Question:
1out of 100 die is this true????
I am scheduled to have surgery on Dec19th and am already getting scared then what do I see on TV today. Special on a obesity broadcast on pbs that say's 1 in 100 die for weight loss surgery The show looked to be kind of old judging by the clothes they were wearing but regardless not very comforting and to make matters worse my Mom who is against me having the surgery happens to be sitting on my couch as I'm fliping through the channels now she is having fits. do you know the percentage of deaths I am having Lap RYN I currently weigh 268 and am pretty healthy only real problem is mild sleep apeana not bad enough to use breathing machine What do you think? Kathy — kathy B. (posted on November 10, 2002)
November 9, 2002
I think the mortality rate for the surgery depends on the surgeon. My
surgeon's rate was .03%. I think around .05% is pretty standard now--1 in
200. But that is all-comers. . .people who are very obese with many other
health issues. The healthier you are, the better your chances. Also, the
more experienced your surgeon, the better. Like you, I was on the low end
of being overweight, and I was pretty healthy--eating right, exercising 5
days per week, etc. But like you I was also very nervous about the
mortality rate and not making it through surgery--throwing away a pretty
good life for the chance of a better one. My surgery (lap RNY) was 11 days
ago, and I am happy to report that I have had no complications whatsoever.
I have also had a very rapid recovery. I went back to work full-time on
day 5 post-op. At one week post-op I had more energy than I did before the
surgery (whether that's from no sugar, all the vitamins, or what, I don't
know). The dietician said I'm about 3 weeks ahead of most people at this
stage. So, don't underestimate the benefits of being in good health before
the surgery. It cuts your risk and it can also cut your recovery time
significantly. We all have to take the chance of death that comes with any
surgery, but being healthy you are on the low end of risk. Also, I tried
to reason with myself that the risk of this surgery was a lot less than the
risk of other obesity-related surgeries down the road, such as open heart
surgery. This is largely preventative, from my perspective. Good luck.
<11 days post op, -15 pounds>
— Sarah S.
November 9, 2002
I am pretty sure the 1/100 death rate is for any surgery or surgery in
general, not just WLS. But I did hear that statistic. I also read 3/100 for
complications. But you have to remember what your risk of developing
obesity related diseases or dying from morbid obesity are. They are much
higher.
— sheltie
November 9, 2002
ABSOLUTELY TRUE--and that is a point my surgeon really wanted us to
understand--however, remember this surgery is being done on many levels of
risk people. You have some with exorbitant co-morbidities, astronomical
BMIs. and are homebound because of this, and then you have healthy fat
folks,with high energy lives, minimal co-morbids, and lower BMIs--all in
the same risk pool. Additionally, these numbers are calculated to within
30 days of a procedure--any death. For instance, you could be hit by a
Trailways bus, out for your 8 mile newly committed morning jog--and the
death under morbidity and mortality rates gets attributed to WLS. Yes-the
1-2% is correct-overall--and with everything included--again like my
surgeon reiterated--this is serious business.
— Wannabe A.
November 9, 2002
I think it's 1 in 200. I believe most people die from a blood clot
following surgery. It's vital to keep moving after surgery and not sit
around a lot plus my DR. required
heparin shots. Ask your DR. how many of his patients have died and how many
WLS he has performed.
— Candace F.
November 9, 2002
I'm guessing that the statistics that would be most significant to you
would be your surgeon's stats.. not some vague ones you saw on TV...you
don't know what made up those numbers... in addition, many of the deaths
are not PRECISELY as a result of this surgery.. but because of other things
that obesity does to us and makes us a risk for surgery.. soooooo.. here's
the way I looked at it... I'd have this surgery with its risks.. or risk an
emergency angioplasty someday at almost 400 pounds.. NOW.. what do you
think the chances are of surviving that? Probably 50/50... I like the WLS
odds much better... good luck! You're doing the right thing.
— Lisa C.
November 10, 2002
I believe the actual odds are less then 1 % but close to 1 in a hundred.
That is not typical for all surgeries. This surgery is much more risky then
some others. My surgeon explained it to me like this. If he lost 1 in a
hundred wls patients medically speaking not much would be said about it
because that is about how often it happens. If he lost 1 in 1000
gallbladder patients he'd be under investigation and his medical license
would be at risk. This is serious surgery and there is a window of
opportunity for each of us where it becomes worth the risk. That window in
my opinion is when your health is starting to decline and you can see some
very serious problems in your future but don't have them yet, you have
tried many times without success on your own and like me you realize that
your future holds only getting bigger and bigger. For me that was when I
hit 334 pounds for about the third time in my life. I had lost weight
several times. Well over a hundred pounds a few times and always gained it
back. I had developed high blood pressure, depression and had joint pain.
I'm 38 years old and 6'tall. Actually 37 at the time of my surgery. My
father had a massive heart attack in his early 50's. He is diabetic and in
kidney failure. Every one of his 8 brothers and sisters had diabetis and
serious complications. My mother has had cancer, heart disease and other
cirulitory (sp) problems. I felt that these terrible illnesses were in my
future at the rate I was going they would be there sooner rather then
later. I was gaining at about 5 pounds a month. I realize I can still get
these diseases but I also feel that if I am not obese they will be more
managable. I have no doubt that having had surgery will prolong my life,
unless of course I get hit by a car or some other accidental type of death.
At the very least it will improve the quality of my life. I had my open
rny on 8/15/02 with no regrets.
— Carrie D.
November 10, 2002
Talk to your surgeon and find out what HIS staticis are. My surgeon said
he had done 400+ lab RYN surgery (this is what I had) and he only lost one
due to a leak. THe pateint lived far away and her hospitial did not know
what to do and she died while wiating to be transported. I was very
confident in my surgeon, he was well reconized and had GREAT
recommendations. Of course, I still knew that there was a chance of me
dying but I felt I was in good hands. He is a wonderful surgeon. I
researched surgeon before I chose mine.
— Debbie W.
November 10, 2002
when my mother died the attending told me that the survival rate of a heart
attack - not a minor or angina attck, but a full-fledged cardiac arrest was
less than 15%! I decided that my risks were lower having the surgery!
— [Deactivated Member]
November 11, 2002
It's more like 1 in 300 or so. My doctor had stats of 1 in 1,000 ... and
he says that person would probably have died anyway (super morbidly obese
with complicating factors). This is actually a VERY safe procedure.
— Terissa R.
November 11, 2002
Kathy, first you should talk to or research your surgeon and his rate of
fatalities. Normally what I've read is that 3% of gastric bypass surgeries
end in fatalities, 1% of this is from blood clots that form. If your
surgeon is a good one then your risks become less. If you say you are in
good health and you follow all your doctor tells you to do then you should
be fine. What I think others need to know is that without this surgery or
option for it your risk for more health problems later on become higher and
your risk for death does too! So, question, do you want to opt to have the
surgery and lose your weight and be healthy or not have it and later on in
life become more ill or have so many co-moridities that you won't be able
to live without this surgery? Other important factor is, if you have any
doubts about having this surgery then you don't have the right attitude
going into it. You must carry a very positive attitude and not allow
anyone to steer you away from what YOU want!!
— Carole M.
November 11, 2002
I am not meaning to hurt anyone's feeling, but posting statistics without
citing a source is very harmful. I have not heard the 3% number. My
surgeon is .005% and the national quoted in his literature is .5%.
— faybay
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