Why do people bash weight loss surgery?

[Alex Brecher 10,486]

@@her1981,

You wrote that out so nicely!

I think general ignorance may be largely to blame. At least, that’s what I prefer to think rather than that people are mean! People probably think that it’s dangerous, disruptive, and something to be avoided at nearly all costs.

I also suspect that many people who struggle with their weight but are not in a position to get WLS are wary of it or suspicious. They may wonder why they need to keep on struggling with their weight (even if it’s not as high as our pre-op weight) while we “get” to choose WLS. They may not realize that WLS isn’t an easy path to take.

The news may also have something to do with it. You tend to see news stories about WLS fatalities and patients who regret WLS; you don’t see stories about thousands of delighted WLS patients. I’m not blaming the media or saying they shouldn’t report such stories, but these tragic anomalies are what get publicized.

Anyway, I wholeheartedly agree with you. People should respect other people’s personal health decisions.

[songsmith 334]

I think it's a bit of ignorance and in many instances a dash of envy. Sometimes there's even a bit of judgment tossed in (it's always okay to bash the fat person). We're a diet/thin crazy society. People who don't understand how WLS works think, "Well, hell, ~I~ could have surgery and eat whatever I want, too! They took the easy way out!"

Only, WLS doesn't work like that. It's hard work. You don't hear or see media talking about that aspect, so people remain ignorant and retain their false beliefs. They also fail to acknowledge (or even realize) that WLS is major surgery. They don't see the health aspect; they see cosmetics. That opens up another can of worms. I bet a lot of the people who comment don't judge plastic surgery (or may even have had it themselves) but do something for your health via weight loss and you're cheating! Sheesh.

I won't even get into the mindset that the obese are stupid and lazy and got that way from sitting on their butts eating ding dongs and chips all day. People who think that naturally believe that WLS is but another "lazy" solution. Most of them won't admit that to your face (they make snide comments through the anonymity of the internet) so you can't usually call them on it.

I believe the best thing you can do is 1) ignore them or 2) educate them If you choose solution 2 you might be beating your head against a brick wall, Then again, you might just break through and stop at least one person from making those comments ever again. . It depends on what suits you best. In the end their opinions don't matter (the only opinion that matters is yours).

[JamieLogical 8,684]

I have always enjoyed the dichotomy of people saying WLS is the "easy way out" and in the next breath talking about how someone "failed" at WLS.

[beggingtobehealthy 97]

I hate when people hear I had wls and are like "oh well you cheated"... Cheated what? Do you seriously think it's easy to go through the process and then get cut open and then have to deal with post op? Oh and still having to workout and do everything else?

So irritating. My wls was a tool I used to control my poor eating habits. It makes me emotional because WHO CARES HOW I AM LOSING WEIGHT. I am losing it for me and my family regardless of my methods

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[kitkattulsa 28]

For this very reasons this is why I prefer to keep my choice to myself. If anyone has not been struggling a lifetime, they will not understand. It is a different struggle than someone who merely put on weight after being slim during their life. I have dealt with weight since I was 6 months old. Unfortunately overfed as a kid, poor genetics and how I was raised set me up for a major struggle. To that point I think WLS will be a tool but I anticipate I will still struggle. It will hopefully take away the hunger part which can make it more doable for me.

[Ele marie 92]

I haven't told anybody but my daughters and my husband of course knows.

I think people think it is the easy way out. They are clueless.

Good luck on your journey ♡

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[Madea61 27]

I think there are a lot of reasons.

1. people who ought to consider surgery but are afraid - and who may be jealous of the success they see, or fearful that it wouldn't work anyway because nothing else does.

2. people who ought to have surgery but for one reason or another can't afford it or are not medically eligible due to other problems and may be jealous.

3. people who do not struggle with their weight and honestly have no idea how difficult and DIFFERENT the process is for those who have put on weight and may have medication or other issues that work against them. they mean well - but they are just not capable of understanding why someone would need surgery.

I do not hide my WLS or that I am trying to loose weight, but the trigger for me was diabetes, and I tell people I had surgery to try to reverse diabetes, and that tends to shut them up, because for some WARPED reason they see diabetes as a disease, and they do not see obesity as a disease but rather as laziness.

Did it reverse your diabetes.?

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[Christinamo7 4,041]

I think there are a lot of reasons.

