Does anyone else have health anxiety regarding this surgery?

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I'm so worried about developing stenosis, blood clots, or sudden heart failure! I made the mistake of looking into the death statistics and the most common deaths from gastric and how it mostly happens up to 4 weeks after surgery due to those causes. Age range 32-54 and weight 285-400+

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Likely overreacting, but it's a huge worry of mine. I'm constantly checking my incisions and moving just to avoid it. I read we're high risk up to 3 months post op.

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I had surgery Feb 2nd 2023

*~☆AnxiousMommy☆~*

I can tell based on your posts this is of great preoccupation. It might be beneficial to discuss these feelings with a therapist.

Did/Do you have the same anxiety about the health risks associated with being overweight? Heart failure, blood clots among them as well.

If you’re looking at the studies you’ve also surely seen the risk of complication is extremely low when looked at as a percentage of all patients who have weight loss surgery. Remember that the Quantitative data is much more reliable.

Im sure your surgery center has given you specific care and nutritional instruction including daily active minutes, grams of Protein, Oz of Water. All those instructions are tailored specifically to help you avoid complications. Other than speaking with a therapist the other thing you can do is channel this anxious into following their nutritional and care instructions to the letter to set yourself up for greatest success.

And do make sure your sleeping and not googling all night. Rest is essential to healing. It’s normal to have some anxiety but don’t let it consume you. 

The truth is that you are many times more likely to die of complications related to obesity, than you are from anything related to the surgery. In addition, WLS surgery actually has a much lower complication rate than a lot of other common surgeries like knee surgery.

While nothing's guaranteed, as long as you follow your surgeon's instructions like quitting smoking (if you smoke), following your pre-op diet (assuming you have one), following your discharge and post-op instructions, it's really unlikely you'll have any issues whatsoever. The complication rate is a lot higher for older patients (70+), smokers, and those with severe pre-op conditions like undiagnosed heart disease.

mortality rate on gastric bypass is 0.3%, and it's even lower on sleeve (can't remember the percentage on sleeve other than it's lower). That means you have at least a 99.7% chance of making it through just fine. Those are better odds than hip replacement surgeries.

major complications are pretty rare. The most common complication with bypass is a stricture (also known as a stenosis), which happens to about 5% of bypass patients. That's a very minor issue and is easily "fixable". I had two of them - one at four weeks out and the second at eight weeks out. They just do an upper endoscopy and stretch it out. Easy peasy. You're right in that complications, if you do have them, will usually crop up during the first three months after surgery (strictures do - they're extremely rare after that), but that doesn't mean you're at any great risk. It just means they usually show up early, if they show up at all. Lots of people on here have never had any complications at all. And again, the vast majority are minor and can be fixed. After the first three months, you're pretty much home free (that's not to say that complications will never show up after the first three months, but they're very rare after that).

quit reading the horror stories. I read those too and they scared the crap out of me, so I made myself quit reading them. I've been on this board for eight years, and most of us have no complications at all or very minor ones that can be fixed.

you are at much greater risk by staying obese than you are having the surgery.

I did have anxiety over what might happen after surgery. Truth be told apart from the very bad pain I had that took a very long time to go I have had a brilliant run. No dramas no nasty little surprises. I kinda buried myself in Dr Google and weight loss stories on you tube after surgery. Time has passed now and I am focusing on being health and eating well.

The pendulum will swing in another direction. Focus on your new future. Life after WLS.

mortality rate on gastric bypass is 0.3%, and it's even lower on sleeve (can't remember the percentage on sleeve other than it's lower). That means you have at least a 99.7% chance of making it through just fine. Those are better odds than hip replacement surgeries.
major complications are pretty rare. The most common complication with bypass is a stricture (also known as a stenosis), which happens to about 5% of bypass patients. That's a very minor issue and is easily "fixable". I had two of them - one at four weeks out and the second at eight weeks out. They just do an upper endoscopy and stretch it out. Easy peasy. You're right in that complications, if you do have them, will usually crop up during the first three months after surgery (strictures do - they're extremely rare after that), but that doesn't mean you're at any great risk. It just means they usually show up early, if they show up at all. Lots of people on here have never had any complications at all. And again, the vast majority are minor and can be fixed. After the first three months, you're pretty much home free (that's not to say that complications will never show up after the first three months, but they're very rare after that).
quit reading the horror stories. I read those too and they scared the crap out of me, so I made myself quit reading them. I've been on this board for eight years, and most of us have no complications at all or very minor ones that can be fixed.
you are at much greater risk by staying obese than you are having the surgery.

