Search the Community

It is completely natural to be scared at this phase. Most of the possible complications are not likely but they have to list them because it has happened on rare occasions and they don't want to get sued. The most important thing to do is focus on the reasons you are doing this and decide if for you the benefits out weigh the risks, odds are if you are like most of us they most definitely will. Good Luck, enjoy the journey it is rough sometimes but gets better as time goes by.

I just searched for posts by Kat1 about the complications she suffered with Dr. Garcia and I couldn't find her complication posts anywhere. I found ones before and after her complications but none about her complications. Then I remembered reading that another poster that said posts about her complications had been removed. Did VSG do a site overall? Are posts deleted after a certain time period? Anyone know if anything strange happened?

When will I be thin?!?!? I joke, I joke . I guess I'd be most interested in the differences in recovery and post op diet between your sleeve and the RNY. Also any particular complications you are at an increased risk for since you're a revision. How many revisions has he performed? How often does he see strictures? What supplements will you need post-op? What does he expect your weekly weight loss to be? Is this the same surgeon that did your sleeve or are you going with someone new? Good luck!!!! HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 204.2

I am ready to schedule with dr Corvala. Has anyone had any short or long term complications after surgery using him? I am starting to get cold feet. Thanks for your help and advice.

Congrats on your date yes! Just aroun the corner i can relate to you i also have a husband and 3 kids and thats all i pray and hope for when the time comes my best wishes for a speedy recovery and no complications blessings

Hi everyone, I'm a 31 female from NY who's been struggling with her weight since childhood. I've tried every diet you can name of. I'm sure we all can relate to it. However, now I have high blood pressure and I'm pre-diabetic, which scares me because my grandfather died from complications from diabetes. I'm so apprehensive because like all other "tools" or diets I've failed. Also, I've seen on here that a lot of people weren't full until they received their first adjustment. That is just too scary! I've lost 11 pounds on the liquid diet for the last 10 days. Basically, I'm asking what did you consume that had enough Protein that kept you full, and also assisted in your weightloss for the first 4-6 weeks? I can't imagine being able to drink my protein replacement shakes that are 8ounces and have 27grams of protein since, they say you can only sip 2 ounces at once. If you have any tips or foods you suggest, please advise, as I will be going shopping this weekend. Thanks from your, SCARED PREOP NEWBIE PS: I heard that sometimes food gets stuck and you should eat a scoop of butter? TRUE OR NOT? [sharedmedia=trackers:tickers:4417]

So very very sorry you are having such terrible complications. I do hope you get better soon.

What you really need to understand is that most peoples banded life will be as good as the surgeon who installs it, the aftercare they receive and patient compliance, so you have various factors of why someone may love or hate their bands. 1 How long does a band last before having to be replaced? No one knows, some people have had a band for over 12 years with no problems, some people don't last but a few months. What REALLY helps the longevity of the bands is following up with your surgeon when you need to, and reporting any adverse side effects immediately, band problems can be taken care of quickly, but time is of essence, if the patient has issues and ignore them and wait too late, a complication can happen that may require band removal. However, the band is meant to last a lifetime, but can be removed or replaced if any issues occur. I don't want to burst your bubble but with RNY IT IS NOT EFFECTIVE FOREVER EITHER, rerouting your insides and taking the required Vitamins ARE FOREVER, but the effectiveness of RNY where it HELPS with weight loss is temporary, some people dump forever (which has no correlation with keeping weight off, I have many friends that still dump over 9 years out and are STILL obese, they learned how to eat around dumping, ), which is something that many do not want. 2. Did you lose the weight faster with the plication ( more than an ave. bander)? I did not have plication. 3. How uncomfortable are refills? It depends, with some people they can be painful, can't access the port, etc, but for me, I've never had issues with fills, they only last for 1 minute, just a slight pinch and I am done. 4. What side effects, if any, are commonly experienced? Side effects will depend on how tight you keep the band (which is a choice), the tighter the band the more unpleasant side effects. But most with optimal restriction may experience slimming if they eat too fast or eat food that is too thick to pass through the band, this can be easily avoided by eating band friendly food. I've had my band for almost 8 years and I've had two bands, got the old one replaced with a new one due to a hiatal hernia, I would not change to any other procedure. Good luck

