I know some of you like Dr. Oz and I think he does have some great tips, but as of today I am boycotting the show! I always heard that he was against WLS, but I had thought that most of it was passive persuasion. For example, he had a huge audience one day of all people who had lost a 100 lbs – the RIGHT way. I didn’t think he had actually said don’t have WLS.
Well today’s show proved me wrong. Ok. He never said don’t do it, but he had overweight couple on the show who son had changed his life. The son was now concerned about his parents who had just decided to do gastric bypass. The mother had some type of severe injury that hindered exercise and the father had diabetes. In my mind those are too great reasons to consider WLS (not saying they have to pick it). However, Dr. Oz convinced them to try and loss the weight on their own.
He went on and on about how their current medical conditions were bad and shortening their life span. He talked about how losing 5% of their body weight would make a difference (which I agree with, but at 300+lbs 5% is just a start). The plan they ended up with was what he called the Three D’s: Downsize your Portions, Don’t skimp and don’t skip (meals that is), and Dump the white carbs. All great ideas, but he never mentioned what the success rate was for someone of their weight – which many large studies put at <2% for people over a 40 BMI. Combine that with serious health problems and the need to keep the weight off long term I think the success rate is below 1% - way below.
Not a thing was said about the 90+% success rate of gastric bypass. Not a thing was said about the 90+% cure rate of diabetes with gastric bypass or the impact of rapid weight loss on joint disease (which would allow them to get exercising better sooner). Nothing…
Now I know that WLS isn’t for everyone, but why isn’t more accepted by these Drs as an option – especially for people who have 100-200 pounds to lose. Yes it has risk and those should be weighed out, but so does diabetes, extremely high blood pressure and the other medical issues these people had. I am sure he talks about heart surgery as an option for his patients (he is a cardiologist). He may recommend against it or to try something else first, but I am sure that the options are looked at!
Now I might have not gotten so upset, but when I heard him tell the son – “Ultimately, It all comes down to your ability to motivate them.” I just about had a heart attack. What if they can’t do it (which they have a 99% chance of failing)? What if tomorrow or next year one of them succumbs to the medical issues they have now and dies? IT WILL NOT BE THE SON’S RESPONSIBILITY!! How dare he say that the 20 year old son is ultimately the reason they will be successful (or fail). Yes he may help and I hope he does, but it all comes down to if they, the parents, follow the plan. And honestly that is true whether they have WLS surgery or not, but I prefer to have all the tools I can have helping me!
Ohh and yesterday I watched an episode where he talked about plastic surgery options... if it is all about not having surgery and the risks associated with surgery why would you even think about for a non-medicial reason! Arghhh!! Well at least my DVR will have lots of open space once I get done deleting the episodes :) Maybe someday I will be back, but maybe by then he will be more open minded!
Seems irresponsible to me that he doesn't even tell these people that WLS is a consideration. It bugs me...really really BUGS me when I hear people talking about losing weight "the right way" like having WLS is the WRONG way. Are we all not eating less and being more mindful of our food intake? I think we are. Sounds right to me.
ReplyDeleteI just set it to record later tonight. I usually don't watch him but would like to see him talking about this. So you say the son is 20 which means his parents are probably in their 40's. I'm in my 50's and even with all my medical problems I wasn't motivated to lose the weight. And if anyone in my family had tried to force me I would have told them to F off. He is so wrong that if you just follow his plan (I have his book) you will do ok. But I agree with you-it isn't about losing the weight-it's about keeping it off. And eating right is easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteYou just made one of my best posts list!
That surprises me because I have his book you on a diet book and the whole last section covers WLS. It's not super pro surgery nor is it anti, but it does equate being morbidly obese to having cancer and notes that of you had cancer you wouldn't hesitate to seek medical intervention.
ReplyDeleteIn general a lot of Dr.'s are anti WLS. I changed my PCP because he referred me to another Dr. in the his group because "he had dealt with that before" - like I had leprosy. Needless to say I let that practice.
Everyone has to choose what's right for them, but I do get tired of the judgment which is why I don't tell many people.
Sandy Lee, I was behind on the episodes so it probably won't be tonight's episode. Like I said he never said don't do it, but they went in with the plan of doing WLS and went out with a new plan - but they never even talked about WLS. I think the parents were in their upper 40's almost 50 b/c Dr. Oz said that statistics said (using insurance stats) that they only had 10-15 years to live and that they woudl die in their 60s. Plus the WLS issue aside why in the world would you tell someone that their parents success was ultimately his responsibility... That just ticked me off!!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I am glad to hear that in his "real" life he does consider it as a medical option - even if he prefers another way. Maybe it is because his TV boss (Oprah) is so anti-WLS. I don't know. I am just bummed on the way he is protraying weight loss.
Linda - I forgot to say that I changed my PCP for the same reason. He didn't even want to talk about it as an option. My aunt was also looking into it (she has major obesity related problems) and her doctor told her he wouldn't approve and if she wanted to continue to look at it she had to find a different doctor. She decided not to. I hope she sees my progress and takes a second look - just to see if it is really something she should do or not.
ReplyDeleteWow, I know that most Dr's consider WLS to be the "wrong" way to lose weight. They still have a prejudice against it. I rarely watched his show in the past, and I probably won't be watching it in the future either!
ReplyDeleteAs for my PCP and his ideas about WLS, he isn't exactly for it, but he also isn't against it when the situation calls for it.
He is however, highly against Gastric Bypass! If the patient decides that WLS is right for them, he does his best to sway them away from Gastric Bypass and to the Lap Band/Realize Band.
He almost had a Heart Attack when I mentioned that my Surgeon had convinced me to do the Gastric Bypass. He talked to my DH and I for almost 45 mins! But we did come away from his appointment with our minds changed back to the LB. And I am glad that we did!
Wow...very interesting. As if the son can tell them what to do. It will have to be there decision and their's alone. So sad that they don't know about the band....the risks are less and the results are great.
ReplyDeleteFuck Dr. Oz, he is a meglomaniac asshole.
ReplyDeleteI can never watch that guy. I feel like all he does is state the obvious. I agree that it was completely irresponsible for him to put the responsibility on the son. I do think that we all have enablers in our lives but its up to us what we put in our mouths. This is exactly why I've been telling people that I've had/was considering the band. I felt like if I didn't then I was making it something to be ashamed of. I wasn't always comfortable putting myself out there, but I have nothing to be embarrassed about.
ReplyDeleteI second Dinnerland - first cuz I love her and second cuz she's right.
ReplyDeleteI never liked him - he seems like a pompous ass and I can't stand watching him. Now I have even more reason to dislike.
ReplyDeleteHey there!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to a group yet. I am planning on going to my first on the 21st of this month.
Glad to have met you since you're so close to me and worked with the same office! :)