Question:
this question is for those who have gastric bypass surgery;
I want to have to have that surgery but now Iam nervouse because i watch the video and they explaind that they only do like five incision on your belly, but I saw someones profile and she have the same surgery and the opend her stomach from the bellybottum till a littlebit unther the bubbies Iam scare now can someone helpme or splaing me how is the precidure thank you I really appreciated your info — luijess (posted on February 26, 2009)
February 26, 2009
The difference is laproscopic RNY is just a few holes.... Open RNY is just
that... cut you open. It depends on your size and how your Dr prefers to
work.
— phyllismmay
February 26, 2009
I had five incisions. I had a really quick recovery. Talk to your DR about
your concerns.
— candias W.
February 26, 2009
I weighed 266 pounds and was 5'1" when I had mine, I had laproscopic,
the 5 incisions, if you weigh i am guessing like 400 pounds, they may have
to do open rny, which is opening up your whole tummy, like someone said you
need to talk to your dr. about it, he can tell you when you see him, if he
can do the lap rny. I am 1 year out as of feb12th and I am so happy I have
had this done, also remember before you have it done, the first year is
easy, and then you have to start watching what you eat again, your pouch
stretches and you can eat more at one time, just remember this is a life
altering experience!! hope this helps, Lisa
— Lisa Koch
February 26, 2009
I had "open" rny in Nov '08...and my scar is only 3 1/2"
long.
— debz_58
February 26, 2009
As others have said you need to discuss options with your doctor. I
absolutely would not have had the surgery if open incision was required,
and chose a team that only works with the lap technique. I'm a very big
guy - went into the surgery day at 451 pounds. I was told to expect 6-9
incisions and came out with 14! That was the most they'd ever done. I
knew I was on the outer limits of what is possible with that technology
given my large size. That was three weeks ago yesterday. On surgery day,
once back in my room I was walking around within 20 minutes to the
bathroom, had minimal pain for about 24 hours (easily relieved with 1
percocet and then plain Tylenol), and was discharged less than 48 hours
later. Today, 3 weeks on, you can hardly see some of the tiny incisions.
Very large people sometimes can't be done by lap method, but it's those
very people (like me) who are at higher risk having open incisions that can
be more difficult for us to heal - and they make it harder for us to cough
well, get moving etc. So if you want a lap method (like I did) you need to
do your homework and work with a surgical team that has LOTS of experience
doing that. Best of luck to you!
— mountainmike
February 26, 2009
most doctors do not do the open unless really need to. I had 5 little
holes. Go for it best thing you will ever do.Best of luck
— Alvernlaw
February 26, 2009
Most surgeons prefer to do the one with the 5 holes if they can. Talk to
your doctor. Even if he plans on doing it that way you will probably need
to sign a waiver saying he can open you up if he gets in there and can't do
the surgery through the 5 holes. I had to. But my surgery went fine. I
had some minor complications during surgery but he was able to handle it
fine through the hole and I have not had problems since. I do not regret
it at all. 4 months post op and 88 lbs gone.
— tonitoot
February 26, 2009
The size of your liver normally determines if they have to do the open
according to my surgeon. I the liver is in larged they can not access your
stomach doing the proceedure lapro. I attended a support group at Duke this
week and one of the surgeons showed a new way of doing the RNY with only
one incision about 4cm long instead of the 5 incisions 1cm long. it is
done with all the lapro tools through the one incision. It is great the
amount of work being done in this area to make this surgery safe and
effective. I love my team at Duke I was taken very good care of!!!!!!!!!
— Amandai
February 27, 2009
i would just like to set something straight. Just because you weigh 400
pounds doesnt always mean you will have to have open rny. i say this
because i was 400 pounds when i had mine at the first of jan, and i could
have had lap done if i wanted. i chose open because it was cheaper. and
my cut is only 3 inches long. i was back at work ater 3 weeks. so,
hopefully this will help you out some.
— jackie L.
February 27, 2009
The surgery you saw done is the new and improved way of having RNY! You
want a surgeon with experience in Laprascopic RNY (5 small cuts) They use
tools inserted thru the cuts as you saw in the video...The healing time is
FAR faster and easier this way than Open RNY because they cut thru the
upper stomach muscles...and that is such a long healing time and quiet
painful...That's what I had...And while the long term results were the
same...I still think Lap RNY when done by an experienced surgeon is by far
the better option for healing and pain and infection!! So don't worry!
— .Anita R.
February 27, 2009
From what I was told I have to agree with Amanda. Again, I was told that
the size of your liver decides what type of surgery you can have whether
LAP or OPEN, that is if your surgeon performs both. There are 3 surgeons
in my doctors office. Two of them only perform open, my surgeon does both.
I weighed 398 pre-op and he told me that he would try to do it LAP but if
my liver was too big, he'd have to do it open. When you have a fatty liver
it blocks access to your stomach. I lost weight which shrunk my liver
allowing my doctor to perform the surgery laproscopically. Some doctors
prefer open because they can take a look at all your other organs and they
can remove your gallbladder if need be. Either way, I would discuss your
concerns with your surgeon and know that it may always be an option. Good
luck to you! Keep us posted!
— Fircrkr64
March 1, 2009
I was 433.4 pre-op and my surgeon did my RNY via lap so I only had the 5
small incisions. I also had an old huge gallbladder scar but my surgeon
was able to avoid an open incision. If you can have the few small
incisiona your recovery time can be cut down tremendously and the same
surgery is done, you are just not opened the same way. Most surgeons have
you sign a consent for the surgery by laprascope with the okay to do the
open incision if needed.
— AuntPamcakes4six
March 1, 2009
Hi Jessica... I am 2 1/2 yrs post-lap-RNY surgery. My only regret
regarding the surgery is that I didn't do it sooner. Having said that, the
best way to alleviate any of the stress and fear that you are having is to
educate yourself. Go to the local support meetings held by the hospitals
where the surgeries are performed. You will not only be able to speak with
the facilitator who is a nurse, but you will be able to speak with others
who are just beginning, like yourself, some that are newly post op and some
that are years out. Also, I can't begin to stress enough to establish a
good relationship with your surgeon. Ask tons of questions. When you go
to see him or her, have a list of questions written down so that you won't
get off track, or get flustered and forget what you want to ask. They want
you to go into the surgery fully informed and comfortable with your
decision. The better informed you are going into it, the more successful
you will be, as well. Research, research, research... I read a few books
prior to surgery, they are the following... "the Doctor's Guide to
Weight Loss Surgery - how to make the decision that could save your
life" by Louis Flancbaum, MD (ISBN: 0-553-38246-2, $13.95) "The
Patient's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery .. Everything you ned to know about
gastric bypass and bariatric surgery by April Hochstrasser, PhD (ISBN:
1-57826-165-1, $15.95) and "Gastric Bypass Surgery .. Everything you
need to know to make an informed decision" by Mary P McGowan, MD
(ISBN: 0-07-143192-6, $14.95) You can also get these at the library.
These are a good start. The process is alway evolving as there are more
surgeries being done. You are on your way to a healthier you... good luck
and God Bless. Kari K.
— Kari_K
March 1, 2009
LAP/RNY also cuts down on the chance for infection. I felt so good after
having my LAP/Rny that I was ready to go back to work after 2 days but a
friend had to remind me that I had major surgery and needed to heal. My
primary care doctor said she wished LAP surgeons would paint a big incision
mark on hers patint's bellies to remind them they just had major surgery.
I've read that they will be able to do RNY surgery going through the
patient's mouth - no open incisions at all.
— Muggs
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