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Rating: 
Summary: Compelling stories
Review: I genuinely liked the stories of the people who have had the surgery. They were very realistic and graphic in their descriptions of what surgery is truly like. TV ads have made it seem so simple. You don't just have the surgery and then, magically become thin. There is a lot to think about before committing to weight loss surgery. Do I really want to eat meals the size of my two fingers for the rest of my life? I think I would be like Alice, the lady who couldn't adjust and just drank water with all her meals so she could continue to eat what she wanted. This book made me think about what life would be like after weight loss surgery. Especially helpful was the sample surgery release form. It truthfully laid out all the pitfalls that COULD happen to you as a result of weight loss surgery. There's a lot more to it than just....be fat... have the surgery....become thin. I would suggest that anyone considering weight loss surgery read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Uniformed, misinformed, book does great disservice !
Review: I have just finished reading The Patient's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery. This is the most incomplete and misleading publication I have every read on weight loss surgery! I am appalled at the minor attention given to certain subjects (A PAGE AND A HALF !) on the "Positive Aspects of Weight-Loss Surgery" pg. 44)..........and a whole chapter on the NEGATIVE ASPERCTS?
In the page-and-a-half devoted to "positive aspects", there in not one word of mention about the single biggest and most phenomenal effect of the surgery: cure or major lessening of diabetes and its terrible effects.The focus seems to be on body image (fountain of youth), an attitude every knowledgeable person associated with bariatric surgery discourages. This is a procedure for health and mental well-being, not vanity.
The Personal Stories" section is outrageous. The stories here are goulish, and almost all are so negative that most readers would be influenced with a picture of this subject akin to a horror story. I have never seen a collection of first-person accounts on this subject anywhere that is so negatively balanced. Where are the stories of uncomplicated and total success that are included in almost any other publication on the subject and all over the internet?
I am, frankly, infuriated that I spent my hard-earned money on this almost useless book and the statement on the back cover that "It is the most current and relaible source of information for anyone who wants to make an informed decision about gastric bypass and bariatric surgery" is laughable. It worries me this book may be the only one that some poor prospective patient out there will read and the book has done a disservice to any reader.
If you want good information, save your money.
Rating:
Summary: Eye opening
Review: I thought the book was well written and informative. I liked the chapter on diet drugs. I didn't realize there are so many choices. Now I know what the difference is between thermogenic diet aids and anorexiant diet aids. I also liked the fact that she gave alternatives to weight loss surgery. I didn't know there were alternatives. I also liked the well researched history of the Metropolitan Insurance height-weight tables. It's obvious that the premise behind the tables is not scientifically based. The lowest mortality rates are among older women who are short and weigh 180 pounds. I've been beating myself up for years because I don't conform to those tables. Other measures of fitness were explained that are scientifically based. It dispelled many of the myths of the diet industry, such as: "If you could just follow a diet for a long time, you too would be thin." She explained why that is biologically impossible for the 97 percent of the poplulation. This book made me feel a lot better about myself and my body.
Rating:
Summary: Whiz thru the Quiz
Review: I was looking for something like the quiz that is included in the very back of the book. It's kind of like a second opinion about whether I should consider weight loss surgery. I was surprised by some of the questions. For example: "If there were no mirrors in society, could I be happy with myself right now?" I would have to answer 'yes' and I guess that says a lot about who I would be having the surgery for. I also liked the story about the subway system experiment. I've often sat on a subway and wondered about my fellow travelers, but never had the courage to say anything to them. This experiment showed me that most of us feel lonely in a crowd and would welcome the right kind of interest from others. The tone of the book was very professional and it made me think twice before jumping on the bandwagon for weight loss surgery.
Rating:
Summary: Whiz thru the Quiz
Review: I was looking for something like the quiz that is included in the very back of the book. It's kind of like a second opinion about whether I should consider weight loss surgery. I was surprised by some of the questions. For example: "If there were no mirrors in society, could I be happy with myself right now?" I would have to answer 'yes' and I guess that says a lot about who I would be having the surgery for. I also liked the story about the subway system experiment. I've often sat on a subway and wondered about my fellow travelers, but never had the courage to say anything to them. This experiment showed me that most of us feel lonely in a crowd and would welcome the right kind of interest from others. The tone of the book was very professional and it made me think twice before jumping on the bandwagon for weight loss surgery.
Rating:
Summary: very informative and covers alot of material
Review: knowing someone that is morbidly obese and considering surgery, i purchased this book for them after hearing about it on a local radio show. it contains very extensive knowledge describing all the major operations, diagrams of the procedures available as well their side affects. the author goes into detail about psychological affects of being morbidly obese in todays society, as well as the mental transformation people must make post op. one part of the book i found touching were the personal stories of morbidly obese people and their journeys through surgery. some of them were very eye opening tells of people that almost died on the operating table. all in all i found this book a good starter for anyone who is planning on having surgery, or if you know someone that is thinking about. this book is a true "guide" and does not try to paint weight loss surgery as a rosey image like the many news stories on televison. a great read that covers all the bases and will probably be something handed out in doctors offices!
Rating: 
Summary: A Guide to Weight Loss Surgery
Review: This book is highly informative, especially on diet drugs. Alternatives for weight loss surgery are given for you. The author talks about the highly researched history of the Metropolitan Insurance height-weight tables, which will be an eye opener to many of the readers. I was also pleasantly surprised to see the quiz on the very back pages of this book. There is sufficient proof to show that whatever said in this book is true.
The author does suggest you go off coffee slowly before you start the plan. This would minimize headaches during detox. I couldn't wait to get started so, of course, did it all at once and had the most horrible awful headache for 4 straight days. I finally broke down and had a 1/2 cup coffee one day instead of taking aspirin and that did the trick...for the moment. Now I'm completely caffeine-free and don't miss it at all. My doctor prescribed a wonderful replacement for coffee made from soya beans called "soyffee". I bought it online at www. S o y c o f f e e.com and cannot believe how good is the taste.
Rating:
Summary: Required reading
Review: This book ought to be required reading for anyone who has ever gone on a diet. I didn't know about the different types of weight loss surgery. It was explained in a precise way with very clear illustrations. The second part of the book is about why dieting will never work. Move over Dr. Phil. This book challenges what I thought I knew about dieting and weight loss. It tells why dieting only adds more fat in the long run. Dieting takes off as much lean body mass as fat and if you don't exercise, you put on a greater proportion of fat than you lost. I wish I had know that 30 years ago. Maybe I wouldn't be interested in weight loss surgery now. Then the third part of the book was the most interesting to me. The case histories were not the 'lala' everything is wonderful cases you hear about on TV. These people had real-life problems with their surgeries and some of them ended up happy and some of them ruined their life with their choice. Especially Floyd, the man who died as a result of weight loss surgery. Imagine having to be moved around with a hoist because you were so large. It moved me to tears. It's high time someone wrote a book like this with a realistic view of weight loss surgery.
Rating:
Summary: Scientific and accurate
Review: This book was extremely informative and helpful. You need to read it if you are thinking about weight-loss surgery. It laid out the various procedures in a way that anyone could understand. The best part was the section containing testimonials from many individuals who have had both good and bad experiences. You know exactly what to expect and how it might affect you life: personal, work, friends, social, self-image, energy levels, eating enjoyment, and general well-being aspects were all addressed. This is a must read for anyone considering weight-loss surgery.
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