Thank you for your kind words. It helped and comforted me a lot. I'll do my best. [emoji3590]

*~☆AnxiousMommy☆~*

I can tell based on your posts this is of great preoccupation. It might be beneficial to discuss these feelings with a therapist.

Did/Do you have the same anxiety about the health risks associated with being overweight? Heart failure, blood clots among them as well.

If you’re looking at the studies you’ve also surely seen the risk of complication is extremely low when looked at as a percentage of all patients who have weight loss surgery. Remember that the Quantitative data is much more reliable.

Im sure your surgery center has given you specific care and nutritional instruction including daily active minutes, grams of Protein, Oz of Water. All those instructions are tailored specifically to help you avoid complications. Other than speaking with a therapist the other thing you can do is channel this anxious into following their nutritional and care instructions to the letter to set yourself up for greatest success.

And do make sure your sleeping and not googling all night. Rest is essential to healing. It’s normal to have some anxiety but don’t let it consume you.

Yes, it is a rather hyper-focused situation for meeeee.. never had this before. I kinda like living [emoji1787] so I guess that's why.

Yeah I had never thought of looking into complications of obesity oddly enough but I went now either or that'll make me panic hahaha [emoji38] but no you're right. It all makes total sense. With anxiety, I just think of the worst and believe that'll happen.

I am putting all that energy into regime and routine though and thank you for comforting me with hard truth. It did make me smile and more relaxed. [emoji3590] ?

*~☆AnxiousMommy☆~*

I did have anxiety over what might happen after surgery. Truth be told apart from the very bad pain I had that took a very long time to go I have had a brilliant run. No dramas no nasty little surprises. I kinda buried myself in Dr Google and weight loss stories on you tube after surgery. Time has passed now and I am focusing on being health and eating well.
The pendulum will swing in another direction. Focus on your new future. Life after WLS.

That's what I've been doing! Trying to occupy my mind with positive stories on weight loss stories and sleeve journeys on TikTok and YouTube. Seeing those make me feel better about all the outcomes and yeah, each day is another day to smile in my head. I'm only postop day 5 but I'm getting there.

Congrats on surpassing it! [emoji3590] [emoji170]

*~☆AnxiousMommy☆~*

The truth is that you are many times more likely to die of complications related to obesity, than you are from anything related to the surgery. In addition, WLS surgery actually has a much lower complication rate than a lot of other common surgeries like knee surgery.
While nothing's guaranteed, as long as you follow your surgeon's instructions like quitting smoking (if you smoke), following your pre-op diet (assuming you have one), following your discharge and post-op instructions, it's really unlikely you'll have any issues whatsoever. The complication rate is a lot higher for older patients (70+), smokers, and those with severe pre-op conditions like undiagnosed heart disease.

You're right. I never smoked, drank, did drugs, walked at the gym for 3 months before surgery, followed the preoperative diet, and my BMI is below 40.
I'm just scared is all. Life is amazing. I kinda wanna live Iol [emoji3590] but all those you listed are true and I need to keep telling myself that. I do have a heart condition but my doctor cleared me for surgery [emoji126] I'm postop day 5 now and the only chest pains I have I'm guessing are gas
Thanks for your comfort and reassurance [emoji120] [emoji3590]

*~☆AnxiousMommy☆~*

On 2/7/2023 at 4:29 AM, AnxiousMom said:

You're right. I never smoked, drank, did drugs, walked at the gym for 3 months before surgery, followed the preoperative diet, and my BMI is below 40.
I'm just scared is all. Life is amazing. I kinda wanna live Iol but all those you listed are true and I need to keep telling myself that. I do have a heart condition but my doctor cleared me for surgery I'm postop day 5 now and the only chest pains I have I'm guessing are gas
Thanks for your comfort and reassurance

*~☆AnxiousMommy☆~*

The chest pains are most definitely gas. Do you feel them in your back as well? Especially in your left shoulder blade (apparently there is some nerve that's connected from your stomach to your shoulder blade - the things we discover)... For me, the gas pain lasted 2+ weeks. To be honest, I was miserable after surgery and had many regrets, especially in the 1st week.

You lost a lot during the pre-op phase! That is amazing - Congrats! Follow your plan, don't eat pureed and solid foods before it is time, and most definitely focus on your protein since it helps with your energy levels. Also, don't be like me and think that you can clean your whole house a week post op and not feel any pain. Don't lift more than recommended, and take it easy. This whole new you has just begun, and you are on an amazing journey. Enjoy the results!