WLS in the Media

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I was just looking through the tv listings tonight. On PBSs Independent Lens is a documentary entitled "All of Me: A Story of Love, Loss, and Last Resorts" (2014). It says that it's about women undergoing a weight loss surgery. I've set my DVR. I don 't know if it has been on before. Has anyone seen this one?

Here is a link to a blog post at the Independent Lens site that has additional info http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/more-of-all-of-me

Edited December 14, 2014 by Inner Surfer Girl

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

This topic interested me when I saw it this morning. The media have put some horrible doubts into peoples minds about this life saving procedure. I hope this documentary is uplifting. So many are not. In fact they are mostly about the 1% who fail and gain it back or have complications. I haven't seen too many documentaries on wls that are positive and uplifting. Because of the message these programs put out there, many educated people (that I know personally) believe that after I have this surgery something horrible will happen, or I will just gain it back anyway, like every other "diet" I've been on. Sometimes attitude is everything, and if you go into this with the attitude that some of these documentaries talk about, then you'll probably chicken out (not you, but anyone who puts all their faith in the media). I know too many people whose lives were saved with wls to believe some of these programs that deliver doom and gloom. Ok, I'm off my soapbox now. Sorry for the "media" rant. Have a great day!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Yup, I've seen it. Probably 30-40-50? women in Austin, TX, were all good friends and bonded through their common identity as big, beautiful women.

Some of them have WLS. The movie follows closely the lives of several who do and some who don't. Along the way, there's weight loss, weight regain, weight maintained, new lives discovered, terrible emotional abuse (of one woman by her husband), even death.

It's very real.

But it ain't a fairy tale. And not everybody lives happily ever after. Or even lives.

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

That does not sound uplifting.

[WL WARRIOR 692]

It look likes it originally aired in March. Is it suppose to be on PBS tonight? I read that the biggest downfall of the documentary was that it didn't cover mental health or therapy for food addiction.

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

What I wrote here earlier was too depressing, ,so I deleted it, So I will just say, Good morning, and everyone have a great day, and enjoy the program, if you watch it.

Edited December 14, 2014 by wannaBthinsoon

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

It look likes it originally aired in March. Is it suppose to be on PBS tonight? I read that the biggest downfall of the documentary was that it didn't cover mental health or therapy for food addiction.

I think we are in the season for re-runs on PBS. This was a late-night showing on my PBS so it may have been a one-off.

I taped it last night but still haven't had a chance to watch it.

The website does have links to other resources (like OA).

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I watched the show this afternoon and am still processing it. It wasn't as much about WLS as it was about the changing dynamics when members of a group of overweight women lose weight.

One of the women was later featured in an episode of "My 600 Pound Life".

I personally found the fetish/porn subculture featured to be uncomfortable.

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

Yeah, I just can't bring myself to watch stuff like that. I would rather speak to real people at support groups, or friends I know who are down 100+ pounds because they chose WLS over death. Programs like that are not unbiased anyway. They are all about $$ and selling the program. (sponsors, and whatnot). I have family members (my Mom) who watches this stuff, and calls me and tries to convince me not to go the WLS route, because I will fail, because everyone fails. (that is what she has learned by watching these programs). Ok, i'm off my soapbox now. Carry on...........

[orionova 27]

I remember watching a programme on British TV when I lived there, about a low income woman who was given free WLS, and after she had lost all the weight, free plastics. She went from a quiet church goer to a wild child who had unprotected sex with multiple partners and abused drugs and alcohol. There was no psych or nutritional support that I can recall. It was pretty scary for me at the time. I wonder what happened to her.