Question for my father

This is a question for my dad. He is 55, has heart disease and a-fib (he had two cardioversions and they were unsuccessful, with cardiac ablation it was more successful but it still comes back if he is very stressed out. I guess his meds are controlling things at the moment right now). He is an ex-smoker (going on 3 months free) but he weight, is still very dangerous. He also has suspected sleep apnea but hasn't had a sleep study yet. He asked his PCP about weightloss surgery because since mine he has been contemplating it (and with all his co-morbidities, and being obese his entire life, it is really getting bad). He does not have diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. He said his PCP said because of his a-fib and heart disease that surgery would not be an option. I was very, very discouraged for him and wanted to know if anyone else has one or both of these issues and still been given the green light for surgery? I told him to meet with my surgeon or at the very least ask his cardiologist but he is hedging because he thinks he's automatically disqualified for his two major issues...

My husband does not have heart disease, but does have afib and he had the surgery. He had to have two stress tests done and once the cardiologist cleared him, he had the surgery about 10 days later. He'd been on the liquid diet a long time already so we basically took the next open appt. :)

I think he should talk with his cardiologist and a bariatric surgeon.  PCP's aren't always familiar with WLS and his PCP may be correct, but he may also be wrong.

Thank you both, I told him that his PCP likely has no idea whether or not he's a candidate and that he should talk to his cardiologist. He is on multiple blood thinners and a slue of other medications for the heart disease and a-fib. His PCP's reasoning was that surgery and anesthesia is too dangerous with those diseases. I can't say I completely buy into that which is why I am pushing him to look into it further...He is sinking into depression lately too as his mobility is getting less and less and his stamina is so shot. He has been through weight loss attempts his entire life to no avail, so I truly feel it's his last chance and worry for his life. He had his heart attack around 47 and was one of the things that prompted me to start researching RNY for myself as I knew I was headed down the same path...I am just googling right now and can't seem to find anything about diseases that may exclude you from gastric bypass.

See, it may well depend on the severity of his condition and how well it is or is not controlled by medication.  It is possible that surgery would be too dangerous for him, but I'm guessing a surgeon would determine that based on a number of test results, not just the fact that he's been diagnosed with heart disease.

I am 61, and I have afib (cardioverted in the past - now doc treats with meds and blood thinner), sleep apnea, high bp, type II diabetes.  I got clearance from my cardiologist for RNY - which I had on July 1, 2013 with no complications.  No diabetes medication since surgery, with fasting glucose almost always right around 90.  Cholesterol medication cut in half (total cholesterol now 93). BP lower and bp meds reduced.  Afib not a problem during surgery or recovery - although we had some exciting moments in the hospital when the heart monitor erroneously reported my heart rate at 200!  My cardiologist felt (and I agreed) that my morbid obesity was far more of a risk than surgery would be.  Since surgery, I am losing weight, getting more energy (albeit not as fast as I would like), and am gradually being able to do more exercise.  I have no regrets whatsoever.  Obviously, I don't know your dad's medical condition, but based on my experience, I don't think that he is automatically excluded.  BTW, my high weight was 478; I weighed 444 on the day of surgery; and I was last weighed two weeks ago, coming in at 412.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, I really appreciate it and will share it with him as well. He weighs about 285 right now, is 5'6 (so it's a lot on him) and been sitting at that weight for over 25 years now. I e-mailed him several links that I found and told him I couldn't find anything that said a person with Heart disease or a-fib was automatically excluded from this surgery, I really hope he will take the next step and at least speak to his cardiologist about it.

Hope everything works out for your Dad:)

I am a 72 year old male with cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.   Was just cleared for surgery.  I think he should ask for a referral to a cardiologist and see what he/she has to say.

I think it's a risk vs benefit situation. Does the benefit of bariatric surgery outweigh the risk of having surgery with heart disease? Or, does the risk of having bariatric surgery with heart disease outweigh the benefit of bariatric surgery? Most cardiac patients need cleared by their cardiologist before the bariatric surgeon gives them the OK. good luck!