We are asking that you specifically watch the show, and pass this along to anyone that may be interested in the show, as the ratings earned tomorrow night will play a big part in whether or not there is a Season Three!

The weight-loss surgery community and the public as a whole continue to benefit from the education and up-close stories provided by BIG MEDICINE.  Season Three will showcase a whole new cast of characters and a new, state-of-the-art clinic to act as a fresh backdrop for the compelling patient stories of victorious transformation and overcoming of personal demons.

Tune in Wednesday night at 10PM Eastern, 9PM Central on Discovery Health to watch Drs. Robert and Garth Davis, father/son bariatric surgeons who practice at The Methodist Hospital and University General Hospital in Houston, Texas, and their amazing patients, as they undergo surgical treatment for the disease of morbid obesity and begin their brave journeys to freedom from obesity and start their new lives. 

On behalf of Drs. Davis, we sincerely appreciate your support!

Read more about Big Medicine

I would like to thank the hundreds of you who responded to the survey in the last newsletter about communicating with your surgeon and bariatric practice. Here is a summary of the results:

64% of you see your surgeon for check ups, and of those who responded yes, 46 ½ % are 3 or more years post-op.

Of those who responded that don’t see their surgeon for follow-ups, here are some of the reasons that you cited:

• The surgeon is too far away
• Insurance doesn’t pay for the follow-up visits
• I have gained weight and am embarrassed to go back
• They do nothing for me yet I still get billed
• I was assigned to be seen by a nurse.
• They didn’t seem interested in seeing me

59% reported that your surgeon’s office does not communicate with you.

Here is what you would like in terms of communication from your surgeon:
74% would like a newsletter
44.7% would like special events
46% would like special support groups

Only 8% of you said that you didn’t care if you heard from your surgeon or not.  Clearly communication is important to you. 54% say it is very important and 38% said it is somewhat important.

I would like to submit the details of this study along with other results at next year’s American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery meeting and perhaps help in some small way to increase the communication we receive from our surgeons.  Thank you for your help with this project.

If you haven't responded, you still can by clicking here.

It’s 9:00 at night and I have a craving to eat something.  I’m not sure what I want, but I know that the kitchen is calling me. For some of us, this is a more serious problem than just snacking our way through the evening.  This could be a serious eating disorder called Night Eating Syndrome

Night Eating Syndrome (NES) affects any where between 10% and 27% of the obese population depending upon which study you read. But if you have a problem with wanting to raid the refrigerator at 9:00 PM, does that mean you have NES?

Here is how NES is different than just want to snack at night. Those having NES:

• Eat at least ½ of their daily calories after they have finished dinner
• Wake up during the night 2 or more times craving a high calorie carbohydrate snack
• Do not eat breakfast because they have eaten so much during the night
• Suffer from insomnia
• Have been doing this for at least 2 months

Those having NES have higher levels of cortisol, signifying high levels of anxiety and low levels of melatonin which helps to promote sleep. The craving for carbohydrates is a way to trigger tryptophan which eventually calms the anxiety and promotes sleep.

Compare yourself to the check list above.  If the symptoms sound like you, consult with your physician and an eating disorder counselor.  You may have a condition that is more than you are able to handle on your own.

Most of us, who had weight loss surgery, have been left with less than an ideal body. Yes, there are those who lost weight and their skin shrunk perfectly into place, or who had the advantage of a full body lift. I am truly happy for those people, but that doesn’t describe my body!! My calves aren’t bad, but look out for those thighs. Some times I start at my knees and pull the skin up and consider how great my legs would look if only…. At that point I get creative and want to grab a garter belt or tourniquet to hold everything up that gravity is pulling down. So what do I do with these legs? Do I wear jeans or long pants all summer or do I just accept my imperfect body and put on a comfortable pair of shorts?

It all comes down to how we feel about ourselves, which for someone who has come from a background of being morbidly obese, is usually not too positive. Many of us feel so good about ourselves in the year following surgery as we are losing weight, but then the bloom fades as we realize that we are stuck with the body “as is.” That starts to hit home around year 2 and 3 post-op.

There are those whose excess skin is very debilitating. It causes rashes, infection, immobility and psychological trauma. The fact that most often insurance companies do not cover plastic surgery for what is clearly a medical condition for them is terrible. But for those who are fortunate enough to be left with a body that is less than attractive rather than being a medical condition, we still complain.

So here are some suggestions for coming to terms with yourself:

• Look at your before pictures and count your blessings. Remember what it was like to be that weight and the health problems that went along with it.
• Remember that how you look on the inside is more important than how you look on the outside. Have pride in what you have accomplished and focus on that.
• Because of our damaged body image, I would bet that you really look a lot better than you think you do, so please think about that.

So put on your shorts even though your legs could look a lot better and consider the sagging skin as battle scars.  You have come a long way on this journey and deserve to be proud.

“Reprinted from Barbara Thompson’s free e-newsletter featuring helpful information and research material to help patients succeed following weight loss surgery.
Subscribe at http://www.barbarathompsonnewsletter.com  ”