Post OP 5+ years and beyond.....A question from a newbie!

I have been doing alot of research over the last 4-5 months on WLS. I have had my initial consult with my surgeon and I have one subject I need to obtain more information on. Complications long after surgery. I have read the OSSG gone bad board, complications, and WLS regret boards. Does anyone have an idea as to how many people are exposed to the various complications long after surgery? such as anemia, dumping, chronic pain, malnutrition, etc? I have a class on Tuesday night....but would really like to hear from all of you. I appreciate it. God Bless. Jen

Hi Jen, I can't tell you anything about my experience, I'm still in the beginning phases. After seeing my daughter I have decided to have WLS done. This past May it was 4 years for her. One of the main problems she had was hair loss because she couldn't find a vitamin small enough to take and the liquid made you gag (just the smell was awfull), she also is lactose intolerant. But she has found something for the hair loss (Nioxin) and just puts up with the lactose problem. Let me step back for a moment. My daughter had her wls at an army base. She had an open RNY. Her surgeon was transferred out 1 week after her surgery and there was no one to replace him. 3 weeks after her surgery she and her husband split up and she was forced to move out. So, she really has not had proper medical support through all of this, but she has done extremely well. I do find every now and then she loses her appetite and loses weight. She was a light-weight (245 day of surgery) and has lost l38 lbs. so far. Sometimes she loses weight and has no idea why. But the good far outweighs the bad she says. Now if only she could win the lottery, she says "total body lift here I come". Hope this helps a little. Good luck with your surgery. Peg

I am three years out and have lost 280lbs from my highest weight of 480lbs. I have other medical issues, so I have blood tests every six weeks and that has meant that I have early warning when I am getting anemic or if my calcium isn't right. I have had stomach problems. I have severe cramping from time to time that has no known cause. I have been scoped and had MRI and CAT scan to figure out what the cramping is all about. it is not from eating certain foods, it seems to happen out of the blue.... I still stick to a low calorie, higher protein, less carb diet because I feel best when I do. Too many carbs and I still dump. All around, I am still happy with my choice, but I don't believe that I really realized how hard it would be. Gastric By-pass is not the easy way out, no matter what anyone says. It is a harder diet than I have ever been on, because you can't just cheat without paying an awful price. Good Luck, Kelly