Question:
Adverse outcomes. So many success stories - where are the failures??
Not trying to be pessimistic here - I am totally committed to having WLS - but I am a little curious about something. This site is chock-full of "happily ever after" stories, but WLS can't ALWAYS be perfect! Do the failures just not post? Or are negative comments deleted? — Kim H. (posted on July 21, 1999)
July 21, 1999
Kim, Yes certainly there are failures. This surgery is only a tool to help
you get where you want to be. In order for the tool to work it must be used
correctly. I'm sure there arre failures, just as sure as I am that most
people succeed with WLS.
Lynda
— lynda206
July 21, 1999
Most WLS failures fail because of lack of support. If you are on here, you
are getting support, so you here struggles but mostly good stuff. I am
starting a live support group for my area because I want more support to
help ensure that I will be a success.
— Donna D.
July 22, 1999
Is it OK if it ENDS well? I had my surgery 10/94. I was nauseated for 6
miserable months. I rememeber thinking at 7 weeks, " I was nauseated
all the time before, but at least I'm thinner & nauseated."
Complaints to my doc's PA went with you're eating too fast, not chewing
well enough, drinking too soon, not drinking enough--in short, it's all
your fault. And with our history we docs, we just ACCEPT it. 6 months, 15
minutes after every drink or meal. Sigh. Then, I fell into an appt with
the asst surgeon. Purely scheduling conflict. He diagnosed the problem
instantly, but checked it to be sure with an endoscopy (a painless
procedure, over in 1/2 hr) and voila, there was my marginal ulcer ( now we
know about 50% of us get 'em) and it was better in 3 days! The PA is not
longer there. I had 3 during that first year. My husband (10/95)had one
of the rare leaks. He leaked where the intestine attaches to the pouch.
This is a killer. He had surgery on Tues, felt great, went home on Thurs,
had severe pain, fever, etc on Sat & was re-opened on Sunday morning.
And the worse threat? They might have to reverse him! 4 or 5 weeks later,
he, too, was miserable after eating or drinking. We simply can't have this!
He had me, so he got scoped and barely rememebers his brush with the
marginal ulcer. And so at least one of us coudl try almost everything, he
also had the serunoma. His wound opened up and leaked yellow-pink stuff.
Ewwwww! Gross! About 10 days post-op (start counting from 2nd surgery). He
woke up in the morning with a soaked t-shirt. What a mess! No pain, no
infection. He has chronic diarrhea. He had it before surgery. He'd rather
have it at 175 lbs than at 285. He fits in all public restrooms now. The
good part: we both are maintaining our weight. We both still get sick as
dogs from both milk & sugar, SO we are maintaining our weight. We both
still take all our protein and vitamins. We're both glad we did it.
— vitalady
July 22, 1999
Kim,
I'm pre-op with a million thoughts running through my mind in regards to
WLS. One of main reasons I'm doing this surgery is because of failure. It
seems that everyone on this site has something in common - numerous
attempts to lose weight permenentally have been unsuccessful.. they have
been failures. In my own case, they are my personal failures; however,
there are medical failures. I just read a gut-wrenching story posted on
the new section entitled "the unexpected" written by Gina Finley,
who is Sherie Sloan's angel. We all know what chances we take having any
type of surgery, nowadays. The emotions I felt reading this story, really
tugged at my heart; but, I know that I will still have my surgery. We
pre-op's are so lucky to have all the post-op's posting here and sharing
their experience's both good & bad - I know that's it's answered a lot
of my questions and thoughts. See ya on the other side soon....
— Peri B.
July 22, 1999
Hi, I just finished reading about Sheri and I can't stop crying. I'm
scheduled for open RNY July 29th, and it's hard seeing all of my worst
fears in writing, actually happening to someone. I look at my beautiful
daughter and cry, I want her to grow up with her Mom. Then I remember,
that's WHY I'm having this operation. We all have to put ourselves into
God's Hands. I trust Him, and I trust my surgeon Dr. Greenbaum. I thank
you all for your support, we need to be here for each other, whatever
comes. I feel like I'm living each day right now as if it were to be my
last, and I'm looking forward to my 'new life' which will begin next week.
Good luck to you all, and God bless us, every one! Jaye Carl
— Jaye C.
July 22, 1999
Kim,
I also read about Sheri today, and my heart goes out to her family. I am
scheduled for surgery on August 16th, and I am still excited (and yes a
little anxious) to do it. You take a chance every day that you get out of
bed and go forward with your life. Mine as an obese person like many
others have not been having much fun, I would rather take the chance to be
"thin" than to continue taking the chance of a heart attack,
diabetes, or any of the other bad things that can happen to me as an obese
person. There are alot of great people who are on this page and the
support and positive thinking they share are more than enough to keep me
moving in the diretion I feel I need to go. I will be leaving "just
in case" notes for the people that I love but you can only go forward
you can't ever go back.
