Question:
Does anyone regret having the surgery????
I hear so many scary things from people that regret having the surgery. Vomiting all the time diarrhea, nausea, etc. If this happens, is there anyway to reverse the procedure to make you well again? — michelletoth (posted on March 20, 1999)
April 4, 1999
Yes, I definitely regret having the gastroplasty, and wouldn't recommend
it. I had problems with "jamming" and had to vomit, and that
resulted in two problems--the rupturing of my partition (the staples are
out), and a hernia, which has gotten bigger for the last 14 years. I am
having conversion surgery in a month or two, and will be getting my hernia
repaired. I'm having the gastric bypass. I pray this will work for me,
because I'm bigger than ever.
— Peggy51
April 20, 1999
I had the RNY surgery on November 11, 1998 & I have lost 80 pounds so
far! I regret that I didn't have it years ago! I have started a new life at
40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Julie M.
June 9, 1999
I have a problem with what I call "Reverse Gravity". But, this
only happens when I eat too much, too fast. Otherwise, when I eat the way I
should, I have no problems. A bite or two at the most is all I can handle.
I am 7 weeks post-op and feel great otherwise. Will I ever be able to eat
more than a few bites?
— Theresa T.
September 4, 2001
I am 5 months, 12 days post op and not for one minute do I regret having
had the roux en y gastric bypass. I have lost nearly 90 pounds, feel
great. The times I have problems are the times I eat too fast or try to
eat too much and my body reminds me quickly that I have reset it so as to
not do such things. You learn quickly unless you ignore what is happening
to you.
My blood surgars mostly read in the normal range these days and that was
what it was all about - the risks of surgery vs. the risks of diabetes and
obesity...no brainer!!!!
— Sandi L.
October 1, 2001
I am 5 months post op and have gone from 350 to 245 and yet I have almost
daily regrets about doing the surgery. I am a person that needs to be in
control - probably because I could not control my eating I overcompensated
in other areas.
The loss of control comes from plateaus, the vomiting, the uncertainly
where I am going to end up, and the "death" of my best friend --
food. By that I mean I used to get a fair amount of pleasure and solace
from eating. That is all gone now and I am being forced to confront a
reality where food is no longer the elixir for pain or the facilitator of
joy. Obviously this new reality is one of the resaons that the surgery is
so successful, however in the preparation for surgery there was little said
about the emotional turmoil that you may go through during the 18 month
process. The focus is always on the weight loss - which is certainly a
positive aspect - but people should be prepared for a roller coaster of a
ride that is partly physical and mostly emotional. At least it was for me
- a 33 year old male.
But, another reality is that another reason the surgery is so successful is
that while I may have daily regrets and wish I could go back (there are
good days too)there is no way in hell that I am voluntarily going back the
operating room!
— [Anonymous]
October 1, 2001
I am 14 weeks post op (open RNY) and regret the surgery in a different way
everyday. Before my surgery I was just "fat"..now I am nauseated
daily, have reflux, have heartburn, vomit my insides up when I don't
pulverize my food, constipation one day and the 'runs' the next, have to
worry about consuming enough protein and vitamins for the rest of my life,
AND loosing my hair too. I don't remember ever being this sickly on a daily
basis. I know there are lots of folks that say they would do it again, I
say "go for it" but not me. I enjoyed my life before this
surgery, now I don't.. My fear is what else can possibly act up today? I
don't think there is enough data available telling the negative side of
this surgery. Most are so blinded to looking good that they don't say how
awful it was getting to that point. Just my view.
— [Anonymous]
October 1, 2001
Yes I also regret having the surgery, because of my mental incapacity,
after the surgery I was having ver bad dreams,uncontrollable pain,
disruption to my daily life, and a lot of depression. If I had to do this
all over again "I WOULD NOT". There may be weight loss to this
surgery but there is also a lot of mental difficulties to go through.
— L. W.
October 23, 2001
It has been over a year for me since having the RNY procedure and regret
everyday of ever having this surgery. I am not looking at having it
reversed to get my life back. The problems are numerous and not worth
dying for so I can wear smaller clothes. If only I knew I had a thyroid
problem which was never checked, I would never had to go through all this.
— [Anonymous]
October 23, 2001
To anonymous below - I am sorry things are not well, be sure to see your
surgeon, if you don't like his answer go see another and another,, if
necessary. As for your thyroid, I had a HUGE goiter and after surgery and
medication, I was still fat. Turns out that getting thyroid levels normal
will make people lose 5-10% of their weight, TOPS. I lost 12 pounds in
about 6 months. That still left me at 280 and morbidly obese. I really
thought getting that cured would cure me. SO don't think your WLS was
preventable by having your thyroid diagnosed, if that is any tiny
consolation.
— [Anonymous]
January 29, 2002
I am 1 week post-op and I have to say I regret it. I am looking forward to
the weight lose, but part of me misses the control I used to have over what
I eat. I feel that everything around me has to do with food and now I feel
left out. Friends wanna go to dinner or the kids wanna go to McDonalds for
lunch. And there I am, left out of all this fun they seem to be having. I
look forward to a slender me. But I also seem to be saddened by the lose of
the old me. I am not sure if I would do it again. I researched and was
quite sure of my decision before surgery. Maybe I am just going through
withdrawl. But I long for a day when I can just take a bite or a sip of
something and not worry about vomitting or any of the other things that go
with the surgery.
— [Anonymous]
January 29, 2002
I am 3 weeks post-op and have never regretted having the surgery. I am
lucky as I have had no complications but that doesn't make it easy though.
