Revision is on Thursday

I had a lap band done 3 years ago...Lost 90 pounds....than lost my husband on his 43rd birthday....and ran away to Europe with my daughter who was 14 at the time...went to the Alps and sorry but the altitude killed it...I have been on soft foods since....and have gradually gained about 30 pounds back....I have opted to have the revision to gastric bypass and I have been so head strong about it...and now I am a bit nervous....

I have read that the risks are MUCH higher in surgery....I am so afraid that I will be leaving my daughter an orphan...I am doing this so that I can be healthier and live longer....But now I am nervous....so now what do I do...How bad is it really???

I am scared...I have no one to really turn to...

I think you're asking a question that ultimately only you can really answer.  The lapband 'seems' minimally invasive, but there are many failures and major complications. I don't know that you fully understand the surgery you are about to have and I find that alarming. You first need to really understand what the RNY is, and it would be a good idea to also research a DS or VSG (sleeve). All weight loss surgeries require a major lifelong commitment to nutrition and vitamin supplements. This is not something to take lightly, it's a lot of work. You also need to really know yourself and what your particular obesity issues are. Read the boards here, go to the new board  http://weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/ Read about all the procedures, people who have revised, people who have failed lapbands and revised (believe me, there are many) RNY  failures (many, including myself) Make sure you choose a vetted surgeon and hospital. WLS is a lifesaving surgery tool for obesity; any major surgery has risks. I can NOT emphasize enough that you need to research before proceeding.

Thank you for your reply...I have done plenty of research for many years...I have one of the top surgeons in the country doing my surgery....I am well aware f the diet et al......I was truly looking for more personal first hand knowledge....with the revision part of it,.,..Sometimes primary resources are much better sources of information

Hi, I'm still not quite sure of your point here, re: primary sources being better sources of information, assuming you mean people who have gone through the experience. The lack of responses here indicates I'm probably not the only one not quite following you. I am responding to your initial post, and honestly, I stand by what I say. If you have already done the research and have a vetted surgeon, than why are you asking a few days before your surgery that you've "read that the risks are MUCH higher in surgery....I am so afraid that I will be leaving my daughter an orphan...I am doing this so that I can be healthier and live longer....But now I am nervous....so now what do I do...How bad is it really??? "

Are you talking about basic pre-op jitters (normal) or, really wondering about the risks as in:   

What the surgery will actually be like?

The recovery?

The short-term risks of post-op infection? Bowel obstructon? Dehydration? Pulmonary emoblism? 

Long term risks? All of the above, iron deficiency/anemia, severe dumping syndrome? Severe BM issues, food intolerances?

I am saying this not to be rude, but because I know you are scared and I care, I worry about people heading into WLS without fully knowing what they are about to do. And people lurk, read, so I feel we all have an obligation to be as clear as we can be, not just respond to the people who post to our threads. Fears are fears, pre-surgery jitters are very normal.  Some surgeons have better bed side manners than others, and often can't fill in the information beyond the mechanical explanation; that's where these support sites/groups are so helpful. 

I didn't have a lapband, I had an RNY, because at the time the RNY and band were my only two options covered by insurance. I knew I wanted/needed maximum restriction, which would only happen with a malabsorptive procedure. I had a Lap RNY in 2002 - lap also considered less invasive, lower risk than open surgery. One week after my surgery I started throwing up non-stop, no matter what I ate or drank, was admitted into the hospital. Four weeks of nothing by mouth, a battery of tests and my surgeon said they needed to open me up to figure out what was wrong. They did - stitches holding down my intestine had popped, causing it to bunch up, kink. Two days after my surgery I developed a wound infection, all the staples had to come out and I had what can only be described as the grand canyon in my abdomen. I was home for 3 months after that while it healed, and after that developed an internal seroma and hernia. Had the hernia repaired a year from the second surgery, had some skin removal done with it (panni, arms). That was 2003. And then couldn't get under 200 lbs no matter what I did. It took me until now to explore a revision - in between I moved from Chicago to LA, started over, career and everything, in my 40s, so that consumed my attention. But as I lived a horrible yo-yo life once again, like I'd never had surgery, I finally looked into a revision and this time a DS, covered by my insurance now. 

I can tell you the thought of another open surgery was terrifying after what I had been through. I'm single, no dependents; I appreciate your anxiety being a mom. But I decided that the pain and suffering of obesity which had already consumed half my life was far worse, and I went ahead with the revision. Complication free this time and I'm prepared for whatever happens.

I am not sharing my experience to dissuade you from an RNY (it's not the surgery I would recommend, but I also know plenty of success stories, too) I'm not sure as I said if you have pre-op jitters or big questions. I hope this helps in some way.  

 

 

Hi, Patty

Im having a revision from RNY done my self this thursday. My advice to you is to stayed prayed up. Only you know whats best for you. If you have researched only thing to do now is to  let go and let God. Its natural to be scared. But, I have gotten good advice  from so many people here. Just get ready for the new YOU! You are in my prayers. Thursday is our day. :)

And I want to wish you well on your journey, a successful surgery and uneventful, smooth recovery!

Thank You, Girlrocker! :)

 Just wanted to drop by to say I'm still here, I deactivated my original account for privacy reasons due to the relatioship of this site with Facebook. 

Hi Patty,

Are you still on? If so, I'd like to know how you're doing & i'd like to offer my advice on the RnY GBS if you are still considering it.
1st - your concerns are perfectly valid. But know that the only one who can put your fears to rest is the Lord. You can educate yourself as much as possible, but only you can make that final decision. 
Im a single mom (my sons now 14) & I had my gbs done in 04. While i did it for me - I also made the decisionto have it b/c i wanted to be around for him. I was aware of but didnt concentrate on the risks. Of course - i had no comorbities either, so i had a much lower risk level than other patients & no reason to think - omg i could die from this procedure. Instead I focused on how I was going live!
In retrospect - my only regret is not having made the decision to get it done SOONER! But i guess it was the right time for me since technology had improved since the procedure was introduced.

Im not sure about having the gbs as a revision & by no means should you think that having this done is a final answer to your weight loss issues. Its not! SInce 04, Ive regained (as about 20% of GBS patients do) about 90lbs. so im almost back where I started. As such - Ive chosen to have the stomaphyx revision to reduce the size of my stretched stoma & help me get back on track. Am i scared? heck ya - but im pushing forward b/c i want to be that skinny girl again more than anything & this time - i'll let her stay.

So let me know where you are in your thought process & how youre doing.
I hope things are well :)

Best,
Candace