Question:
I need to find some answers to the following questions

I'm about 3 weeks before surgery and scared. I'm 300 lbs. and nervous. What percentage got their gallbladders out also? Did anybody have to have their spleen removed? What type of foods could you get afterwords? Did anybody have problems with internal bleeding? I hear you have to take certain vitamins forever, is that true? How many have incisional hernia's? I guess I need to ask my doctor these, but I was hoping someone out there could give me some insight.    — Robin C. (posted on June 18, 2000)

June 18, 2000
I can tell you my personal experience. I weighed 278 (May 3)had open Rny distal Kept my gallbladder and had no post op complecations. I had lots of pain for a couple days then lots of discomfort for about 2 weeks. For 2 weeks I had liquids , Jello , broth , juice. I went on to pureed food and now I'm on solids also as of this morning I weighed 239!! You need to relax , remember you are in good hands try to stay busy for the next few weeks. I made and froze my own broth because I wanted to make sure it was it was packed with vitamins. I got my hair cut a manicure and a pedicure ( you must remove polish before surgery) shoped for pretty nighties and front close bras , and cleaned my house a lot preparing for the visitors that would follow. I hope that is helpful. God bless you and I will keep you in my prayers.
   — Rose A.

June 18, 2000
Hi Robin, I am almost a year post op and before I had my surgery I kept busy with all the classes that my surgeon required prior to surgery. Keeping busy is the key to trying not to worry about the actual surgery coming up. Most of us did get our gallbladders out because when you lose a lot of weight rapidly, there is a tendency to develop gallstones, which would require another surgery to either remove the gallstones or to actually remove the gallbladder (more likely for this to happen). By removing the gallbladder during WLS, the surgeon is trying to eliminate a problem before it happens or to have you avoid another surgery so soon after this one. Some surgeons are of the old school, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it..." and don't remove the gallbladder. They just put their patients on a certain medication that helps to "prevent" gallstones. How successful this medication is, I'm not sure. As for the spleen being removed, I have only seen that a few times on here. I think that is a worst case scenario in which the surgeon needs to remove the spleen, that is just not common. The gallbladder removal is more common than a splenectomy. Since the surgeon is "re-routing" your plumbing, you do risk the chance of internal bleeding and I'm sure your surgeon probably explained that to you when you went in for your first consult. If that happens, you will probably need a blood transfusion. If you are scared to receive others blood products, maybe in your time before surgery, you can go and donate the blood for yourself. I'd call your hospital to see what and how it can be done. This way, if you do experience that particular complication and are squimish about other people's blood products, yours will be ready and waiting for you. And if it turns out you don't need it, maybe you can just donate it to the local blood bank. (just a thought) You will have to take vitamins for the rest of your life. This is not an option. In order for your body to function properly you will have to make the commitment to taking the vitamins faithfully everyday. If you don't, your body will start to wear down and you will begin to feel horrible. Because of the malabsorption, we don't absorb all the vitamins we need daily from food, so that's why we need to take extra vitamins everyday. That includes iron and calcium too. Immediately post op, you will probably be put on a liquid diet for a few weeks. This will consist of jello, broth, juice, applesauce...etc...anything that is not "chewable". I had to drink carnation instant breakfast for 3 weeks before I was allowed to eat soft foods, this was mainly so I could get in my protein. Then from there I was able to progress every 2 weeks to regular food. As for getting an incisional hernia, seems to me from the postings here, that a few people do get them. What happens is there is a weak area in the incisional scar that cannot hold the "pressure" from the inside so the stuff inside your body bulges through the weak part of the skin. I guess you can liken it to a garden hose that has a weak spot, when you turn the water on, the weak part bulges from the pressure of the water inside. The majority of the time it comes from lifting things that are heavy. And when you lift those things the pressure you use puts all the pressure on the weak spot and boom you have a hernia. But there are some out there who don't get hernia's from lifting heavy things, they just happen. It all depends on you...If you are really still unsure, talk to your surgeon. He will be able to set all your fears to rest and make sure you are properly informed before surgery. Good Luck to you on your surgery day....
   — Marni

June 18, 2000
Well, I can tell you that I am less than two weeks until the "BIG DAY" and I am nothing less than petrified! I've been in medicine a long time and I think I know too much. But I also know that the benefit in this procedure usually outweighs (no pun intended) the risk. I recently saw the memorial section of this website which sent a cold chill up my spine, BUT, the risk of mortality, I am told, is less than that of a person who drives 45 minutes to work everyday dying in a car accident. Unfortunately this is my nemesis, I read, I read a lot! Every website I can find, every success story I can read helps me. I've tried to hide this from family and frinds but found that, the few that I have told, were incredibly supportive and started telling me how happy they were that I decided to make this decision! Anyway, hang in there, I will post more soon. I'll be scared right along with you. I'm an incredible wimp when it comes to pain and my wife said she is ready to take me on if she has too LOL... Good Luck! and email me if you would like to! Guy / [email protected]
   — Guy C.

June 19, 2000
My doctor has me taking B12, a childrens chewable multivitiman and tums (for calcium) everyday. It is not so bad. After awhile it becomes part of your daily routine. I do have to take these for the rest of my life. You are losing out on so many nutriants that you need to take something to make up for them. And the vitiams does just that. Good luck with your weight loss
   — Barbara P.

June 19, 2000
Hi. There are some excellent answers to your questions here. My advise is to read, Read, READ! On your one specific question on internal bleeding, I did have a complication involving "bleeding out" during the surgery. Due to years of Motrin use for painful joint and back disorders, My surgeon told me I lost 5 times the normal blood loss for this surgery! I was in surgery extra long because they had to clean up the mess... I still did not have to have a transfusion! I hope this helps relieve your fears on this question, anyway. Good luck! Open RNY 05/26/00--36lbs gone forever!
   — Lisa N.