Question:
I read on another website that rny gastric bypass patients only have a 20 year life e
Is it true that gastric bypass shortens your life expectancy? I read (on an msn website)that you only live about 20 years after surgery. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true? I had rny two weeks ago to prolong my life. I dont want to end up dying in my fifties! — maryburton (posted on June 22, 2002)
June 21, 2002
I have never heard this before. All of the things you potentially avoid by
having the surgery should LENGTHEN your life expectancy (i.e. diabetes,
heart failure, high blood pressure, etc.)
— sheltie
June 21, 2002
If that was true my father would probably be dead by now!! My father
although never overweight had stomach ulcer and they had to remove a part
of his stomach about 30 yrs ago. My father is still alive and well. You are
going to hear so many negative things about this surgery. There are sooo
many so call expert on what this surgery is going to do for you. If I were
you I wouldn't pay attention to most of it because there are people who
don't believe that this is a good alternative to losing weight and getting
healthy. You have to live life one day at a time. There is no gurentee that
anyone will be here in twenty years. I guess I could care less about what
someone says that is negative about this surgery. If it didn't happen to me
or any one else I know it didn't happen.
— Sharon T.
June 22, 2002
It may be statiticly correct. This operation is only 10-20 yrs old as it is
now. Also if one dies on the operating (1-3%) then your lifespan is a
negitive number shortening it considerabley. Also if you get the operation
at lets say 55 and die at 70 you only got 15 years. I think that this is
the average life of Americans. It does NOT mean on your 20th aniversity of
the operation you die. Stats are soooo confusing aren't they. Good Luck and
long life!!!!!
— Robert L.
June 22, 2002
This topic comes up every so often. I believe it should read that this
surgery extends life expectancy 15-20 years. So if your morbid obesity life
expentancy was 50 years you are now 70 years.
— faybay
June 22, 2002
By things I have read, everyone has a different opinion on the Lifespan of
a GB patient. I've read 15 yrs,20yrs etc... but something interesting I was
reading... This "type" of surgery has been around since the 70's.
Back then they didn't have the best technology compared to what we have now
and they performed a different procedure. Kind of like in the 80's they
performed the old stapling method and now it has advanced to Gastric Bypass
which is better. No one can really say the exact lifespan because it's only
been around for 30yrs and in that time we have advanced so much for this.
Kinda like comparing a car that was made in 1970 only a lifespan of 10yrs
and the same car made in 2002 still only has a lifespan of 10yrs,which in
reality it's probably a lot longer than that, since we have better
knowledge and experience now.
— Sunny4x4chick
June 22, 2002
WHAT???? I am only 22 now and I had it done two weeks ago! Does this mean
I'll only live to be 42?????
— Kelley F.
June 22, 2002
LOL, I hope not I am 13 years post...lol.I bet they meant it increases your
life expectancy by 15 years. Example: If I stayed MO, I probably would have
died at 55 so by having the surgery my life expectancy is now 70. I know
plent of long times and they are nowhere near dead.lol
— anne G.
June 22, 2002
Think about it... WHY would it shorten you life when you are so much more
healthier? My chances of dying in a car wreck (with my driving) in the
next 20 years are much higher, lol! (I hope I didn't just jinx myself,
heh)
— DonnaCarol
June 22, 2002
Check "who said so". I believe that statement was made by a well
known anti-WLS crusader. My doc's been doing them since 1963. They were
not perfect and many have been revised into more modern procedures, but
they're around to tell the stories!
— vitalady
June 22, 2002
Ahh Sue is at it again with her sky is falling mentality:(
<P> If you look at the average age of WLS patients here its probably
late 40s to early 50s. This is when the health affcts of MO really take
their toll. So add 20 years to 50 and your at 70, now lots of non WLS 70
year old die. So the number isnt unreasonable. Sue enjoys interperating it
in a bad way. <P> Take me at 45 I wouldnt of lived another 10 years
according to my PCP, and what years I had left wouldnt of been fun. Being
devastated by health problems. Now admittedly I may not live as long as
someone who was never MO, but I have likely more healthier years this way.
Besides a accident could knock me off while sitting here, you never know...
<P> I posted a sues site a while ago but have been too busy lately.
Its time to return and balance her scare tactics. Other successful long
termers please e mail me and we can post there as a balance. Scaring folks
unnecessarily is sad. I cant understand what motivates people to do this.
<P> Surgery has its risks, but for most its safer than remaining MO.
— bob-haller
June 22, 2002
I don't believe that at all because if that was the case I don't think that
doctors would perform this surgery besides I'm 23 so that means I would
only live to see 43.
— Samitra D J.
June 22, 2002
If a WLS patient does not take care of him/herself, I suppose the lifespan
could be shortened. But, to make it simple: 20 years living a normal life
and being able to do what I want with it; or...20 years (which is probably
all I had left) as a MO person living it our miserably... I vote for the
WLS- quality of my life is important to me. If I die early, so what. At
least I will have lived.
— Loretta E.
June 22, 2002
I'm 19 and just had surgery. I'm pretty sure that I'll be a lot healthier
now that I'm loosing weight than I would have been if I lived my whole life
at 375 pounds. I hope to live past 39, but I believe that my days are
numbered anyway. God doesn't promise me another breath. Trust in Him, he
already knows the day he will call you home. He knew before you had
surgery. No statistics will change the day that God already has for you.
Take care.
— Sarah K.
June 22, 2002
BS!! My mom had WLS 26 years ago, shes alive.
— RebeccaP
June 22, 2002
Living a healthy life, and lookin'good for 20 years is much better than
living 5 miserable unhealthy years, then dieing
because of MO related illnesses anyway. ( w/out the surgery)
— Cindee A.
June 23, 2002
In an effort to put the risks of surgery into perspective for my husband,
this is what my Doctor said, "Right now her life expectancy is abot 45
years old. With this surgery it will be 80 or 90 years." I'm 33. I
am approved and waiting on a surgery date, with my husbands blessing and
full support!
— Tiffany S.
June 25, 2002
When reading this article remember that these people are factored into the
statistics...and these are the stories that some like to use as examples to
scare people..and they are the worst examples you could find...
http://www.pilotonline.com/special/doctor/index.html
— kittycat
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