WLS... on "60 Minutes" Tonight

Just saw this on the Main board... passing it along.  Ro http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/a,messageboard/action ,replies/board_id,4856/cat_id,4456/topic_id,3589692/

I turned it on and only caught the last half, but it was very possitive. There was a Dr on that had the surgery himself. But they commented that after surgery it was easy to keep the weight off which I disagree with. I find it hard, from what Ive seen on this board most gain back between 5 -15 pounds within the first 2 years. I find it a real struggle everyday, but its still better than the 100 pounds I was struggling with before WLS. Deb

Debra, I didn't get a chance to watch however, you're right - after 2 years it is easy to gain weight.  I am battling bronchitis and pnemonia for about 2 weeks now.  I have not been active at all - haven't been eating badly - but not good either or as frequently as I normally do and I have gained a few lbs and I notice it right away - especially in my tummy area.  I think this is something that we need to be conscious of at all times after we have our surgery.  I know that I will force myself to get active again - it really make a difference.  I know at 313 lbs I did not feel good.  Now at 155, I know I feel better at 147 - so I will make sure I get back down there.  I keep telling myself that nothing tastes as good as thin feels.  I was told that over 2 years ago by a member here (sorry can't remember who).  The surgery was just a tool - to assist us in the weightloss, it's up to us to ensure we follow through on the other half.  I'm glad the surgeon they had on had the wl surgery.

Hi, Hope you feel better soon.  I had a similar problem a few years prior to surgery and was told to "walk" so that the airways heal faster... and do deep breathing.   Ultimately, I needed Duratus (sp?) to get rid of the additional moisture in my lungs.  My friend, who has had WLS, but is only 30 has been fighting bronchitis for months!  I freak when someone comes around me coughing their heads-off!  I doubt (and really hope) that our immune system is super sensitive, but I wish that others could understand that I do want to stay as healthy as possible.  About the surgeon, who had surgery on the show... he probably saved his life... I liked the part where he mentioned handing out his WLS Dr's card...  It's about time that more non-WLS people viewed the surgery in a positive way.   The show seemed to be a good starting point for that to happen. GET WELL SOON!!! Ro

Hi, Debra... about the gaining of weight... a bit lower I added some info that I saw on the Nut MB, which gives a partial answer to regain.   Ro

Dang it, I wish I had seen it. Do they broadcast their reruns over the internet or on You Tube or anything?

I did find it on the CBS web site - this is a transcript and there's a couple of videos too. It's very encouraging, although from what I've read so far they didn't follow people that are several years post-op. It's true what they say about reducing the chances of cancer - my  mother died from breast cancer and I had developed the same cells, and after I lost my weight the cells have disappeared. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/17/60minutes/main4023 451.shtml

Wishing You Continued Health! So Sorry for your loss... Ro

It was good to see RNY is a positive light for a change...The show wanted to highlight on RNY being a cure for diabetes and how doctors are hopeful to use RNY on non-obese diabetics. Most of the people they showed were newly post op by  3-6 months though...They (surgeons) said that RNY only helps the majority of people lose 100 lbs...So if you are 300 lbs more than likely you will remain obese at 200 lbs but it is far better than to remain MO (quoted)...and most people can maintain their weight within 100 lbs... I always knew this and I pushed hard to lose an extra 50. I maintained my 150 for 4 years as have many others that lost more than 100 have done. They said that there have been 200,000 RNY surgeries performed in 10 years....(I don't know why that number seems so low to me.)  They said that only 1 percent of MO people have had surgery.    So for the handful of people who gained a few pounds of weight back and reported it here...I have not seen anyone...Not one person reports that say they gained half or more of their weight back...To me, that's still promising than the pre-op diets which proved themselves to be a failure every single time with sometimes double weight gain with the majority of people.  A 30 lbs gain from a 100 lbs loss is still a 75 % success!  How can anyone possibly complain about that?  So...some tend to gain a few pounds back???  I guess some of us have to work harder on our bad habits. I'm one that admits I have to watch it...But I also believe I have to work hard to gain it all back too. It takes effort to totally sabotage your pouch rules and eat the amount of food you'd have to eat to get back where you were pre op. I truly believe that. I have no doubt that some people might just give up and do that. I understand it too well (from lost weight to gaining it all back)...But I do not believe that we all have the tendency for reckless abandon or complete detachment from what we have to do in order to maintain our weight after RNY. The surgery itself is a tool that we didn't have with other diets... 

I know it's very common for people to rebound and gain 10-15 pounds a couple of years out, and maybe some more later on. I wonder though, is some of that due to just getting older? I'm approaching 50 (it really sucks too), and most people gain some after they turn 30, 40, and 50, whether they've had weight problems in the past or not. I'm seeing my friends in their 50's, who have been skinny all their lives, all of a sudden blossoming. Not getting huge like I used to be, but gaining enough that it's noticeable. I read posts from people several years out that are suddenly gaining a little weight (not tons, but 10-to-20 pounds), and I wonder if it's just the slower metabolism, maybe a little less activity, and nothing at all to do with WLS.