If one of your closest friends was going to get a serious elective medical procedure and you strongly didn't want them to do it...how far would/should you go to dissuad them?

A friend of mine is struggling with this now. One of his closest friends is going for gastric sleeve surgery and he strongly feels that best friends and family should always speak up, right or wrong when they think that someone they love is making a big mistake. His belief that his friend should not do this procedure is so strong that he has been relentless in trying to convince them not to do it.

He has strongly expressed how he feels several times and his friend is adamant and focused on getting the surgery. In fact, they have had so many arguments that it has affected their relationship negatively.

His latest try has been to write a letter on why they should not have the procedure. It is six pages long and chock full of reasons and risks. I've been asked to give my opinion several times as he constructed this and have made recommendations over the past month or two. I told him this should be his final attempt and try to learn to accept their decision.

IMHO you can only suggest what you think is the right thing to do but in the end the choice is theirs and, if you love them, accept what they choose to do and support them in their choices.