My husband is sceard Monday surgery

This is from him. Can anyone help!!! Please this is Carrie's husband, I don't like the idea of having her stomach cut out!!!! to call it a tool is absurd because a tool is something your given, not something that is taken away. your not given a new stomach, they're going in and cutting her stomach out!!! almost all of it!!! what is the 20 year health issue to this? its to new of a procedure and there is no data on this. I don't like the idea of my wife being a statistic for health problems do to a new procedure that no one knows the long term health issues!!! if i wanted to become left handed, i would not cut off my right arm just below the shoulder and call that a tool. lap band is a tool, it gives you something without taking anything away, and you can stop using that tool IF NEEDED, but the lap band has its BIG draw backs too. if it was the bypass, i would have an even bigger problem with it. i love my wife and when she asked me my oppinoin, i told her. she told me she needed my suport and she has it, but she didn't want to know my oppinion again until last night. i don't like it!!! i was sopost to go to a suport meating but was unable to attend, but even if i had talked to some people, they would not have been able to answere my questions, because there is no one who has had it done 20 or even 10 years ago. she says her stomach is streached out, well make it the same size it was supost to be to begin with and do something about the nerve or gland that tells you your hungry, but don't cut it all the way out. the health benifits of loosing weight are very good, "blood presure, diabetes, colestrol", but i'm concerned about the future and what this may take away from her!!! what benifits do you get from not getting the nutrision you need? in 20 years she'll be almost 60, will she need her stomach then? can you make me feel better about this? because i don't feel good about this at all!!!

Carrie: My husband also had his reservations about surgery, he is afraid of surgery in general; I took him to see Dr. Broussard so that he could be explained by a surgeon, rather than me of the detail and long terms effects of the surgery. All the questions your husband has expressed here would have been answered.  Has he had the opportunity to talk to the doctor? As a personal experience, I can tell you that I have never felt better, I had surgery almost four weeks ago and I can't wait for the long term effects this surgery will provide, for myself , my daughter, and yes even my husband, who is finally at ease with this whole process. To my knowledge ( all of it came from research, Dr. Broussard and the Weightwise staff) the sleeve does not restrict the absorption of nutrients and vitamins and the part of the stomach removed does is not vital to your well-being. The way I see it, mine was just sitting there doing more bad than good. LOL!!!  But seriously, I do suggest that Monday, before your surgery, (Dr. Broussard will come see you before surgery) you encourage your husband to ask some of these questions - this is the reason he (Dr. B) sees you right before surgery, to see if you have any questions. Best of luck and don't worry, everything will be fine.

 

Mr. Campbell, I certainly feel your frustration and concerns in your writings. With the gastric sleeve only 70-80% of the stomach is removed, not the whole stomach. The part of the stomach that is removed is one of the key areas that produces the hormone grehlin, which stimulates hunger and appetite. You are absolutely correct about there not being enough data on this surgery to compare for long term results or what problems could arise. There is no way possible I could answer for you the 20 year health issue for this surgery. I myself had the gastric bypass. I chose this surgery because I felt like it was the best choice for me. Just as Carrie chose the sleeve because she felt like it was the best choice for her. I can tell you that I was totally against weight loss surgery over 2 years ago when I came to work for FBH of Oklahoma. It took me a year and a half to have confidence in it. I too was scared. After watching the great results that came from our patient's having had the surgery as well as seeing very few complications, I felt like it was something I had to do for myself. I weighed 287 pounds. I was miserable and hurt every day from all the extra weight on my joints. I have grand children and wanted to have the chance to watch them grow up. I wanted to feel good about myself again. I took blood pressure and cholestrol medications for years. Heart disease runs high in my family. Since surgery ( 3 months ago) I have lost almost 50 pounds plus 27 prior to surgery. With 75 pounds gone my lab work is now in normal range. I no longer take the medications for the blood pressure and high cholestrol. I feel so much better. I can honestly say that I could not have lost this weight on my own. I tried many times only to gain it all back plus some. Did I put myself at risk when I had the surgery? You bet I did. But so does everyone who has any kind of surgery. I don't know Carrie's history or her co-morbidities. I've never even met Carrie in person. I am here to support people and tell them the good things that weight loss surgery has done for me. I'm not trying to sell anyone on it. She must desperatley feel the need to have this done or she wouldn't have come this far. There are no guarentees on much of anything in life. There is no promise that when Carrie walks out the door to go shopping that she will make it back home safely. Only God knows these things. It's normal for you to be scared for her because you love her. All I can really tell you is that I did what was best for me, and I have seen many wonderful outcomes from weight loss surgery. I have seen bad ones too, but not at this facility. Can it happen? Sure it can. It's all a personal decision if you want to have weight loss surgery and what kind you want to have. I know Dr. Broussard would be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have . I do know in reality though that you are just scared and concerned for her. That's not a bad thing. My honest opinion is that Carrie needs to do what she feels is right for her.Whatever she chooses I'm sure she wants you to stand behind her all the way. Having strong family support is very much a part of her success. I had to trust that if God led me to it, he would see me through it. I wish you both the best of luck. Rita

Carrie C. wrote:

This is a message from my husband can you help him???

Dear Carrie's Husband,

I do understand how scarey it must be for you.  It amazes me that people aren't more frightened about the dangers of being overweight though.  You are both creeping up on middle age, and may have avoided weight related problems until now-but I assure you Carrie will have a BETTER next 20 years if she loses her excess weight than she will if she doesn't.

