Would You Have Weight Loss Surgery Again?

[butterfly_gal 151]

Iggy, what exactly happened to you? How did your friends die from this surgery? Leaks?

[iggychic 1,405]

Iggychic

I have really tried to understand where you are coming from. However' date=' much of the posts I read you are skirting peoples direct questions. I private messaged you asking for actual specifics so I could weigh the cons and you gave me nothing but talking about "all the issues you have now".

Well...WHAT ISSUES?

you make blanket statements about low BMI people SHOULD not be doing this...but you cannot medically state why.

Then above you made another blanket statement about this surgery "is not right for anybody, especially the morbidly obese" and I am sitting here scratching my head. you are all over the place and amongst all of it for those people who you want to PREVENT doing this surgery, I still have not read anything that would make me change my mind.

Opinions are great...but unless you can back them up with your experience and details...opinions are useless.[/quote']

Lisa I'm sorry if I haven't been specific enough for you. I've always been upfront about the situation, but I will say that I am careful in PM's because I had issues with the staff in my original doctors office harassing me. I am not sure what question I'm skirting? Can you ask and I will answer to the best of my ability?

What issues do I have now? Or do you mean what happened to me? Short version...Massive bleeding during the surgery led to 24 hours of uncontrolled spasms (kind of like a whole body charlie horse). I was unable to communicate and in terrible pain. I had to be sent to a hospital for blood transfusions. The doctor then thought the large blood mass in my abdomen was causing me pain (I was in terrible pain, had a low level fever, weakness, etc) but it was actually a leak, likely that developed during the spasms but that I'll never know because they wouldn't do a leak test. At five weeks out I was sent to another hospital because my lung collapsed due to the Fluid developing from the leak in my plural sac. I had to have my lungs drained multiple times and had a chest tube inserted through my ribs to keep the Fluid from killing me (It wouldn't stop refilling my plural sac). This damaged my lungs. I was in the hospital about five weeks.

Because the leak was not treated in a timely manner the tissue on my suture line was badly damaged. They couldn't stint and used instead an experimental treatment to hold my stomach tissues together. I didn't have a very big stomach anyhoo, but the scar tissue build up has made the top portion even smaller. I am unable to get in enough calories to meet my nutritional needs when I am finished with the weight loss phase. The most likely option is to have a permanent port put in my stomach and do night feedings to make up for what I can't physically take in during the day.

I can't say as I have ever said that this surgery is not right for anybody. I said it's not right for everybody....that means that it's right for some and not for others. Low BMI is highly controversial which is why the lowest BMI folks have to go out of the country to have it done. There's a reason for that...it's not worth the risk just to be thin. It's also a questionable choice to take the risk of this kind of surgery when you are in a position with little support. If for instance you have a small child and no backup than you can't care for the child after the surgery....if that makes sense? You can't pick them up, etc, so it's best to wait until they're more self sufficient. It's also not right for people who haven't dealt with significant food issues. You can eat around the sleeve...it's not too hard for many, and you read daily about those who try. They eat doughnuts, burgers, steak, blah blah all at a week out of surgery or whatever. Those who literally can't follow their doctors orders because they haven't dealt with the mental aspect of their issues. Cutting out their stomach won't help if they don't get the other help they need and it could hurt them significantly.

I don't care if you change your mind or not. This is not my decision to make for you, but I do have my opinions about the surgery which I haven't been shy about sharing. The result of which is always that I get backlash and abuse.

I post plenty of positives but it's much more fun to ****** about what people disagree with. Here's the thing...go back to the rainbows and sunshine and mute me please if I bother you that much. Anyone and everyone who finds it difficult to read that this isn't perfect for everyone should do so and then we'll all be happier.

