clwhughes

I had post op internal bleeding with my vgs. At one time my heart rate was 34 and my blood pressure was 50/0 (stage 3 shock with an 80% mortality rate). My husband (we are both paramedics) saved my life because the nursing staff was too stupid to recognize the signs. Would I do it again, knowing the risks? Absolutely! I knew I was slowly dying, due to my weight. I had no health problems but was constantly in pain and had a lot of trouble doing my job. It was a matter of time. I have lost 150 pounds and want to lose 40 more.

During my surgery my surgeon nicked my spleen (as best we can tell). I was bleeding internally and nearly died (my husband saved me- he was the one who realized something was wrong after the surgery). My blood pressure was 50/0 and my heart rate was 34. This is uncompensated shock (or stage 3 shock) and few people survive. My husband and I are paramedics and know how close to death I was. I got 5 units of blood and was still low, but the bleeding had stopped. My surgeon told me he had done the procedure over 400 times and had never had a complication. I am fine now. I had lost 72 pounds before my surgery and have lost 106 as of today (my surgery was Sept 16, 2013). Surgery has risks and so does anesthesia. I had an excellent surgeon- and still believe he is excellent! He is human and all humans make mistakes. You need to weigh those risks very carefully before you take the plunge. This is not an "easy fix" to make you skinny. I chose the surgery because I knew I could lose weight but I always gain it back. I knew I couldn't keep doing that. I had NO health problems before the surgery but I knew it was only a matter of time.

I had my surgery September 16, 2013. I had lost 72 pounds before the surgery (over a 6 month period). My doctor was so pleased with how I looked internally he wanted to take pictures. After the surgery I started going downhill fast. My heart rate went up and my husband said I was having a lot of pain. He got the nurses to put me in SICU to be monitored closely (we are both paramedics). I was bleeding internally from what was most likely a nicked spleen. I lost 3/4 of my blood volume and had to be transfused with 5 units of blood. At one point my blood pressure was 50/0 and my heart rate was 34 (decompensated shock). My husband saved my life, I don't know at what point the nurses would have noticed I was in trouble, and as it was, it was nearly too late. I did not have to have surgery to repair it (they said I would have only a 30% chance of surviving surgery). I am fine now and back at work, down 103 pounds. My surgeon told me he had done the procedure over 400 times with no problems. It is not something to be taken lightly, you can die. I took the risk because I can lose the weight but I gain it back with more, and I know that would eventually kill me. I had no other health problems at all, but I almost died.

I had my surgery Sept 16. After the surgery my husband noticed my heart rate was too high and had to yell at the nursing staff to get them to pay attention (my husband does NOT yell). I was bleeding internally, and best guess is the dr nicked my spleen. I ended up in SICU for 4 days and was given 5 units of blood. At one point my blood pressure was 50/0 and my heart rate was 34. I am doing well now. No other problems.