Anyone have anything negative to share about surgery ??????
Ok... so please dont take this wrong. I am exploring ALL avenues. I took my husband and my aunt ( who is like my mother) to a pre-op meeting and support group meeting tonite. For those of you that dont know, I have NOT had the surgery yet. I am scheduled May 18th. My aunt has brought some very negative and scary comments to the table, for which I am very unsure about. I thought I was ready , but thats created some more fear and concern. She says she will support me on whatever I decide, but she cant sit by quietly without expressing her concerns, in the event that something WOULD happen to me. I know most of you all are really happy you did this, but are there negatives ? Is there some written code that no one says anything bad about it ?
Do any of you wish you hadnt had it ? Thanks for answering all my questions !
Lisa I'm sure you heard the doctor... he said, and I quote my surgeon, "One complicaton is death." I hate to rain on anyone's parade. But you have to know that it is a possibility. But, and not demeaning that statement, but it is a possibility if you get any type of surgery. It is a risk.
There is also risk of a stricture... where the openings aren't large enough, food can't get down, you become malnutritioned, have to get dilated.
And, there's risk of a blood clot. This can lead to death.
These were the biggies on my list of things to contemplate. No one can tell you "Oh, don't worry, you will be fine." No one can tell you to have or not have the surgery. Will there be people who, out of fear, try to scare you? Yes, they are concerned for your health. When I told a co-worker, she said, "I knew someone who died from that!"
You will have to do the investigation on the doctors, facilities, procedures, etc. and do a lot of soul searching to see if they are right, or which one is right for you.
Good luck and I hope you are able to find your way. Ask the Lord to help you, to guide you in the decision to make. He will. He is always faithful when we ask.
Melinda... yes, I know these are the major complications. I have done so much research about this. I have had some medical problems in the past, mostly because I starved myself for a period of time to lose weight and it ruined my body. With regard to malnutrition and losing the hair ( which is already thinned from starvation and thyroid disease) we both know death is possible as well. I just felt more prepared to go into it, until tonite. Honestly, I am so pissed that I HAVE to make this decision. I asked that the surgery appeal be put on hold because I have been losing weight on my own, 42 lbs now since November. The office went on and filed the papers, why I am not sure. But of course after 3 failed attempts, I was approved and didnt know it ! Course now I am second guessing myself, can I continue to lose weight on my own, if I do can I keep it off ? If I dont go through with surgery, is this my only chance, now or never ? I hate feeling backed into a corner...... I hope someone out there understands all this. It's late.
Melinda already told you the biggest risks from having this surgery. Stricture, blood clots, death, malnutrition...for me, the risks of NOT having the surgery were just as bad. I had diabetes that was not being controlled by oral medications, high cholesterol, joint pain, chest pain, shortness of breath with very little exertion, I had not been tested for sleep apnea but I snored very badly and my depression was worsening in spite of medication. Basically, I was killing myself with food and I was powerless to stop.
Do I wish I hadn't had it? I wish I'd had it sooner!
My primary care doctor has a niece who had severe complications following GBS several years ago. She almost died. He told me that, even with the complications she had, she says she would have the surgery again without hesitation. She has her health and her life back!
I have talked with over one hundred people who have had this surgery with no complications. I have not met one person who had a life threatening complication from the surgery. I have met a couple who had a stricture but that is easily remedied and is not life threatening. Even then, it has literally been 2 people who have had strictures out of all of the people I have met. If you factor in all of the people I have only met online, the percentage with even a minor complication is less than 1%.
I hope you have already prayed concerning your decision to have surgery. I know that I feel that God directed me in my decision. Not only whether or not to have the surgery, but also about what surgeon to have do it. I have had complete peace concerning my decision and I would hope that you could also feel at peace with whatever decision you make.
Susan
Hi Lisa, I have Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. I was diagnosed with it just 2 months prior to Dr. Colquitt agreeing to do my surgery. I have had no complications from my surgery, just from the chemo pills I had to take. They kept eating up my potassium. I have had my throat dialated twice at my 11 months out, but I have to have that done at least 3-4 times a year. No biggy. As long as you listen to your surgeon and do what he says, you will lose the weight. You may have complications, your surgeon needs to be made aware of any problems so he can fix it before it gets really bad.
Also when in doubt about what you can or cannot eat, ask the nutritionist. They are there to help you.
May God travel with you on this journey. Kathy
Hello Lisa..This was a great decision for me and yes...I did have a complication..sort of...it's more from losing so much weught...having been a big girl and now not...I got an internal hernia(where my intestines went through a "natural hole" inside my abdomen. But as I understand it my "natural hole was bigger because it had been filled with fat...so my intestines twisted up around themselves...it was painful but my surgeon had my problem diagnosed over the phone and met me at the ER I had a CT scan and was in surgery before I could barely call my husband...IT was a breeze but my surgeon said he's only seen this 3 times and one lady was in denial and almost waited to long her colon was blue and dieing in places......Now that is the worst story I've heard.
I think you do better if you are nervous and take this seriously and want to be as healthy as possible before the surgery. My blood work has always come back fine and I follow the rules 98% of the time (I had a small peice of splenda strawberry patch cake on my birthday..it is the second time white flour has passed my lips since surgery...and I really didn't like it as much as I remebered by the wat I'm 20 months out and at goal)...It is good to ask questions and good to know what to watch out for.....
I did not eat a "last meal" to celebrate. I still don't like that term. I ate low carb cause carbs make me swell and I didn't want to be swollen before surgery///I started working out as much as I could before surgery. Be proactive.ask questions...pick a great surgeon.
Welcome!
Beth B. in Chattanooga
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