Question:
Looking For Stats on Pulmonary Embolisms

I think I made a mistake by reading the memorials. Now I got myself scared...I know that with any surgery you take the risk of dying, But what are the real risks of dying after wls? I haven't even had my first consult yet (it's in May) but just from reading them I got shakey. I read most of those deaths were from Pulmonary embolisms. What are the chances of those happening?    — ItsThenewKelley (posted on April 20, 2003)

April 20, 2003
http://www.wlscenter.com/ResearchArticles/RisksOfSurgery.htm Bloodclots can largely be prevented by getting up and walk immediately after surgery and every day thereafter. Couch potatoes are at great risk of bloodclots. You can get bloodclots from long airplane rides and sitting too long on a croiss coutry car trip. Keeping hydrated helps too. Dehydration leads to thicker blood that clots easier according to my surgeon. Surgery has risks but so does remaing MO. Loosing weight helped and cured nearly all of my health problems.
   — bob-haller

April 20, 2003
Kelley, I guess I am not the only one, I am waiting for my approval from Humana, and I also went to check the memorials, and I was extremely scared, but I guess is a phase, I am still excited about the surgery, I am going to put my life in God's hands, and wait for the best, if you want to email me feel free to do it, and good luck.......
   — Rosa M.

April 20, 2003
wow! I read all the memorials too. I wanted to read the worst that can happen, and then decide!!lol....my advise..ask your doctor how many patients have died! I asked mine and so far with many 100s of surgeries she hasnt lost one yet:) You have the right to ask and they MUST answer! ALSO, ask what complications they have had ie..pe..etc In my opinion,if you have a well seasoned surgeon you will know with their answer. As they say, you have a greater chance dying on your car ride over to surgery than the surgery itself! Good luck, ~muffy~~
   — leslie M.

April 20, 2003
There are far worse things than death. To be bed ridden for the rest of your life from a pul. em. So the best thing to do is be informed and know where you stand before going on with this surgery. Believe me we are all scared to death of a pul.em. Your not alone. So have your surgeon go over everything you can do with their help to prevent it. Good luck on your path, and research.
   — cinchouli

April 20, 2003
Kelley: I did the same thing. I shied away from reading the memorials and then decided I wasn't doing myself any favors by convincing myself that everything went perfectly every time. I'm going to ask every question in the book to make sure I'm in the best shape possible before undergoing surgery. I'm a couch/mouse potato right now and if it means that for a month before surgery I need to get up off my tuchas and walk, that's what I'll do.
   — antiques55