All these complications...is it worth it?

[sassypants 674]

I had no complications from surgery (I did stop breathing and my stats dropped but that was due to me being a unhealthy smoker and how many hours under more than the sleeve)

Other than that it really depends on your definition of complications to me things I experience are part and parcel of the op like the pain the gas the Hair loss the puking its all spelled out to you (well me at least it was very very clearly) pre op it can and mostly likely will happen.

Yes I do have a sleeve in the smaller end of the size spectrum but none of us are told exactly how big it will be before the op they don’t know till the day of and they see the size of your stomach when they go in your given the average between this and this size not a exact size pre op.

body dysmorphia is not something you get as a result of having the surgery it’s a mental condition.

I have a personal friend who full on has this condition she has inflated her boobs and lips several times via plastic surgery and still sees them as small and wants them bigger it’s a completely different thing to still seeing your self as the fat person you once were and your mind not catching up to the new smaller you yet.

In time your mind will catch up and you will be used to you.

Would I do this again?

Yes every single time yes and I haven’t had it easy but it’s not that hard on the scale of things in all honesty and what I got out of it and benefited me and my health and life far far farrrr outweighs any pain puking hair loss and Vitamin deficiencies.

[Lilu 65]

So, I had the lapband years ago (and ended up having it removed...due to complications). I am considering the gastric sleeve now and have been reading the forums on this site. I am seeing some incredible success stories (congrats to you all)! But i'm also seeing some really concerning things and I think I'm more unsure than when I first came to this site. I am seeing complications like, MASSIVE hair loss, Vitamin deficiencies, anemia, seizures, LOUD rumblings of the stomach, body dysmorphia (sp?)...the list goes on and on. So, I have to ask...is it worth it? Are you glad you did it? Do the benefits outweigh the risks? I would really love to have your input. What would you say to someone in my position? What advice would you give?

Thanks in advance for any input!

Well we all have our stories and with them we have success and failures. My is failure but it will be a success soon. I started out not knowing how sick I truly was. I had a stroke and 3 TIA which are like mini strokes, High blood pressure, Diabetes, Hypo- thyroid, A blockage in the vein in my brain and a ton of minor problems. After surgery I had a bad infection that was caused by the hospital staff and a Minor heart attack. With all this I do not regret having this surgery. So remember that we are all not a like and the horror stories are not every bodies. I did loss some hair but it was a lack of vit. Also some of the stories are about people not being honest with themselves and have problems afterwards. Good luck I hope it helps.

[livvsmum 2,368]

Everyone's story is so different. I would not make a decision one way or the other based on personal testimonies alone. Read up, read as much as you can - research, statistics, success rates, etc. Participate in a pre-op program - I did one for 9 mos with my surgeons office before my surgery. Take part in support groups, etc. to make sure you are ready for the changes. If through all of that you still feel it's for you, then regardless of what comes, you will know you made the best decision for you.

But to answer your question, yes, for me it was totally worth it 100 times over. I'm six months post op, down 98.4 pounds, 35 to go, working out daily, happier, healthier and only regretting not doing it sooner.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

well, it really depends on your complications due to being obese. if you feel the possible benefits of the surgery outweigh the possible complications (i wouldnt consider hair loss or rumbling stomach a complication... those are due to the surgery or the rapid weight loss. a complication is a life threatening condition that is due to the surgery) then the surgery might be for you. as far as i can tell, there arent any benefits to remaining morbidly obese, and lots of ways to die from it.

this surgery isnt for those who need it, this surgery is for those who are ready to take a radical step to treat their obesity. for most of us, the risk is worth it, since we were taking lots of risks every single day we lived with obesity. the only people i have seen so far that arent happy with their results are those who arent ready to face their food addiction or have other mental illness or personality disorders that affect how they perceive the changes in their life after surgery.