want surgery. advice.

Hello. This is my first post on this site. I am interested in having wls.  Ive been researching here and there for probably two years. Not until just recently have i been really really trying to figure out what i want. And i think i have found that. But i want to know from other people who have had wls. Advice on what made you choose the risks of the surgery vs. The risks of not having it. Basically im completely terrified. I am reading tons of forums. And blogs. Videos. Of lots of good outcomes. But then there are the bad outcomes. And they are scaring the living crap out of me.  I actually have two people who are close to me who have had wls. One who has had problems just this past year. She had surgery like 15-17 years ago. And this past year had an intestinal blockage and was in the hospital for over a month and it was really sketchy for a little bit whether she was gonna make it. I feel like i cant find any concrete studies either. Every page i visit has different statistics.  Ok yea total anxiety over here. Advice please!!  

I had weight loss surgery 9 years ago, my 158 pound weight loss resolved all my health issues severe Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure, and a host of other issues. I am off all 8 medications I was on prior to surgery. Best decision I ever made. Zero regrets, would do it again in a heartbeat.

Hope this helps explain my why's more: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2013/11/life-after-weight-loss-surgery-q-a.html and http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2015/09/life- after-weight-loss-surgery-q-a_7.html 

FYI the mortality rate is 0.10%, (Journal of the American College of Surgeons) safer than gallbladder removal, one of the most routine surgical procedures in America and some more data... http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/721429_4 

Best wishes with your research and health, ~Shelly

Firstly welcome to OH. It is a wonderful place for education and support. There are so many people here with so much knowledge and experience.

Your post leads me to many questions such as which surgery are you considering. How much weight do you want to lose and do you have any comorbidities that need to be considered.

Why did I choose surgery? I think it is very crystal clear that in the long term the risks of not having are greater than having it. Few if any people avoid medical problems caused by their body's carrying around so much weight and processing so much food. Diabetes, arthritis, heart problems, pain moving around, and more , not to mention limitation on ones life style hit everyone who is obese eventually. I had lost weight many times in my life. Once I even kept it off for 8-9 yrs but as I grew older it became crystal clear that I could not achieve much loss on my own and I would never keep it off. Additionally I cook all the time and those I cook for like things that are far too tempting. Now I can take one bite and be happy. So much easier. I was finding the extra weight was becoming energy consumming. I had surgery this  past July and am hoping to go hiking in the Rockies next year. I could never consider that carrying extra weight.

The only places you can get any real idea of the complication rates of surgery are actual medical reports. Also you can ask any surgeon you see what his complication rates are. When reading of people having problems years later you must remember they are the ones who post yrs later. Lots of people have done fine and are off living their now healthier lives and no longer post on places like this.

Life itself is full of risks. Things like intestinal blockages can occur even without having had WLS.

Myself I choose the simplest surgery of all. I had plication. I was happy with the results I saw re: complications. I wanted a less invasive surgery as I am a full time care giver and couldn't afford a lot of "down time". Additionally I have no problem losing more slower which you do with that surgery. I did however find as you have that it is hard to actually come with statistics on that surgery (or any other). Also plication is far more popular in europe where it is called the wrap. Results and comments on european sites are VERY different to those posted in the US. So why is it so different? Guess one will never know! It may be the same way for other surgeries as well. I think it just shows that can only do your best researching and then decide which is less anxiety producing the huge chance of complications due to obesity or the surgery. Also consider things like the affect the weight has on your life in mental as well as physical ways.

Obviously you are taking your time making your decision, not jumping at anything and there is no rush. This is a life changing and life long decision.I hope over time your anxiety will lessen and you happily make your choice. I am sure lots of other here will be glad to reply and discuss their choices, results etc you.

Good luck to you and once again welcome to OH

You will have to make this decision independently, but for me it came down to knowing that absolutely nothing else I had tried had any lasting effect. Quite honestly I didn't (and still don't) know if wls would work for me long term either, but for now, I've accomplished more than I've ever been able to before - healthy stable weight for 2 1/2 years - and I feel hopeful about my future. 

Bariatric surgery provides us with the best statistical chance of successfully managing obesity, but it's up to each is us to make the necessary changes to support the surgery.

All the best to you!

Welcome to the forum -- I hope you can find some encouragement and support here.

I'm 15-1/2 years out from a VBG.  I'm actually at home today preparing for the fabulous "scopes that meet in the middle" -- about 15 minutes away from my first dose of drain cleaner -- to look at the very first problem (iron deficiency anemia) that I can directly link to my surgery in all of that time.  The very first one.

As others have said, we were all once where you are -- scared both of living and of dying, and at our absolute wits' end.  My own journey saw me gain and lose the same 150 pounds in about 10 years and totally frying my metabolism.  I'd try to diet (for about five minutes) and then give up because I wasn't seeing results.

