Have been going thru the insurance requirements and surgeon requirements. I am second guessing this surgery. I am 5' at 243# and have been looking forward to the surgery until my #3 of 6 pcp diet appointment. He told me he has seen many patience going thru what I am now. Have seen them back and regularly for two years. He said the majority of them come back looking like I do now. But 4 have died because of it. I'm now scared of my decision on this surgery and think I need to add another 3 months to my due date which is in feb/2014. I want to know what others think. I do know now I am not ready for this now but was sure I was before that appointment. Any input would be appreciated. Congratulations to all of your successes. Thank you Debra - confused that's 5' 343#

Have been going thru the insurance requirements and surgeon requirements. I am second guessing this surgery. I am 5' at 243# and have been looking forward to the surgery until my #3 of 6 pcp diet appointment. He told me he has seen many patience going thru what I am now. Have seen them back and regularly for two years. He said the majority of them come back looking like I do now. But 4 have died because of it. I'm now scared of my decision on this surgery and think I need to add another 3 months to my due date which is in feb/2014. I want to know what others think. I do know now I am not ready for this now but was sure I was before that appointment. Any input would be appreciated. Congratulations to all of your successes. Thank you Debra - confused

That 5' 343#. Sorry for the typo.

What have they died from???

First of all...I probably know more people who I am worried they will die from NOT doing it. While he was probably trying to give you a reality check, it seems a bit callous and irresponsible to focus on bad outcomes without providing other details that probably had a much higher level of impact on the bad outcomes than the surgery did. I can tell you...if you do what your surgeon tells you to do, and if you don't think this is a magic "cure" for being overweight - instead viewing it as a tool in your tool box of being healthy, then you should feel more confident with your decision. Despite success rates with this surgery, there are still a lot of pcps who are "old school" and who don't accept that fact that there are some people who this is truly a last resort for....that not doing it will be far more detrimental than the risks of having the surgery. There are risks with any type of surgery...even death. But the fact of the matter is that having all the weight related comorbidities is a far greater risk. That's my two cents.

I think she's saying they are either back to their pre-surgery weight or the surgery killed them? Which, in my opinion, is really off and skewed and wrong statistics. OP, you need to do your own research and then decide.

Sounds like you need a doctor who's fully educated and have a understanding of both good and bad of this procedure. Plus someone who has more of a tactful manner discussing the risks. The rate he's going I would be scared to death too! Yes it has risks but we (pre op) are more at risk with the weight we are at.

With Gastric Bypass, I have heard of several people regaining back to their original weight. I have heard of one person with VSG who re-gained back to original weight, but as I understand it, they had a much larger bougie (80, I think) which may have resulted with some of their fundus (stretchy part) being left. I can see where if you had a non-standard (> 40fr) bougie, there would be more risk of stretching your sleeve and re-gain, but with a standard size, I have not heard of this.

I'm not saying I know more than your Dr, but I have been researching WLS for over 3 years now and have been sleeved for over 2 years myself. I still have excellent restriction and can easily maintain my weight at goal. As far as the deaths, I believe VSG has < 1% mortality rate. Of course, you need to get your Dr's rate, which may be higher. If it is, I would suggest finding another Dr. Depending on your own health history, you may have a higher or lower risk in surgery. Have you had other surgeries? How was your recovery? Did you get any infections? How did you handle the anesthesia? How did you handle the pain meds?

Myself, I was made to be cut open. I have had several surgeries and fly right through them and my recoveries have always been smooth. For me, my risk of mortality due to surgery would be way low. But for folks who struggle with surgeries ...

As far as his approach, for me, that works. I would rather have a Dr who tells me straight out what the risks and complications are rather than (meow)-foot around the elephant in the room. But that is me.

^^ (It wouldn't allow me to use the other word for cats) ^^

The way I look at it, you don't see many 70 year olds walking around with the excess weight that most of us carry. Obesity leads to a whole range of illnesses, and the surgery is a tool to help us get where we want to be--healthy! (not dead before our 70th birthday) It is unfortunate that your PCP seems to know so little about your situation. It sounds to me like he may have been talking about Lap Band instead of VSG. (?) Talk to your surgeon about your PCP's "statistics". That way you'll get an educated opinion on the matter. I am 5'5" 210 pounds, and I am going for it! Good luck.

Wow...I would surely get more detail..on these 4 patients. Ask questions.

I'm sorry for what you are feeling. I can tell you that I had my surgery 11 months ago and I'm still losing. It's much slower now, but the scale is still moving down. I feel better than I have in the past 20 years. I am regaining the confidence I was meant to have. Everyday is a concious decision to eat food for fuel, not for pleasure. I'm guessing it will be that way for me for the rest of my life. I'm more than willing to follow that rule to never end up back where I was. Do I still to plan 100% the time? No. But I do it at least 95% of the time and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything!

Best of luck to you and your final decision. For me, it was the BEST thing I've have done for myself EVER!

I noticed you said that this was your PCP appointment not the surgeon correct? A lot of primary doctors are not educated on other specialties as well as they think they are. My PCP said the same thing. But at the same time she didn't even know what a gastric sleeve was. So take their comments with a grain of salt. Have you met with your surgeon and his staff yet? Have you gone to a support group meeting? A lot of people lost their comorbidities and illnesses after their weight loss, maybe they are focusing on the negative because it means less sick people coming back to them as a PCP?!! Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Think for yourself. Don't let one persons rumblings throw you off. Any idiot can go through medical school to be a PCP nowadays.

I did not fall for my PCPs pessimistic view, I am now 2 months post op, less 35 pounds and excited about the rest of my life for once!!

Great answers. You want to be comfortable with this before surgery, so keep researching until you are. Let me emphasize two points... (1) it is not magical... YOU still have to follow your plan and (2) Deaths from obesity are more likely (by far) than deaths from this procedure.

First of all...I probably know more people who I am worried they will die from NOT doing it. While he was probably trying to give you a reality check' date=' it seems a bit callous and irresponsible to focus on bad outcomes without providing other details that probably had a much higher level of impact on the bad outcomes than the surgery did. I can tell you...if you do what your surgeon tells you to do, and if you don't think this is a magic "cure" for being overweight - instead viewing it as a tool in your tool box of being healthy, then you should feel more confident with your decision. Despite success rates with this surgery, there are still a lot of pcps who are "old school" and who don't accept that fact that there are some people who this is truly a last resort for....that not doing it will be far more detrimental than the risks of having the surgery. There are risks with any type of surgery...even death. But the fact of the matter is that having all the weight related comorbidities is a far greater risk. That's my two cents.[/quote']

Thank you

Great answers. You want to be comfortable with this before surgery' date=' so keep researching until you are. Let me emphasize two points... (1) it is not magical... YOU still have to follow your plan and (2) Deaths from obesity are more likely (by far) than deaths from this procedure.[/quote']

Thank you

I just got approved for the sleeve surgery. Thanks to all you comments. They have really helped me. I think I just have cold feet about this.

Woo Hoo! Congrats!