[CA712 111]

First, I want to say that I am so sorry for your loss. This surgery is not for everyone especially if you have a low BMI and no co-morbility. == Sorry my spelling sucks anymore>>> I am not sure what happened to your friend or should I say what went wrong. This is a tough surgery and not to be taken lightly. For anyone with a lower BMI like 35 or 40 maybe these folks need to take another route instead of WLS. I am 5 weeks post op and I am still scared of what can go wrong and I pray to Jesus that this will all work at for me. I waited 3 years to have this surgery tried to get the best surgeon I can afford and I work with a nutritionist very closely and I still have problems with dumping. You just hope for the best and hope that things get better down the road. I am hoping at some point that you start to feel better yourself and some of the hard issues you are dealing with can be corrected in time. I think it is really important to be proactive regarding your health and try to do research online and special with professionals that can help you overcome your situation even if it means you have to travel to get to the best help you can find. I wish everyone on the website the best, we all are united and we need to help each other thru our recovery.

[iggychic 1,405]

Iggy' date=' what exactly happened to you? How did your friends die from this surgery? Leaks?[/quote']

Butterfly I think I answered that in the post above If you have any more questions please let me know. As to my friend who just died, she died as a complication of WLS (she had RNY). A complication that can develop for RNY patients is that they develop kidney failure. It's part of the reason I didn't have that surgery, that and malabsorption etc. She has been going down hill over the last year, but last week her kidneys suddenly gave up. They put her into a medically induced coma to try to save her but 24 hours later took her off of all life support. There just wasn't any hope for her because of the damage her failing kidneys had done to the other organs.

The original question was would you have WLS again, which is why I brought up her situation.

My life was in jeopardy due to the sepsis that develops when you have a leak. It can damage many organs including your heart. In my case it was a high leak and went to the lungs, which isn't uncommon.

[Not Applicable 52]

I think it's up to each person to make thier own decision on this surgery once they are well informed about all the possible affects it can have on us. I don't think we should tell anyone they should or shouldn't have this surgery.

We are all grown up and have to make the best desision for ourselves' date=' with as much information as possible. [/quote']

I agree with the statements above and Would have the surgery again.

I support the rights of everyone on the forum to share their stories with the Sleeve, whether they are for or against it, without fear or backlash. What I do not support is for someone to tell someone else what they should or should not do re: WLS, solely based on their own good or bad experience with the sleeve.

I think we should all just state our personal truth and leave the people contemplating WLS alone to read our stories and then decide what is right for themselves.

[stacylynn 0]

YESSSSSS!!!!! Wish this had been an option twenty years ago....

[BethinPA 305]

Fiddle...I was not morbidly obese so my posts are likely not directed to the 45+ BMI patients. See the thing is, you 98%....it was all good for you, so you don't want us to discuss the negatives, but frankly, the negatives are death. DEAD, GONE, FOREVER REMOVED. THese are far off concepts to those who had an easy outcome. You lost weight, you feel great, all is well. Nifty keen hun but some of us die. And we don't like our voices to be quieted by the 98%. There are people for whom this surgery is a bad choice. I was one of them. Low BMI, no comorbidities, etc. I will fight to my death to keep those people from taking this route, like it or not. When god throws a lesson in our faces we can shut up or we can share that lesson. This surgery is not for everyone.

Phyllis took her last breath at 8:15 Alaska time tonight. A victim of WLS. She won't need an extra large casket Fiddle. But is that really all it's about? Her 2% voice should be heard. My voice should be heard. And if you can't deal with that, mute it, but don't dare attempt to tell me that we don't have a place in the conversation.

I'm very sorry for your loss, Iggychick.

[iggychic 1,405]

I'm very sorry for your loss' date=' Iggychick.[/quote']

Thank you Beth. That's very kind.

[iggychic 1,405]

Sue, I think we agree more than not. But to be clear, I have never said to a person here or elsewhere, that they should not have the surgery. I have been asked many times and my answer is always that one should weigh their options, look at the risks, and look at their life as a whole to determine if this is their best choice. I've suggested to a couple of young moms that they should consider waiting to move forward until they had either help at home or their children were older, but I've always said that this is a personal decision that they must make.

I do feel that there are groups of people who are a bad choice for this surgery. I feel that the law isn't our friend with cosmetic surgery and there should be protections put into place for those not ready or who don't really need it, but never have I said, you shouldn't have the surgery. It wouldn't be right as this is a personal decision for everyone who has it.

