Question:
Has any with HIV had the gastic bypass surgery

   — k.l.c (posted on October 18, 2004)

October 18, 2004
I think and HIV positive person would have a hard time finding a surgeon willing to do the surgery. I know that some Hep C positive patients have had problems finding surgeons willing to do the surgery.
   — SJP

October 18, 2004
Surgeons will do it. My surgeon didnt test for HIV as a pre op test. I learned a bit about this after surgery. A OR nurse got a accidental needle stick during my surgery. fortunately the HIV test after this was ok. but many years ago before blood was screened I had received 13 pints of blood:( I asked my surgeon if he did HIV. He said safety rules indicate everyone is treated as high risk possible positive. You should be able to find a surgeon if your reasonably healthy but may have to shop around.
   — bob-haller

October 18, 2004
It would probably depend on how controlled the HIV is. Is the surgical candidate an HIV carrier, or are they in advanced stages of HIV? My guess (and it is just a guess) is that it would depend on how much medication is taken to control the HIV and the surgeon may recommend a more non-evasive weight loss surgery such as the Lap-Band. If a person requires a lot of pills to control the HIV, those pills would not be absorbed as well with an RNY putting the patient at even more risk. You could probably google "HIV" and "gastric bypass" and get some information.
   — Shayna T.

October 19, 2004
You really need to ask your doctor-or call several Drs offices and ask them-HOWEVER, SURGEONS can NOT Discriminate against you because you have HIV-CONTACT your local Health Dept-there are advocates there who will HELP you and stand up for your rights!
   — Heather D.

October 19, 2004
Surgeons are doctors, however surgeons do not have to perform elective operations on a person they do not feel is medically a good candidate. Whether we like it or not, gastric bypass is considered an elective surgery by most standards, even if it is medically necessary. Surgeons can deny patients surgery (and do everday if you read the boards) for non-compliance, smoking, drug addiction, weight-gain, hep-C, among other reasons.
   — Shayna T.

October 19, 2004
the issue on a doctor refusing to perform a gastric bypass on an HIV patient may well not be due to any discrimination, but rather concern about further compromising the health of the patient. Those with advanced HIV or AIDS often have problems with eating and huge weight losses. Often they are having to be fed via IV's. A person with a gastric bypass cannot eat so much, and nutritional status may be compromised. Malabsorption of meds and nutrients amy be a huge issue. as wonderful a thing a gastric bypass may be, NO ONE wants it to harm the health of the person recieving it. The person in question may not be advanced now but we do not know what the future holds. there are many promising drugs out there for the treatment of HIV, but this virus mutates constantly rendering itself immune to the drugs. Many very promising drugs have after a few years been found to be no longer effective. It is a horrrible situation to have such an infection and my heart goes out to any one afflicted with it. Talk to your doctor, both infection control specialist and surgeon, or several doctors if you need to to feel as informed as possible . best health wishes to you.
   — **willow**