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Did You Have Complications After Weight Loss Surgery?



Complications After Weight Loss Surgery?  

209 members have voted

  1. 1. Did you have complications after Weight Loss Surgery?

    • Nope, aside from a little soreness during the recovery, things went great!
      125
    • Yes, but nothing serious. I just had some stomach issues.
      16
    • Yes, somehow I developed some nutrient deficiencies. See below for which ones I had and how I fixed them or whether I’m still dealing with them.
      6
    • Yes, I ended up back in the hospital. See why in the conversation below.
      24
    • I haven’t had weight loss surgery yet, but I’m crossing my fingers that nothing serious happens to me.
      27
    • Other. Read my answer in the discussion below.
      11


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One of the biggest barriers to getting weight loss surgery is the fear of complications. From mild ones like nausea and Constipation to more serious ones like obstructions and leaks, complications are common among bariatric surgery patients.

Did you have complications after Weight Loss Surgery?

  • Nope, aside from a little soreness during the recovery, things went great!
  • Yes, but nothing serious. I just had some stomach issues.
  • Yes, somehow I developed some nutrient deficiencies. See below for which ones I had and how I fixed them or whether I’m still dealing with them.
  • Yes, I ended up back in the hospital. See why in the conversation below.
  • I haven’t had weight loss surgery yet, but I’m crossing my fingers that nothing serious happens to me.
  • Other. Read my answer in the discussion below.

Mark your answer and give us the details in the conversation below. Sharing your experience can help other members who are making their own decisions about weight loss surgery.

complications.jpg

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Yes I had to go back to the hospital. After I went home from gastric bypass I started to bleed internally and had to go back for four days.

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4 weeks after I had the sleeve, I had a small leak that they think happened from a small ulcer that formed on the incision on my stomach. I ended up having a 2nd surgery. It was a bit of a scary ordeal. I had a drain put in, was not allowed to eat for 5 days - but was hooked up to TPN (IV nutrients/lipids), had so many tests and procedures to try and find out what was going on and why. I was in the hospital for 6 days.

About 2 weeks later I ended up back in the hospital with a kidney infection that was a result of not being able to get in enough fluids to flush my kidneys properly. So I was back in the hospital for another 2 days.

With the complications that I did have put aside - I have had a fantastic experience and results from having the sleeve done. I have been very happy and pleased with my results, and have progressed very well. My doctors are all very happy and pleased with my progress. At my 6 month post op appointment I had already meet their 1 year goal for weight loss.

I had a rocky start but am so very happy I had the sleeve done and never have regretted getting it done.

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Hi Alex

My gastric sleeve surgery procedure went without a hitch, except for the blood clot I developed post surgery. There was nothing to indicate I would be a problem. No extraordinary precautions were taken ahead of time. The blood clot started in my leg and progressed to become a pulmonary embolism. I spent two weeks in the hospital, one of which was in the Cardiac Intensive Care at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, MA. I count myself as very fortunate. I am thankful that my surgery was at a Bariatric Center of Excellence with a level one Trauma Center. Happily there do not appear to be any lasting issues related to the clot.

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Just some constipation. It was pretty easy, otherwise.

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One of my incisions became infected about 2 weeks after surgery. I am short waisted and so pants and seat belts and desks hit right about that incision site and cause some irritation to the stitches and ultimately cause a bit of an infection.

The Dr. removed a stitch that was left behind and the wound was left open to drain and heal. That is the only scar that was wider then the others because of the opening of the stitches. It took a good 4 weeks after to fully heal but I would do it all again in a heart beat.

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I chose "no" as my answer, as I didn't experience any nausea, dehydration, vomiting, or worse yet, a leak or infection! However, I did have oral thrush that I believe was caused by the liquid antibiotic my surgeon had me on post-op. That took a while to go away.

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My husband and I were sleeved together and neither one of us has had a bit of trouble. Fast, easy recovery. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

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I have not had any complications from surgery at all. Of course I have had a lot of Constipation from eating high Protein, low carb diet. I would not call that a complication.

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My original AP Lap-band slipped a few years in. I had it repositioned and it's been great since. At the same time, I also had my port replaced but that was for cosmetic reasons. The original Lap-band ports looked like a periscope sticking out of my belly :D I moved over to a low profile port and you can't see it sticking out any longer.

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Any good suggestions for Constipation? Experiencing it now (15 days post op).

I have not had any complications from surgery at all. Of course I have had a lot of constipation from eating high Protein, low carb diet. I would not call that a complication.

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@@Cgraham0397 - I add benefiber to my shakes and it definitely has helped me.

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Suggestion from me as a preop:

STICKY near the top of each operation classification, for each TYPE of operation. Each person can write, delineating their complication, and individual story. Then, like this other lady did, keep track of totals:

Leaks: 35

ulcers: 3

Edited by utahgirll

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I had some issues in the hospital after surgery with vomiting, I think that was because they were giving me WAY too many pain killers when I was never in any pain, once I was released from the hospital I was able to go home and really start recovery.

I had Vitamin dificiances with A, D and Potassium and still today 9 months later I take an extra supplement for A and D.

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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