The Imperfect Community

julymom · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject: Lap Band surgery for diabetes

I saw this in the news last night and then a story today on Yahoo:
http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/diabetes_obesity_surgery.html

While I see how it's appealing to do this 20K surgery to save the 80-100K diabetes treatments cost(according to the story I saw last night on the news), I feel that it kind of gives people carte blanche to eat whatever they want and be unhealthy and if they develop diabetes, well, they can just get lap band done.
Any thoughts?

Jessica · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject:

Yeah, but who cares if they do feel they have carte blanch to eat whatever.

It's an invasive procedure, so it's not free of risks and if people want to eat so much that they require that, it's their life, IMO.

mammaX3_MOD · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:23 am Post subject:

While I agree that people can lead their own life, I agree that we need for people to make better choices, or start being responsible for their bad ones.

Unprotected sex? No problem, there's an abortion clinic down the street or hear's an 'R U 486' pill.

Too fat? Here's Lipo. Or you can sue McDonald's.

Drunk driving crash? Don't worry, sue the car maker, or the bartender who didn't cut you off.

There are sooo many 'easy outs' for people and their bad choices, when a good choice would have avoided the negative effects all together.
Why not try abstinence or protected sex? How about eating healthier? Try not driving drunk, asshole.

I feel that we're setting our kids and their generation up for a 'consequence-free' life, rather than raising them to just be responsible.........

Petulant Pixie · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:02 pm Post subject:

But, there is a lot more to the obesity epidemic besides just making bad food choices.

Furthermore, the surgery itself has risks and the people have to dramatically change their eating habits after the operation. It's not like a totally risk-free answer to all prayers. It's a last resort to save people's health in rather desperate situations when the other options have failed. I realize that more people are having this operation done, but there are still guidelines for who is a candidate and who isn't. I had gestational diabetes. I am overweight, but like 15 lbs overweight, no where near obese. I work out 45-60 minutes a day 5 days a week, but I still have a higher type II diabetes risk because of being overweight and having had gestational diabetes, so when I hear about these kinds of options for people, I get a little offended by the idea that overweight people who have diabetes are just couch potatoes shoving twinkies into the their mouths, living it up, knowing they can have their stomach operated on if they get diabetes. That isn't me, and I bet that isn't a lot of people.

mammaX3_MOD · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject:

In your original post, you just suggested that people might simply indulge themselves, and then deal with the lap band once they reach the danger zone.

I realize that not everyone with diabetes and obesity is a lazy fat-ass. And having 3 kids also, I too, know that 1 hr a day 5 days a week of excersize can still leave one in the overweight zone.
I'm just simply stating that if we train ourselves to "eat like a diabetic" (healthy meals, low sugar, small portions) then we won't really have a need for otherwise unnecessary lap band procedures.

julymom · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:12 pm Post subject:

mammaX3_MOD · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject:

Petulant Pixie · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:34 am Post subject:

OK, but what works for obese people? What has reliable, long term positive results for getting obese people to a healthy weight and controlling their diabetes? As far as I know--nothing. From everything I've read and seen, it's been a BIG problem, since diets don't work long term. There is only a small percentage of people who keep the weight off long term.

So...you've got people swing dieting with their diabetes not under control, suffering long-term health consequences of that and having insurance pay for that OR you've got people eating poorly then having this stomach surgery and getting their diabetes under control.

So, what is your recommendation, exactly? That we continue with a plan that historically has done nothing but fail and pay out dearly for that?

mammaX3_MOD · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:28 am Post subject:

I really don't know what the difinitive answer is.

I know that some people managed to get it under control before the lap band arrived. And I know that obesity and diabetes has been on the rise and compared to say 30-40 years ago, it's certainly of epidemic proportions.
My guess is that it has something to do with the ever-present, mass-produced, cost-effective food that's available everywhere, and it's partners in crime the numerous inventions society has that finds new or updated ways to keep people remaining idle (computers, video games, etc).

**I'm not saying that everyone with diabetes or obesity is a chip-eating video game player**

I'm just saying that with perhaps more tech jobs everywhere where people are chained to a desk for 8+ hrs a day, combined with healthy foods that end up not being so healthy (like Jessica's Chipotle Salad blog post) there's going to be issues.
Not to mention there are way more video games available today that are not "toys" for children anymore, but rather a sort of status symbol for grown men to play.

And how about the Tivo or DVR? I admit, I love mine. Now if you miss your favorite shows, you don't go outside and throw the ball for the dog, you remain inside and sit down and watch what you missed.
Also, more children are being diagnosed with diabetes than ever before. Can that be due to food choices and lack of excersize? Possibly.

This is not a problem that one diabetic has to deal with alone. This is a problem that society needs to deal with together. A complete lifestyle change.

Scout · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:31 am Post subject:

I have a hard time thinking that any obese person's actual thought process is going to go like "I really shouldn't have this third Big Mac with double fries, but what the hell! I can always get a painful and dangerous surgery that's going to severely limit how much I can eat if I end up developing diabetes."

Petulant Pixie · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:06 pm Post subject:

ExCareerGal · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:13 pm Post subject:

[quote="mammaX3"]
I know that some people managed to get it under control before the lap band arrived. [/quote]

And some people did not get it under control and are dead. I applaud anything that helps. Obesity is a very difficult behavior pattern to change. I struggle with it daily and though I am not obese- eating disorders runs in my family. I am one of the lucky ones. My cousin is dying of anorexia now and will leave 3 kids behind. I wish there was a lap band for her. My mother was saved by a gastic bypass. I applaud these procedures.

Janna