self-propelled vacuums (now we have little robots!) Computers and computer games - who needs to get up for that? All sorts of things we take for granted, but all of which have added to less activity or exertion for the human body. There is no forced balance.
Outcast Posted June 25, 2006 Posted June 25, 2006 20/20 did a show on obesity last night. They said people who are obese actually have higher metabolisms than people who aren't since they need to burn more base calories to keep their larger bodies going. The other truly interesting thing was that people who aren't obese are active for 2.5 hours per day more than people who are obese. This scared the doctor who did the study so much that he walks on a treadmill all day while he works. I doubt you need to do that much but basically people have to MOVE. We're all glued to our computers and TVs day in and day out. And people won't even walk to the corner dang store!!! As in literally at the corner!!! Maybe people should throw away their remotes. Guys would probably lose tons of weight standing at the TV flipping the channel all night long
Author HokeyReligions Posted June 25, 2006 Author Posted June 25, 2006 The doctor talked about metabolism too and said that the metabolic rate for an obese person might be considered a higher rate than for an average size person, but the rate slows down exponentionally as people diet and that the whole diet experience wreaks havoc with the human metabolic system - it does not remain consistent or even within a consistent range - which is why people reach plataus in their diets and why its so easy to yo-yo with weight, and why its so important to maintain a consistent lifestyle from childhood, and why the obesity rate amoung younger people is so high. In my husband's case he was an active and healthy child and adolescent. He used to bike 30 miles a day (round-trip) to go to summer school and worked on the school paper as a photographer and would bike to wherever he needed to be to take pictures. That kept him in great shape. When he hurt his knee when he was a teenager he was in a cast for six months and he gained weight. From that point on he had trouble maintaining his weight, even when he got back to regular exercise. His metabolism was screwed up and the constant diets to lose the weight he gained when he was laid up made it worse. He yo-yo'd for years and now that he has other health problems he has become obese. I've gained weight too because I chose to spend more time with him instead of getting exercise (although I did get more simply because I pushed him in a wheelchair for years!) that's why the doc said that the Medi-Fast plan would be beneficial for my health too as long as I change my regular eating habits and nutrition ~and~ exercise to supplement it. My metabolism is out of whack too and has been for years. With all the stuff I've been through with my mom over the last year my own health is really screwed up. I've spent time either caring for her at home - or going to see her and care for her in the hospice or nursing home every night and not feeling like fixing dinner so we've been eating out (fast food) at least five nights a week for the last six months. I've been so emotionally exhausted when I'm home that I have to really force myself to even do housework (which has been very lax of late). I usually sit in front of the computer (like now) or in front of the TV to wind down enough to get my four hours of sleep a night. NOT a healthy lifestyle at all!
Outcast Posted June 25, 2006 Posted June 25, 2006 Just one thought for anyone else in that kind of situation - I've found a lot of nukable food that's cheaper, tastier, and at least somewhat healthier than take-out so when I'm too tired or whatever to cook even something simple, I zap something. I'm kind of surprised more folks don't - it's even faster than going out to buy fast food.
Author HokeyReligions Posted June 25, 2006 Author Posted June 25, 2006 Just one thought for anyone else in that kind of situation - I've found a lot of nukable food that's cheaper, tastier, and at least somewhat healthier than take-out so when I'm too tired or whatever to cook even something simple, I zap something. I'm kind of surprised more folks don't - it's even faster than going out to buy fast food. That's what we do for the rest of the meals each week! Most of the time we pick something up and eat it while sitting at the nursing home or hospital - so fast-food it is! There are some decent frozen dinners that nuke well and we keep a bag of salad in the 'fridge so all we have to do is put on lemon juice (my preferred salad dressing) or hubby uses Thousand Island on his. That's quick and easy and healthy - well sort of, hubby covers his with croutons and cheese and other not-so-healthy food. Lemon juice makes a fantastic salad topper and is much less fatening then even lo-cal salad dressings.
