Dr Pilcher discusses Society's prejudiced attitude about Obesity. He explores where this prejudice comes from, why it's off target, and outlines a better approach.
Dr. Pilcher every time I watch one of your videos, I am more and more grateful I chose you as my surgeon. Incredible video. It's really helped with my self-loathing.
So welcome Ms King! That's exactly what I hope for, to help everyone realize the credit they deserve and to equip them in a small way against the critics.
Thank you so much for bringing that subject to the forefront. I'm 9 months post op with 90 lbs lost and I can definitely feel the change in people's attitudes towards me, especially professionally and yet I'm still the same person intellectually. I'm torn between feeling happy to be getting more respect from my peers to frustration and hurt for the obvious prejudice (excellent word!) they've had towards me. Your videos have been incredibly helpful to me on this journey. Thank you so much for your very valuable insight.
Thank you for your compassionate words. I must confess I cried at some points. I have been riding that beast all my life, a wild, angry bull with a mind of its own. I have tried to tame it…. I am 49 now, always being obese. When I was 25 I was 220lbs at 5ft3in. I bought into this narrative that it was my fault and all I needed to do was put my mind into it, that I was weak for not trying hard enough…well, I tried dieting with slim fast. One slim fast at breakfast, one slim fast at lunch and a salad at dinner. I lost some weight got to 180 lbs and hit my first plateau. I then went to a gym… I was hesitant at first because of the judgement a chubby person receives, but I tried not ignore it and marched on. I was doing an hour of cardio and some weights everyday and started to loose again… I hit 155lbs…the smallest I have ever been at size 14, but I was constantly starving, thinking about food… the bull was raging mad and I tried to hold on…it was a struggle with my family, friends, coworkers constantly eating in front of me all the things I craved…until I watched this tv commercial, I don’t even remember what they were trying to sell, but the woman on it said: “I was huge…I was a size 12”. That was it, all sense of control suddenly crumbled…. because in spite of starving and of an extraneous exercise routine I was still huge…I let go and gain it all back. I am trying again, at my heaviest I reached 352lbs back in January . I am 273lbs now and will be meeting with my surgeon in a couple of weeks. It is not easy, it hasn’t ever been and that it won’t be, but I am hoping the surgery will give me a fighting chance.
Dr. Pilcher - I have NEVER felt more seen, heard, and validated by you. I'm tired of being blamed and I'm glad a doctor finally said I should stop berating myself. THANK YOU!!
Watching this video two years after you originally created it. I have not see any doctor create context that truly understands what we experience from society. I wish I live closer to San Antonio rather than Houston, so I can have my surgery at Sage.
Thank you so much for your videos. I'm not one of your patients, but I just had surgery this week and don't think I'd have gone through with it had it not been for the thoughtful, rational, science-based info you've provided during the past few years. But I especially appreciate that you are also applying this thoughtfulness to understanding psychological and social factors that bariatric patients, and obese people in general, must deal with.
You were able to put so eloquently into words our struggles and I cannot thank you enough. I literally just underwent a VSG because I'm tired of fighting with Rheumatologists about labs being related to my weight. Obesity bias is very much alive and well and I hope people start to think before they speak more.
Love Love Love your videos I love the detail of explaining in different areas of the surgeries what to expect, the do’s and don’t. Thank you for putting all this together.
Thank you for fighting against this prejudice! I've been a victim of it for practically my whole life. Everyone and their mother have told me to just eat less and exercise more or else I won't be able to accomplish anything. If I can't even maintain a healthy weight than I'm probably not able to do anything. I've believed and internalized this for 38 years. Until I started researching and found the set point theory. I still feel like I've failed myself even though I'm very successful in all other aspects of life. I have a wonderful wife, three awesome children that are doing very well, graduated with a bachelor's degree and have a very nice and well respected job. But I weigh 140kg so people judge. And I feel judged. All the time. I'm very much looking forward to my upcoming gastric bypass surgery. Too bad it's not done by you, Dr Pilcher. I live on the other side of the Atlantic ;) Thank you for making the great content that your making, you are an inspiring person.
Thank you John, so much. You putted into words a personal experience I had for many years now. I am having a gastric bypass, and you really answered a lot of my questions, with full detail and patience. I do believe in taking responsibility, but I don't believe in trying so hard when some thing just does not want to change (high hunger levels). I do feel this is a place and time, for a person like myself to ask for help. Surgical and Medical help. And once we did what we could, me and my medical team. I feel it makes more sense for me to try and take responsibility again, or try and Ride that horse again. I don't see the point in trying to ride a wild horse (high hunger levels), which is constantly going to throw me off, without the help of professionals to have a chance at taming that horse. I totally agree. it is a very fitting analogy. Well, I wish you all the best, you are doing god's work. Bless us all, and good luck to all of us on our journey into having some more tools, on managing Our Lives!! Adam J.
I can’t thank you enough…you have changed my life…completely. I hope to meet you in person one day to thank you from my heart. Your commitment to saving lives is just beautiful. You truly prove that medicine is an honourable profession and to be honest, very few understand that and act on that…. Thank you doctor! :)
you make me blush ;) Seriously, I'm glad this was impactful for you, and I hope you will spread the word that those with the obesity disease do not deserve blame.
Thank you for this! This has been a life long battle for me. Trauma and dna play a huge role. In a very VERY on purpose eater. Very mindful. And the bullying and the comments and assumptions are insane! I didn't want this. I didn't choose this. And it has taken away my quality of life medically and because of people being stuck in their own understanding, they too created havoc due to their ignorance. I'm excited that my surgery date is coming up. I suspect it will help put my diabetes in remission, help prevent the return of my breast cancer, help my metabolism, reduce the inflammation and help my joints. The chemical and hormonal benefits, along with the potential of helping to reduce the IBS and some of my other GI issues are something I am excited to learn about.
As a 55y.o. overweight person I can appreciate this video. I've struggled with weight all my life. I've dealt with the issues that came with that growing up, going through school and as an adult. Unless your an overweight person you can't understand it, just like a white person can't understand what it's like to be black. When I go out in public I feel and see the glares and judgments. It really bothers me when an actor puts on a fat suit and says they understand what it's like. No, no you can't, at the end of the day they can take it off. I can't imagine that any overweight person wants to be fat and is TRULY happy with themselves. Sure these people put on a happy face but trust me we all struggle with the demons inside. Thanks for what you do.
Hello Dr. Thank you for these informative videos I am 5’2 190 lbs 39 yrs busy professional and mom looking to get the sleeve gastric surgery no medical issues other than light sleep apnea and border diabetic and some joint and knee pain the my dr associated to my weight Terrified of continuing to gain weight and getting to a point where I have severe issues I do loose some here and there but always gain it back I am not a bad eater in terms of food selection at all never eat junk drink pop juice etc... moderately active My diet is fairly balanced however I can go days without having an actual meal ... I am considering the surgery however Constantly told that I don’t need it as I don’t need to loose 100 + lbs all I need to loose is 60 lbs to get to my ideal weight and I am being unreasonable to consider the surgery and the risks associated with it for someone like me is higher than the benefits. Maybe weight is not affecting my physical health as much but definitely affecting my mental health extensively... what is your opinion on someone like me who has only 60 lbs to loose and want to keep it off
Thanks very much for your questions! As you saw from my other video, the Sleeve and the Gastric Bypass cause APPROPRIATE weight loss and not excessive weight loss. In fact, the obesity disease is just like any medical condition in the sense that earlier intervention leads to better long term outcomes and lower risk. It definitely makes sense to go through surgery before lasting damage sets in from the weight.
