Question:
How long till ur in the clear?

I am sure this has been asked and answered but I am going to ask it again. I got my packet from the dr's office and it mentioned that there are complications in 1 out of a 100 patients. My husband seemed to think that was a high number. My question is...with the complications...what length of time would you expect it to take till you were considered "out of the woods" so to say? Thanks for info!    — dixieb (posted on October 17, 2002)

October 17, 2002
It depends on what kinds of complications you are talking about. When you look at the rates of complications some of them are hernias which are common whith any major abdominal surgery, gallbladder (which is common among obese people anyway) there is some risk with any surgery even getting your tonsils out. I tdepends on your individual situation too. If someone is 60 years old and been MO their entire life they have a lot of health issues to start with. Someone that is 30 and a low BMI would have a lot less risk.
   — Linda A.

October 17, 2002
Well 30% of opens get a incisional hernia while lap is near zero. But the entire risk from barb thompsons great book is fairly low. Early on for say the first month its bloodclots, leaks and other surgery related problems. Dehydration occurs for some. This risk decreases but long term gallbladder trouble comes up. <P> But look at how much healthier nearly all post ops are. Blood pressure, cholestrol, sugar, sleep apnea, the list goes on. Being MO takes a average of 15 years off the normal life span. Surgery was the best thing I ever did!
   — bob-haller

October 17, 2002
Things like leaks and blood clots are usually during the first 6 weeks. Nutritional deficiencies, gall bladder problems, bowel obstructions, and hernias can happen anytime after you have surgery....even years afterwards.....but most of these things have signs and are usually treatable if caught early.
   — Lynette B.

October 17, 2002
My surgeon told me that any major complications usually happen within the first six months. At that point he would consider me "out of the woods". Even though some things "could" happen after that time, his feeling was the majority of major complications related to surgery happen with in the first six months.
   — wemax2