Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Possibility of non-reversible complications?



Recommended Posts

Hey everyone!

I am 27F trying to get the Bypass mostly for my GERD but also to lose weight. It's gotten to the point where I have pain every night and some days sleep 4 hours max.

The only thing keeping me away from the surgery is the fear of developing some very bad complications (like osteoporosis). If one follows the diet and Vitamin intake to a tee, how likely that I will get to old age without getting them? I would really like to live my 30s and 40s relatively healthy and not be "damaged" by the operation.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you eat a well balanced diet and take the prescribed Vitamins and minerals you should have no deficiency as you age. My plan calls for 1500 mg calcium citrate which protects from bone loss. It is important to take Calcium citrate, not other forms of calcium.

I had my RNY 30 years ago, and while it was not entirely successful (so I'm leading up to revision at age 73), the surgery had no long term negative effects on me. Indeed, I credit it for avoiding Type II Diabetes, which many of my overweight friends now have.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm also worried about the long term effects nutritionally, especially as we age or get a chronic/serious disease, like cancer, etc. I've asked my team multiple times for data regarding the elderly who've had this surgery in the past, and I'm simply told there isn't any. Which can't be true. People have been having these surgeries for 30 years or more. There are a significant number of people 70+ who would be dealing with the long term effects.

One staffer who had the surgery 15 years ago says she has serious osteoporosis and now needs constant medical care.

I also wonder what happens if the supply chain/pandemic/economy issues prevent the required supplements and Vitamins from being available and/or affordable.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You are right to have concerns & to ask questions about possible long term side effects as you should after any surgery or medication regime, etc. You should be fully informed before making any decision.

The unfortunate thing today is that our chances for cancer, osteoporosis, etc. are Increasing regardless of having weight loss surgery or not. A combination of many factors including poor diet, genetics, lifestyle, environment all increase our chances for developing serious health issues as we age. Being obese increases our likelihood even more. Most of these we have no control over. You may have the surgery & develop an issue but you may have developed it without the surgery & vice versa. There are some things we can’t control or predict.

As @Sunnyway said if you ensure you eat a balanced, nutritionally dense diet & follow the Vitamin regime you are prescribed you will actively be working to avoid any possible side effects. I’d also suggest you continue to have regular blood tests to ensure you’re never lacking in anything & have bone density tests to check for early signs of osteoporosis. Make them a regular event to keep ahead of things just like having a regular Pap smear & your teeth checked.

All the best.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@Arabesque @Sunnyway Thank you for your inputs! I will also ask about it to my surgeon in December if they have some kind of statistics and then decide if I'll take the bullet or not :) So far I am 80% sure I want the operation.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Someone asked about long-term complications in the elderly who had surgery decades ago. You can't really compare, because weight loss surgeries back in the 60s and 70s were very different than they are today. They were very risky and some people (including a former co-worker of mine) had them reversed - and some people died from them. But again, there's no comparison to the surgeries they do today. Plus the ones they do now are much safer and much less likely to have severe complications.

you should be fine as long as you follow your plan, keep on top of your supplements, and have regular blood work done to check for deficiencies. Most deficiencies can be reversed if they're caught early. I do have osteoporosis, but I have no idea if that's due to my weight loss surgery or not, since we didn't do a baseline before my surgery. But I'm also in my 60s and osteoporosis runs rampant on both sides of my family, so it could have been that as well. I'm on a drug now that maintains bone, though - and there are other drugs that actually build bone.

Honestly, at my starting weight (almost 400 lbs), I was much more concerned about complications from being severely obese (like premature death, for one) than I was about complications from my RNY.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

P.S. they do have about 30 years of data on the RNY - although even over that time period, the technique has been changed a bit (and improved). Not as much data on the sleeve since that is a newer surgery. The sleeve is phase 1 of the duodenal switch surgery, and it wasn't offered as a standalone surgery until a few years ago (because many patients lost enough weight with the sleeve part of the DS (before having phase 2 - the intestinal bypass part of the DS) that they decided to offer it as a standalone surgery. It wasn't really until it started replacing the lapband ten or so years ago that it really took off in popularity.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • 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.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×