Kind of scared now

Hi Everybody: I'm sorry to post such a morbid post, and it is not my intention to scare anybody, but I got really scared after reading the memorials page. I don't know why I went there but I did. I guess I did because I wanted to know more about post-op complications and what really is the "average time frame" ( if there is one) in which we can be almost worry free of anything life-threating happening post-op. I came across this young woman who was about 2 years post-op. Got to her goal weight and BMI and one day she complained about stomach cramps and went to the ER and they sent her home saying that she just had severe gas pains. She went to sleep that night and didn't wake up. The autopsy reported that she had a twisted bowel. Now, my question is how often does something like that happen? Would there be any warning signs previous to the severe stomach cramps? What else do we have to worry about? It was my understanding that we had to worry the most about clots and infections. After 2 years post-op you would think that you would be free and clear of that kind (or any kind) of complication. I'm 2 months post-op and that made me feel really scared and extremely sad for that woman and her family. Can anyone of the AMOS staff or any long term post ops give us some kind of statistics and warning signs of things that could possibly happen? Is that a rare occurance that something like that could happen 2 years after your surgery? I'm not the kind of person who runs scared like "Henny Penny" saying the sky is falling, but I am concerned. I apologize if this post is alarming to anyone, but I needed some help with this one and this is the place I come to for support around these particular issues. Thank you for listening, Karen

Sorry you are feeling nervous about your journey but I'm sure that this is something that is very rare.....but if you want some real answers you should callyour surgeons off and ask them all these question..... everyone should read the memorial page cause these thing can happen but if you read alot of them, many didn't die do to complications from WLS.... I hope you feel better and relax.....do call your surgeon and ask them... Christine 346/231/?

Thanks Christine: You're absolutely right. Quite a few of the people on the memorials page passed away from other complications unrelated to WLS. It wasn't clear in the posting that I read if her condition was due to the surgery or not. I have my 3 month post op in August and will speak to my surgeon about my concerns at that time. Thanks for your comforting words and suggestions... and I'll try to chill out Karen

Karen, Hello hun....~Hugs~ That might have happend anyways, I guess we really can not be sure if that was because of this surgery? I have concerns as well and I heard that it is 30 days post of that you can still have a blood clot or anything, I thought after that it was pretty much ok.. I would like to see what other post as well... I do have to say that relax and do not worry about that because things can happen to any one at any time, and if we stayed heavy we could have had a stroke or heart attack at any time.....~Hugs~ I am not sure if this helped ya any but know you are not alone in your concern and I wanted to share my thought as well...... Take care hun and have a great holiday weekend......~hugs~ Debra P

Hi Debra: Thanks for your support and comforting words. And you're right about the stroke or heart attack. I am a diabetic and my kidney function had decreased so much that I was getting very nervous about the possibility of having to go on dialysis. I have to say that as a result of WLS my diabetes is under control and my kidneys are functioning a WHOLE lot better. Hope you're feeling well...I know you had your surgery recently. Wishing you all the best. And you enjoy your holiday weekend as well!! Karen

Don't be scared ~ easy for me to say, right? But one thing you have to remember about us. The heavier we were at the time of our surgery, the more weight related health issues we tended to have. Some of these medical conditions were life threatening and don't just disappear immediately. It can take a year, two years - until we reach a safe weight for our bodies. Another thing ~ we have to remember that most ER doctors have no idea how to treat our "different" physiology, especially when they do not know of its existence. The first thing that should be said upon going to any ER is "I am a gastric bypass patient" so they can get a gastrointerologist or other physician who may be familiar with the issues that can arise. Some of us forget that we are no longer built like everyone else. Take heart! and God bless