Question:
What happens 10 yrs. down the road? No one seems to know.

My husband is concerned with what happens 10 20 years down the road? Is there any long term studies on the surgeries performed today? I know about old surgeries but today's is so much different. Thanks for the help    — Kelly C. (posted on May 9, 2001)

May 9, 2001
Yeah, I want to know too. Am I trading one set of problems for another set in 20 years from now?
   — defatbroad

May 9, 2001
My sister is 7 years with an rny and maybe other long-term post-ops can respond too. But you can email her if you like, just do a member search for Sandi Suozzi and get her email. She will be one of my biggest supporters for my wls. Good luck, Pam
   — Pamela W.

May 9, 2001
My mother had WLS 22 years ago. Somewhat of a pioneer. She lost all of her weight and kept it off. What's comming 10 years down the road? I think that depends on our eating habbits, exercise, and follow up. To think WLS is going to cure everything forever is somewhat of a stretch. But the things we know for sure that we can look forward to if we stay heavy are emotional issues, diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea, heat disease, stroke, and I'm sure a mulititude of other things. There will be a certain percent of us that will have some of these maladies if we are thin or heavy but your odds greatly decrease. Other than taking vitamins, my mother is in excellent health. If you are worried about the effects of mal-absorption, consider a VGB or proximal RNY. I believe these are issues and odds we all have to think about before committing to such evasive procedures. For me, I am willing to take the risk of mal-abosorption in exchange for the reduced odds of more complicated and life threatening illenesses. But again, I think that's a question everyone has to answer for themselves.
   — Margaret B.

May 9, 2001
My best friend is 17 years post-op...she lost all of her weight and has maintained it with a fluctuation of 10 - 15 pounds up and down....As far as trading one set of problems for another set 15-20 years down the round...well I don't know if I will be around then...but I do know that if I don't have WLS the odds are I don't have to worry about 20 years from now!! Life is soooo very precious....3 years ago, I was in an auto accident...that both the police officer and EMTs could NOT believe that I survived...not only did I survive, I didn't have a broken bone..etc....So, I have put my faith in prayer and once through the surgery, I will help faith some by exercising because I will be able to finally....and eat healthy!! Good Luck!! Karan
   — chance2lv

May 9, 2001
There are 4 different long-term clinical studies at this webiste: (http://www.duodenalswitch.com/Procedure/procedure.html). The way I look at it, if I die in 20 years... they will be 20 WONDERFUL years. In the past 18 months of being postop, I've already done things at age 44 that I've never done in my life. It's been an incredible 18 months as a participant in "Life" and if I died tomorrow I would go with a smile on my face. But..... I just got my 18 month labs done & my blood work is right down the middle...calcium, iron, vitamins... so by the looks of it... I'm going to be around a while... Good luck in your research!! Feel free to email me anytime.. [[email protected]]
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 9, 2001
Do you HAVE 10 years left if you do not? You didn't say what your comorbs were or family history. Mine was not too good at all. I did not really expect to be alive for another entire year. And I was only 44 when I had surgery. So, given a choice of even 5 more years vs one, it was looking good. It's been nearly 7 and aside from the car accidents & such, my health is so much better than it has been for years! I do have osteoporosis, many do by my age, but esp those who mess around with inferior calciums after WLS. HOWEVER, given a choice of crispy bones or flat lungs, I'll take the working lungs with crispy bones ANY DAY. At least I lived to whine about it. I have good labs, low cholesterol, working organs & I think maybe I might've managed to miss the all generation, both sides, Type II diabetes. I do know people from 70's surgeries who are still OK, many with osteoporosis, but then, Tums have been the standard all these years, so OP is sort of predictable, knowing what we know now. Some have other nutritional deficits, but again, we know how to supplement today, whereas 5-10-25 years ago, they were trying to get with food what they could not possibly absorb after WLS. We know so much more than we did even 5 years ago! Had I lived long enough to have surgery in 2000 vs 1994, I'd probably be even healthier than I am today! But given a choice, I'd do it again. In fact, I DID do it again in 2000 (revising my older surgery). And choosing between the life I have today, while not 100% perfect, and life pre-op? NO CONTEST. As someone has said many times, my worst day post-op is better than my best day pre-op.
   — vitalady

May 10, 2001
My Father-In-Law had 80% of his stomach completely REMOVED when he was 59 years old (cancer)....He died last year at the age of 87.....
   — Cathy J.

May 11, 2001
My father had a gastric resection for ulcers 40 years ago and now at 88 is a very healthy man. He had more of his stomach removed for cancer 4 years ago and continues to do well. He has a greater physical capacity than I do at 30 years younger but obese. It is his long lived genes that make me want this surgery. I don't want to live 30 more years as a couch potato full of arthritis, back pain, short of breath and tired, that is not living. I'll happily face all the risks of surgery for a chance to live more fully . This is especially true since most people do so well following the surgery and their recovery.
   — [Anonymous]