Book review: Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny, Nick Nicholson M.D., B. A. Blackwood

What you want to know about any major surgery is the inside story: the good, the bad and the ugly.  This type of information typically does not come from your doctor but rather from someone who have gone through the experience first hand.  In this book Dr. Nicholson provides a compilation of experiences of his patients before and long after the surgery. He talks not only about the physical effects of the surgery but also the mental and social changes that a person considering this surgery might not anticipate. 

Dr. Nicholson describes the long term physical changes and how the body adjusts to the new smaller stomach.  For example, even though the surgery bypasses ghrelin, the hunger hormone, most patience begin feeling hungry again in 6 to 24 months after surgery.  I always wondered how some celebrities gain the weight back after the the surgery.  This books explains how this happens. The new stomach toughens up with time and is able to expand more.  In the early months after the surgery sugary foods make a person violently ill and thus help him or her to stay away from foods high in sugar, but after 6 months the violent reaction diminishes and people can tolerate sweets again.  He even describes how his patients found a way to cheat the surgery. For example, some of his lap band patients blend the high calorie foods they crave and ingest milk shakes in any quantity they desire.

The last part of the book is dedicated to realistic expectations and what made some of his patients happier and more successful than others.

This is an excellent book! It is a must read for anyone considering a weight loss surgery.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★


Table of Contents

Chapter 1        Weight Loss Surgery -    Punching The Reset Button
Chapter 2        How Did I End Up In This Mess and Why Can't I Get Out of It?
Chapter 3       Talking To Your Surgeon: No Time to Practice Lying
Chapter 4        5o What's Really Eating You - Get Ready to Find Out
Chapter S        What Have I Done to Myself?    The Immediate Aftermath
Chapter 6        You Enlisted But Your Spouse Was Drafted: The Impact of Weight Loss Surgery On Your Marriage
Chapter 7        Get in the Game - Dating After Bariatric Surgery
Chapter 8        Mv Weight Loss Is About Me. So Why Does Everyone Act Like It's About Them
Chapter 9    Breakinog the Three Food Commandments
Chapter 10    Breakinq Up with Your Ex For Good: The Maintenance Grind
Chapter 11    I'm Doing Everything Right, So Why Doesn't My Weight Show It?
Chapter 12    When to Declare Victory: Managing Expectations
Chapter 13    Revision Surgery -You Don't Want to Go There
Chapter 14    How to Choose Your Bariatric Surgeon
Chapter 15    Things Your Mama Should Have Told You