Hi Everyone,

This is my first post. I have been having a lot of health issues and health scares this year. I had pnuemonia earlier this year when covid first came around. Recently had a biopsy of the endometrium which came back normal. Now i am waiting for a biopsy to be done on my left breast. All while breaking my foot almost three weeks ago. I weigh 240 and can't help to think my weight has had an effect on all these health issues. Im 40 and want my life back. I am in month 4 of my weightloss pre-op program before gastric sleep. Still need to have tests and finish my 5th and 6th monthly appointment with the bariatric PA. However, i am scared to the core of having surgery due to possible short tem and long term complications. I would appreciate any advice possible on how to get though my concerns and fear.

Thx!

Stephanie

complications aren't that common, and most are minor. The most common one with the sleeve is acid reflux, although not everyone gets that (in fact, most don't). Most people who have it manage it through meds.

I think you'll find a lot of people on here who are really happy with their surgeries and would do it again in a heartbeat. And most complications (if you even have any, which you might not) are still not as bad for you long term as remaining obese.

I hear you, I’m almost done with my six appointments and the closer it gets the more concerned I’ve become. I am naturally quite risk adverse as well, so the idea of a surgery like this is scary.

My reality is that the risk of complications from surgery is less than the risk of serious complications from staying this overweight. I think sometimes we try to trick ourselves into assuming that the only risk is with an action, but the reality is that complacency and staying the course we are already on is very risky as well. I’d rather take my chances of long term health and greater happiness than stay where I am.

Good luck to both of us!

Welcome to the forums.

Congratulations on your progress toward getting your WLS.

Many, dare I say most WLS folks had health issues as part of their consideration for having surgery. It is not at all unusual.

Surgeries have complications. Living has complications. As with all things, you need to do the math to determine which is the riskier option: WLS or no WLS, that is the question.

Nearly the last thing my Doc said to me before wheeling me into surgery was "You know you can die from this surgery? Do you want to continue?"

I had already done the math. I was gonna be immobile and a burden to everyone around me within 5 years. Even death on the table was preferable. I spoke with my spouse and parents about it and we were all on the same page. I don't want to spoil the ending of the story, but I didn't die.

Since the surgery many of my health issues self-resolved. I'm on fewer meds now than I was pre-op. I've done things I never imagined I would do.

Since you're well into satisfying your requirement it seems like you did the math.

Good luck

Tek

Thank you everyone for sharing and reminding me the risks of not doing anything outweigh other surgery risks. Ofcourse its still a process and Im still going to be nervous but Ive made it this far and my insurance will be paying for the surgery if I meet all the requirements. So why not take the opportunity to get another lease on life. It seems my body recuperates pretty good even though the pnuemonia took a couple of weeks. However, my foot is healing after just 2 1/2 weeks ayyy :-). Now just going to have my biopsy, hope it comes back benign and look forward to my surgery. Try to get down 5% of weight before surgery.

Thank you and good luck everyone. Happy to be on this forum!!!

If you only took a couple of weeks to recover from pneumonia then your body recuperates really well! It took me MONTHS to fully get over it each time I've had it. You can do this!

I had a lot of concerns when considering VSG. I have decided that through many failed attempts on my own that I need this tool to help me succeed. I think of all the risks if I don't have this surgery and get my weight under control.

Diagnosis I have:

High BP, elevated triglycerides, hypothyroidism, PCOS, anxiety, depression, GERD

If I have all these @ 32 what will my life be like in 15 years?!?! I am scarred to think. Diabetes, stroke, heart disease, bad knees, bad back... I could go on and on

So the risks of surgery are minimal in comparison.