Question:
Has anyone had stomach surgery 20 years ago?
Just wondering if anyone out there has any kind of WLS 20 or more years ago. I'd like to know how they are doing today. — mumuvtwogrlz (posted on February 6, 2007)
February 6, 2007
Hello Tanya
Yes, I had WLS in SEptember of 1981. Now......the only evidence of it is a
long ugly scar and if I have x-rays, staples floating around in my
abdominal cavity. I had no education what to do or more importantly NOT
do. No follow ups with the surgeon. NADA, ZIP, ZILCH! Five months
post-op I got pregnant. Big mistake. Over the months and years since I
have gone back to where I began and past it up. Still considering a
differnt form of surgery now. Insurance is my battle.
I wish you much sucess in your journey
— Wings In Waiting
February 6, 2007
My dad had the abdominal gastric bypass way back in the beginning 70? at
UCLA. He was one of the first they did. He weighed 500+, disabled,
boderline diabetic, and everything else. He lived until Dec 1995. His death
was not because of the surgery or complications, he died because of an
infection caused by a cat scratch. He lived the longest of those that had
that surgery, and up until he got sick in Oct of 1995, had a healthy,
productive life. He also had a "sick" sense of humor, and the
side effects of the gastric surgery were felt by more then one drunk during
his life...especially if he had spicy or Mexican food.
Hope this helps.
Peace, love, health, and happiness.
Dana
— Dana M.
February 6, 2007
Which surgery do you mean? There were several done 20 years ago that are
not done today or done rarely. And there's good reason for the changes to
modern surgeries! You might lurk on the Grad list for awhile. If you
don't see enough info, remind me and I'll ask people to speak up with their
little histories for you. Many of us are revised from older surgeries or
dealing with a broken down antique, hoping for modernization as one poster
wrote. you can't speak til you're 1 yr out, but as I said, I will speak
for you if you are there to listen.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
— vitalady
February 6, 2007
Go to www.vitalady.com and see Michelle's photo and read up on her story.
she is sweet and will talk with you and answer any questions you may
have... she is a success story. good luck to you.
— Flo
February 9, 2007
It is so sad. We have a teacher aide at our school who had the surgery VERY
early on in the very early 80's. She has gained alllllllllllll her weight
back. She needs/wants the new surgery. Insurance is a no go. SO SAD!!! I
had GBS in June 2003, and still have alllllllllllllll my weight off. Others
at my school have gained alot back with GBS. They eat badly, I do NOT!!!
The old surgery did/does not work. SO SAD! The NEW surgery works, IF you
choose to follow the program like I do. It does NOT work, if you choose NOT
to follow the program. They graze and eat tooooo much. I do not. It is MY
choice to follow the program. I love being thin. I lost -130 pounds and
have kept most of it off. It is alllllllllllllll a decision you make
yourself. Talk to the queen, Michelle Curan. She is so important to a long
term post op. I am too. It is alllllllllllllll about choices. We choose to
stay thin and follow the program. Others do not. Best of luck. Kathy
Riffle........295/160/between
175/180today.........5'9"..............Still VERY skinny, looking
fantastic, and very proud after nearly 4 years out.................I am
proud and dedicated to the WLS lifestyle KORiffle
— Kathy R.
March 2, 2007
20 years ago, NO...10 years 4 months ago yes. Great success 200# lost but
started gaining again. On March 12, 2007 I will undergo a revision from the
"Molina" band to a RNY. Dr. Molina was a doctor in Houston, TX
but died several years ago. I must agree with others. No follow up was my
defeat. None, zilch, nada. Had a short class day before surgery, had
surgery, sent home and TADA....all on my own. Would I do it again? You bet
but I would be much more educated on the who, what, when, where & other
data about the surgeries available. That is why I went with the Dr. I went
with for this revision. Great support not only from him, but his nursing
staff, office staff, hospital and even a nutrionist and phsychologist.
These are very important! Good luck finding the info you want.
— Elizabeth L.
July 20, 2008
I will be post-op 9 yrs, this Oct. I have kept my wt. off, 120 lbs...but I
do have a complication from the RNY surgery...I have lost both of my
kidneys, due to the surgery.our body makes the calcium oxalate, and we
store it now, instead of absorbing it and digesting..which causes
stones...I'm on dialysis for life now..3 specialists and my family doctor
said it was from the surgery.I wanted all of you to know, this can happen
to you, so watch your kidney labs carefully, if you see your GFR going
below 60, BRING IT TO YOUR DOCTOR'S attention ASAP...
Would I still have had the surgery done, YES, for if I hadn't I would've
been in a wheelchair..
The doctor's really don't know the long term effects of the surgery, and
they are starting to show up..The doctors need to be prepared for there
will be more complications...
Research OXALATE NEPHROPATHY, and you will see it happens...
Did not mean to scare anyone, just inform...Good luck to all of you!
Sherry
— bobsgrl75
March 18, 2009
I am 29 years post op .... back then there was no long term complications
spoked about, no vitamins, no aftercare ... there was nothing to prpare you
for what the future would hold. I have had 29 years of frustrating side
effects, 10 of these years I've been suffering with the onset of long term
effects and have spent the last 12-18 months very ill. Doctors will
acknowledge that wls does cause long term complications but when you
present with them I have found that they don't want to know about it. I
have had trouble getting the specific testing that I need and it is a
continual battle trying to get my conditions diagnosed so I can have
treatment. The whole experience is one that I seriously regret and it
upsets me so much that once you are having post op long term helath
problems ... no-one wants to know you ... nor do they want to help you. I
am treated by doctors like I am some kind of leper ... that they don't want
to know about. Why .... why is it, that everyone wants to know, when things
are going right and when they are not ... you are irrelevant.
— vickilove03
August 22, 2012
Hi everyone, I am sooo happy to have found this site!!! I had my surgery
(horizontal stapling) at the beginning of 1989 and for 23 years I have been
vomiting. I, like most, had no follow up, no nutritionist, no
psychologist, no doctor follow up. I lost approx 60 lbs of my 277 lbs, but
after that it was just a struggle, my weight goes up and down, but the
vomiting never stops. I can eat a little or a lot and I will still throw
up.
In 2001 I moved to Chile and in 2003 I went to this wonderful doctor that
helped me lose all the weight (with SIBUTRAMINE), I was finally 139 lbs and
the happiest woman ever. I started going to the Gym 6 days a week, 3 hours
daily, but it lasted for 3 years and the day I stopped going to the gym I
started getting all the weight back again and I am now 194 lbs and still
vomiting :-(
I had no idea there were so many people out there with the same problem I
have, I went to the doctor (WLS surgeon) last week and he said that there
is a solution for my problem, I cried, I really cried with happiness and
relief. It is so horrible to be in a situation where everything you put in
your mouth will come out. I have a lot of anxiety and there are nights,
most nights when I just eat anything and everything in sight and my
esophagus and throat suffer all the consequences of my bad habits.
Next week I will see the surgeon again and hopefully my health plan will
cover whatever it is that he will do to help me and my health.
Thanks everyone for exposing your experiences, this has helped me come out,
I had never told anyone of my vomiting problems, I guess everyone thought I
had a bad bladder :-)
— ebastias
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