[taylokat 180]

Iggychick, I'm sorry for your loss and for everything you went thru. I'm also considered a low BMI (36-37) and the only reason my insurance covered it was because I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I had no other health problems and no family history. I was sleeved on the 12th. My surgeon said that during the surgery my spleen was soft and boggy. It tore during the surgery and I lost 1300 mls of blood. They gave me one unit of blood, a plasma expander and 4 liters of Fluid. The surgery took about 3 hours. I'm home now but I'm terrified of developing a leak or a clot, since they stopped all blood thinners. I have nightmares of bleeding to death on the table. I'm only 3 days post op but if you ask me now do I regret it.... Absolutely! My kids need their mom even if they are "older", 22, 20 and 14. Nothing is worth that risk.

[sharonintx 1,275]

I would have it again. Here's the deal - I went into surgery with a 35 BMI. I have absolutely NO comorbities. None whatsoever. I did it because I'm tired of the weight loss battle. Plain and simple. I knew the risks of surgery up front. I will admit to not fully understanding the emotional changes that would take place but I am a reasonably intelligent adult and have since developed an understanding and am dealing with it accordingly.

I'll admit to doing this for predominately vanity reasons. Big deal. I knew my risks, made my decision, and went to Mexico to appease my own vanity. Big deal. It was my time, my money, and my choice. And I'd choose the same thing again. I don't wish complications on anybody. That is a truly tragic thing and my heart goes out to those with regrets or who have experienced a loss. The bottom line? Know your risks, make an informed decision, and hope for the best. That's all anyone can do. Don't judge anyone else for the decisions they make. If they ask for your experience then tell them and let it be.

[Jane_J 117]

I know surgery was the best option for me as my eating was out of control and I was at a top weight to prove it. On the other hand, the skin issues as one goes past the 100 lb pound loss point are no joke. Watching the pounds drop while my skin sags right along with it has been an eye opener. The fact that I will probably never have the funds for reconstructive plastic surgery is a very depressing realization.

Now add the little medical mysteries I keep encountering: dizziness, light headedness, high cholesterol, moderate to high glucose readings, random muscle injuries (NONE of which I had prior to surgery) and I am now on the fence about WLS in general. I refuse to be one of those people where the only thing that matters is weight loss - I want the excellent health that should go along with it. I had it prior and I want it back.

Now should my doc find a way to alleviate all of this, then I will probably become the biggest cheerleader out there! Only time will tell.

Hi isajck. I had over a years bad health after my surgery. I think it takes a while to adjust for some people. I took Vitamin D, Calcium Citrate and sub lingual Vitamin B12. Deficiencies in either of those rwo Vitamins could be causing your problems maybe. Any hows I hope you get back to tip top form ASAP!

All the best, Jane

[No game 14,436]

Hi isajck. I had over a years bad health after my surgery. I think it takes a while to adjust for some people. I took Vitamin D' date=' calcium citrate and sub lingual Vitamin B12. Deficiencies in either of those rwo Vitamins could be causing your problems maybe. Any hows I hope you get back to tip top form ASAP!

All the best, Jane[/quote']

I think you are right about your body needing time to adjust.. I am "healthier" now but have had lots of small health problems in the last months nothing I can directly relate to surgery but strange none the less..

I have faith that when I stabilize in my weight loss and new lifestyle things will even out

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

"For anyone with a lower BMI like 35 or 40 maybe these folks need to take another route instead of WLS"

You mean wait until one is morbidly obese and suffering before they should .. Say, nip it in the bud?

Nope. Not. Me.

I was well on my way to serious weight problems and I was NOT going to wait until my body (and mind) suffered more than what it already had with years of yoyo dieting.

[FeeIsMe2 508]

Yes! I have zero regrets! I am happier & healthier! My marriage is great, my husband was completely supportive!

That said, I did my research the first surgeon I went to, I didn't like. I waited and found a wonderful surgeon who has a fantastic track record, his practice includes several in house Nutritionists, to help with your pre-op and post-op food plan. I have repeated follow-up visits and get my regular blood tests. I had this surgery to stop the never ending yo-yo dieting and to be able to live a healthier life!