Did you want lap but ended up open?

It's currently in my file at the surgeon's office that I will have my RNY open...but it's only there because his PA or NP (I can't remember which she was) said my insurance (medicaid) wouldn't pay for it to be done laproscopically. Well, she was full of poop. Anyway, I have my final consult with the surgeon Tuesday and I plan to ask/beg/plea/bribe him to do it lap instead. I'm not as concerned about the recovery time as much as I am about having a very active almost 18 month old running around and climbing on me when I have an 8-10" incision...just sounds like disaster waiting to happen. So I'm curious about those who wanted lap but ended up having it open (whether the decision was made ahead of time or in the OR). What was your doctor's reason for not doing it lap? I'm looking for their reasoning and logic so I can go in prepared to battle my case and hopefully have some counter arguments for the things he might mention. The only thing possible reason I can think of that he might not want to is because I had my gall bladder out and could possibly run into some scar tissue. But I'm not a doctor so I'm sure I'm not thinking about everything. I have no problems with anesthesia (I go under easy and come out VERY well) so the extra time under shouldn't be a problem. I don't have any major health problems (YET). I've had some other surgeries...but they were all on my lower abdomen...all female things.

I wanted lap but i had open because the surgeon i chose wanted to do open. I have an old gall bladder scar and he was concerned that there would be alot of old scar tissue and he would have to change to open in the middle.. I understood that. i figured instead of having 5 or 6 1inch scars i would have only one.. my scar is only about 3 1/2 inches long. it wasnt bad at all. I didnt have all that gas pain every one who has lap talks about. I was up and around as soon as i got home. i slept alot but felt fairly good when i was up. The pain was actually minimal, much less than a c section or gallbladder surgeries. I figure im probably better off if the dr. can see what he is going in to do. I have no regrets what so ever. Good luck to you on your journey. keep us posted, Carla

My gall bladder was a lap surgery and was no big deal...aside from the gas pain which was even bearable I thought. I didn't feel my c-section was anything excruiating either (though that might has been the sleep deprivation keeping me from noticing...lol). If my surgeon did a 3.5" incision I wouldn't be worried about having it done open...but the booklet we get at the classes, and a friend of mine who had hers done a few weeks ago, say the incision is 8-10"!!! I guess he wants to get up close and personal with everything or something.

just to let you know i havent had the surgery yet but i had the appt with the surgeon and he told me that if i lost some (around 20 lbs) before surgery he would be more likely to do lap but if he got in there and couldnt do it that way he would cut me open so it really depends on the doc he said that it wouldnt have anything to do with previous surgeries (i had my gallbladder out 2) hope this helps

I had my gallbladder out years ago before they done the laproscopic kind and i have a scar that is about 10 inches long and it is very wide and not too straight.. its a mess. i think thats why my Dr wanted to do my RNY open.. it wasnt too bad.. he said they have to tell you how big the scar can be but that they dont make it any bigger than they have to. about 3 months after my gallbladder surgery i heard they were doing it laproscopic in Indiana.. thats how my luck goes. Good luck to both of you. Carla

Leann...they always try to do lap...less invasive...BUT some people can't be done that way. It comes down to safety of the patient. They make that decision either pre-op due to other deciding factors....or once they get you on the table and discover problems. But from what I hear...the people who have had it done open only have a 3-4 in*****ision and they do fairly well after surgery. Trust me...even with lap ya not gonna want an 18 month old climbing on your belly...you are gonna be pretty sore on the inside with all the internal stitches and the pain from the gas they use to inflate your belly with lap. I had lap...and I also had two previous lap surgeries about 10 years earlier. The only problem with that was that he didn't want to go in the same spots because of scar tissues...wasn't a problem though for me...I don't have much scar tissue (some people scar worse than others). Happy journey!!!!

I usually heal pretty nicely without much scar tissue on the outside anyway...but I don't know what happens inside I suppose. I'm not going encourage the boy to climb on me after surgery that's for sure...but he's an 18 month old boy, they don't listen very well. LOL And again, if it were only a 3-4" incision that I was expection for open I wouldn't be so concerned....but 8-10" has me a bit freaked out. Even if it were just a scare tactic in the handouts to weed out people who aren't really dedicated I wouldn't be worried, but I've seen the scars and heard from more than a few different people that it really is that big. Guess we'll see what the doc thinks next week.