Hello fellow Sleevers, has anyone ever needed regular check up and how many after you get your sleeve done? and has anyone ever had any complications with their surgery?

i would say anything that you know you have to give up post op start working on it now. for me soda was a big one. i gave it up in october and was sleeved in december. i have read posts from people who kinda forgot about soda and when they were starting their liquid diets were dying bc they wanted pop. its hard enough to give up food for weeks but to also have to focus on the soda, makes it that much harder. i also started cutting back on sweets and carbs and incorporated a protein drink into my day to sort of prep for surgery. i also like the previous poster spent hours a night and week reading positive stories, negative stories, stories of complications. i wanted to be as prepared as i could be in case something happened. i wanted to know what my options were if X happened and what the signs and symptom to watch for etc. good luck to you!!!

I am filling out the surgical consent form and as am reading it mayor doubts and worries arise. I do not have high blood pressure nor any medical conditions. I ask myself if I really tried hard enough? What if I get complications? What if I don't loose the weight? what if?...what if? WHAT IF? I am super scared and in need of prayers. I count with all of your support! Thank you for your time.

I posted this on another forum and felt it might be useful for other people to have a read of, if like me, you like your scientific facts. Maybe the below will provide a bit of clarity as to the 'nuts and bolts' of some of the bariatric procedures and their long-term (within the limitations of the data) efficacy. This first academic journal quoted was published in May 2013. So, it doesn't get more 'up to date' with regards to evaluating the comparative effectiveness in the three biggest weight loss procedures. I have only reproduced the abstract and have quoted the source below as the abstract covers the salient information we'd be interested in. The second section is all about the metrics, with a snapshot of all the procedures being evaluated in a tabulated form (the table was removed from the cutting and pasting process, so read left to right) and the risks associated with the operations. The primary and secondary sources are also cited. Better to make decisions based on rigorous scientific research, than hearsay and charasmatic sales pitches, I feel... Hope it helps. Article 1: Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of sleeve gastrectomy (SG), laparoscopic gastric bypass (RYGB), and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedures. Background: Citing limitations of published studies, payers have been reluctant to provide routine coverage for SG for the treatment of morbid obesity. Methods: Using data from an externally audited, statewide clinical registry, we matched 2949 SG patients with equal numbers of RYGB and LAGB patients on 23 baseline characteristics. Outcomes assessed included complications occurring within 30 days, and weight loss, quality of life, and comorbidity remission at 1, 2, and 3 years after bariatric surgery. Results: Matching resulted in cohorts of SG, RYGB, and LAGB patients that were well balanced on baseline characteristics. Overall complication rates among patients undergoing SG (6.3%) were significantly lower than for RYGB (10.0%, P < 0.0001) but higher than for LAGB (2.4%, P < 0.0001). Serious complication rates were similar for SG (2.4%) and RYGB (2.5%, P = 0.736) but higher than for LAGB (1.0%, P < 0.0001). Excess body weight loss at 1 year was 13% lower for SG (60%) than for RYGB (69%, P < 0.0001), but was 77% higher for SG than for LAGB (34%, P < 0.0001). SG was similarly closer to RYGB than LAGB with regard to remission of obesity-related comorbidities. Conclusions: With better weight loss than LAGB and lower complication rates than RYGB, SG is a reasonable choice for the treatment of morbid obesity and should be covered by both public and private payers. SOURCE: Carlin A, Zeni T, Birkmeyer N, et al. The comparative effectiveness of sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric banding procedures for the treatment of morbid obesity. Annals Of Surgery [serial online]. May 2013;257(5):791-797. Available from: MEDLINE with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Article 2: September 2012: Morbidity and mortality associated with LRYGB, LSG, and LAGB from the ACS-BSCN dataset LRYGB LSG LAGB 30-d mortality (%) 0.14 0.11 0.05 1-y mortality (%) 0.34 0.21 0.08 30-d morbidity (%) 5.91 5.61 1.44 30-d readmission (%) 6.47 5.40 1.71 30-d reoperation/intervention(%) 5.02 2.97 0.92 SOURCE: Data from Hutter MM, Schirmer BD, Jones DB, et al. First report from the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network: laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has morbidity and effectiveness positioned between the band and the bypass. Ann Surg 2011;254(3):410–20 [discussion: 420–2], in: Timothy D. J, Matthew M. H. Morbidity and Effectiveness of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, Adjustable Gastric Band, and Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity. Advances In Surgery [serial online]. n.d.;46(Advances in Surgery):255-268. Available from: ScienceDirect, Ipswich, MA