I'm very happy with my band, but if I hadn't chosen the band, I would have gone with the sleeve, and if something ever happens to my band, I will go with the sleeve.

WLS is for people who can't get if off any other way-if you wife has decided it is for her, please support her and help her through this.  She will love you all the more for it, and you will both have healthier, happier lives.

As for nutrition, band or sleeve patients typically follow better diets than they did pre surgery.  I am far more aware of what I eat because I don't want to waste any stomach real estate on junk.  I also take a good mulit and iron supplement-which I never did before.

Of course, you are correct that the optimal solution would be just to eat healthy diet and exercise, but if it were really that easy, we all would have done it by now.  WLS is a realistic and sane approach to a growing problem.

My best wishes to you both! 

 

I'm still pre-op, planning for a VSG late in April, but wanted to pitch in one thought... I have a very dear friend who had approximately 75% of her stomach removed almost 30 years ago due to horrible, life threatening ulcers.  No - the surgery was not for weight loss.  No - it was not done laparoscopically.  However, she is alive and well today, with no complications after this many years.  She still has to eat small meals, and she is still a normal/thin person.  Even though this surgery has not been done specifically for weight loss for very long, the principles behind this surgery have been around for many, many years, and there are actually lots of completely healthy people walking around with less than complete "natural" stomachs. Hopefully, this will help with some of the issues regarding long term consequences of the partial gastrectomy now known as the VSG.   Carrie - here's wishing you the very best of luck with your surgery. The team at WeighWise does great work, and they are great people.   John

Dear Carrie's husband, My husband was dead set agains surgery until he got a phone call from me one day at work. I had hit rock bottom. I didn't feel good, my clothes were too tight, and I wanted a better quality of life. I was sobbing and told him what was going on and that I needed him 100 percent behind me. He finally agreed when he heard the pain in my voice. He has been my support ever since. He's always been fantastic, but never more so than since my surgery. He was there and held my hand that day and never left until he knew I was awake and ok. He left late at night and came early the next day to see me. Left to take our daughter back to Enid and found out I was leaving the hospital before he could get back. So, I hung out there until he did. He cooked and cleaned and did laundry for me during the recuperation process which was longer than most due to my having a crazy infection in one of my incisions. He still takes care of me now, trying to choose restaurants where he thinks I can eat. If I can't eat there (Braum's for example except for their carb conscious stuff), he takes me to another restuarant to get something that I can have. What I'm trying to tell you is that while he was terrified he would lose me to surgery,  he was more terrifed of losing me to the comorbidities that I had. Everyone who was concerned and didn't want me to have it is now a believer. My chest no longer hurts, I can walk and keep up with my husband and not be huffing and puffing. I can walk up and down stairs..and..while nobody has said it, I will without being too graphic. I'm more flexible which is definitely a good thing! I can also get in and out of our 16 year old son's classic Camaro without rolling out. All I'm saying is that every area of my life has improved..getting the weight off has literally given me a second chance. Now, trust that your wife has chosen well and know that she's doing it for herself. Rejoice with her. Hold her hand. And always tell her she looks good no matter what. She'll love you even more for it. She's in very good hands with Dr. B. He assisted Dr. Walton in my surgery. I wouldn't let anyone else touch me. They are good. They are professional. They are experts.

Dear Carrie's husband, Even though I'm having a bypass and not a VSG, my husband is still concerned.  He was not totally behind this in the beginning.  He's a "run and exercise" type of person.  My arthritis prohibits me from doing that and being able to walk after.  From my research, I know that the first type of weight loss surgery was performed in the 1960's (a type of bypass).  I work at a school in Oklahoma City.  Our attendance secretary had the bypass about 20 years ago.  She is in her 70's now and is doing fine.  Also, I know that the stomach can stretch itself back out.  The procedure that your wife is having is not going to "re-route her plumbing".  It's just going to remove a large portion of the stomach.  I know that  the 1960's might seem as to be not that long ago.  Cardiopulmonary bypasses (where the machines take over for your heart and lungs) have been performed since 1951.  So, that's not that long ago either.  The first heart transplant was in 1967. Your wife has chosen this procedure because she feels that it is the best option for herself.  No one else can make this decision for her.  She is well aware of the pain and suffering that she will have to go through, before this is over.  She has asked you to be her rock.  She has asked you to be her person to lean on.....to be her sounding board.....and to be her helper.  That is a big job and I know you are up to the challenge.  Please keep in mind that before this is over, she will cry....she will be in pain....she will probably vomit or have some type of dumping episode.  She may even question her own decision, before its over with.  Please just let her vent and cry and whatever.  Please just be a rock for her.  What ever you do, please do not say "I told you so".  Because, one day soon, she will feel much better and begin to loose weight.  She will begin to have more energy, which will cause her to loose more weight.  She will feel more comfortable in her own body.  She will put on some skinny jeans and be amazed at herself and have a "pep" to her step. She has chosen this surgery because she has done her research and believes this to be her best course of action.  My aunt had a bypass in 1999 and is now 60.  She's up and doing exactly what she wants to do.  She doesn't let too much get by her without her participating.  She feels great and knows that she would probably not be alive if it were not for the surgery. This is just my way of looking at things.  Everyone is different.  Maybe you could think about exactly what it is that is causing your reaction to this.  The Internet is full of good resources about these things.  In the end, you have to trust your wife, trust her doctors, and trust in God. Good luck to you both.  I will keep you in my thoughts on Monday.  I will be having my surgery on Tuesday.  Sharon