Weight Loss Risks

that may have been true 30 or 40 years ago, but it's just not anymore. Techniques have come a LONG way since then; it's really become a routine surgery. It's supposed to be one of the safest surgeries out there, about the same as having your gall bladder removed. It's safer than even hip replacement surgeries, which as you know, are done every day. I wouldn't worry about it *at all*. People that say that are going by some very old information.

Its just not true. Someone gave you accurate statistics above.

WLS is about as risky as gallbladder surgery. Not a big deal. And keep in mind that the majority of weight loss surgeries are done on people who are in terrible physical shape, with multiple comorbidities.

Living as a morbidly obese person carries far higher risks, with a lower quality of life, than having surgery.

You need better friends.

Or smarter ones

I think as ppl said that they are just not informed with updated info , they said they would support me in whatever I choose so we will see.

kitten,

I has a WLS that is no longer done. it was the only thing i could get approved thru insurance at the time. I came to the conclusion to have surgery because every diet i had tried and maintained had failed. My weight was going up at rate of 20# a year... with metabolic slowing after each one. I had medical issues. I had an opens surgery. Early surgery that i had was compared to open heart surgery of the same era. Thanks to many new tools and procedures.. such as the lapriscope what was a major invasive surgery can now be completed without long incisions or long hospital stays. All of these changes have changed the mortality rate on EVERY surgery. The facts your "friends found" may have been true when it was printed for that time. The unfortunate part of the internet is that updates to such things are never done and names , addresses, articles often remain un edited and unchanged by the author.

many years post op...I have very little symptoms of those disease processes now and am on NO routine medications. I do use some herbal/naturals for a couple of problems including severe anemia and low blood sugars. I am very close to my origonal goal.... so my tool still works.

You will need to evaluate if what you are doing is working for you. For those that can loose and maintain with surgery , an individual program can work. This will be YOUR judgment call.

Consider if what you are doing is working...and can you maintain that loss. Weight loss is easier , the younger we are, it becomes more difficult as we age. and our activity /ability slows. ( This can be result of lifestyle changes or injury, so not always under our control.)

Maybe some already said this but open heart surgery is a cut a big open incision surgery. Bariatric surgery is laproscopic surgery. Big difference in chances of infection, healiing rate, post-op recovery time, complications, etc.

Morbidly obese people usually have some chronic health issues at the time of bariatric surgery, but almost all Open Heart Surgery patients have heart disease usually for many years.

Big difference.

I'd focus on all the success stories and the return to better health after bariatric surgery.

Penny

Here's how I looked at it:

Yes, surgery is dangerous. Doesn't matter if it's WLS or a boob job, you're being knocked unconscious and cut open, and there's going to be risk there.

But you know what's even MORE dangerous? Being morbidly obese. In my opinion, doing one sort of risky thing (having surgery) in order to reduce a huge, life-long risk is absolutely worth it.

Factually untrue and a ****ty thing to throw at a person who is looking into getting WLS.

When my surgeon was giving me the rundown on RNY risks, I asked him how it compared in risk to other abdominal surgeries. He said the risk is the same.