bariatric surgery -a question

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its been know that if your BMI is over 40 and u r 100 lbs overweight then you can have bypass surgery and my aunt is going to have one. She is 42 yrs old with no co-morbidities , just loose fat hanging from her belly and thighs. I think she should try exercise first becuase I am worried being a nurse that this surgery has lot of complications too. Do you have any idea how to approach her and let her know she needs to join aerobics, yoga or any fitness center.

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Specializes in LTC, Med-Surg, GP Office.

Even though your intentions are good, as you care about your Aunts health, I'm sure she already knows exercise is good for her. However, loose hanging fat can't be toned up, especially as we get older. I don't think it would benefit your Aunt for you to suggest she exercise, just try to support her decisions. Her bariatric physician will go over the risks of the surgery.

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

I am scheduled to have bariatric surgery myself in september, i'm a nurse and i'm 29yrs old. I exercise 4-5 days a week, eat healthy had my thyroid and numerous other labs checked and are within normal, i had no como's but am borderline hypertensive...if your aunt has researched it, and this is what SHE wants just support her, if you are worried, then do the research on bariatric surgery. People tend to think that bariatric surgery is a "quick fix" and it is NOT, there are LOTS of lifestyle changes that will have to be made after the surgery...yes the weight comes off quickly, but the fact is it's not only a tough decision, but one that requires lots of support from loved ones as well as a complete lifestyle change. if she hasn't already have her check out obesityhelp.com it's much like allnurses and provides lots of info, both for her and for you! =)

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.
its been know that if your BMI is over 40 and u r 100 lbs overweight then you can have bypass surgery and my aunt is going to have one. She is 42 yrs old with no co-morbidities , just loose fat hanging from her belly and thighs. I think she should try exercise first becuase I am worried being a nurse that this surgery has lot of complications too. Do you have any idea how to approach her and let her know she needs to join aerobics, yoga or any fitness center.

Exercise education and nutrition education will be a big part of her recovery post-surgery. I do not work in bariatrics, but have several friends (who are nurses) who have had the surgery and all of them had class/education requirements prior to surgery that included exercise and nutrition. Diet post-surgery, of course, is quite radical early on, but changes over time as well. ALL of the successful bypass patients I know have been successful because they stick to their exercise plan, and they continue to carefully managed their diets. It does NOT look easy, in light of all of the junk that people bring to work as "treats" for the nurses.

I suppose you could go to her and ask her about the process, and open up the conversation that way?

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Specializes in CT stepdown, hospice, psych, ortho.

I wouldn't try to get involved. Its a sensitive subject, talking with anyone about weight and losing weight and why didn't exercise and diet work and the like. And #2, just like you shouldn't try to influence your patients with your own beliefs, you probably shouldn't try to influence hers. Bypass is actually not nearly as dangerous as it once was and the fact that she is relatively young and has no comorbid conditions further reduces her risk. Exercise is not effective for everyone and does not tone hanging fat. As an aside neither does a bypass and weight loss, unfortunately, and if she has sagging skin the best fix is going to be reconstructive surgery once her weight has stabalized. Be supportive and please minimize any negative comments that you may have regarding the situation. She needs support, not people questioning a decision regarding a matter she has discussed with her physician. I have worked in bariatrics and know several people that have had various versions of the surgery. All are doing well now but I will acknowledge one had a very difficult time with an "open" procedure in the early 90s. Two of them had babies within a year of their bypasses and are both still on the high end of normal weights for their height (like 170s) and both had healthy pregnancies with normal sized babies. Try to find some recent resources and educate yourself on the procedure or, if you are close to your Aunt (my own is like my mom), ask to accompany her to the pre-op appointment and discuss your concerns with the doctor and let him or her give you the relevant facts.

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

It might help you if you think of obesity as a medical disease. Do some research, I bet you will be amazed to read what you do. For example when someone is morbidly obeses the chances that diet and exercise will be succesful in helping the person lose significant weight and keep it off is less than 5%. The odds with bariatric sugery goes up to 60% Now for a medical disease would you use the treatment with a 5% succes rate or a 60% succes rate?

These numbers are not 100% accurate, my cousin had the lap band done about a year ago and I did all sorts of research. I can't remember the exact numbers but there is a massive gap that will take away any doubt. So I encourage you to do your own research.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

I'm not sure the surgeon would agree to doing her surgery if she hasn't already exhausted all other non-surgical possibilities.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

well, if she hasn't even encorporated exercise yet into her life and is willing to have surgery? We see these patients later, non exercised, non diet compliant and they've gained all the weight back. Just food for thought, only your aunt knows how compliants she can and "will" be. The lack of exercise now is what really concerns me.

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Specializes in Detox and Psyc nursing.

I had the surgery 2 years before I graduated and became an RN (this was about 6 years ago).

Like your aunt, my BMI was over 40. I had tried and failed with multiple diets and exercise. To this day I am happy to report the surgery was a complete success. I have lost over 100 pounds and kept them off. My health has improved and I was able to have children whereas before I was infertile at 284 pounds. I have had NO side effects at all from the surgery.

My husband also had the surgery as did his sister. We are all doing very well. My husband has had no side effects from it either. His sister does get anemic though.

If you want to be a help to your aunt, just be there to support her with whatever she chooses to do. Best of luck to your family.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

I am soooo happy to hear the success stories, and I don't mean to be a downer, but you did ask the question... a one year out success story is classic to the surgery... the 5 year out is where the difference lies.... we are talking about a total diet and exercise change.... the diet compliance will facilitate the weight loss, the lack of exercise.. could cause a want for more surgery.. plastic... which can be the norm.. but some of it alleviated with exercise that tones.

when you take and overweight body that simply can't exercise to perform what is needed to overcome the calorie intake and then... initiate a low calorie intake with no exercise.... you have a surgical result which is optimal, without the asthetic result which is wanted.... you have to have both... make sense? Plus, The exercise is needed to burn off the rest of the fat and tone what is left. Not being nasty at all... but anyone wanting bariatric surgery needs to understand the importance of exercise with PT grown to the point they can excell, and surpass that to burn more calories and get the excess weight off.

the surgery doesn't cure, only fixes a small portion of obesity, the rest is up to the patient to progress.

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Specializes in Medical.

Although the mortality and morbidity stats seem to have improved, it's hard to tell because there are so few reliable, long-term studies. Gastric banding is certainly less invasive than older style bariatric surgeries, but there's an absence of any research demonstrating that formerly-fat people have reduced life time risks of obesity-related illnesses. There is data demonstrating that formerly fat people who're thin are metabolically different from thin people.

There's also difficulty distinguishing between illnesses related to being fat vs related to immobility and poor nutrition. As a result, many commentators recommend healthy exercise and a balanced diet as ends in their own right rather than as methods to achieve weight loss, although incidental weight loss may occur (depending on how changed the diet and exercise are from baseline).

Depending on how close you and your aunt are, I think discussing it with her may be a good idea. I certainly wouldn't tell her that all she needs to do is join a gym, particularly if you're thin - the issue is way more complicated than that. But asking her what she hopes the effects of weight loss will be may be useful - many fat people put their lives on hold, waiting for the fruition of the fantasy of being thin to come true.

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