1. people who ought to consider surgery but are afraid - and who may be jealous of the success they see, or fearful that it wouldn't work anyway because nothing else does.

2. people who ought to have surgery but for one reason or another can't afford it or are not medically eligible due to other problems and may be jealous.

3. people who do not struggle with their weight and honestly have no idea how difficult and DIFFERENT the process is for those who have put on weight and may have medication or other issues that work against them. they mean well - but they are just not capable of understanding why someone would need surgery.

I do not hide my WLS or that I am trying to loose weight, but the trigger for me was diabetes, and I tell people I had surgery to try to reverse diabetes, and that tends to shut them up, because for some WARPED reason they see diabetes as a disease, and they do not see obesity as a disease but rather as laziness.

Did it reverse your diabetes.?

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I stopped Metformin a few days before surgery. my blood sugars have been completely normal. I am expecting my bloodwork tomorrow to show a normal A1c. so, yes. unless I go back to the old way of eating.

[Madea61 27]

I think there are a lot of reasons.

1. people who ought to consider surgery but are afraid - and who may be jealous of the success they see, or fearful that it wouldn't work anyway because nothing else does.

2. people who ought to have surgery but for one reason or another can't afford it or are not medically eligible due to other problems and may be jealous.

3. people who do not struggle with their weight and honestly have no idea how difficult and DIFFERENT the process is for those who have put on weight and may have medication or other issues that work against them. they mean well - but they are just not capable of understanding why someone would need surgery.

I do not hide my WLS or that I am trying to loose weight, but the trigger for me was diabetes, and I tell people I had surgery to try to reverse diabetes, and that tends to shut them up, because for some WARPED reason they see diabetes as a disease, and they do not see obesity as a disease but rather as laziness.

Did it reverse your diabetes.?

Sent from my SM-T550 using the BariatricPal App

I stopped Metformin a few days before surgery. my blood sugars have been completely normal. I am expecting my bloodwork tomorrow to show a normal A1c. so, yes. unless I go back to the old way of eating.

Good

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[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@Madea61 it did for me. I will admit, I was never on insulin and controlled with pills. I could control my sugar well eating Keto, before surgery but it was too hard to maintain and I still had to watch portions. It is a lot easier to eat properly with the sleeve.

[Madea61 27]

@@Madea61 it did for me. I will admit, I was never on insulin and controlled with pills. I could control my sugar well eating Keto, before surgery but it was too hard to maintain and I still had to watch portions. It is a lot easier to eat properly with the sleeve.

Ok

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[SalOdyssey 441]

It's as simple as this;

They're uneducated about it.

[numeby2017 88]

I have been disappointed to find out that my sister is talking about my decision behind my back. She told my niece my day if surgery when my niece was excited for me that she shouldn't be because she has known me her whole life and I wont exercise and I'll be disappointed. Then found out tonight that my sister told my Mom she didn't understand why I couldn't just eat the same way I am now and lose weight that way without surgery. My Mom defended me of course and tried to educate her in how wls works. .... what makes it worse is that my sister is over weight as well and fair to say she is larger than me. She pretends to be supportive but talks behind my back. Im like gee I don't know you've seen me diet my whole life have you seen the weight successfully come off and stay off? No? Ok well guess what is now and I feel great I made a well educated decision to make the rest of my life healthier and more fulfilling. So disappointed in her.

[summerset 5,261]

I do not hide my WLS or that I am trying to loose weight, but the trigger for me was diabetes, and I tell people I had surgery to try to reverse diabetes, and that tends to shut them up, because for some WARPED reason they see diabetes as a disease, and they do not see obesity as a disease but rather as laziness.

Yes, that's so interesting. I got my second surgery because of horrible reflux all the time (taking my PPI religiously and nevertheless had developed a benign lesion in the lower esophagus that had to be removed) and when someone asks I tell them I had reflux and hernia repair surgery. Well, technically I had. I had anti-reflux surgery and an axial hernia was repaired.

Nobody was like "OMG, you shouldn't have surgery!" Everyone was like "Ok, if it's that bad it's the right decision to get surgery."

Edited June 3, 2016 by summerset

[summerset 5,261]

I have always enjoyed the dichotomy of people saying WLS is the "easy way out" and in the next breath talking about how someone "failed" at WLS.

That's only because us fatties are that weak that even the "easy way out" doesn't work, ya know?