If you have had WLS pls read and help!!!!!

WOW thank you all so much for your lengthy, thoughtout replies, it means A LOT! Maybe I've just had a bad day of picking the wrong posts to read lol and you're right the closer I get to my surgery the more I freak out. I've made this decision, I truly believe it's the right one. I want to have a healthier life for me, my husband and most importantly my son. At the weight I am at now, I'm a ticking time bomb for something bad to happen.

Again I can't express how grateful I am for all your posts and words of encouragement and realism as to what this life changing surgery is.

Much love & Hugs all around!!

- Sheila

Although I have not personally noticed vets posting a lot about dangers, I think that we probably DO try to point out that there are some negative things that can happen down the road because
1) we have been there and know (either first-hand or from friends who have also had the surgery and are a number of years out) what kinds of things CAN happen (whereas someone who is only 3 months out cannot tell you about developing vitamin deficiencies or reactive hypoglycemia or seizures)
2) surgeons tend to focus on early post-op potential issues rather than the things like RH that don't appear right away but can be very problematic (heck, some of them don't even tell prospective patients that the caloric malabsorption is only temporary!)
3) pre-ops and new post-ops sometimes (notice that I did NOT say always or everyone) are so enamored with the idea of finally losing the weight -- and therefore rarely need encouragement to do it, B****hat they tend to gloss over or minimize the potential issues (they have "selective hearing" when it comes to the negatives), or they believe that the complications or problems will not happen to them (e.g., "I will never let myself regain this weight once it is off")

Of all the people that I know "in real life" who have had RNY (or DS), none of them have had "serious complications" that were related to their RNY surgery (unless you consider RH or gallbladder removal or incisional hernias "serious complications").  I know several people who have had significant complications from plastic surgery procedures, however, and a number of people that are struggling with not being able to maintain their weight loss now that they are more than a couple of years out and the malabsorption is gone and sometimes the old food issues have reared their ugly heads or old habits have crept back in.

Would I do my RNY again?  Absolutely... although I would probably actually have the sleeve if I could do it again.  The sleeve was not an option for me 5 years ago, and I would have much preferred NOT to have my intestines rearranged (and have to worry about not absorbing vitamins properly), and not being able to take NSAIDs has been more problematic than I expected it would be.

Lora

I'm only six weeks out, so my lack of complications is irrelevant to this thread. But you WILL want to hear about my wife, who is now over 7 1/2 YEARS out. She has come awful close to her goal weight, and looks fantastic.

She did have one minor complication, that one of her laparoscopic incisions got infected right after the surgery, and I had to disinfect it with hydrogen peroxide a few times a day for a week or two. She was pretty much in bed for three or four weeks after the surgery, but recovered on schedule. I honestly believe that this is a good example of what Hattie (above) was referring to when she said that the surgeons have learned a lot over the years, and do a better job now than before. And that's why when I decided to get the surgery, I used the same surgeon that my wife used.

I should also point out that although she has kept the pounds off, it has NOT been easy. She keeps a food diary and shows it to her nutritionist every week. We bought a treadmill a few months back, and she has started to lift weights too. The surgery is not a magic pill; it is only a tool to help take the weight off. KEEPING the weight off is a whole 'nother story, and people who are not ready to develop new eating habits are (in my opinion) not ready for this surgery.

On the other hand, as some people around here are fond of saying, "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!"

Good luck!

Hello Sheila, I am excited for you this is a big change for you just listen to your surgeun and nutritionist and follow what they tell you to do.some people go back to there old habits and gain it back.I had RNY on April 29th 2010 and so far I have keep off 145 pounds I would most definately would have it done again.

 I won't speak to a particular surgery, as I think they can all be successful for the person who works their type well.  You can see I had the RNY, and this is how it has worked for me;

I am 2 1/2 years out. I did not have any complications from surgery. I make certain I get my bloodwork done every 6 months. I found that I was low on iron last year, and started taking a different form of iron and a slightly higher dose, and have normalized again. I make certain I take my vitamins regularly, as my surgeon and all the guidelines I was taught through the classes before surgery said to do.  I WENT to all the classes my surgeon and NUT said to go to before the surgery, and I went to the support meetings for many months afterwards to stay informed I STAYED INFORMED!!! Can't stress that enough to you.  I changed my eating habits a month before the surgery, to make sure I was ready to commit.  I can now eat much more than before, and that includes sugar, so I make sure I am paying attention. I gained 10 pounds from my lowest weight, and that goes up and down within the 10 pound range, but that isn't a lot, so I don't panic about it. I just keep an eye on it by weighing once a week. I make sure I take the stairs whenever I can, walk daily, eat a healthy balance of foods, keep my protein intake up in the 70-100 grams daily ALONG WITH complex carbs from veggies. I try to stay low on "crap" carbs.  I would do it again in a second.

My RNY was 7/8/08 and I have absolutely no regrets.  I struggled since childhood with weight problems.  I tried numerous programs but nothing got the excess weight moving.  My doctor calls me a lightweight.  I had about 90 lbs. to lose.  I've lose 70 and maintained that since August of 2009.  I want to lose another 20 lbs. but I'm not stressing over it.

There are some foods I can't eat but that's ok.  Getting all my meds except Thyroid is great plus it save me a lot of money.  I was on 4 BP meds and Nexium but a month after my surgery I was off all those.  Eggs make me sick and I don't like turkey.  I can eat some breads but not hamburger buns.  Fine with me.  A burger without bread tastes great.  Sugar is my enemy and that's a good thing because sweets were my downfall before WLS.  I keep my sugar to 10 grams or less.  

I wore 1X and 2X but now I wear a 14.  Some would say that I'm still fat but I don't care.  My health is great and I'm happy with how I look.  I even have a full length mirror.  Before WLS, I avoided mirror from the neck down.

Good luck to you!!
 

Sheila it's great you are asking questions and researching your options.  There are some long-termers that are experiencing the regain, and other such things that want others to know the "real deal". 

I have absolutely zero regrets about my surgery (7 years post-op) and thankfully haven't had many issues to speak of.  Keep learning and be aware, no one knows what may happen you just need to be prepared.