Fatal Surgery

Hey Everyone,
Now that I am scheduled for surgery one nagging thought keeps coming to the front of my brain. Was anyone else afraid of dying from the surgery either during or after from complications? The Doctors, Nurses, Nutritionists, Psychologists, and Coordinators all pound it into your head that there is a possibility that you could die. I am all of a sudden very nervous. I have six kids that need their mom and I worry that I am taking a huge risk of leaving them without a mother. I wish all of those people would have been more reassuring instead of so fatal about the whole deal. If I stay overweight eventually my health will become worse and if I have the surgery I could die. Anyone know people who have died from the surgery or complications? I am trying not to freak out about this but it may happen anyway.

I think all of us worried a bit about not making it through surgery, but we all went for it anyway. I don't mean to sound cliche, but we could all die tomorrow. I just know that before surgery, I was dying a bit every day. That left me no good for myself or asnyone else. You will be able to be sooo much more of a great mom for your kids, and that is what you ust concentrate on. Go to surgery picturing yourself on a hike in the mountains or playing a game on the beach with them, and keep that picture in your mind as you go to sleep. You will wake up on your way to making that moment true. Believe in that and let God take care of the rest. We will all be out here sending our positive wishes your way. How can it fail?

nancy

Nancy,
Thank you for your reassuring words. Really, I think those are the first positive words I've heard about the risks of having this surgery. I think a good mental picture of my family will help me go under a little easier, thank you for the suggestion. I hope the next three weeks goes by super fast so I don't have a chance to chicken out. Take care
Becky

I agree with Nancy.  I see the surgery as a tool that is gonna help me safe my life.  If I continue to live  at the weight I am now and with the health problems I have, I don't forsee living passed the age of 50 (I have 36 now).  Yes there are risks with this surgery, but isn't there always some risk with any surgery you have.  For me the pros outweigh the cons.  

The professionals are telling you what they need to tell you just like they would tell anyone who is having any kind of surgery.  Surgery carries risks.  ALL surgery does.  WLS is no greater a risk then any other kind of surgery.  The difference of what you are feeling now is that WLS is, in essence, an elective type of surgery.  You're not in acute pain, you don't have things growing inside of you that need to come out, you don't have to have something fixed.  You are choosing WLS to lose weight.  So as with any surgery you need to accept the risks that go along with it, if it is what you choose to do.

You are choosing this to hopefully have a better life after.  That is what you need to think about.  To be honest, my surgeon point blank told me that if I wasn't ready to accept the risks involved with having surgery, which meant if I wasn't ready to meet my maker,  then I shouldn't do it.  For me the risk of not having surgery was greater than the risk of having surgery.  I was nearly 450 pounds and dying very painfully slow.

My answer to you may not be the flowers and roses answer you want, but I don't believe in sugar coating things. As I said, all surgery carries risks. The odds of you surviving WLS are better now then they have ever been.  Just as the odds of surviving most surgeries are very good.  So just go into this with a good attitude and confidence in your surgical team.  They are trained to take very good care of you and make sure you come through ok.

Stephanie

Becky – I have two young boys and also have had that in the back of my mind. However, completely agree with Nancy, the benefits outweigh the risks. Everyone in the bariatric department are doing their job and want to make sure that everyone understands there are serious risks involved with the surgery.   At the bariatric orientation that I went to I asked what the mortality rate of the surgery was. The surgeon said that most of the death rates are from the super morbidly obese patients. They are at a much higher risk of complications, but there is always a risk with any surgery.  Congratulations on your surgery date. Keep yourself busy & know you are doing this for your health.

In order for you to give informed consent you have to know all of the risks. I know they have perfected the surgery in the last few years and the risk of dying is not as high as it used to be. It is supposed to be less than 1% now. I know everyone tells you of all the people who have died from this surgery and it gets old. Just think of all the people on this site who are  healthy an glad they had the surgery. We will be here for you and give you all encouragement you need or could ever want! 

I know how you feel, my surgery is scheduled for next wed and im nervous about it myself but i know that if i dont do this, ill regret it for the rest of my life, but who knows what kinda life that would be, being heavy we run the risk of dying young,and or  having all kinds of medical issues, all surgery has risks, at the seminar i went to, the surgeon said that having the rny gastric bypass was actually safer than having hip replacement surgery, i was shocked but it reassured me, you just have to go into surgery thinking happy wonderful thoughts and planning things to do with your kids that you have never done, i know im super excited about taking my nephew to disneyland and being able to go on the rides!! Dont dwell on what ifs, think happy thoughts, it will all be okay :-)

I honestly wasn't worried about dying. This surgery is pretty safe, safer than when I had my gallbladder out open in '89.

I worried about other things though. Mostly about having long-term complications and about not being able to maintain my weight.

This was my biggest worry. I told myself to look at all of the people on OH and think that they are still here lol. I also kept telling myself that because of my high weight and health issues I would probably die earlier or live a limitted life, this helped me to proceed on. I am happy with my decision. Good luck.