Health Issues and Gastric Bypass...
I am new to the site and just want to start getting some feedback to help with my decision to pursue WLS. I am a 42-year-old male and have been fighting my weight since I was 17. Because of the way my body reacted to eating and weightlifting growing up I was always considered obese by medical standards even though I was very muscular. However, 4 years ago I was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) and I lost my left kidney. Prior to this I was already type II diabetic, had HBP, a-fib and a pvc, and severe sleep apnea. Needless to say I am on an abundance of medications and supplements just basically to keep me alive. I have tried dieting up the wazoo, gym memberships, personal trainers, nutritionists, etc and cannot lose any weight. The probable reason is every med I am on has the side effect of weight gain! I am so frustrated. I can't come off the meds and the doctors keep telling me to lose weight and when I tell them I am trying, they just tell me to keep trying. My family and two friends who have had gastric bypass tell me the surgery may be my salvation. They came off their meds and lost the weight which gave them a quality of life I do not have right now. Would this surgery truly help me? I have a 5-year-old son I want to see grow up, but I know right now, with the state of my health, I will be lucky to live another 10 years. Any opinions or responses are welcome please.
Hi there!
None of us can speak to your personal medical issues, but I can tell you (4 yrs post op gastric sleeve), that all my medical issues have gone away and I take nothing but chewable vitamins now. The quality of life is change is massive.
Good luck with your decision making process ;)
Thank you...I know no one can really give a direct connection to the health issues, but I want to gain a general consensus on how the surgery effects the health issues and if its for the better...I don't really have too many other options.
I am off all my medicines other than vitamins and supplements. That is a huge blessing. I have not lost as much as I had hoped but I am still working on it and I go to the gym regularly and know I am much stronger and healthier.
I want to give you the following advice. Go to http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/casesearch.asp and put in the name of doctors you are considering. I was shocked to see several doctors I was considering with multiple malpractice lawsuits pending. I know that is a risk for all doctors and WLS is high risk since we are all obese to start this journey but I don't want a doctor with a lot of lawsuits.
Good luck to you.