Lap-band eligible number may double
 

http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/0...ry-may-double/

Not sure what I think about this...by the standard the company is wanting, I would have qualified for lap-band surgery at my starting weight of 220 pounds at 5'9" tall.

That would make me eligable right now by .8 if i had serious health issues mind you (bmi 30.8).. . seems odd to me.

If there is money to be made.....

Wow 1 in 1,000 dying? And they want more people to be able to do it? I know I was eligible and my doctor suggested it and I said NO WAY! I don't want to do major surgery for my weight loss.

It was interesting how the article addressed that people gain the weight back and I'm not surprised- surgery doesn't address the issues of WHY we over-eat. I mean if people are vomitting after meals cuz they overeat shouldn't the people giving the surgery think "why is this happening and what can we do to avoid this..."

The people I know who had gastric bypass and it worked didn't just have surgery- they went through counseling, they changed their outlook on life, they changed their relationship with food. The people who failed are the ones who took it as a cure for all their problems.

It's just so scary as a nation how we are so under-educated when it comes to nutrition!

I agree....that's all that is driving this. I mean, there's no way I NEEDED weight loss surgery at 220-230 pounds. I was able to do fine without it. Of course I didn't have the health problems referred to, and I know many others do....

And I had an aunt who had WLS, and after a few years was totally messed up because of it. From what has been explained to me, after the surgery her body stopped digesting food appropriately and she literally stopped getting any nutrients from her food. She found out when she was taking a nap and went into a coma for a while. The doctors didn't know what was wrong with her at first, and finally found that she literally had nothing in her system...no sodium, no potassium, no vitamins. Nothing. She has to have enzymes to eat with her food now to assure it won't happen again. And she's regained all the weight too.

I have considered, and still have not made up my mind, weight loss surgery. The risks associated with the LapBand have led me away from that as a viable option, for me.

I have read that the Duodenal Switch surgery can essentially cure diabetes for a lot of patients, I have heard no such thing about the Lap Band. Diabetes, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol- these are not just about food and restricting food intake and BMI are NOT CURES for these things. They can improve them though.

I think that someone w/ the comorbidities might be able to plead their case for the surgery at a lower BMI but I have a hard time accepting a bmi of 35 as standard for the surgery.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...120306997.html

A panel agreed to recommend that the FDA lower the BMI requirements. So now my husband, who is just barely under a 30 BMI, could gain a little weight and qualify. I would have qualified at only 220-230 pounds. Wow.

I think it is an easy way out and I am don't agree with it. I think some people do okay with it and it is necessary for them but because of different factors but just because you have 50lbs to lose you go and get the lap band surgery? It doesn't make sense, why don't we start with eating healthier and exercising. We always want the quick fix but the quick fix can cause death and serious illness. There were 220,000 weight loss surgeries done is 2009. That is amazing I would love to know the number 10 years ago. Society has got to change before things get out of control, I think there is time to change and get America back in shape but it takes more than just a few of us,

Whoa. I really have to disagree with this. I have a friend that did lap band a couple of years ago and it has been a difficult, difficult experience. It is definitely not the easy way out. Her health has suffered--not to even discuss what it has done to her skin and nails. She did lose weight but has regained a substantial amount of it. But yeah--definitely not an easy way out. If you read the boards here I don't think you will find those that have actually HAD the surgery call it an easy way out either.

I would qualify for this if they changed it. I know there is no way my Dr. would even consider it for me. Heck I wouldn't consider it for me! I think that is rather extreme.

Hi Tessa! Welcome to 3FC. We have some members who have pursued surgery and you might be interested in reading about how they feel about the term "easy way out": http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...y-way-out.html

Please keep in mind that our WLS forum is about support for people who have had weight loss surgery and be sure to read the sticky here: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...ead-first.html, so while I invite you to read the thread in our WLS about whether WLS is the "easy way out" to perhaps increase your awareness of the reasons for WLS, please keep in mind the support-focus of the WLS sub-forum.

midwife, as a relatively new member to 3fc, I am wondering whether it makes a difference that Tessa's post was in the "General Chatter" forum rather than the "WLS Support" forum. The thread appears to have originated here and does not appear to have been moved.

(I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with Tessa's post--just curious.)

Thanks!

Yes, you are absolutely correct. It makes a lot of difference.

Discussion of weight loss surgery by people who have not had it and are questioning it can absolutely occur here in General Chatter. My goal was to provide a link to broaden understanding of the concept of "easy way out" for members who might not have considered it from multiple perspectives. Since the link will take a reader to the WLS forum, I also wanted to make it clear that there are different guidelines within the WLS forum in case a poster was not familiar with those particular guidelines.

Does that make sense?

midwife is right. Weight loss surgery is definitely not the easy way out. I've talked to the ladies on this board who have had WLS and I've seen many of them prior to WLS and after. Losing weight is difficult and for some WLS may help them achieve their goals. Whatever risks they take to do that are up to them.

Now in terms of lowering the BMI for lapband, I don't think I'd really agree with that but I think that is a separate issue from those who have decided to undergo the surgery.

I read her statement in a different light- i think she meant for someone who is just a bit over weight it seems an easy out. like- why wouldn't you just try to lose the weight if you only have a bit to go?

i think that a lot of people unfortunately think that it will be an easy out for them, and then find out that is not the case at all.