WLS Risks??

Ok - I told you guys that I am obsessed with the risks of the surgery - Bare with me for one more question. Are the risks with Gastric Bypass Surgery higher than with any other abdominal (or other) surgery - say gallbladder, or c-sections, or even knee replacement surgeries? Or are they the same. It just seems like every time I mention to anyone that I am having Gastric Bypass Surgery their immediate comments are "OH! Be careful that is risky surgery"! Well - If I don't have the GB - then I will most certainly will have to have both of my knees replaced (they are both shot) my hip replaced (I have moderate bone loss from a degenerative bone disorder from birth) - and I've had gallstones for years and will have to have it removed. Not to mention any cardiac problems that I may have in the future, as heart disease runs rampid in my family. So - is this surgery MORE risky than any other surgery - or just more talked about because it is weight loss surgery and not gallbladder surgery?

If you want statistics you will probably need to ask your doctor for them. Comparing knee surgery to RNY is like comparing apples to oranges. ALL surgery has risks and some of the risks are the same for all surgeries. KNEE surgery is very difficult because of the complex nature of the knee joint. Your ball bladder can be taken out while you have RNY. But, WLS has risks like obstructions etc., that other surgeries do not have. You need to find out what YOUR DOCTOR's complication rate is. Some doctor's are more experienced than others. What you need to weigh, and NO ONE can do this for you, is weigh the risks of WLS againsts the possibles illnesses, surgeries, early death you might have without it. Do not listen to friends who know nothing. Look things up on the internet, talk to your surgeon, and follow your head and heart. Also, you need to consider is you are making yourself mentally ill, obsessing and ruminating over all this. Is your MENTAl health worth this? I am not trying to discourage you rom surgery, just point out the many concerns you have that only YOU can resolve. I am sure you can find a ranking of surgeries and their relative dangers and risks somewhere on the internet. Good luck in your search, Lois

Donna, Read all you can on the profiles here. See all the comobidities and see for yourself how everyone is pleased with what has changed in their lives. There is a risk in everything but so is being obese as Lois pointed out. Information is out there, just read everything you can get your hands on. I feel as though I saved my life by having this surgery and I have so enjoyed my life so much more since the surgery but this is a decision only you can make. Risks? Sure there are some but most never even have any....You are a walking risk right now. Sit and read a few profiles every night and study...you will see that most are happy with the procedure but it is not easy at all. We have to work at it. Huggles, Betsy

Personal opinion here, I'm too lazy to "google" any resources or concrete facts. Is GASTRIC BYPASS Surgery any more dangerous then any other type of ABDOMINAL surgery? Nope! In comparison to the other surgeries (Gall Bladder, Knee) ...I would have to answer NO! The biggest risk (initially) with this surgery is blood clots - that risk comes with ANY surgery. There is also the risk of leaks, which is obviously, limited to the GBS - vs - say, knee surgery? I suspect a LOT of the risks (that may or may not be glorified by those in the know, but most likely those that have NO freakn clue - never had the surgery, etc) ...but the long term risks you tend to hear about have NOTHING to do with being in the OR, or up on the table getting sliced and diced. Its normally from the long term AFTER CARE and as unpopular as this is gonna be ....a LOT of those challenges, issues, statistics, etc, can be AVOIDED if you take control of your long term after care. Ive lost track of the people who one, two, three years post op just stopped doing EVERYTHING they KNEW they'd have to do for LIFE. Got bored with it, got to a healthy goal, lost the weight and just dind't see the value in continuing with their vitamins, supplmnts, etc - unfortunately, the BODY gets the final word and more times then not, theirs begin to fall apart on them. I'm 4 years post op - I'm very strict with my vitamins and nutrients, because I'm WORTH it! lol, just that simple. Make yourself a priority in life and with your long term health and you should be fine. Good luck to you - it's a tough decision to make. Lei

Dona Talk to your doc and find out if you have a lot of underlying issues to start with then you may be in a higher risk bracket. BUT this is not always true or so I found out waking up 5 weeks later Steph whydoyouwannaknow and my self are in Fredericksburg as well maybe we could help ya out with knowing the complications and I will share my saga with you. Will