Buyer Beware! A message to prospective RNY candidates

The term Buyer Beware usually applies to the purchase of an item. You need to research your purchase and understand what you possible may get once the purchase is made.

This term also applies to Gastric bypass surgery(RNY). You need to do your research and understand what will and can possibly happen once you have  decided to go down the road of RNY surgery.

Prior to my pre op surgery classes I spent a lot of time researching how the surgery is done what can be the possible side effects not only of the surgery but of the new lifestyle that comes with it . If you do your research and are understanding of what the possible outcomes can be both short and long term and you accept the possible consequences  than you are one step mentally closer to making the decision for a new life style.

Did you know  that

 Last year, American doctors performed 205,000 bariatric surgeries, marking an 800 percent increase from a decade ago.

82 percent of patients are women, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in Rockville, Maryland. 

University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City found that obese patients who had bypass surgery had a 40 percent reduced risk of dying in the seven years after the procedure, compared with obese people who didn’t have the surgery.

4 in 10 patients developed complications within the first six months.

Up to 40 percent of gastric-bypass patients can suffer nutritional deficiency, potentially resulting in anemia and osteoporosis.

patients are screened to make sure they’re psychologically up to the task — a test that, according to a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, one-fifth of would-be patients fail.

gastric-bypass patients typically shed around 70 percent of excess weight — patients gradually regain 20 to 25 percent of what they lose. For people with extreme obesity, defined as having a body-mass index of 40 or greater, gastric bypass often merely shifts them into the obese category. Obese patients can drop to overweight status (a BMI of 25 to 29.9).

Eighty-five percent of people who have gastric bypass experience “dumping syndrome,”

The greatest period of weight loss is the 12 to 18 months after bariatric surgery

Post-op,  people grieve for the loss of food, Food is their comfort. And if you don’t figure out how to find comfort in other ways, you’re going to go with what you know. These are some serious eaters.

Research , Research and more Research must be done .Understanding of what you researched is required . When you go to your clinic pre op meetings  don't be shy and ask as many "Stupid " questions as you can (I put quotes around the word stupid because I don't think there are any stupid questions  you can ask )

Keep doing research throughout the whole process.  you learn more each time and then you can ask more each meeting

I did my research  I had my surgery a year ago and yes I have had complications that have lasted from week three of my recovery and has lead to gallbladder removal last week. I still do not know if my complications are cured  Once I recover from my surgery  I will know

My advice

Keep a positive attitude,  follow the plan and trust the doctors to get things fixed.

Do your Research

Best of luck for those who had and are thinking of having RNY Surgery

Troy

Troy, could you please cite your source(s) for this information? Several of your stats are questionable (i.e. 85% do not experience dumping syndrome, the number is closer to 30% as per current research stats).

Thank you.

Interesting read, thanks for posting. I wonder though as well about the stats you found. They don't really match those to my research. But then again, it depends where your info is from right? Like 85% are dumpers? With the 30 plus RNY friends I know I would say the real number is well below 10%.

I totally agree, research prior to your surgery is imperative to ensuring your making the right decision. Many don't and try to rush through the programs in place. This IS life altering, in many ways. Not a quick fix, a lifelong commitment to changes not only physically but as I am finding the farther post op I am, its more mentally difficult.

Annette 

Interesting read, thanks for posting. I wonder though as well about the stats you found. They don't really match those to my research. But then again, it depends where your info is from right? Like 85% are dumpers? With the 30 plus RNY friends I know I would say the real number is well below 10%.

I totally agree, research prior to your surgery is imperative to ensuring your making the right decision. Many don't and try to rush through the programs in place. This IS life altering, in many ways. Not a quick fix, a lifelong commitment to changes not only physically but as I am finding the farther post op I am, its more mentally difficult.

Annette 

  sorry for the double post 

HI   A lot of the material I quoted from was from studies in the states. The dates of the article date between 2011 and 2013 . I guess it depends on who and where the studies where done  >the Utah school of medicine as I listed was the majority source quoted.

It has been very difficult to find any stats coming out of Ontario or even Canada . I do not recall reading much if any, from our province or Country. It seems as if the stats we can get out of Canadian resources are quoted from studies done in the states. I do not know if the Americans have been doing this type of surgery longer than up here.

I agree with the comments in regards to the dumping syndrome. However  I have found by my own personal experience that  clinic specialists seem to have different perspectives on what is considered dumping syndrome. I have spoken to 3 different registrar dietitians in the Ottawa clinic as well as a Nurse practitioner  and all four of them  have different view on what they consider to be dumping.  I also don't agree with the 82% of RNY patients are women  to me that might be an older stat  but again it depends on who,where and when the information is taken  

You're right with respect to lack of Canadian data. I'm including a link for you below to the Ontario Obesity Bariatric Network. As far as dumping goes - no clue why "professionals" at your centre would disagree on what dumping syndrome is - it's well known and well documented. I've included a link to the Mayo Clinic's definition.

Not sure if you're aware of the ASMBS - American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. They have the most current information and research, backed by science (we need the science!).

Anyway, links to tons of important information below:

Dumping Syndrome - Mayo Clinic

Ontario Bariatric Network

ASMBS - main page

ASMBS - Nutritional Guidelines 2008

ASMBS - Updated Guidelines/Recommendations - 2013

Happy researching!

Karen :)

I kept trying the first link and it just kept prompting me to reply to this thread. Hovering over the link though says it will direct me there but does not, I'm guessing the website is being funky for me today. I googled it on my own, though, and found this.

 

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dumping-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20028034

 

Thanks so much for so much useful information Karen, I follow the forums diligently and see you responding to people often. It's nice to see a community at work.

Thanks for letting me know - I have (hopefully, OH is having some issues today!) fixed it.

K. :)

You make an excellent point thou, know what your getting into
Don't assume the Dr is making the best choice for you
You need to make or fight for the best choice for you.