Gastric bypasses come with risks

This is an article that appeared in the Lexington Herald-Leader yesterday. One of the doctors named in the lawsuit performed my surgery, and the The Center for Weightloss Surgery at St. Joseph is where I have received all of my before, during, and after care. They have been nothing but professional, caring, and forthcoming throughout my journey. Everything, including all the risks, were explained to me numerous times. How sad it is that when something goes wrong, some need to find someone to blame. Please help me pray for these unfortunate folks and their families. www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/living/health/12915457.htm Kytzy

I also had my gastric bypass surgery done at "Center for Weight Loss" in April of 2004. I have the utmost respect for all of the surgeons, and the staff. Dr. Thomas Greenlee performed my surgery as well as my mom's surgery. I attended the informational seminar and was explained the risks and complications. I was told through out the whole process which took several months that there was risks, and complication. I even signed off on the form that releived the hospital and the surgeons from liability. I had complications several weeks after my surgery which I was told from my primary care that I may not live to see the next day. I was sent over to the emergency room where I was greeted by the e.r. doctor on call. I informed the doctor that I was a patient at the Center for Weight Loss. She immediately notified the surgeon on call. Dr. Joshua Steiner, was on call and was at the hospital within minutes. He ran several tests and he determined that I needed to be admitted. Dr. Greenlee, my surgeon was at my bed side day after day. I seen Dr. Steiner on several different occasssions through out my hospital stay. I have respect for the three surgeons and the staff for saving my life. There are risks and complication for all surgeries.

My heart goes out to ALL those families and patients that had complications, and possibly passed away after having WLS. I know that in my case, I had researched the surgery for 2 years before I even decided to have it, so I knew the risks, and I had it in my mind that I was dying day by day, being the size I was. So I opted to LIVE, if the Lord brought me through it ok... I think that this surgery is like any major surgery, and comes with risks and you have to KNOW and understand that before going into it. I hope that if you are looking to have this surgery, you do your research and weigh the good and bad..It is a wonderful tool, if you are ready for it! My Prayers are With you ALL! Huggs Sunni

I responded with my thoughts on that article in another thread. However, I wanted to add this. We all knew the risks going into this surgery, even for those who did not do all the extensive research online that some of us here have, our facility made no secret of the fact that this was MAJOR SURGERY and as such, carried a very real threat of risks or even possible death. By choosing this surgery I accepted those risks, just as anyone choosing any major surgery does. We were partially self-pay, so we were also accepting the possibility of huge doctor/hospital bills if something went wrong later. It's just a fact of the particular cir****tance, we knew it and we understood the possibility. Sadly, in the case of one of the litigants of the lawsuit, it appears that she is looking for someone else to pay the humongous hospital bill that resulted from her complications and suing the doctors and the hospital was the most logical place to start. While I sympathize with her plight... no one forced her to undertake this ELECTIVE surgery. If we decide we are not willing to take the risk, no one is there forcing us to sign the papers. In all honesty, 4 years ago I was ready for surgery, or so I thought. Then I found the memorial page. It scared me to death! I abandoned my thoughts of having the surgery, figuring that I would try one more diet, etc. 3 years later I was way heavier, suffering leg/foot problems that were going to put me in a wheelchair. My comorbidities were getting worse. I was finally to the point where NOT having the surgery and knowing what was certainly in my future were way scarier than having the surgery. My fear of dying prematurely as a morbidly obese person exceded the fear of the very small percentage of deaths from the surgery. My heart goes out to all those who have suffered severe complications or to the families left to pick up the pieces after the death of a loved one. But put the blame where it is due... on this dreadful disease of obesity. NOT on the ones who are doing their best to give back healthy lives to those who choose this surgery. Rhonna

I hope you all go to your doctor's profile page here at ObesityHelp and post your support and all of your comments and compliments that were posted here. The press, as you know, will use any information and write with a slant on it to make meet their purpose- to sell papers. They do not have to show the other side at all. A surgeon can perform 1,000 surgeries perfectly and then have one death. The press and the insurance companies will focus on that one death. While I am sorry that one person died, 1,000 people got their lives back. While I always grieve for the obese people that do not surrive the surgery, I have to rejoice for the many that have gotten their lives back and are giving back to society. I wish that the press would focus on the Doctors that gave us our lives back and splash that on the front pages. I am so pleased to hear other WLS people stand up for the doctors. We all need to continue to fight for WLS, as there are still so many obese people out there fighting their insurance companies for this wonderful life saving surgery. Again, post your support and all of your comments and compliments on your doctor's profile page here at ObesityHelp to help combat the negative press. Monica Ganz, Ph.D. Director of Events and Chapter ObesityHelp