Question:
Why do people think this surgery is so risky?
I'm serious about having this surgery, but everyone is acting like it is some risky, reckless act of immaturity -- that I can't accept myself for who I am and that I'd be 'using' the surgery just to superficially fill a gap my self esteem. Are they nuts? Or am I? — [Anonymous] (posted on October 24, 1998)
October 25, 1998
I think that the main reason that people react to hearing about WLS in such
a negitive way is due to the lack of real information they have on the
subject. Many have heard about old style surgeries that were unsafe, and
are no longer even done. I have always run into the "I heard of
someone" or "I knew a person who.." etc... but when I pushed
them for details, such as who, when , what type of surgery etc... they were
at a loss. Sometimes what they say comes out of real concern for us, but
very often it is just an attempt to put control over you, or in making you
feel bad, it makes them feel good.
The one thing I feel about WLS is that it is something that demands that
YOU take control over what is happening. I also would add that I think the
number one reason for having this, needs to be for a persons health.
Looking good and wearing nice clothes etc... all come along with it, but
WLS is a tool to regain health. I have told people that I accept myself
for who I am, a good man, a loving husband and father who has slowly
learned to love himself, but who NEEDS his health so that he can continue
to live and be all those things. If the people in your life can't see the
truth in that... then it is they who need to move on. I hope this helps
All my best
Kenn
— kenn M.
November 8, 1998
I heard a song once. "Everybody needs somebody they can look down
on." I see us as "broken", much like a diabetic. Our
diease shows on the outside, but not the causes. We don't have a
"stop eating, you're full" alarm. We don't burn calories, we
store 'em. And most of US don't even know that! Other people prefer to
think that we are stupid, lazy, weak willed and so flawed in character that
we disgust them. Many insist that we "choose" to be fat. A ew
really worry about the stories they've heard, but MANY regard it as taking
the easy way out. If we just push away from the table... Since obesity is
seen as a character flaw, rather than as the physical ailment that it is,
people will persist in thinking that the only avilable treatment for us
today is really escaping our responsibility to SUFFER (diet) for our sins.
— vitalady
February 21, 1999
THANK GOD! I FINALLY found a place that really understands us!
Many years ago (1979) I was in the hospital for a gangrene gallbladder with
a whopper of a stone. A doctor I had never seen before came into my room
and snidely declares "Now that we got you in here, we are going to
make sure you diet! They stuck me on a 700 calorie/day diet.
I'm hooked up to IV's of blood and whatever it was. I'm afraid to move
because of that IV needle and the doctor started screaming at me that I had
to be cheating because I was gaining weight - 18 pounds in 20 days
immediately following the surgery. He absolutely insisted that I was
sneaking down to the hospital cafeterial. Sure! Right! And mooning the
public as we go. Just for curiosity sake - has anyone else found that
he/she gained megaweight following any surgery other than this type? As if
the anethesia shuts off your metabolism. How I am looking forward to doing
this! I need to loose nearly 2/3's of my mass total.
— Judy S.
February 25, 1999
I think a lot of the anxiety about this surgery stems from the early days
when this was a very daring, very new procedure and there were a lot of
mishaps, some of which resulted in death. (That is looking back about
25-30 years and procedures have been changed a lot since then. Death is
now extremely rare.)
Unfortunately, "old wives' tales" don't go away as easily as
surgical and health care methods get improved.
And no, you are not nuts. If you seriously qualify for this surgery, have
honestly tried everything else and have reached the proverbial "end of
your rope," weight-wise, then you should go for this. I am going in
in April for my RNY and at first heard a lot of stuff and nonsense about
it, even from my own family. Finally, one family member confessed that
they would rather have me fat and alive than dead.
I almost lost it completely! Since then, I have gone on a one-man
information campaign... print everything positive you can find, including
the discussions on this topic, from the websites and you will see there is
no cause for alarm.
— Peter W.
April 6, 1999
To all the answers out there that claim that this surgery is not risky, I
disagree wholeheartedly. This is a MAJOR surgery and should be considered
to be risky. I had the surgery on March 4th of this year, and they could
not get me to breathe on my own when trying to wake me. I ended up in the
ICU, and it was a horrible experience. My family also tried to talk me out
of it; but, you know as well as I do that if you have your mind made up to
do it, you will - regardless of any bad publicity the surgery may have. I
was to have been in the hospital for 5-7 days and ended up there 11 days
the first time. Just last week I had to be readmitted to the hospital from
dehydration because I couldn't keep anything down - severe vomiting (not
related to meals) and diahrea (spelling). Furthermore, I am going to have
to go in for day surgery to have an endoscopy procedure where they are
going to have to dialate my small intestine because it doesn't seem to be
big enough. I never vomited in my life before surgery - couldn't do it if
I tried. But, I am sure if you have made your mind up, you'll do it
anyway. I wish you the best -- there is no way to tell who will have
trouble and who won't. I was asking for a gun to shoot myself with the
first 4 days after surgery because of the pain. People who paint a pretty
picture of everything so dandy really do not have a real grasp of how
serious this surgery really is, because they apparently were of the
fortunate bunch who had no complications. I personally saw a woman who had
the surgery and had to stay in the hospital for 3 months after the surgery.