— Carrie G.
July 22, 1999
Can someone tell me about Sheri? I haven't heard this news.
Diane
— Diane N.
July 22, 1999
:) I would wager to say there is no censorship in this forum. However the
failures are far less in number than the successes. There are a number of
posts that I've recieved that deal with failures, complications, and
regaining of weight. I try to focus on the positive and doing what I can
not to become a negative statistic. I didn't have the surgery to regain
all my weight ... I had it to lose the weight. The people who are truly
committed to themselves and their programs like you, will be the success
stories :) Sad things, worries and concerns are posted and addressed ....
read on :)
— Sherrie G.
July 22, 1999
Ten days before my surgery, I learned that a frequent visitor to another
WLS site died after his surgery. Boy was I scared to go ahead with mine.
I kept thinking "only two in a thousand," and forced myself to
lay on the gurney, even after finding out at the last minute that I was
going to have my surgery OPEN instead of laparoscopic. I believe that
actually, more negative people are posting than people happy with their
surgeries are posting. Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying I hear a lot
of complaints, but I believe that if a person is unhappy with their
surgery, they are more likely to look for an avenue to VENT. On the other
hand, if a person is 6 years postop and has no problems with their stomach
and weight control, would they even know that a support group for this type
of surgery exists on the internet or bother to post to it just to say they
are doing fine? I think that most of the people contributing to these
sites are "recent inductees" of one or two years duration, who
"found out" about the sites while they were researching the
appropriate surgery for themselves and then hung around afterward and
talked about their experiences. I know this site does not censor; although
I do know of another site that does, but their censoring is in the form of
not allowing doctor's names and locations of surgery to be posted with a
complaint. I believe complaints should be posted and bad doctors should be
exposed (if they did something wrong).
— Deborah L.
August 10, 1999
please try to go into this with positive thoughts...if you go into this
looking for failures that is just the wrong attitude...i have been very
successful with my surgery...i have lost 151# in 14 months...i could not be
happier...as long as you use you tool this will work...
good luck,
michelle [email protected]
— michelle N.
August 10, 1999
I had VBG nearly 2 years ago. I began losing weight immediately because I
was only allowed to have liquids and then soft solids for 6 weeks. I
quickly lost 50 pounds and have gained back only about 10 lbs. I needed to
lose about 120 lbs however. The the very day I saw my doctor and was told
I could eat solid foods (I had difficulty for months though), the weight
loss stopped ! My insurance company would not approve the surgery and I
paid out-of-pocket $15,000 in Texas ... needless to say I am
second-guessing my decision to have done this to myself. I believe that I
could have lost 50 lbs on any liquid protein diet and saved myself $15,000.
Maybe the RNY would have worked better for me but my doctor never even
mentioned this to me and I trusted him. A year ago, I had to have my gall
bladder removed and my VBG caused a number of complications. In addition to
the removal, there were gallstones stuck in a tube of some sort and the
doctors went through a lot of grief trying to get the endoscopy tube
through the silastic ring in my stomach... they wanted to open me up again
completely but thank god didn't have to! I spent several extra days in the
hospital because of this. I have not totally regretted my decision but I
certainly found that it was not the answer to my prayers. I eat very
little now, have extreme gas pains and vomit several times a week. It is
embarrassing to eat dinner with people and have to excuse yourself to the
bathroom three times during a meal. I still cannot swallow pills without
vomiting them up. I have to take children's liquid tylenol, etc. Believe
me, most liquid antibiotics taste awful too. I guess I wouldn't mind it
all so much if I had lost all the weight I was led to believe I would. But
... 50 lbs is 50 lbs!
— [Anonymous]
January 19, 2001
Hey guys! It is great to see everyone supporting each other.
It's pretty important in times like these. I am also a
pre-op, but I have to wait until college is out for the
summer to get all of it done so I have time to recover. I
am scared. I hope everything turns out Okay. But, when
someone gets this procedure done...they need constant
support because you arent changing your eating habits, you
are changing your lifestyle for ever. Good luck!!
— [Anonymous]
April 11, 2001
My brother just had this surgery. He had the roux-en-y procedure. He end
up with the pouch breaking open. He had a wound infection. He had some
respiratory problems. Despite all this I still want to have the surgery.
I still feel the risks are a pretty small price to pay for having a better
life. My brother is still in the hospital. He has been in for over a
month. I also know that he went into surgery with gallbladder problems and
pancreatitis. All surgeries are risky but that is a chance he was willing
to take and so am I.
