LIVER DISEASE AND WLS???

 hi, i have liver disease and was considering rny bypass.  has anyone here had liver disease and had a successful outcome after surgery?  i understand there is quite a danger if you have liver disease in that the surgery could cause you to go into liver failure due to starvation. dr vitello and my liver dr did an article on this that i read today and it is quite scarey.  i just wondered if anyone with liver disease has had a good outcome?   i'm in a catch 22 situation in that if i don't loose weight i will continue into liver failure eventually and if i do the rny the same can happen too apparently...  any one have any more info on this? up to reading this today i was all excited about the surgery now it all seems hopeless! been trying to loose weight the old fashioned way for 20+years!  this really stinks!   sandi

Hi Sandi - My husband has hep c and is currently going thru the process to have rny.  Our weightloss surgeon is fine with performing the procedure and has had other patients with hep c.  We do have to get clearance from the liver doctor which is going to probably be the biggest hoop he jumps thru.  He meets w/ the liver doc on Friday so I may be able to give you more info in a few days. I totally understand what you are saying about the catch 22.  My husband has to lose weight in order to try another treatment on his liver but has tried the old fashion way too. Hang in there. Christina

Hi Christina, i got my liver disease from hep c too.  but i took the medicine for 3 yrs straight and finally got rid of it... yuck that med is horrible! Christina, please be really careful about these surgeons saying its ok to do surgery with liver disease.  I've gone to 3 of them that said they would do it!!!    i found a study from dr vittello (a dr at this sight) and my liver dr., Dr Cotler at UIC... and some others, that showed that RNY is extreemly dangerous for those with liver damage!  Even for those with NAFLD.  (that's non alchohlic fatty liver disease).  There have been deaths from the fast weightloss that sped up the liver damage until the liver died around 17 months after the WLS.  I couldn't believe so many drs said they would give me this surgery without even mentioning this!  My liver is borderline cirrhosis right now!  if i have surgery it could put me over the edge and it could go into liver failure!   If i were your husband i would really take a look at these case studies in that article and show it to your liver dr and your weightloss dr. Not wanting here to be the barrer of bad news but if a life is at risk... you understand.... Here is the name of the article... unfortunately, i had to pay 35 bucks to read it! CASE REPORT: Hepatic Decompensation After Gastric Bypass Surgery for Severe Obesity. if you cut and paste this in your google search you will see it... but to read it costs $.  So my liver dr who was one of the drs involved in the study said i should only have lap band so it can be reversed if there is a problem.   i hope you have better news, perhaps your husbands liver is not as bad as mine.... some folks with hepc don't have that sever of liver damage.  i had a biopsy that showed... stage3 grade 3 bridging fibrosis, this is borderline cirrhosis.   did your husband get a biopsy yet?  i would do that for sure befor either surgery... My hopes and Prayers go to you guys, Sandi  

Thanks Sandi - Well, I will do further research.  My husbands liver doc, Dr. Jensen from UIC is one of the best and has released Calvin to have the surgery. 

While on treatment, Calvin was seeing Dr. Yapp & Dr. Clark at Good Sam.  He was referred to Dr. Jenson after the treatment failed.  Calvin does not have cirrhosis yet, and to be honest, I can't remember what stage he is in.  He has had the bipsy done but it's been awhile. Take care and good luck to you. Christina