October 25, 201213 yr Everyone's idea of major complications seems to be different. When I think of major, I think leaks, clots..... What do others think?
October 25, 201213 yr I think there are a couple of catagories of true complications. The very serious/potentially life threatening - leaks, excessive bleeding and other surgical related things like embollisms etc. Then, there are others that are also very serious, but we don't talk about so much, strictures, the stomach twisting, and the one where the stomach muscles forget to start up again after surgery etc. I think those are major complications too because if they are not addressed they definately impact health/life threatening. Other complications like uncontrollable acid reflux or perhaps digestive issues maybe are NOT "major complications" in the way people ususally mean, but they one of the reasons that people revise to another surgery so in my mind that makes them a qualify as important, although maybe not life threatening. Then, there is normal recovery stuff that feels pretty awful when going through it, but not a complication.
October 25, 201213 yr Everyone's idea of major complications seems to be different. When I think of major' date=' I think leaks, clots..... What do others think?[/quote'] To me if it doesn't require medical intervention then it's not really a complication. And if it doesn't have the potential of debilitating my quality of life for an extended period of time then it's not major.
October 25, 201213 yr I read of a gal in England who got a wasting disease from WLS (it's incredibly rare but can happen) who lost all of her weight, then couldn't stop and died eventually. Her husband blogged about it. It was very sad. What have I read here...well heart stopping on the OR table. Complications from anesthesia as well (ie you never wake up after surgery). I had internal bleeding and ended up with an abdomen full of blood (which causes uncontrollable spasms...a hell I don't want anyone to share) a leak that caused my plural cavity to fill with Fluid which crushes the lung. Leaks can cause sepsis which damages your internal organs. Strictures which can cause the loss of your stomach. I'm sure there are other things that can happen, but those are bad enough for now!
October 25, 201213 yr OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am scheduled November 6th.........a complication to me is clots, infection and leaks.......I think I can cope with anything else..........Hope I dont vomit tho, I hate vomiting!
October 25, 201213 yr Kim, vomiting after the sleeve is nothing like it was before the sleeve. I liken it to the stomach pushing an eject button. What went down comes back up...not all the horrible spasms and retching like it was pre-op. I still don't like to vomit, but it's nowhere near as bad.
October 25, 201213 yr Kim' date=' vomiting after the sleeve is nothing like it was before the sleeve. I liken it to the stomach pushing an eject button. What went down comes back up...not all the horrible spasms and retching like it was pre-op. I still don't like to vomit, but it's nowhere near as bad.[/quote'] Whew! That's good to hear! I'm one of those "your -body-will-continue-to-convulse-until-your-bowels-have-come-up" people. Until foam has come up. Good to know its just quick and simple.
October 25, 201213 yr Please keep in mind that generally speaking...if you follow the rules laid out by your doctor and pulminologist, your odds of having complications is very low. Also, not everyone pukes I'm one of the lucky ones that hasn't..yet.. but I am still learning on when to stop eating and what full feels like...It seems that I tend to have that one last bite and before I know it, I'm over full and I can feel the food sitting just below my throat. If I get up and walk around, that helps a bunch. But again, that's not a complications...that's just me being stupid
October 25, 201213 yr I read of a gal in England who got a wasting disease from WLS (it's incredibly rare but can happen) who lost all of her weight, then couldn't stop and died eventually. Her husband blogged about it. It was very sad. What have I read here...well heart stopping on the OR table. Complications from anesthesia as well (ie you never wake up after surgery). I had internal bleeding and ended up with an abdomen full of blood (which causes uncontrollable spasms...a hell I don't want anyone to share) a leak that caused my plural cavity to fill with Fluid which crushes the lung. Leaks can cause sepsis which damages your internal organs. Strictures which can cause the loss of your stomach. I'm sure there are other things that can happen, but those are bad enough for now! OMG!!
October 25, 201213 yr I wouldn't say clots are major I ended up with 3 if you take care of them do what they say it's more of a maintenance issue.
October 25, 201213 yr I wouldn't say clots are major I ended up with 3 if you take care of them do what they say it's more of a maintenance issue. But they are life threatening so I'd qualify them as major myself. Just because one does not die does not mean its not major . I had a clot that that was not major, but the majority typically are (that are discovered). Btw.(for another poster)...I followed all drs orders to a T. So did the gal here who died on the table (and was brought back) as did the gal with the wasting disease . You can't follow the rules out of danger entirely. No one gives themselves a blood clot or chooses to die from anesthesia. I didn't eat too many Cookies prior to developing internal bleeding. Most of these things just happen and the patient has no control over them.
October 25, 201213 yr Just the idea of Sharting myself is a serious complication to Me.... Got a good snicker from this....
October 25, 201213 yr I was I considered low risk for surgery but had a complication on the operating table. One of the retractors at one of my port sites nicked a blood vessel. I had internal bleeding that was not found until I was back in recovery. My blood pressure dropped and my heart rate went sky high. I lost all color that they said I looked like a geisha. I was rushed back to the operating room where they opened up each port to see what was wrong and they found the bleeding. My hemoglobin level dropped to a 4. I ended up in the hospital for 5 days and had 2 blood transfusions. My healing time took longer because not only was I nursing my new stomach but also internal stitches on a muscle. Aye yay yay! I'm better now though. These things happen you just need to remember this is a major surgery and there is always risk of complications.
Everyone's idea of major complications seems to be different. When I think of major, I think leaks, clots.....
What do others think?