Today's Oprah Show--Weight Loss Surgery

[FrugalSue]

The Oprah show today was about people who had stomach surgery to lose weight and since have had problems with addictions. Very interesting. Apparently there has been a four-fold increase in these surgeries in the past few years, so the problems afterwards with alcoholism, drugs, gambling, sex addiction, etc. are really beginning to come to light. It's called addiction transfer.

Oprah said that people who have bypass surgery sometimes "bypass" dealing with their emotions and the reasons that they got fat in the first place. I thought this was a really insightful way to say it.

Not only do people sometimes not deal with the emotional reasons for overeating...the surgery can really increase the effect of alcohol on your body. Alcohol absorption happens faster, and there's very little food in the stomach to offset the alcohol. So people get drunk fast, and so they immediately have no judgment about their behavior and how it's affecting themselves and others.

Carney Wilson said she was completely crocked during her post-surgery Playboy shoot. She's been clean and sober for two years now. She says before, during and after the surgery, you have to focus with what's in your head and solve your problems.

I can so relate to all that was said about this addiction transfer problem. For me, it was the same thing in reverse: I drank for 17 years, then quit and gained nearly 100 pounds in sobriety. So, either way, it's important to identify the root causes and deal with them.

[spacevixen3]

by crocked do you mean drunk?

[FrugalSue]

Yes, she used the words "completely crocked" herself to describe that she was drunk.

[trevene_ann]

Who Said Loosing Weight Is Easy???????? There Is Always Some Issue Sheesh. This Is So Frustrating For Me

[Cyn777]

I saw this episode as well and it had an impacton me - still sticks with me. We may eat now just to eat - out of habit, have ruined the "off" switch to hunger satiety, etc... but we started for a reason - or at least I did...Sharon Osbourne is reversing her stomach surgery because she's gaining weight back. She's decided she has to deal with the head part of this obesity thing. It's frankly a little scary - maybe the exercise will be the new addiction, but even addictions with a positive result are still addictions - don't they all need to be dealt with honestly?

Blessings,
Cyn

Who has GAINED a pound since starting and is pretty ticked!

[sdlaw2000]

Yea I have seen that show too, infact I know a few people that had that surgery. Sure they did start losing the weight fast but there is a very down side to the surgery. They lost the weight so fast that they loose skin just hanging off of them, very gross looking if you ask me. One of my lady friends that had the surgery ended up dying from complications, before she died they had removed almost all of her insides. My dad even had the surgery, the doctors told him he had to have it just so that they could do another surgery on him to remove a tumor. They told him that with him weighing as much as he did that they couldn't do the surgery other wise, by the way he weighted 380lbs before the surgery. He had the stomach surgery but then became too sick for the other surgery, he then died a year later. I mean sure the surgery may work for some, mostly those that have the money, but I don't feel that it is a solution. But then again each to their own, just be sure to read up on real facts of the pros and cons of the surgery and even talk to others, not just what some celeberty has said about it, that has had the surgery.

[Missy]

I personally do not agree with any type of surgury for weight loss unless you have tried absolutely everything before resorting to it. There is mostly no need for it, some people are just too lazy to do the work it takes to get where they want to be...keep in mind I am not applying that to everyone. I do realize that sometimes when people are morbidly obese they can't easily exercise or get around, that is when I might do the surgury. But for someone like Oprah who says she was what ...237 or something? I dont think it was necessary, just someone wanting a solution without doing the work. Considering I was 261 when I started and have lost a huge amount of weight without surgury, it's not necessary.

[jkb300]

my wife is having the bypass surgery in dec ,after the urging of several doctors

[Trying4Thin]

5 of 13 In May 2005, Jill Roberts, a 20-year-old woman who was struggling with her weight, came on The Oprah Show to say that she was sick of being the fat one in her family.

[Trying4Thin]

Back in 2005, Jill weighed more than 300 pounds, but not anymore! After having gastric bypass surgery, Jill has lost 170 pounds!