Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!
$99 Yearly Supply Alert! 🌈 "1 per Day!" Bariatric Multivitamins

Scar Tissue From Previous Abdominal Surgeries

Midwest Grateful

Recommended Posts

Midwest Grateful    48

Midwest Grateful
Posted

Hi everyone!

I'm scheduled for gastric bypass on July 25th. I mentioned to my surgeon today that I was concerned he might run into a lot of scar tissue (I've had a few abdominal surgeries in the past). He informed me he'll clean up old scar tissue, but if he sees excess scarring that poses a concern he may opt to do a sleeve as a Plan B. I told him I trust his judgment.

I'm curious. Anyone here have old scar tissue cause a problem?

GreenTealael reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

GreenTealael    24,864

GreenTealael
Posted

When I was being converted from VSG to RNY my surgeon said I had a lot of scar tissue. It caused the surgery time to be extended but he said he took his time and got it all. It didn’t impact the quality of my WLS just added extra time in the OR.

Midwest Grateful reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

WanderingLass    37

WanderingLass
Posted

I had a giant ovarian cyst removed in 2013. Like, gallon of milk giant. It had adhered to my bowels and pretty much everything it could. They nicked my bowel in 3 spots removing the cyst. (Hysterectomy in 2000 but they took both ovaries with the cyst and my gall bladder for its own reasons, I'm always a special case.)

Forward to my sleeve a week ago, and my surgeon said that my bowel is adhered to my small intestine and had she been 2 inches to my left, she'd have been in my bowel. Scary thought! I joked I should get a tattoo there in case of emergency...

Sounds like your surgeon is well prepared!

Midwest Grateful reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

CarmenG    149

CarmenG
Posted

Yep. I got sleeved in 2009, and in 2011, I lost my gall bladder. These days, gall bladder surgeries are laparoscopic. However, when the surgeon put a camera into my belly button to take a look, he said he couldn't see well enough because of the sleeve scar tissue. He ended up giving me an emergency open gall bladder surgery. He said he didn't have time to wake me up and ask for permission because it was dilated to 11cm and I was septic. I actually told my revision surgeon the same thing you did about the sleeve and gall bladder scar tissue he would encounter. He told me the same thing as your doc. He said it shouldn't be a problem and that he would remove scar tissue if he had to. My revision surgery last month was laparoscopic and robot-assisted.

Midwest Grateful reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

pintsizedmallrat    470

pintsizedmallrat
Posted

Prior to my sleeve surgery, I had two exploratory surgeries for endometriosis and my gall bladder removed, so a total of 3 abdominal surgeries. No one at my surgeon's office seemed concerned about it and it was barely mentioned.

Midwest Grateful reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

Midwest Grateful    48

Midwest Grateful
Posted

@GreenTealael, @WanderingLass, @CarmenG, & @pintsizedmallrat...

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback. Like most of you I had my gallbladder removed (in 2017). Plus many years ago I had two cesareans, hysterectomy/oophorectomy, and two hernia repairs (the doctor who did an emergency oophorectomy cut through my first hernia repair so it had to later be redone). I'm expecting quite a bit of scar tissue. So, your comments are helpful. Amazing stories...I'm glad things worked out for you all! 💕

My surgeon did mention if the scar tissue is attached to the bowel (or small intestine, etc.) and it's too risky to work lower in the abdomen as necessary for the gastric bypass, then he will do the sleeve where he stays higher in the abdomen. I get that.

I hope you're all doing well now. WanderingLass, you JUST had your surgery, so I hope you're healing quickly. And CarmenG, you just had surgery last month. All the best to you!

WanderingLass and CarmenG reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

WanderingLass    37

WanderingLass
Posted

5 hours ago, Midwest Grateful said:

I hope you're all doing well now. WanderingLass, you JUST had your surgery, so I hope you're healing quickly. And CarmenG, you just had surgery last month. All the best to you!

I seem to be, thank you! My biggest incision is itchy so that's a good thing! I'm doing a lot of walking, including a small hill. I am looking forward to soft foods, though. The shakes are good but I don't want to burn out on them like I did riced cauliflower a few years ago.

Midwest Grateful reacted to this

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

Jessi2023    6

Jessi2023
Posted

Hope your surgery went well yesterday!

This is one of my biggest fears. I had a hysterectomy 2.5 years ago and had to have a big abdominal incision because I had too much scar tissue on my cervix to remove the uterus (and the massive fibroids) through the vagina. The surgery also took 3.5 hours instead of two because I had so much scar tissue. This was likely from my previous c/sections. I am hoping that the scar tissue is all lower down and won't cause problems for the RNY. I really can't do the sleeve instead because I have severe GERD.

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

Mike.J.Y    70

Mike.J.Y
Posted

How the surgery go?

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
Go To Topic Listing Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • KeeWee

      KeeWee

      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Aunty Mamo

      Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 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

    Bariatric Forums

    For Patients

    Health Professionals

    Search Surgeons

    Bariatric Surgeons: Want to research a weight loss surgery surgeon? Enter their last name below to start!

    ×