HELP Ugent info needed ~ How many/MOST Years Out!?

I will be 6 years out this August.  I've experienced definite problems along the way.  I experienced six weeks of nausea after surgery.  I had a panic attack at four months out (I've never had one before or since then).  I had anemia at two years out.  Last year I had a bowel obstruction and pancreatitis and almost died.  Lately, if I eat too much sugar, within an hour or two, my blood sugar level will drop to the point that I can't think or move unless I get something in my system QUICK!  Therefore, I try my best to not overdo the sugar thing.  Every time I have a physical problem, I first wonder if it has to do with the surgery.  Right now, I'm having problems with my bladder and I have slight numbness in my left fingers and toes.   I really think if I had to do it again, I would have opted for Nutri-Systems or Jenny Craig - anything to lose weight the natural way.  However, I think for those people who have over 300 pounds to lose, they can probably only do it with surgery.  I AM glad that I didn't have the lap band though.  I've seen so many people who are getting it taken out and revising to RNY.   Since there are so many post op people who are gaining weight back, I think losing weight naturally would have been a better option.   Just my humble opinion though!

I'm 4 years out and i have had alot of complications. The first was for the first few months after surgery. I kept getting strictures. Basically, my new pouch kept healing shut and i kept having to go in to have it reopened. Talk about miserable.  I had alot of weight related health issues related to my weight prior to surgery like sleep apnea but it's a tradeoff. I was told that If I had the surgery i may be trading in some old health issues for some new ones.That is exactly what happened too. The sleep apnea went away within the first month and 50 pounds lost but I recently found out that i have osteoporosis at 35 years of age. And it wasn't due to me not taking calcium supplements either because i  have always been diligent about that and to make sure i had my bloodwork checked often. It's just one of those things that can happen after this surgery. But i knew the risks beforehand and my quality of life and health was at such a point that I was willing to risk it. This is a drastic surgery and  it can have drastic consequences so you have to be really honest with yourself. Are you willing to trade off some current health issues for some new ones? Are you willing to accept some minor or major complications? If the answer is no then it's probably not a good idea to pursue this surgery. Having said that though... even with all of my complications I would  choose to have the surgery again in a minute.

My partner had the same concerns. Initially she was VERY supportive but then people at work started hassling her. She is a paramedic and (please don't anyone take this personally) but in my experience they start to think that they know more than the dr's even. Other paramedics were saying things like "they haven't done enough research on this surgery, no one knows what the long term effects are". OK SO WHAT????? Every DOES know the long term effects of obesity! I had a dear friend die a year prior to my surgery, following complications of her own WLS, however, she had multiple pre-existing conditions and alot of people neglect to tell the surgeon of these conditions thinking that it will exclude them from the surgery. Not realizing that it only creates more danger. I KNOW that I would have died within a few years from the weight, or been bed-ridden at the least. All I had to do was look at my family health history.   I am 22 months post, I had an open RNY as a conversion from an open VBG. Following the VBG I had lost 185, after 6 years I regained 95. Following my conversion I have lost 127.I just had my panniculectomy done and lost an additional 8 lbs. AND I am healthy, for the first time in a long time, I feel healthy.    You need to ask your surgeon for his stats, they will tell you how many surgeries they have performed and how many patients they have lost. Ask him to explain the risks to your husband, and ask your husband to truly listen.............to the risks of obesity as well as the risks that the surgery can afford. I feel that the risks of obesity far outweigh the surgery risks, esp since the obesity risks are a given whereas the surgery risks are a chance we take. (Did that make sense?)   Good luck, and keep us posted.             

Hi, I had my surgery on 3-3-3. I can't add anything other than what is already here so I won't. Just want to lend my support. I lost 100lbs total and am so thankful I did. I was in trouble with my health and this surgery gave me a new lease on life. Yes, there are risks, and yes, I do have some new issues such as B12, iron deficiencies but these are dealt with quickly and I am doing great. Best of luck to you!