— [Anonymous]
July 25, 2001
I'm a failure of Dr. Molina's surgery. I had the surgery on 6/13/2001 (6
weeks ago today). Never did feel the restriction. Lost 20 pounds in 3
weeks by starving myself. Then started gaining. Now I find out that the
band needs to be tightened (not by anything i did, but wasn't put on tight
enough to begin with). Six weeks later, I can eat more than ever
before...and I'm 11,000 POORER since I paid for it out of pocket. How I
wish I'd had the adjustable band surgery. Hoping to find a surgeon in my
area who will do it even though most don't want to "fix" other
people's mistakes!
— [Anonymous]
July 29, 2001
my husband al died 2 months after surgery.
the surgery itself went well, i think it was the irresponsible
followup care that failed to recognize the seriousness of
his complications that killed him.
this is very dangerous surgery
al was otherwise a healthy and vital 48 year old man with
a great career, wonderful young children, and a loving and committed
marriage--in short, everything to live for.
no comorbidities.
if we had known that there was a real risk that 2 months later he would be
dead, we
would never have done it
for everyone who says, and they will, that oh well at least he died trying
to improve his life,
as i have been told so often by wls cheerleaders, imagine facing life
without your life
partner, the love of your life, loving parent to your minor children.
in february it seemed like it was impossible for him to lose the weight any
other way.
now, compared to the living hell the children and i face every day, dieting
would have been so easy
surgery is dangerous--much more dangerous than the wls industry would have
you believe
ok, so this is the ranting of a bitter widow with a bad attitude--true---
but before you have this surgery, look your loved ones in the eyes and ask
if it is
worth it if you are one of the one in a hundred, and end up dead
if you must go through with it, buy lots of life insurance
they will need it--gloria h.,for my beloved al
ps-its been 3 months now--it doesn't get better--it gets
worse after the shock wears off and reality sets in
— Al H.
July 29, 2001
Thank you for sharing Al I agree that a healthy person who is overweight
should not be having this surgery. If you have no comorbidities, chosing to
have this surgery is unwise. But, for most of us, this is not cosmetic.
It is life saving. If I don't have surgery, I'll probably die in a year or
two.
— [Anonymous]
July 29, 2001
ell I know a failure personally. She lost the weight but cant eat solid
food. She has posted here and her thread subjects are still in the data
base under stasis syndrome and others. But the failures are few when you
consider all the success stories. How many would of died without surgery?
— bob-haller
July 29, 2001
al qualified for the surgery--it was not cosmetic.
we thought we were doing the right, smart thing--just like every
body else. we were horribly wrong.--gloria
— Al H.
August 18, 2001
My post-op didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked. I got an infection
in the main incision and had to have a drain put in, this set my recovery
period back about 2 weeks as that is how long the drain was there and then
another 10 days for the incision to close. All in all if I had to do the
surgery over again it would be a go.
— blank first name B.
November 15, 2001
Ok, here is my answer to people wondering if this is the right thing to do
or not. I set here tonight getting my pills ready to be taken and I think
I hate these bottles of pills and can't wait until I can give some of these
things up. What kind of life do I have now, what kind of life will I have
in the days ahead? I may have 5yrs without the surgery and maybe anouther
20 to 30yrs with it. We all take some kinds of chances all of livies. We
could walk out our door and break our necks. I am looking forward to the
surgery, to the new life I will have afterwares. I have enought of this
pain to last me a life time. When all told, the good out weighs the bad.
It is true we may die, but we will die without doing something.
— Mary B.
February 26, 2003
Hi Kim,
I know three people who had complications after they had surgery. One man
almost died two months after the surgery. He ate way too much too early and
tore our the staples in the little pouch. Infections overcame his abdominal
cavity. he survived but just barely. Now he is doing fine. The second two
people I know are a mother and daughter. Shortly after they both had
surgery they were eating anything they wanted. They would go to a resturant
and eat apple pie ala mode (a whole slice) with two scoops of icecream.
Subsequently they both gained all the weight they had lost had both of them
had the surgery again. I don't know how the mother is doint but the
daughter is doing fine. So as you can see, in all three cases the
complications were brought on by the people themselves. I'm sure there has
to be a few cases where something just plain went wrong, like you said, no
surgeryis perfect, but I have never heard of it.
— danielk
December 29, 2003
Where do i find out about this woman sheri everyone is talking about? and
also where is the memorial site?
— demick98
August 10, 2005
I am 1 1/2 year out and struggling with the return of
compulsive overeating. If you get the head hunger straight
up front and incorporate exercise, you'll be fine. I've
gained back 15 lbs of 120 but have gone back to the basics
to get if back off. I don't regret having the surgery, I do
miss eating more sometimes. Good luck. Email me. I'd be happy to talk to
you. Brenda G
— Brenda G.
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