quankanne Posted June 25, 2006 Posted June 25, 2006 I don't know why these are not covered under insurance too since they are all connected to the surgery - surely all that skin poses health risks too? Anyway, does anyone know of any topical supplement or device that helps sagging skin? Something to help firm up the skin? She's wearing girdles and support hose and mastectomy bras to help her, which in Houston is waaaaaay too much in the summer heat and she said that causes rashes. I'll need to recheck with my sister, who works for Aetna, but I seem to recall a conversation about plastic surgery and getting doctors to vouch for you before insurance companies about the need to remove excess skin post surgery because of the problems it posed in and of itself. Like the rashes that cannot be controlled. Theres a way around their "no," according to her, especially in cases like your friend, where conditions she cannot control (houston humidity) just exacerbate the problem.
justagirliegirl Posted June 25, 2006 Posted June 25, 2006 Instead of looking for a quick fix for poor eating habits with a dangerous surgery, why not visit a registered dietician and learn about proper nutrition and portions? If you are eating fast food daily, that is your weight problem right there. It has nothing to do with ruined metabolism. Eating a salad loaded with fatty high calorie dressing, cheese, and croutons is just about the same as eating junk food. Learn how to eat properly and avoid surgery.
loony Posted June 25, 2006 Posted June 25, 2006 It does not really have to do with the topic, but out of curiosity, what's the difference between sticking to a diet or changing to a healthier lifestyle in the long term and having to be on a forced diet after a bypass surgery (I think that's what it's called?). Do people really need the puking that is the consequence of overeating after you had surgery in order to remind themselves to eat less? If this is the only difference then this kind of surgery seems to be a complete waste of money.
Outcast Posted June 25, 2006 Posted June 25, 2006 I suspect that overeating must have an addiction component not unlike that found in the most hopeless of drug addicts or nicotinaholics; in essence they are not able on their own to develop whatever force of will can overcome their addiction to food. Science will do all humans a grand turn if it can ever figure out how to shut off the kinds of cravings that overwhelm lives.
Dawn82 Posted June 25, 2006 Posted June 25, 2006 It does not really have to do with the topic, but out of curiosity, what's the difference between sticking to a diet or changing to a healthier lifestyle in the long term and having to be on a forced diet after a bypass surgery (I think that's what it's called?). Do people really need the puking that is the consequence of overeating after you had surgery in order to remind themselves to eat less? If this is the only difference then this kind of surgery seems to be a complete waste of money. Difference is that one method, if done right solves the cause of the problem by making life style changes in eating habbits and exercise patterns. While the other methods targets the symptoms of the problem directly or indirectly (fat removal, limiting how much you can eat of solids ect). This is good old western medicien for you. HokeyReligions : I'm sorry for your situation, and hope you and your husband will improve your health. But to me it sounds like you are making escuses. If you husband can still move around than he is not too obese that he can't lose his fat over a few years of healthy nutrition. If you husband can't move around than YOU share some of the blame for overfeeding him with with junk. Take responsbility for your actions. You are considering a very serious, dangrous and costly surgery while you are not willing to invest a few hours every weekend to cook some simple food for your weekdays dinners. and instead you are eating junk every night... Harsh but true. Shahar.
Author HokeyReligions Posted June 26, 2006 Author Posted June 26, 2006 Instead of looking for a quick fix for poor eating habits with a dangerous surgery, why not visit a registered dietician and learn about proper nutrition and portions? If you are eating fast food daily, that is your weight problem right there. It has nothing to do with ruined metabolism. Eating a salad loaded with fatty high calorie dressing, cheese, and croutons is just about the same as eating junk food. Learn how to eat properly and avoid surgery. It's not a matter of just eating right and exercise, and this is major surgery not a quick fix for poor eating habits. Sadly, that's the view so many people have about obesity and don't understand the medical issues behind it. And yes it does have to do with metabolism. Along with it being a learned behavior (the majority of obese adults were overweight or obese as children - or come from a family with a history of weight problems) it is a medical condition that is NOT treatable with only a change of diet or routine. I'm not talking about people who are 40 or 60 pounds overweight because they were depressed for a few years and didn't get off the couch - that can certainly lead to obesity, but I'm talking about physiological changes that are no longer controllable by the person. Many people who are obese have dieted their way there because they didn't understand the damage these diets can do. Now long-term studies are showing the effects of these generations of 'dieters' have harmed people on a medical level.