You can do this! Pay attention to your body and read about symptoms of a leak. You are your own advocate. You've got this. A man in my surgery group lost 400 pounds from this surgery. If you did that, you'd be bones! You've got this. The complications are scary, but the risks of obesity are worse for sure.

Sorry for what happen to your husband. DR Huacuz did my gastric sleeve and I almost die. He told me that I had a urine infection and got to another hospital almost dead. I would like to know if you took him to court or if you try to do something ? I hate to say it but he shouldn't be operating anybody. I have heard so many cases of people with complications Please feel free to write me at julia_inc@hotmail.com If you don't feel comfortable responding my questions here Thx

Complications leaks and or worse hospitalization. I'm afraid of how my little girl would handle the situation if I went through that. Also the head hunger

The main thing is that this too will fail and I'll always be over 400lbs. Plus complications/ leaks. Moving around right after the surgery. That my mom is spending this money out of her 401K and it will be all for nothing. ;(

Absolutely check with your insurance company about what is covered if you do have complications- I work in case management and I do know many insurances will cover getting it in but not getting it out or the fills/unfills or even if you have complications. And sometimes they only cover 1 weight loss surgery for a lifetime- so wouldn't it make sense to make it be the one that has demonstrated the most success? There are many many people out there that have had partial or total removal of their stomach not for weight loss but due to cancer/etc and they do just fine. I would do some more homework with your insurance company first and ask those questions. Then you should be able to feel confident in whatever decision you make. Good Luck!

I'm waiting to be sleeved, but a good friend of mine was revised from the band to RNY because of complications. My surgeon does a lot of revisions and said he doesn't think the band will be around in 5 years. Who knows if that's true or not but on these boards, it seems like a lit of people are considering revision. Good luck to you in whatever you choose:)

Does anyone have experience buying medical tourism insurance that covers not only complications while abroad but also complications that arise upon return? The only insurance company I'm aware of that offers it is Four Corners, and it's their International Travel Medical Insurance plan. You can renew it for up to 3 years post-op. It's pricey, between $500-$700 depending on how long you want coverage for (45 days to one year). Anyway, I'm just trying to determine whether my regular insurance company will cover issues like strictures or late occurring staple leaks or if It will become a bankrupting medical issue and thus should buy the insurance.

I almost died for the sleeve....5 months in the hospital due to complications.....Had everything go wrong that could....Now 10 months later..... Believe me when I tell you I would do it so fast again it would make your head spin!!!!!!!!!! I can cross my legs. I sleep through the night and am up early everyday. I can now tie my own shoes and sit in a regular chair.... My clothes are a lot smaller then i have worn for years....No one recognizes me at all, no matter where I go i have to tell them it is me...Sometimes I don't and that is entertainment for me...... I do not move the seat back in the car if I am driving. I do not need a belt extender. All my rings don't fit...And now I can wear a 16 in. chain around my neck....Was wearing a 22 in. Chain before..... All the little things that keep happening to me were just a dream I thought! It is my turn now to have my chance to get healthy and active and be thin...I am on my way....I am not saying I am perfect...I make mistakes with the sleeve..But I away's see tomorrow as a new day... For me it was worth all the pain, hardship and expense to be where I am today..... Make sure you are ready for this before you jump in.....It is not for the faint of heart!

