YOUR long term health?

Hi, I'm in the process of jumping through hoops to get surgery.  But my mom had RNY in Dec '04, so she will be 3 yrs out this year.  She is doing great, she gains a few and loses a few, but holding steady!! She gets her blood work done quarterly, etc...  But now she has other health problems.....thyroid problems, she needs to take B12 shots every other week, her kidney numbers are so-so, more heart palapitations (sp) than before surgery (she is getting a halter moniter next week), low BP (related to previous prob dr thinks), the low blood sugar thing (she eats sweets, her body produces too much to fight the sugar so then her sugar drops).  Plus other stuff that I can't think of exactly right now.   Does anyone else have numbers that are totally out of whack since the surgery?  I'm wondering if she has more problems now, than she did before WLS.  She said the palapitations were probably masked more by her weight.  As for vitamins, she takes them everyday!  But her numbers a still screwy!!   And if you do have problems, are they a better exchange than being overweight with those problems?  Sorry if I don't make sense.  Just trying to see what the future may hold years down the road!

I am three years out and just had 60% of my pancreas removed because it was making way too much insulin and causing my blood sugars to drop to severe levels. 

Had I known this going in, I probably would have researched other methods more but at the time no one was talking about the low blood sugar complication. 

So far, all my other labs have been okay.  If your mom wants information regarding the low blood sugar thing, email me at [email protected] and I can send some info on research Mayo Clinic is doing on this.

 

 

My mother had RNY 31 years ago. She's in great health, and has only regained 16 pounds over 31 years. Her bones are strong, her iron and calcium are good. She's had no long or short term problems.

I am 62 years old, 2 1/2 years out from RNY.  I have a fast/ irregular heart beats when I eat things I should not eat.  I think it is my way of dumping.  It is when I eat sugar, fat and just too much of anything.  I had a B-12 deficiency before surgery, so have taken monthy shots for years--no big thing.  (Medicare will pay for them if your mother is covered under it.  My insurance pays for mine.) I have a Vit D deficiency since surgery.  I take a prescription med for this and extra Vit D.  I take lots of vits and supplements.  When I hear people say they are taking their vits, etc. I wonder if they are taking enough.        

Hi I'm five years post-op and more than happy with the results.  My post-op complication is iron deficiency anemia. Please ask your Mom to have her Ferritin tested. Heart palpitations and low blood pressure were symptoms I had related to low iron storage. (Ferritin)  It took a very long time to get a diagnosis, as my Hemoglobin looked normal. She should have an iron study that includes Ferritin, Iron Saturation, TIBC, and iron serum. I will be having IV iron infusions every 6-8 months from now on.  I am just not absorbing enough orally for my body.  I have a great Hematologist  who keeps a close  eye on my iron levels.

I'm almost 5 yrs out and have no prolems...I was a little anemic with my 2 pregnancies but I've been able to resolve it with oral supplements. All other blood work has been great!!! Extra skin is my only "issue" and that will be resolved soon... It's a big desicion and you have to do it for yourself, just remember we are all different... you may not have the issues your mom is having...you also need to go into it with your eyes wide open, it's great that you are asking questions. Best wishes and BIG HUGS!!! Deanna K

Thank you everyone for your responses! They are wonderful!  I was just checking to see if anyone had problems long term!  You always hear of the short term stuff "oh I lost 100 lbs in 6 months" or "I went from a size 30 to a size 4 in 18 months".  So I knew, those that are post op long term would be the ones with the best answers and opinions!!!  Plus I've passes all your responses on to my mother.  I know she gets a little depressed sometimes when she thinks about some of her problems.  She said one of the reasons she had the surgery was because she didn't want the long term effects of diabetes.  The nerve damage, insulin shots, dialysis etc...  But it seems she does have some kind of nerve numbness, takes B12 shots and told she will need dialysis when she starts to get older!  But she always says "I'd do it again in a heartbeat!" Thank you again!

I've had issues with low iron, low blood pressure, chronic constipation and syncope (passing out). The low iron was treated at the time and it's been normal since. The constipation started about 1 1/2 years out and it's been around ever since. All kinds of tests and even exploratory surgery, but nothing showing up as to cause yet. The low pressure and syncope tie in together. Even when I was over 300 lbs my blood pressure was on the lower end. Now it can be very low. I've had several episodes of passing out since late 2004. First time I went to the ER and they treated me for dehydration. This last time, I was sent to a cardiologist and we did a tilt table test where they basically make me pass out while strapped to a table. Lying and standing were fine until they gave me a nitroglycerin tablet to simulate me passing out. Well that kicked in pretty fast and the next thing I knew I was lying on my back again with the medical staff all around me. They told me that my heart had stopped and of course they weren't able to get a blood pressure reading while I was in the upright position. As soon as they laid me back down, everything came back to normal. They told me never to use a phone booth! Reason being is that my body will either pass out and hit the floor (thus getting blood back to where it needs to be) or else if I'm stuck somewhere in an upright position I could die. She thinks it chronic dehydration at the root of why I have this going on. She said that she sees more and more gastric bypass patients presenting with this problem post-op. It's called neurogenic cardiac syncope. In a way it feels like my blood sugar is dropping when it starts. I get weak, hot, start sweating, get lightheaded, etc.  Having said all this, I'd also still do it in a heartbeat too, though