I belong to several weight loss groups on Facebook and other types of media. I have noticed that there are several people that just need to lose a few pounds and are already slim. They are having weight loss surgery to lose may be 50 pounds or so. They already look like they are at a good weight. Do you feel that some of these people are having weight loss surgery and they really do not need it they are just thinking this is an easy way out. What do you think about the doctors that are doing this?

K i see i pissed some off sorry i should had been more clear..the people i am referring to had a starting weight of 50lbs over..most had surgery out of the country..some docs will do anything if you pay them...i am not saying they did not struggle but i see surgery as a final resort..

You don't owe an apology. You bring up some valid issues. You aren't responsible for how someone feels. We've all been judged and we ALL judge still whether purposely or not. There's a purpose of the devil's advocate, the "10th Man", etc. Nobody likes it but its still a necessity. I understood where you were coming from.

I am and will always be happy for anyone who gets healthy in a way that works for them because at the end if the day its your health, not dress-size, that matters

Happy New Year everyone.

Edited December 27, 201411 yr by tomi71

Yes, there is abuse of WLS. There is abuse of EVERYTHING! I think I can safely state that most of us here abused a buffet at some point in our life. However, that was our choice. I'm sure most of us did not want to be questioned about our decisions either. I would even go as far as saying that having weight loss surgery to lose "only" 50 pounds is a much better choice than having another piece of fried chicken.

Dammit, now I want some fried chicken!

Yes, there is abuse of WLS. There is abuse of EVERYTHING! I think I can safely state that most of us here abused a buffet at some point in our life. However, that was our choice. I'm sure most of us did not want to be questioned about our decisions either. I would even go as far as saying that having weight loss surgery to lose "only" 50 pounds is a much better choice than having another piece of fried chicken.

Dammit, now I want some fried chicken!

Well I'm happy to report I NEVER abused food or alcohol. I nurtured and loved and coddled every single bite and swallow!

Well I'm happy to report I NEVER abused food or alcohol. I nurtured and loved and coddled every single bite and swallow!

Somehow that turned into a very disturbing image in my mind! LOL!

Hey, Kim Basinger's got nothin on me!

????????????????????

I can only say that it seems there are always going to be those we simply do not understand. I don't waste my time trying to figure out why people do what they do anymore. I'm sure if one were to really look you might even find someone who had WLS just to loose 25lbs.. What works for some doesn't work for others. There are always rule breakers within any group. It isn't my place to judge. The only thing I can worry about and stay focused on is myself and my journey.

I think this is a super interesting discussion. Both sides. I don't share my surgery with everyone, but I told one close friend about it and she is VERY interested in having it herself. The catch? She's maybe 20lbs over where she wants to be, but she isn't even at an overweight BMI. At her top she was no more than 40 pounds over where she wanted to be, a bit into the overweight category, but not obese. She lost it all and gained 20 back. She does well when she eats low carb and exercises, but she's been eating more carbs recently.

I was horrified that she would even consider it to lose 20lbs and not even being overweight. I still worry about a doctor who would do it for her, but you are all right, I don't know her personal struggle. Maybe I shouldn't judge.

I think another thing people forget about is the fact that comorbidities sneak up on those of us who are overweight. If we continue on with the 50lbs that drag our bones down, we more than likely will end up with them. I personally had 4 comorbidities prior to surgery. I am down to 2. They should leave me as well, soon. We don't know what the future holds, but I know that I, myself, wouldn't want to wait for them to creep up on me. If we can use this tool to help us, why not? We don't know everyone's story, what has worked and what hasn't. But I do think most of the surgeons out there wouldn't do the surgery if they didn't think it would help the person, or if it would harm the person. Each person who is on this and many other sites has had to make this very personal decision. And we all had to follow pre-op plans that told a great story about us. I say we have worked hard to have a wonderful, lighter and lovely life. On to life...

I don't understand the uproar! I was told that if I lost too much weight on the six month supervised diet I might not be eligible for surgery per insurance.

Same exact thing on my end. But everyone is different. The sad thing is if the docs (the people behind the science of this procedure) are agreeing that a lower weight person with co-morbidities can be a good candidate for the surgery but the insurers won't cover, there creates even more problems because the patients' are not being afforded optimal care.

But I really meant people who are clearly not a candidate (like my anorexic friend). There are those out there and there are unscrupulous doctors our there too.

Conrad Murray, anyone?

The conversation reminds me of TI's wife, Tiny. Tiny, I believe, went on a medical vacation to either South America or Europe(?) because she wanted here eye color changed. From news I saw I don't believe she had any underlying medical eye problems. So she found a doctor overseas and had her brown eyes changed to blue. Only because she wanted blue eyes.

I bet there's a ton of judgement heaped at her but who knows what she was going through that blue eyes wouldn't fix....emotional issues? Maybe she got teased about brown eyes? Maybe there are blue-eyes in her family? There are blue-eyed folks in mine! But I was one who judged her, btw, and after reading the market for said procedure and how the procedure is done and what protocols are in place to ensure patient is a prime candidate, I felt like she allowed herself this very dangerous procedure despite not have a clear medical need.

I think folks felt that they were being attacked and I don't think OP had a troll-like agenda as it seems many took it as.

I think another thing people forget about is the fact that comorbidities sneak up on those of us who are overweight. If we continue on with the 50lbs that drag our bones down, we more than likely will end up with them. I personally had 4 comorbidities prior to surgery. I am down to 2. They should leave me as well, soon. We don't know what the future holds, but I know that I, myself, wouldn't want to wait for them to creep up on me. If we can use this tool to help us, why not? We don't know everyone's story, what has worked and what hasn't. But I do think most of the surgeons out there wouldn't do the surgery if they didn't think it would help the person, or if it would harm the person. Each person who is on this and many other sites has had to make this very personal decision. And we all had to follow pre-op plans that told a great story about us. I say we have worked hard to have a wonderful, lighter and lovely life. On to life...

All very true. Just to clarify on my particular post, my friend has no comorbidities at all and is currently in the normal range, her 20lbs are just to get to where she likes to be.

This is yet another excellent reason why I will NEVER share my decision to have WLS. I'm so tired of people who spent way too much time minding other people's business, and worrying about what other people are doing with their personal lives. I don't give a flying pig who choses to have WLS. It's none of my business. Insurance companies has a list of requirements. You meet it you get the surgery. Some people chose to self pay. Good for both sides. Why do you care? URGH!!!!!

Look at it as a question of curiosity. Nothing anyone said on this board stopped anyone from getting the needed help.

Its just food for thought. No need to judge but yet ask not to be judged.

I think this dialogue was really interesting and insightful.

In the end, we all want to be healthy and happy, don't we? I wish that for all of you..to the New Year and to all of you..God Bless.....

For those of you bashing the author of this thread and getting all defensive, please take the time to re-read the OP. It was not judgmental or negative. She was simply describing her observations and asking our opinions....

.....

I belong to several weight loss groups on Facebook and other types of media. I have noticed that there are several people that just need to lose a few pounds and are already slim. They are having weight loss surgery to lose may be 50 pounds or so. They already look like they are at a good weight. Do you feel that some of these people are having weight loss surgery and they really do not need it they are just thinking this is an easy way out. What do you think about the doctors that are doing this?