1. Doesn't involve putting foreign matter inside me - i am both a cancer survivor and have multiple auto-immune diseases. Titanium staples aside, i want NO foreign matter inside my already overly-inflamed body. 2. Simplest of the available ops that doesn't involve putting foreign matter inside me (ie: no malabsorption or severe dumping, no band with known and significant failure rate including complications that can be v severe) 3. Simplest long term management - no regular drs visits for band fills/unfills, no ongoing Vitamin shots etc 4. Weight loss success better than band and comparable with RNY 5. Fits with my total weight loss requirement (100 lbs) 6. Have significant co-morbidities and need "serious" action with likely success in the short to medium term (ie: was getting to the point where my life was in danger if I didn't act) 7. Am older so reversible solution not essential 8. Can be revised to DS or RNY later, if necessary 9. No difference in cost and no insurance company issues where I live, so I was completely free to make my decision on the basis of all of the above. 10. I soooo wanted to get rid of a large part of stomach and to tame my surging hunger. Hope this helps.

On one hand, I like that he is being honest with you about the change in his stats, but on the other, it is shocking to me that he is now (still!) pushing for lap-band. Unbeknownst to me at my initial consultation, my surgeon has been a trainer for Allergan and the lap-band...and he, admittedly, was slow to embrace the sleeve, but now only recommends the lap-band with serious reservations...he says he had to do what is in the best interest of his patients, and the lap-band just isn't! Complications can and do happen, and are not always the result of poor surgical work. I would definitely talk with him and see what he says about those 2 cases...is he baffled as to how the leaks occurred?...was there a component of patient non-compliance? Is his post-op eating plan possibly an issue (re-introducing patients to solid food before prudent)... I didn't go through insurance, so I don't know the answer to this, but does the pre-approval process have to start over if you switch doctors? I know you said you have limited local options, but would be worth it to me to travel a bit to get to a surgeon that is an ardent supporter of the sleeve with many hundreds of VSG surgeries under his belt!!

It was a certainty that I was soon to die if I didn't deal with the fat...and quickly. I did it. The odds of complications seemed an acceptable risk given the circumstances. I won.

He said that it's possible that it could go back into place, because it has in the past (but granted it wasn't this bad before), but he said it will probably keep happening over and over again. He said the band itself is malfunctioning and it wasn't my fault. I don't blame the band entirely, but from the number of personal friends I've known who have had the same thing happen, it can't be just US. KWIM? I go in on 8/1 for the results of the EGD and I think that is when they will schedule the removal. I'm going to INSIST on another fluoroscope so they can see it and determine if it really does need to come out. I know, he said it does right now, but I'm praying it corrects itself. Even then, for some reason I get the impression that he's going to start limiting the amount of new bands he does, and strictly focus on Sleeves and Bypasses. He made a good point in saying that people who have had weight issues all their lives really do need a PERMANENT solution, and although LB was supposed to be permanent, it's proving not to be. He said he just got back from a conference and the general consensus of all the doctors were they are appalled by the complication rate with the bands that have been in 2+ years. I haven't researched a lot on the net, but my little circle of people I know who are going on 2+ years with the band, out of 4 of us, 3 have had slips and 2 need it to come out. Thanks for all the comments, everyone. I bawled my eyes out all the way home yesterday, and then drowned my sorrows in a bacon cheeseburger and fries last night (emotional eater much?!). I know, it wasn't the best choice. OK, it was absolutely the worst thing to do (and my body is reminding me all day what eating crap feels like), but I was sticking it to the man!! Won't be doing that again. LOL

Whenever you choose to do a quote, such as I have just done, you will find a bunch of these little creatures at the foot of the page. If you do not see them then just move the scroll bar down. Then move your cursor down to the appropriate smiley, hit enter once, and this will appear wherever you had last left off while working on your message. When you are writing a new message, one without a quote, you will not have access to the smileys until you hit the preview post button. Once you do that you will be able to not only proof read and edit your message before posting it, you will also be able to load it up with the appropriate smiley guys. You can get rid of them in the usual fashion; you simply centre your cursor on top of the item and then hit delete. I hope my explanation makes sense to you. I do come from analog land, which is the land before all things digital. :phanvan Everything is complicated for me.