Surgery regrets?

Per surgeon's assistant, in 20 yrs no one has ever asked for the fat back.

Good point!

But 50% of post-ops get it back on their own, so they don't NEED to ask.

Tek

That's also a good point, and the reason I had a DS procedure. I knew I would need more than a little help to keep it off long term.

RNY. No regrets at all. I'd do it again in a heartbeat - and I'd go back and have it done every year if I had to! Best decision I've ever made!

I've said the exact same thing many times.

I'm not sure it was the 'best', but it's gotta be in the top 2. My spouse being #1 by far. ;)

Tek

I've got to drop some truth here. [as an aside, doesn't that just sound stupid?]

First, most of the people are here because they choose to be. At least longer term, we are happy or retrying to be happy. We are self selected to generally praise our choice here. I am no different.

People die from this surgery. I'd bet if they could they would regret it. All of us post-ops faced this prospect, some of us ignored it.

There are complications that can basically destroy the life people wanted. Again, we either faced this possibility or ignored it.

Personally, I don't regret my choice.

My spouse and I talked seriously about the risk of death or disability resulting from surgery and accepted the risk, knowing I would be there quick enough anyway.

But, the complications I've had, dumping is a 'complication' by the way, destroys some people but I am thrilled by it. I used it to teach me, rather than resenting it for spanking me.

My restriction is bothersome at times. Again, some people feel this destroys their joy while I accept it as another feature to instruct me.

So 'regrets' are very personal and based on chance and perspective.

Think honestly and hard about everything, including death, that can go wrong and how you will cope or use that experience. This will determine if you will have regrets or not.

Good luck,

Tek

just to clarify to the OP, if they're not aware: mortality rate on bypass is 0.3%. It's even lower on sleeve (I can't remember the stat on that since it wasn't relevant to me, since I had bypass). So you have at least a 99.7% chance of NOT dying. Those are pretty good odds. Yes, you could die from it - but people have also died from wisdom tooth extractions and tonsillectomies. It happens - but it's pretty rare. Honestly, I think my plastic surgery probably had a greater mortality rate since I was under anesthesia for several hours vs. one hour (my RNY took just over an hour)

Absolutely true.

When I had my RNY it was generally .2% higher, and for me (Super Morbidly Obese with comorbidities, about 3% death rate. My Doc's last words before surgery: "You know you can die from this surgery? You want to continue?" So he took the risk seriously.

Complications, on the other hand, 40+%. Now, 'dumping' is in there, but there are other serious ones, of which I personally knew people that experienced. It happens.

I actually died during my Tummy Tuck, and lost 7 or so pints of blood. I think the dieing part was related to the blood part. My surgeon had done 1000+ surgeries and taught plastic surgery at UCLA at the time. I was the first that even needed blood. It happens.

I also hemorrhaged and was near death when I was age 4 via a tonsillectomy. It happens.

So, when it comes to 'minute chances' I've hit the motherload.

Again, it likely won't happen to you. But you still need to consider it. **** happens.

Tek

true - you had your surgery several years ago, and techniques have improved a bit since then - and it's become a more-or-less routine surgery, so mortality rates have improved.

BUT...you're right - they're not zero. What I had to decide was which was more risky - staying at almost 400 lbs - or having the surgery. Figured my odds were better having the surgery.