New long-term study on people 10-13 years post RNY

Here is the latest LONG-TERM study - looking at patients 10 to 13 years post WLS. I have posted the links for the abstract and the full article.  I pasted just the results below - only half of the original patients could be contacted after 10 years, so the study is not perfect - but it gives an interesting perspective.  I am still sifting though it.  

// Long-term outcomes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: 10- to 13-year data - Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.requiresJS{display:none}.dartAd{display:block !important} //

Results

RYGB was performed in 328 patients with a mean preoperative body mass index of 47.5 kg/m². Of 294 eligible patients, 134 (46%) were contacted for follow-up at?10 years (10+Year follow-up). Mean percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) was 58.9% at 10+Year. Higher %EWL was achieved by non-super-obese versus super-obese (61.3% versus 52.9%, P = .034). Blood pressure, lipid panel, and hemoglobin A_1c improved significantly. At 10 years, remission of co-morbidities was 46% for hypertension and hyperlipidemia and 58% for diabetes mellitus. Thirty patients (9%) had revisional surgery for weight regain. Sixty-four patients (19.5%) had long-term complications requiring surgery. All-cause mortality was 2.7%. Nutritional deficiencies were seen in 87% of patients.

WOW - Nutritional deficiencies were seen in 87% of these patients.  Better keep on taking those vits.

Yes - almost 9 out of every 10 patients had labs that had something out of wack!!!  And these were patients that could still be reached after 10 years, so arguably, these are the patients who were most compliant.

The authors are from Depts of Surgery at NYU and Univ of Pennsylvania.

Summary:  http://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(15)00109-4/abstract

Full Article:  http://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(15)00109-4/pdf

Thanks for this, Sharon.

 I'm 12 years out this July and one of the things I'm most proud of is that I have no nutritional deficiencies.  I got a new Kaiser doc this year and he told me he was shocked at how healthy I am.  Getting labs and taking those vitamins really does work!!!!!

I am also maintaining an 82% EWL, so not bad in comparison with my cohorts.  Of course, I would love to say 100% EWL, but I'll take what I've got.

I'm so glad you responded and that you are doing so well.  

Long story here - but I was shocked at that person (since deleted, but I responded anyway) who blithely posted that she does not believe in vitamins or doing blood work at 13 years post WLS.  It didn't sound right - so I checked my research and found this new article.  I was surprised to see the high percent off people who had prob labs.  But I was happy to see the average person kept off about 60% of their excess BW after 10 years - alot of life happens in 10 years.  You're doing great - thanks for being a role model.    

I tried to be nice, but I don't like to see people advocating craziness ...

We need to stay on top of this stuff, because it's so hard to dig ourselves out of a deficiency hole and this is our life we're playing with.

Get your labs and take your vitamins, people!

I haven't had a chance to see read the study yet, but it could be very interesting. Is it a nutritional deficiency if your D is low, and everything else is fine? Does that count the same as someone who has a whole bunch of things dangerously low? Do those who have a recurrence of BP, high cholesterol and diabetes correlate with higher percentages of regain?

Lots of questions.

I see the vitamin patch becoming much more prevalent in the future, or another solution arising. Oral vitamins do not appear to be a great treatment.

Only 2 years 11 months out ( to the day, actually...wow! ), but have been taking my vitamins and supplements religiously. I've had to make adjustments according to lab work, but have never slacked off. This makes me glad I've gotten a good routine going, and is a good reminder to stay with it.