In the years since my surgery, I have lost -- and kept off -- that 150 pounds.  I am very fortunate in that I have not had issues with regain that others have experienced -- which is not to say that I won't in the future; I just haven't up until now.  I've been more-or-less faithful to what I'm supposed be doing -- although, to be honest, back in the day when I had my surgery there wasn't a whole lot of direction beyond getting yourself back to solid food over about a two- to three-month timeframe.

Bariatric surgery is the only way that I know of that will take the weight off and keep it off.  Diets don't work -- every single person on this forum, at the beginning of this journey, was living breathing proof of same.  For the morbidly obese -- which, face it, we all were -- diet and exercise has a 97% failure rate (according to my surgeon) within a year.  Been there, done that, own the t-shirt concession and bought a damn timeshare. 

There are also those who will die from this surgery and/or develop life-threatening complications -- about 1-2% overall -- and considering how many people you meet who know "a friend of a friend of a friend" who died/almost died you'd think the number will be much higher.

For me, at least, I figured I had a 2% chance of dying with the surgery and a 98% chance of dying without it.  Absolute no brainer, at least from where I sat -- but you will have to make this decision on your own, and anything we vets can help you with along the way you only have to ask.

Best of luck on your journey -- the road may be rocky, but you can still walk it.

Thanks for all of your replys!  I was for a long time considering the sleeve surgery. But i wanted more long term studies on it before i just went ahead and did it. Then. The two people who are close to me who had surgery my stepmom. And just recently my step sister. They both used the same practice. Not the same dr. But i found out they had an open duodenal switch surgery.  I didnt know what that was really so i have been researching and im pretty positive its the one i want to do. Because of the long term results. Even though its i think the most major. I figured if im going to go through this i want to choose the one with the best long term statistics and no dumping syndrome as with bypass. But like i was saying. Every site has different stats. And i am planning on asking the surgeon what their complication rates are. I have about 140 pounds to lose. And i dont have any diagnosed conditions. BUT. I havent had insurance for the past two years. And i have been having some major problems that i recently went to the hospital for. That i KNOW would greatly be reduced with weight loss. I do have ibs and anxiety. And depression. I have been overweight since my late teens and have tried every way to lose weight but. I just gain more back. Right now were in the middle of a complete diy kitchen remodel. And i have terrible support from my husband who thinks im just "chubby".  he controls our money for most things since i dont want to argue about everything. And his point of view is price and  quantity over quality. So ive been having to eat hot pockets. Pizza rolls. And tv dinners for which i know im gaining more weight. No hes not forcing me and its not . His. Fault. Its mine. Im tired from my own body. And chasing around a hyper active newly 3 year old around all day. Oddly enough. I have since the day my son was born fed him completely different. He eats fresh fruits and veggies. Whole grains and no snacks treats or processed foods. Food coloring or anything. Everyday. Yet i dont do the same for myself. ???????   I also think i have a food addiction. But thats for a different day and as soon as my new insurance starts which is the first of the new year im going to get some help with that and other issues through therapy.  But physically i need to lose weight or want to because of how its affecting my every day life. Im sure i domt have to explain to u all how painfull and taxing it is to be morbidly obese. Im only 25. I want to have fun and run around with my son more. Ive always loved dance and in the past been in classes which is something i still dream of doing. My husband plays soccer and has since he was a child and i told him never give up something ur that passionate about. My weight and my mental issues hold me back from. Being who i want to be. And ive tried and failed on my own to lose the weight. What scared me so bad is reading the people who have surgery and then cant tolerate like any sort of food. They are completely limited. One forum people made huge lists of things they cant eat. And they were even healthy things like onions! Lol.  I also have the price of the surgery to deal with which if i go to the same sergeon as my stepsister. It will be around 30k. Hello home equity! Maybe they will have a discount since my insurance doesnt cover weight loss surgery. Unless i wait another year and get different insurance that covers it.  But thats another year i lose of the same or worse more weight. Of which my baby boy grows another year older where i wasnt able to lift him easily or play and run around with him. Ill never get this time back. So sorry for the long reply but i guess i really dont have too much support atm. Thanks for listening. 

Tomorrow, I'll be 12 years post-op from my Duodenal Switch, and I'm still totally 'in love' with it! I've had zero complications, improved my quality of life tremendously, improved my health---it's been even better than I'd hoped it would be.

Food intolerances aren't really all that common with the DS, but everyone's different. I personally don't have any foods that bother me. although some combinations of foods are sometimes iffy. Overall, I eat better, and with more enjoyment, than I did pre-op.

If you haven't, join some of the DS-specific Facebook groups. There's a lot of good info out there, but I do suggest that you consider how long any poster has actually been living with the surgery. The perspective (and overall knowledge) of someone 6 months out is usually very different from that of someone 6 years out.