GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY...OR ELSE!

I'm not here to judge anyone on their decision to lose weight by choosing gastric bypass surgery. However what I am here to judge is the lack of information provided by some doctors (not you, JW!) about other healthy opportunities and options to lose weight without succumbing to gastric bypass surgery.


It was 3 year ago when I went to visit a local internist about my swollen ankles. Without doing any questioning about my history, he immediately judged that my swollen ankles were due to my weight and he went on a tirade about weight loss, gastric bypass surgery and lectured me on the process. (Little did he realize that my swollen ankles were due to an OTC medication sensitivity and not my weight!)

This is what he told me in that visit...

• "You'll never lose weight on your own"

• "Listen to what I'm saying about gastric bypass surgery because it's your only option"
  
  
• "You are already dismissing the idea of gastric bypass surgery without knowing more about it. Go to a seminar up at Duke - I'll give you their phone number - and they'll provide you more information about the surgery. Do it. Do it now then call me and let me know." (in an angry tone)
  
  
• (he saw me crying at the check-out window of his office....not only was I upset about gastric bypass conversation but I was more pissed off that I had to pay money for hearing his nonsense!) "Heather, come here. Come in my office. Listen...you are a pretty girl and at this weight you'll probably be fine in the long run so don't let it get you down. Think about the surgery and we can talk more about it later in our next visit."

Later never came because I stopped seeing him and will never ever return!

What I'm trying to say is, our doctors are one of the leading lines of defense against obesity. If they are providing inaccurate information or misguiding their patients about weight loss then our strongest defense has already buckled at the outset! I lost 3 years of time! I'll never get those 3 years back. If he had only referred me out to someone who specializes in weight loss, nutrition and exercise then I would've had a completely different experience of living these past 3 years.

Don't get me wrong...I have a long way to go with my weight loss! But I would rather take LONGER losing weight than having surgery to do it for me. I want to lose weight at a pace my body can handle and in an exercise program that will tone my muscles so the end result doesn't look like the dad in this season's Biggest Loser who, incidentally, gained back his weight after the bariatric surgery.

I was told I never could do it on my own. Never. That's not true and it's not true for others! I'm proof of that! If you don't like the answer you receive from a doctor then keep asking and researching until you find a healthier option for you. If I can do it, you can too.

And, as a side note, I recently wrote an email to this doctor. This is what I said....

Hi Dr. G...... I was a patient of yours several years ago. We discussed my obesity and you recommended that I have bariatric surgery up at Duke University. You believed wholeheartedly that I'd never be able to lose the weight on my own regardless of how hard I tried. I left your office crying and more depressed.

But you know what, Dr. G? You were right! I wasn't able to lose the weight on my own! I think many people can't...at least for those who have significant amounts of weight to lose. They need help and I'm not talking about bariatric surgery or medications. I'm talking about hiring a well experienced personal trainer who will educate you on nutrition, workout with you (one-on-one) and be your accountability partner when it comes to diet and fitness! That's exactly what I did and I can't believe the results!!! I work out 6 days a week (3 in the fitness studio with the trainer and 3 at home) and I eat an incredibly healthy diet. In just over a month of this new healthy lifestyle, I've lost 18 pounds not even considering the amount of muscle I've gained and the inches I've lost on my body already.

Therefore I wanted to mention this to you - not that you don't already know this. Obviously you do....you are a doctor! But if I had known about this several years ago I could've lived those years quite differently by eating healthy foods, exercising and fully enjoying life. I'm so grateful to finally be on the right path now!

I hope you'll think of me the next time you are faced with an overweight, unhappy patient who is struggling with their health and weight. Please recommend they meet with a personal trainer. It could truly save their life. Thank you.

His response???? Nothing........................................................