Author HokeyReligions Posted June 26, 2006 Author Posted June 26, 2006 Difference is that one method, if done right solves the cause of the problem by making life style changes in eating habbits and exercise patterns. While the other methods targets the symptoms of the problem directly or indirectly (fat removal, limiting how much you can eat of solids ect). This is good old western medicien for you. HokeyReligions : I'm sorry for your situation, and hope you and your husband will improve your health. But to me it sounds like you are making escuses. If you husband can still move around than he is not too obese that he can't lose his fat over a few years of healthy nutrition. If you husband can't move around than YOU share some of the blame for overfeeding him with with junk. Take responsbility for your actions. You are considering a very serious, dangrous and costly surgery while you are not willing to invest a few hours every weekend to cook some simple food for your weekdays dinners. and instead you are eating junk every night... Harsh but true. Shahar. I don't see it as harsh because you don't know the facts or know about different situations or are a medical doctor. It's simply stereotypical ignorance on your part. http://www.obesity.org/ Obesity is not a simple condition of eating too much. It is now recognized that obesity is a serious, chronic disease. No human condition — not race, religion, gender, ethnicity or disease state — compares to obesity in prevalence and prejudice, mortality and morbidity, sickness and stigma.
Dawn82 Posted June 26, 2006 Posted June 26, 2006 I don't see it as harsh because you don't know the facts or know about different situations or are a medical doctor. It's simply stereotypical ignorance on your part. http://www.obesity.org/ Obesity is not a simple condition of eating too much. It is now recognized that obesity is a serious, chronic disease. No human condition — not race, religion, gender, ethnicity or disease state — compares to obesity in prevalence and prejudice, mortality and morbidity, sickness and stigma. Yes, obesity is a serious, chronic disease. And yes I do not know all the facts in your case. and yes there are medical/genetic conditions that can make someone be prone to be over weight. Considering your husband was healthy in the past until his activity patterns changed. It does not sound like his genetics prevent him from being in a healthy weight. Now if your husband is not fat from eating too much, if he just gains fat from breathing air then he should be sent to some top level resaerch facilitie as he can create energy from nothing and maybe solve the world's energy needs. Do you really think obesity is at an all time high in america because of some magical undetectable virus in their blood stream? Nope It is so high because Americans are eating more and more crap instead of food, unless of course you think the genetic makeup of americans has changed to be more prone to obesity in the last decade. Sorry but you are still making escuses and not accepting the consqeunces of your actions. Unless your husband is going to die in the short term if he does not lose weight, his best bet is to learn to live a more healthy lifestyle. cutout junkfood from 90% of meals, eat 5-6 healthy small meals a day and once he loses some weight and feel he is up to it would be advised to add some resistance training and low impact aerobics depending on his ability to performe such activities. Check this thread on bodybuilding.com. Good luck regadless of what you choose to do. Shahar.
justagirliegirl Posted June 26, 2006 Posted June 26, 2006 So if obesity is not about eating less how is surgery which is pretty much forced starvation, going to help? If it really is genetic or something else, the weight loss surgery wouldn't work. I do believe there is probably some addictive emotional part to obesity. People may have been taught to cope with their problems and emotions with food. As for families being obese chances are that has an environmental component. Families eat similar things and similar ways and overeating huge portions of food may be a family habit. I don't think people are trying to be harsh but maybe feel surgery is a drastic and potentialy dangerous way of treating the symptoms rather than treating the problem with something that takes longer and is probably more difficult in the beginning but would reap benefits over a lifetime. What harm would it be to postpone the surgery for 6 months and focus on eating healthy and exercising and see what happens?
