Question:
Comment not question, Correlation between Fear and Surgery- WLS vs. Plastic Surgery

The fact that so many of us fear death with WLS, yet many (most) of us eventually need plastic surgery which is usually a much longer procedure but people almost never talk about fear of death related to the plastic stuff. I realize we are more normal wt. at that time and that decreases a lot of the risk but I think that perhaps we have lost wt so many times only to regain and it is very hard for us to actually grasp the concept of success in wt. loss, after yrs of failed attempts.So we think maybe we'll just die in surgery, never being successful.Maybe I am way off base. What are your thoughts?    — Dana S. (posted on January 8, 2003)

January 8, 2003
I dont know about the rest of the people out there, but I believe it might have a correlation to the fact that for WLS they have to open us up and mess with internal organs in the body cavity that leads to the greater fear of death as compared to with plastic surgery. Since with plastic surgery they only cut through the layers of skin to just restitch it together, so it seems less invasive and therefore less "complicated"...so if less complicated it must be a lesser risk...if that makes any sense. Also with the WLS, the organs they are working on is your stomach and intestines...and since that is the natural way the body nourishes itself, if anything were to go wrong there would be major repercussions that we may or may not be able to live with like malabsorption problems, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, leaks, blockages...some which are more severe than others. And with PS the most common risks I think that people perceive could happen are infections, slow healing or bad scarring - so that is treatable or at least isnt a life-threatening issue. (Just my two cents worth) =)
   — ImANewDee

January 8, 2003
I personally fear plastic surgery more than WLS. WLS was saving my life. It was a last resort. Plastic surgery would strictly be cosmetic for me at this point (although I'm not at goal yet.) And my life is so much better now that I'm not willing to take the risk of surgery even if my insurance would pay for it. Lisa open rny 4/26/02 -120lbs
   — LisaTaz

January 8, 2003
I think with me atleast the difference was that when I went in for my open RNY, I had NEVER been in the hospital before for ANYTHING. So it was all new to me. But after a great surgery and speedy recovery it was all kind of I don't know maybe familiar. I had abdominoplasty three weeks ago and wasn't at all even timid until just the night before. I realized that the procedure would take at least twice as long, but I just wasn't worried. That morning I was even pretty calm. I again had an awesome experience. Went in at 6:30AM was released at 6PM and I am feeling great!
   — Virginia N.

January 9, 2003
I'm having a LBL w/ mastopexy next week, and I'm scared... but I'm sooooo much healthier now that my concerns are about length of recovery and pain, not death. WLS was also more of a fundamental life change and was much more overwhelming. Although being sliced all the way around is pretty overwhelming too. Yikes!!
   — mom2jtx3

January 9, 2003
You know I was just thinking about this. When I was getting ready to do WLS I really did fear dying, but I was able to tell myself that if I left my children motherless at least they would know that I was doing something to save my life and give me a better quality of life. Later when I had the TT/thigh lift I was so excited at the prospect of my new appearance and the fact that my insurance was finally going to pay I just didn't really fear it, and it was a 7 hour surgery. But recently when I had a breast lift and implants the last thought I had was "Good lord, what if I die and my kids have to know they lost their mother getting a boob job!" I didn't really think I would die, but imagine if I had. I do remember thinking before the RNY that I thought I could really die. I recall the first moment I had after waking up from the RNY, I just had an overwhelming feeling of being grateful to God for letting me live.
   — cindy Q.

January 9, 2003
I was not scared when it came to having WLS, but the thought of having plastic surgery scares me so bad, I dunno if I could ever do it! I guess it's the thought of being sliced all the way open...eeek i can't think about it! I had lap RNY, because I am scared of the huge cuts they make. (8/7/02 -100)
   — fropunka