16 years of success is killing me slowly

After a wreck took all my teeth slowly, I've spent a year wasting away due to RouxEnY. It's a complication I never imagined so I'm sharing it with others while researching my health problems.

I'm only 50 but I already have osteoporosis. Anemia was diagnosed years ago. I'm suffering other as yet unnamed conditions that leave me with many health problems. I have the body and lifelessness of a 70 year old every day now.

Malnutrition is a fact of life, one I must now get much better acquainted with so I can treat many system failures. Research 16 years out is a lousy fact of life with EVERY gastric surgery, but I'm so glad for online support forums. FORUMS EDUCATED ME, YEARS AFTER SURGERY, MORE THAN ANY DOCTOR IN ANY FIELD!

Sorry you suffered health problems. If I can ask, how about Vitamins have you taken them religiously since before surgery? So important to void off malnutrition and getting sick. You say your wasting away, can you eat?

You wrote you lost your teeth after a wreck? I don't understand that first sentence?

I am 10 years out and I have been very healthy (Knock on Wood). I take my vitamins religiously and keep protein first, drink my water. I would do the surgery again, it changed my life for the better. No medications 10 years later. Still down 100 pounds as of today. I just don't want those who need the surgery to be turned off because of one story.

Thanks for sharing your story.

With your words, "forums educated me," please let us know what you learned you did not know before? Thank you in advance and Well Wishes to better health as you learn even more.

Sorry to hear about your struggles. Sounds like your program wasn't very good because mine has a large number of 10+ year alumni (I'll see some tonight at support group). They are in very good health, with none of these issues. Did your program require/recommend the life-long supplements and were you compliant? I think your message may be that we should make sure our programs have good supplement recommendations and support that last the rest of our lives. I wish you well and hope you can recover from your conditions.

I am dorry for your problems, but it is not true that EVERY person who has weight loss surgery has these problems.

Thete are many ppl tight on this site who do not have any of the problems you mentioned.

I'm sorry for all your troubles. But it's good that, 16 years after surgery, you joined OH to get some information.

You aren't clear about the source of your malnourishment. If you mean too few calories, that happens about as often as a loved one winning Powerball.

If you mean vitamin and calcium deficiencies, that happens when people don't keep up with their lab work and aren't compliant with their supplements. It really isn't difficult to avoid those kinds of malnourishment.

I hope you have had a full set of labs recently, and a DEXA bone density scan. A full set of labs will be about 15 vials of blood. Anything less, and they are skipping a lot of tests.

Anemia is more problematic. Many with WLS just don't absorb oral iron well, and need an iron infusion to keep their levels up.

I I hope you get this sorted out and get back to good health.

Thank you for sharing your story. I am sorry you are having so many problems. I think it is important for people to hear the bad, but they should also know that it may not happen to them.

I am about to turn 52 and am 10 years out from RNY. I do not have any of the issues you described. I keep up with my supplements and have yearly bloodwork and dexascans to check my bones (still in great shape). I am in better health now than I was in my 20's (and much more active).

I hope you find something that helps you to improve your health.

I'm so sorry! I hope your doctors are helping you!

Can you share more information? I'm pre surgery and anemia and osteoporosis are my biggest fears. My bariatric practice is downplaying those fears and said they do frequent blood work and would prescribe vitamins. But... Now I'm feeling a lot less reassured.

Keep up with thorough yearly bloodwork, and DEXA scans every other year. Start off with the ASMBS recommended daily vitamins and calcium, then adjust as needed. You'll do just great.

The folks that get in trouble are those that don't take supplements, and don't have labwork. And there's a good chance the OP is a troll. No one joins OH 16 years after surgery and makes just one post.

Thank you... My surgery practice hasn't mentioned anything about Dexa scans but I will ask.