HeyYouGuys Posted June 26, 2006 Posted June 26, 2006 Hi Hokey Good luck with your future plans. I hope you can make the best choice for both you and your husband. I work with many obese people in my line of work. Please be aware that gastric bypass surgery does mean you will be placed on a special diet for life and that yes, your caloric intake will be drastically reduced. In terms of metabolic rate, nothing could be worse than putting someone on such a low-calorie diet. In order for you to help your metabolism, post-surgery, you will have to excercise like the dickens. Otherwise you will 'plateu' at a certain weight and be stuck there. I counsel a post-gastric bypass patient. Here is her weekly workout schedule; Monday; 30 minutes treadmill, 30 minutes yoga tape Tuesday; Self-defense class, 1 hour Wednesday; 5-mile walk, later in day....30 minutes yoga tape Thursday; 30 minutes treadmill, 45 minutes weights Friday; 30 minutes yoga tape, later in day....5 mile walk Saturday; 30 minutes treadmill, 45 minutes weights Sunday: Day off You will notice...an hour of excercise, 6 days a week, MINIMUM Your daily calorie intake will be barely 1,000 kcals/day for quite a long time. You will be eating meals that could fit in a baby food jar. You will have to take enormous vitamins for the rest of your life and you risk B12, protein and iron deficiencies. Hydration is also a major issue. Because so little fits into your stomach, if you get the flu and start vomiting or having diarrhea, you may end up in the ER getting IV fluids to stay properly hydrated. This is no joke, so please go into it (if this indeed the direction you choose) with open eyes. Obesity is considered a disease by some. I prefer to refer to it as a syndrome. Obesity is a complex condition that results from a series of events, rather than one, easily identifiable component (like a virus) There are of course the uncontrollable factors like: *genetics * sex (women gain more easily than men) And the controllable ones such as; * proper nutrition * excercise And the possibly-controllable with support, direction, therapy and teaching like; * psychological status * mindset * level of motivation I truly feel for my obese patients. They can change their lives, but it does take a tremendous amount of support, encouragement and motivation. I try to give them as much information as possible pre-surgery because I feel some of them don't know what they're getting into, prior to surgery. it's no walk in the park. OK, sorry...your original question had to do with hanging skin? There's not a lot to do except surgical removal. I think if you are having bacterial infections related to skin folds, your insurance may cover it. Talk to your insurance provider and ask them under which provisions is excess skin removal covered.
Author HokeyReligions Posted June 27, 2006 Author Posted June 27, 2006 For those who think they know a broad-spectrum answer for everone - do you know all about the neural damage and the joint disease and the arthritis? You know the diseases he has that are not related to weight but to metabolism? You know about the tumors he has had removed. It took doctors years of tests and treatments. And you know that I spend a minimum of 12 hours at work then go straight to a nursing home to spend another 6 - 8 hours caring for my mother and that before she was in the nursing home I cared for her at home. You know all about the RA I was diagnosed with when I was in junior high - but had for a while before it was diagnosed. You also, I suppose, understand fully - and I mean FULLY - what grief does to a person's physical health as well as emotional health. And you do know, of course, how even mildly overweight people are ostracized and discriminated against professionally and socially, and what that does to the emotional balance which also contributes to metabolism function. That was a six-session seminar itself at the hospital. I'm impressed. yes, I'm being sarcastic. It's frustrating to see people I love be told that "all they have to do is...." and looked down on when those looking down don't know or understand but believe that they do. We didn't just pick up a book or read articles on the 'net. We have both been to many doctors for many things - one of which is intensive counseling about the various forms of bariatric surgery - both restrictive and malabsorbtion. Because of his other disabilities, his after surgery plan will be a bit different and tailored to his specific health needs. I'm not having the surgery because I'm not obese and more than anything else, I need rest and relief from the tensions and stress of recent events and I'm still grieving over two other losses in my life that happened in 1999 and 2001. So does hubby. This is major surgery with serious effects. Dehydration is one of the biggest concerns. We are not going into this blind. We've been going through the tests and counseling for several months already and the after-surgery requires weekly group sessions too which include spouses/family members so that we all know what we are dealing with. One of the main reasons we are waiting is because we are waiting for my mother to finally pass away. She's been terminal for a couple of years now and has outlived all the doctors prognoses. To go through this major surgery and lifestyle change - and it will change my life too - is too much for either of us to handle right now. The doctor's won't perform the surgery under these conditions, which is why that are advocating the Medi-fast plan for us right now. That will help some, but hubby is still a prime candidate for the surgery - it's the only thing that may save him. Even if he loses 100 pounds on Medi-fast it won't be enough, but hopefully it will be enough to stabalize him so he is strong enough to have the surgery. I feel for people who do think this is a quick-fix and don't get all the information and rush into it. After all that we have learned and all that we are learning it scares me to even think of