She had developed abscesses and had not been able have ANYTHING by mouth
in all that time. She was being fed through the tubes in her stomach even
after the 3 months in the hospital. Not to be a downer, but I think it is
important you really see all the facts. If you are like me, you will have
it anyway. I wish you well in your surgery. Take good care of you!
— Christina H.
April 18, 1999
I think that most people think this is risky just out of ignorance. I had
the surgery eight months ago and I am so glad that I did. I have been
overweight all of my life. When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis by
doctors told me that if I didn't do something, I would be in a wheelchair
soon because of my weight. People only hear the horror stories, but there
are also a lot of happy endings, too.
— Beth B.
May 3, 1999
In my experience, a lot of family members are embarassed that
you are so obese that you need surgery to help. The tack they
took to talk me out of it was the "risk" argument, but when
given statistics they finally accepted it. It's funny that I have
no problem telling people about my surgery, but my entire family
scuffs their feet and stares at the ground when I talk about it
in public. It's unfortunate that just because you are obese
you are automatically considered a failure. I think they believe
that getting the surgery done just verifies your failure status.
— patti S.
June 17, 1999
After several months of consideration, I have finally made the decision,
received insurance approval for, and scheduled my surgery. I, of course,
weighed all of the risks, considered all of the comments from others, and
researched both the long term effects of morbid obesity and the long term
effects of the surgical solution to morbid obesity. Two months ago I was
absolutely positive that surgery is the only option for me, I never dreamed
I could become even more certain. Until my father, himself suffering from
a lifetime of morbid obesity, was admitted to the hospital with renal
failure. At first, it was assumed that the failure was due to diabetes
(one of the diseases of morbid obesity), but it has since been found that
the failure was caused by a severe kidney infection. In the process of
surgically draining his kidneys, the surgeon damaged his syatic nerve (due
to the position he had to be in on the operating table due to his weight).
My father, at age 54, was now told that it would be several months before
he would walk, if ever (yet another complication of morbid obesity, an
average-sized man would be facing only a few weeks of recovery time). As a
result of his inability to walk, or to be mobile at all, (yet another
obesity-related problem) he developed severe pressure sores that tunnelled
over 8 inches into his flesh to about 1/4 inch from his tail bone. He has
since had 4 surgeries to "scoop out" all of the dead tissue in
his lower back and is still unable to sit up or stand, let alone walk. He
is facing several future surgeries to close the HUGE gash in his back that
was left by the sores. In the past 10 weeks (he is still hospitalized) I
have watched as morbid obesity has turned the strongest person in my life
into a helpless, physically challenged individual (not to mention the
emotional effects this has had on both him and the rest of our family). My
decision to have the surgery was made before any of this happened, but
since I have actually seen the long term effects of morbid obesity, I can
REALLY see that the risks of the surgery are mild in comparison to what
could lie ahead for me if I don't take action now. I don't expect the
surgery to be a bed of roses, and I'd be a fool to think it is a
"magical" solution, but I know that no matter how difficult it is
to make the changes and compromises associated with the surgery, it is
worth it in the long run.
— Chris M.
June 17, 1999
This IS risky surgery ... however in the hands of someone who is highly
qualified to do the surgery, the risks of surgery far outweigh the risks of
remaining morbidly obese. My mother died at 49 years old ... why? All of
her systems started shutting down because she was over 500 lbs for so long.
I could not walk more than a car length prior to my surgery without being
so winded and in so much pain I couldn't stand it. I sing, it's a huge
part of my life, pre-op I HAD to sit on a stool, and since I was singing
with the Florida Philharmonic at the time the only place for the
handicapped singers on stools was nearly off stage behind the drums I could
barely see the Maestro! I too had none of the typical diseases related to
weight, except severe pain and difficulty breathing. That was reduce
tremendously post-op and upon losing over 200 lbs. I still have a way's to
go .. but I wouldn't have done anything differently .. I'd recommend this
surgery to anyone!!! The risks of death or serious complications post-op
are less than 1%. What are the stats for dying or severe health problems
living with morbid obesity? I don't know that number, but I bet it's far
higher than less than 1%. Best wishes in beginning a new life with WLS. I
gave myself a new life on my birthday in 1994 when I went in for this
surgery!
— Sherrie G.
October 22, 1999
Because they have never been fat and don't realize how hard it is to loose
weight.
Your friend in Texas
Patty
— Patty R.
March 5, 2001
This surgery is very risky. It is not something to be taken
lightly. But there are risks with any surgery. The question is, is it any
more risky than being morbidly obese?
— Terry H.
February 15, 2002
It's more invasive than risky. It has its fair share of risks
and possible complications, but what surgery doesnt? I think
the major fear roots from the seriousness of the surgery. Fo
instance, less than 1% die and only 5-8% get serious complications.
It can get dangerous when you dont follow the doctors orders though!
— Nicole0105
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