OK, so I went to see my PCP today as directed by Dr. Feiz (the bariatric surgeon) for the pre-Op evaluation. I have had the same PCP for over 12 years and I know, just by his tone of voice, when he doesn't agree with something. Well, he definitely does not agree with my desire for surgery. He made me promise I would do my research- which I have. He was telling me horror stories of WLS gone bad and now, I am a little nervous. My BMI is 35.4 and he believes that I can do this without surgery but my 53 lbs. of extra weight feel like 153 lbs. on my weak ankles and aching feet and sore knees. I just really don't know what to do. I was sure about this until I saw my PCP. I want this surgery so I can have a better quality of life but do the risks outweigh the benefits? Someone, please chime in on this. I need brutally honest opinions.

I am in the same exact boat. My PCP started telling me about her patients who have DIED from the lap band (which I don't want anyway) and how her bypass patients are anemic, lose all their hair, etc. then she said the VSG is the "latest thing". THEN she told me to watch biggest loser and see how much work it takes! I was very disappointed.

Then I spoke with Dr Alvarez today and he basically said he is amazed at the results with this and that people of our size do really well with it. (I am a BMI of 34). He also said that while we are not morbidly obese, it WILL catch up to us eventually.

I highly rec you read his book. It is chock full of really good info.

I think the US is really behind on this as a preventive method.

Most of us come to surgery having tried pretty much every diet and exercise regimen for years and years (in my case, decades). We need a method to help us--those who succeed are not relying solely on the surgery for weight loss, but modifying exercise and food choices as well. More and more research is demonstrating that weight loss surgery causes metabolic changes and the weight loss after surgery is not caused only by restriction and/or malabsorption (with DS and RnY). Maybe your PCP doesn't know that.

Well, this may be a bit different in my case, as I started with 200(ish) to lose, so my PCP was happy I did it, and he admitted he did not know much about the sleeve, and I'm his first sleeve patient. (I have to do followups with him, because I had my surgery in Texas, and I'm in New Mexico.) He's VERY supportive and willing to help me stay on track. His biggest concern is that I will hit a rough patch in life and put all the weight back on. That's a valid concern, but not as much of a risk with VSG as it is with the bypass or the band (from all research I've done). I've seen many on here get the sleeve for 50 lbs. If YOU think you are at risk for gaining more or having health problems, then you and the surgeon need to make that decision, and if your PCP won't back you....find one that will. My two cents...

Its interesting that you had this happen to you and posted today because just this morning I was having a conversation with two Physician Assistats and one Medical doctor about it, I am a med student (PA to be exact).....

So it went like this, we were doing blood pressure, height, weight and BMI checks (as well as other stuff) at a health fair. Someone mentioned a patient that she recetly had who was 33 and had a BMI of 54, so one of my profesors said something to the effect that for those patients she really thought they just had to have surgery. Later another profesor came and she is bigger than me, and I asked her what she thought of the gastric sleeve, her answer was that she did not believe in those things because she saw too many patients with too many problems after having it (keep in mind that after more questions she admitted she knew little about the sleeve and she also has served mostly underrepresented populations who actually already lack health care), so I realized she would not be someone even willing to honestly talk about it so I left it at that. I later talked to the other PA and doctor (the one that had mentioned surgery earlier), they admited that they knew very little about the sleeve, but that there comes a time when people really needed surgery to succed at weight loss.

After talking to them I realized what their apprehancion with it being done to someone with no immediate health problems, that they may not learn to eat (and or threat other underlying problems and take on alcohol or drugs when they cannot eat to deal with them) and might not be ready for a life change that it entails. Many doctors, PAs, NPs and other health care providers just don't kow the science behind it but see the patients who came to them because of gaining weight and other complications after the surgeries, not realizing that the majority of that was caused by the patient him/herself not the procedure (yes bypass has a lot of malnutrition but even that one is very successful with limited risk for patients who follow all directions).

Has patients we need to keep in mind that this is a last resort surgery, I like many of you have a lower BMI (I actually lost a little weight recently I just found out and my current BMI is 35) but I have tried every diet in the book and those not in a book too! and nothing has done it! I confided in one of my teachers today and told her that I was having it done and why and after my explanation based on scientific evidence (I told her I have done a great deal of research and shared some with her before telling her I was doing it) she said she understood.

Perhaps the best thing you can do is educate your doctor, and let him/her know that you have done your research (but back it up with information you have found) and let him/her know that you know it will take a great deal of effort from you to stay healthy (eat the Protein, Water, Vitamins, exercise and the like for the rest of our lives!) but that you just need help getting there.

I believe if more clinitians knew more about it they would be more supportive. There are those (like I found out today) that don't believe in the surgery at all and will not listen even when research is presented to them, but your doctor does not appear to be one of them; just genuinely concerned.

Make sure you are really ready for this change and if your answer is yes then you will know what to do!

Good luck!

ok you posted it a couple of days ago but I just saw it today! LOL