someone going into this without knowing what they are getting into. I seem to recall a conversation about plastic surgery and getting doctors to vouch for you before insurance companies about the need to remove excess skin post surgery because of the problems it posed in and of itself. Like the rashes that cannot be controlled. Theres a way around their "no," according to her, especially in cases like your friend, where conditions she cannot control (houston humidity) just exacerbate the problem. I'll pass this info along - maybe there is something that can be covered - it may have to do with the way the surgery is presented and since its not purely a cosmetic surgery there may be options (I hope so for her sake and for my husband when he goes through this) Obesity is still being studied. I don't know if its a disease or not, but medical science can't even agree on it because it's only been studied for the past few generations because its becoming more prevalent. The human species is changing with each new generation even though those changes may be so minor as to not be traceable within just a few generations. Medicine is still looking into this. Many people believe that alcoholism is a disease and that the chance of someone becoming an alcoholic increases with a family history. That same thought is being studied in medicine as it pertains to obesity as well. If everyone had the same metabolism we would all be the same size relative to our bone structure. I'm big-boned and 40 pounds on me is one dress size. Someone of a smaller stature 40 pounds could be 7 dress sizes. Why do some people carry their weight in their upper body and others in their lower body and others are evenly distributed? Why are some larger people more energetic than some smaller people? It has to do with a lot of things - metabolism being one of them. Why are some people prone to cancer and others not? Why are some families prone to having overweight people and others not? Genetics plays a big part. Eating habits and lifestyle does too, of course. I'm not saying that we are not responsible in some ways, but to believe that the one cureall for every obese person is going to be exactly the same is ignorance. I'll bet that almost all of you know someone who can eat whatever they want and not gain weight, and others who stay on strict healthy diets who cannot lose weight. How our bodies metabolize what we put into them is different for everyone and there are as many factors as there are people.
Outcast Posted June 27, 2006 Posted June 27, 2006 Hokey, I recall reading about some different surgeries that aren't as drastic. One's called, I think, 'rubber band' surgery where a temporary band is placed around most of the stomach until the weight's gone, by which time the person is used to eating less. I saw another recently wherein I believe they inserted a balloon of sorts into the stomach to take up a lot of space - again, not quite as major as the surgery you're looking at.
HeyYouGuys Posted June 28, 2006 Posted June 28, 2006 I agree, I would go with band placement over gastric bypass That's just my two cents
Author HokeyReligions Posted June 29, 2006 Author Posted June 29, 2006 Lap-band surgery. That is one of the restrictive procedures. Here is the info we got on that. Adjustable gastric Banding (or Lap-Band system) Designed to restrict food intake without interfering with the body's normal digestive processes, AGB allows for a hollow silastic band to be placed around the upper part of the stomach. the pouch can hold only a small amount of food - about an ounce. The narrow passageslows the emptying of food into the rest of the stomach. The diameter of the band has to be adjusted on a regular basis, which means that once a week the patient has to go to the doctor to have it adjusted. There is less impact on the anatomy and a shorter recovery period, but also more chance of failing and more intense follow-up--which is not covered under insurance as part of the original surgery. Standard costs apply. It does less to reduce co-morbidities and long-term results vary. It takes a lot longer to lose the weight. The band may have to be replaced sometimes, and many patients have found themselves on the operating table several times. The risk of regaining the weight is much higher. Sometimes the bands break and sometimes the stomach stretches around the band. Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y is the most common form of bariatriac surgery and restricts the amount of food one can eat and also will bypass a portion of the small bowel allowing less food to be absorbed. This is for rapid weight loss, reduced co-morbidities, a reduced desire to eat.
Dawn82 Posted June 29, 2006 Posted June 29, 2006 I'm sorry to hear you have a though life. But please understand all you are saying are reasons why healthy living and fitness are not in one of your top priorities. Some people are prone to being obese. I should know as I've been obese for most of my life getting as high as maybe 45% bodyfat with a 60+ inch waist. (a guess I've never checked when I was 270lbs or so...) This just means those people need to work twice as hard to maintaine an healthy weight and body composition. You and your hubby are adults and can do whatever you choose but do not kid yourselves that the problem is not with the energy balance of your husband. (food intake & exercise). Because if that is the case how will forcing your husband to eat only small amounts of foods solve the problem? ... I do not know what other illnesses your hubby suffers from, But they are irelevent as you yourself seek a solution that will limit his food intake. Yeah its a though habbit to break and you have to be carefull for the rest of your life. (very similar to a drug addict i presume and maybe even worse because you don't have drugs in every 7-11). But what happens a few years down the road? once your husband digestive track adjusts somewhat and he may learn to consume large amounts of liquid foods? Shahar.
