What did you wish you knew before surgery?

That complications can happen even if your relatively young and in good general health with no co morbitities, I knew complications happened, I knew that was a "risk" I took I just didn't really expect them to happen to me.

Would it have changed my decision to have surgery is a hard question, at the moment, probably yes because I've spent almost as much time in hospital since my surgery 7 weeks ago as I have home and honestly can't tell I've lost any weight at this point given how pumped full of fluids I am- ask me again in 6 months and hopefully I have a different answer

There are many things that I've learned since having WLS that I didn't know about before, but NONE of them would have changed my decision.

- Happy Camper.

1. That only 30% of RNYers dump. My surgeon told us that "not everyone" did, but did not tell us the number was so low. That was one of the things I put in the "advantages" column for RNY (and, of course, I don't dump... until I have eaten a lot of sugar)

2. That the amount of caloric malabsorption that the body overcomes is so high. I knew the body adapted, but did not realize HOW MUCH. (After 18-24 months you basically end up with a restrictive-only procedure, but cannot take NSAIDs, have to take a boatload of daily vitamins for life, don't have the pyloric valve, etc., all for some temporary malabsorption.)

3. That it would be so difficult living without NSAIDs because my knees would hurt almost as much after losing 190 pounds as they did before. I read SO many posts about people's knees no longer hurting, so I expected that mine would either not hurt at all or would hurt MUCH less. Nope. The arthritis damage was already too extensive. I miss my Celebrex and Aleve!

Each of those things individually would not have made my decision different. The three things in combination, however, would probably have led me to get the DS instead of RNY (the sleeve, which would probably be my choice if I were doing it now, was not an option 5 years ago).

Lora

Pre-OP I had test after test, evaluation after evaluation. I really thought I was ready and had read all the books talked to several doctors and others who had the surgery. I thought I knew all there needed to be known about WLS. I had even attended support groups and listen to what others said about the surgery.

What I wish I had done or had someone demonstrate to me is to take a plate and put a half a cup to a cup of food on it and look at it. See how small that is, and that is ALL you will be able to eat at one time for the REST OF YOUR LIFE IF YOU WANT TO STAY THIN.  I miss 5 slices of pizza, a large bowl of spaghetti, 10 tacos, 5 hard and 5 soft. A half a gallon of ice cream covered with strawberry jam and whipped cream. I miss the six cans of soda a day as well. I didn't expect that I would feel so much remorse missing my old food friends like that. BUT BUT BUT. I can live really live without that crap ever again. I would have the operation again without doubt. I am so much happier and I am in much better health. I can do anything I want and not be stopped by my weight. 

Most people who have RNY, though, do NOT live on just half a cup of food at each meal. Some do because they choose to, and some seem to need to in order to limit their foods properly and avoid regain. But most eat significantly more than that.

Lora

What Lora said about dumping. My surgeon and his office made it out that most people dump, and on very little sugar.  It's on me for believing him and not doing more research.

I wish my surgeon's office would not promote the belief that post ops, even long term ones, don't eat more than 1/2 cup of food at a time. I wish I had done more research and discovered that's a bunch of BS. Again, that's on me.

No, I would still go with the RnY because these are the consequences I can live with.

Add me to the list about how many supplements I'd have to take to keep my labs up.  I'm also struggling to keep my protein levels up as well, so it appears I may always have to supplement with protein shakes/bars to maintain.

The other issue that I was completely unprepared for was the misinformation/lack of information medical professionals have about RNY.  You really do have to be your own advocate and understand your medical needs and not completely depend upon the professionals to know it for you.

I thought..due to my lack of research..that if I lived past the first 30 days there wouldn't be complications down the road. At 10.5 months out I experienced a Petersen's hernia, a rare complication from the surgery that could have cost me my life. I now fear that it will happen again and what if the next time they don't decide to do emergency surgery..I fear every pain I have in my stomach will send me to the ER scared. 

 

If I would have know these things were going to happen to me I really don't know if I would have gone through with the surgery..that's been on my mind a lot lately. 

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts. This was a great way to help us Pre-ops to realize what may lie ahead of us once we endure our surgeries !

The Revision board would be a good place to ask this question, too:http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/revision/