I go out to dinner with my husband and have a cup of soup while he eats his
meal. I don't allow myself to feel left out of things I just don't worry
about what I am or am not eating. I feel so much better since surgery that
I don't find myself missing the food. I think so much of it is our
mind-set when we go in for surgery. Good luck to you.
Vicki
— vmize
January 29, 2002
I will be having the surgery next month and I know that there will be times
that I will regret having the surgery. Thanksgivin dinner, Christmas
dinner, family parties (my sister in law is a *great cook*), pain and
problems associated with the surgery. I will try to remind my self everyday
that I am tradeing food and post-op discomfort and complications for my
overall health and many more years with my family. Not to mention the size
7-8 I hope to be!!!
— Kimberly B.
January 29, 2002
I wouldn't say I regret having the surgery, but at 8 weeks post op, I'm
beginning to think it was a waste of time and money. It seems I never
developed the "tool" to tell me to stop eating. I can eat almost
the same quantities as I did pre-op (to be honest, I was never a big
quantity eater...just ate the wrong things. I would often only eat 1/4 of
a sub sandwich...a half would be too much). Right now, I'm relying
completely on self control to eat the "right" foods at the
"right" portion size. It's no different than being on any of the
pre-op diets I've tried - and failed. I've lost a total of around 35
pounds, but that was all in the first 4 weeks. I haven't gained or lost
anything since. I'm frustrated and at times depressed and/or angry, and I'm
debating whether or not to have an upper GI to find out if I have a staple
line disruption. For me, it's a no-win situation. If it is disrupted, that
means more surgery, and starting all over, and possibly developing other
problems like excessive vomiting and such (I've never vomited or dumped
since surgery). I dread the thought of more surgery. If it's not
disrupted, I have to come to terms with the reality that the surgery failed
me, and I will remain obese all my life. And I'm not alone. There are
plenty of people out there who also didn't develope a "tool", and
beat themselves up about it all the time.
As for your question about reversal...it depends on the type of surgery you
have. If your stomach is transected, it can't be reversed. I also believe
a DS is irreversible. My surgeon insisted the surgery was not reversible (I
had RNY), but I've read differently on this web site.
All things considered, I would not try to talk anyone out of the surgery.
It works for the majority, and there's no way of knowing ahead of time if
it will work for you or not. It's a risk you take, and only you can decide
if the risk is worth taking.
— Cyndie K.
January 29, 2002
I have had a really rough journey for the past 14 months... but I have not
regretted having open Gastric Bypass RNY surgery once..
Even with all the major and serious complications that I personally have
experienced, my life is still far better today than it was 160 pounds ago..
I can move better, no longer deal with constant shortness of breath, my
knees no longer hurt to the point that I cant enjoy outings or going on a
short walk, I dont have to ask for a seat belt extender when flying, I fit
into chairs without fear of breaking them, fit into theatre booths, and
resturant booths.. can cross my legs for the first time in many years, can
bend over and tie my shoes without much effort, and the list goes on and
on.. I am on 1/3 of the medications that I took at almost 400 pounds.. so
yes, the surgery is a life saving procedure.. and yes, some folks will
experience complications.. Everything can happen from a simple wound
infection to peritonitis from a perforated marginal ulcer.. You have to
remember that most MO are at risk of many things that are life threatening
just from the MO.. this surgery has risks but the benefits , for most of
us, far outweigh the risks ..
— Gina Landers
August 14, 2002
The first four months were very difficult for me. My husband, on the other
hand, sailed along well from the day of surgery. I am now 10 1/2 months
post-op, I eat pretty much whatever I want -- my tastes have changed and
are much healthier choices, but I still love GOOD food. I eat slowly but
not abnormally so; I eat small to normal portions; and I rarely get sick at
all anymore. In fact, if I DO get sick, I know I've either eaten too fast
or eaten when I was really TIRED, not hungry. Getting to know my body and
its signals has been part of the journey. I've gone from a size 26/28 to a
size 12/14; I'm healthier than I've been since the '70's (as in 1970's!);
my energy level is terrific; and I feel very proud of myself and my
progress. WLS is such an individual decision and the results are just as
unique. Do your research, make sure your surgeon has a structured FOLLOWUP
program (dietician included), and common sense is my best tool now. When I
had 150 pounds to lose, I had no hope and food was my comforter and best
friend. Now food is fuel, tasty and necessary but part of a
"budget" I follow to stay healthy. Which includes vitamins,
water, protein, and exercise. My husband is just as healthy and happy as I
am; his year was up in June. He never regretted his decision for WLS; I
regretted it for the first four months. But now I am SO glad I went
through with it -- We CAN anticipate growing old together rather than
spending all our time worrying about the next co-morbidity! Dreadful word
that! Anyway, search your heart and follow it. The time will pass either
way. We wish you the best, whatever your decision! God bless you! CJ
& Cliff
— cjtich
August 30, 2002
I had gastric bypass sx on October 10, 2000. I regret it ! I started with a
low BMI of 40. I lost 35 pounds , but it took me 8 monthes. I never lost
anymore. I have since gained 15 pounds back. I left the country for a year
after I had the sx, so maybe that had something to do with it-not having
follow-up. Even overseas I exercised everyday and ate about 1500 KCal a day
without success. I have keloided on my abdomen at the 5 incision sites (
Lap ) and ruined the only "Good" part of my body that I had left
from being overweight. When I got back to USA and obtained an hmo
insurance, I had an EGD and barium swallow done. everything is
"ok" , but why haven't I lost weight?? I now have a PPO and will
make a f/u appoint with my surgeon in San Diego. We will see what happens !
— Greta G.
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