HeyYouGuys Posted July 17, 2006 Posted July 17, 2006 I think the studies on how people 'are changing' tend to indicate that it's our lifestyles that have changed most drastically. I do not tend to think human beings are going through a sped-up evolutionary process. Rather, the ways we choose to live are changing drastically with each decade. When I was a child growing up, I was extremely active...though not athletic in the least! I was always outdoors. Television watching was limited to 1 hour per day. My mom was extremely strict on that. We had no computers. We hung laundry outside, which meant carrying a basket full of clothes and hanging them on a laundry line which lay on the bottem of a steep hill. We had a wood burning stove and I helped chop, stack and carry wood. I took care of goats and horses and chickens, which meant a lot of mucking out stalls and coops. I also rode my horse a lot. We did not have 'snacks' in the house. There was no point in 'snacking', as per my mother. We had three main meals during the day and if you were truly hungry between meals, the fruit bowl was available. That was it. Today? I see children who spend about 5 hours a day watching TV and another couple of hours plunked in front of a computer. They snack incessantly. Unless they are involved in sports, they get little to no formal or casual excercise. Families are too busy with jobs to excercise with their children. There are few set mealtimes. Portion sizes in restaurants have exploded. The 'small' hamburger at McDonald's used to be the adult sized portion, remember? Read Marion Nestle's book about 'Food Politics' some day. It will get you so riled up. THe USA produces so much food that every man, woman and child needs to consume 300-400 MORE calories than they actually need per day to keep up with it. Food companies need to aggressively market their products to kids to get parents to buy enough to keep them profitable. ANd buy we do. I think obesity is a terrible thing to deal with, but I don't think it's a disease. I think it's directly related to lifestyle choices. I see too many children nowadays who are struggling with obesity and I have to ask myself, "Why now and not twenty years ago? What has changed?" It's obvious what has changed. Our metabolisms are certainly affected by our lifestyle choices, but we have to accept that it's our circumstances that have changed, not the biology of the human species.
hotgurl Posted July 17, 2006 Posted July 17, 2006 I think the studies on how people 'are changing' tend to indicate that it's our lifestyles that have changed most drastically. I do not tend to think human beings are going through a sped-up evolutionary process. Rather, the ways we choose to live are changing drastically with each decade. When I was a child growing up, I was extremely active...though not athletic in the least! I was always outdoors. Television watching was limited to 1 hour per day. My mom was extremely strict on that. We had no computers. We hung laundry outside, which meant carrying a basket full of clothes and hanging them on a laundry line which lay on the bottem of a steep hill. We had a wood burning stove and I helped chop, stack and carry wood. I took care of goats and horses and chickens, which meant a lot of mucking out stalls and coops. I also rode my horse a lot. We did not have 'snacks' in the house. There was no point in 'snacking', as per my mother. We had three main meals during the day and if you were truly hungry between meals, the fruit bowl was available. That was it. Today? I see children who spend about 5 hours a day watching TV and another couple of hours plunked in front of a computer. They snack incessantly. Unless they are involved in sports, they get little to no formal or casual excercise. Families are too busy with jobs to excercise with their children. There are few set mealtimes. Portion sizes in restaurants have exploded. The 'small' hamburger at McDonald's used to be the adult sized portion, remember? Read Marion Nestle's book about 'Food Politics' some day. It will get you so riled up. THe USA produces so much food that every man, woman and child needs to consume 300-400 MORE calories than they actually need per day to keep up with it. Food companies need to aggressively market their products to kids to get parents to buy enough to keep them profitable. ANd buy we do. I think obesity is a terrible thing to deal with, but I don't think it's a disease. I think it's directly related to lifestyle choices. I see too many children nowadays who are struggling with obesity and I have to ask myself, "Why now and not twenty years ago? What has changed?" It's obvious what has changed. Our metabolisms are certainly affected by our lifestyle choices, but we have to accept that it's our circumstances that have changed, not the biology of the human species. I completely agree. Also I notcied that obseity started to rise around the time women started going to the workforce. i always wondered if it was because the working women didn't have time to do homecooked meals and instead switched to convience food. ie processed food, My grandmother never had mac & cheese or spagetti-o in the house. She made breakfast and everyone lunch and a home cooked dinner.
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