I was sooo determined to have this surgery..... then HORROR struck me!!!

[Noha]

Im sooo sorry if this will add negativity but I need to know If this happpened to others. I took the decision and hopefully im gonna stick to it. But yesturday I was talking to a new collegue and he mentioned that his wife passed away after having gastric bypass due to a leak that caused sepsis and she was gone a month after it. I was getting NIGHTMARES last night and doubts this morning. Im trying to control this fear but it keeps getting to me. How should I deal with it? anyone had a similar situation of hearing a scary story a month before thier operation?? HELP!!!

[bobbybeegood]

There are a lot of horror stories out there & very few them are based on facts, only rumors. Having said that, EVERY surgery has an associated risk. It's all part of life. Driving in a car carries a risk of dying in a wreck. Flying in an airplane carries a risk of dying in a crash. etc... Everyone has to evaluate for themselves if the associated risk of anything is worth the attempt. The only safe option is to stay in your bed every day & hide under the covers. Good luck to you on whatever you decide. We have TONS of ppl on this forum that had the surgery w/o any complications. Do your research on your surgeon & your hospital choice & if you don't like their stats, then research someone or someplace else. Hope you find what your looking for soon.

[PATSYGILLIGAN]

Bobbiebeegood is so right. Also you said gastric bypass. There is a higher risk with bypass than there is with the sleeve.

[stargater]

totally agree with the previous posts. My work colleagues kept from me two horror stories both of women who had died after weight loss surgery, one from the band the other from the bypass but both were caused because the woman hadn't taken care of themselves and not gone back to their surgeons with their problems.
It is very rare that people die from weight loss surgery and unfortunately like a lot of things in this world the media will only highlight the bad things not the good things and thats why people get frightened.
If you are confidant with your surgeon and his team then you know you will have all the back up you need and if and thats a big if something happens then make sure they are there to help you coz thats what they do.

All the best to you.

[mbd]

I too have heard horror stories, but agree totally with the above posts. Everything in life we do poses a risk, but the risk in the sleeve surgery is so minimal. At the seminar I went to my doctor went over his mortality rate. He stated to me in the thousands and thousands of bariatric surgeries he has performed, he has only 1 death. This was to a bypass of someone who was extremely high risk. That rate is very good. I too was nervous, but I was nervous with the numerous other surgeries I have had in the past, and I had full trust in my doctor. You must like your doctor, do research on the doctor the hospital and meet with him. You need to feel comfortable. If you aren't comfortable with the doctor, then look into another one.

[Lglow]

I have had 4 doctors visits and each time they review a special medical pamplet with me that entails the details of both VSG and Gastric Bypass. In the pamphlet it states 1-3 percent of latest research indicates a possible chance of death. As a nurse I can tell you it doesn't matter what surgical procedure you have if it involves general anesthesia your going to have that risk. So call your doctor and ask to have him go over ALL the risks from beginning the surgery to after surgery and write down all questions and concerns you have so you can make a fully informed decision about your body. Also the amount of surgery your doctor has performed in this specialty area will be a good indication of how much experience he has. Best wishes on your journey.

[jessy81]

i completely understand what ur talking about, & i asked my brother who is a doctor & worked with bariatric surgeons about this before, he said that the bypass's risks are much higher/severe than the sleeve. The sleeve op itself is much simpler & faster than the bypass. And as long as u choose a skilled surgeon + a good hospital there shouldn't be any leak issues. Plus at least 2 leak tests are done (one during the op, one after). And he told me that ANY surgery has it's own set of risks & complications .............i know someone who died of a simple appendix removal procedure & it was an excellent dr. & hospital...........what can i tell u, shit happens ........i decided 2 take the risk of the op rather than live in the obesity misery all my life ............i'm thru feeling starved/deprived/depressed/bloated/guilty after binging/miserable/unworthy due 2 horribly low self esteem forever ...........enough is enough...........what i can do is research by ass off about this op, ask the surgeon all the questions i have, assess his answers, ask about the hospital & spend the 2 weeks before it exercising well & eating right 2 minimize the risks as much as i could.............i asked about this, the fitter u are, the easier the op will go ..........the more visceral fat u have (blubber in ur abdomen) & an enlarged liver, the harder the op. will be + recovery.........and in the end u can only trust God 2 get u safely out of it..............if u can lose the weight otherwise, then fine, but since i've been on this awful roller coaster all my life, i've had it...............i'll go for it & hope for the best .............this is the HARDEST decision i've ever had 2 make, but i've had it with the weight. Good luck honey If ur destined to die/get sick/get cancer (God forbid), there's little u can do 2 prevent it ..........u just try ur best everyday 2 live ur "best life", which includes being at a healthy weight, eating right & exercising as much as possible
i read this on Shelly's blog (the world according 2 eggface) & i loved it. She was wondering about dying during/after the op (bypass) as well, she thought that without the op. she was still gonna die from the endless diseases caused by obesity , it was like suicide with a knife & fork ............so true............i spent a whole year addicted 2 the weight loss pill Meredia, later on i discovered that the FDA withdrew it's approval 4 that drug .......it was known 2 cause DEATH as a result of cardiac arrest/blood pressure problems...........i could have easily died while taking it although i lost 25 kgs (55 lbs)..........i will not go thru this again ...........sweety everything we do in this life has a positive & negative side, we just always hope that we never have 2 go thru the negative side Don't worry, hopefully everything will be fine

[Dee Leshuz]

It's very natural for people who don't have/don't need/are secretly jealous about this surgery to talk about the worst case scenario, and it's also natural to have moments of doubt, this IS a life changing surgery, etc. changing the size of your stomach forever! I've already had that happen and eventually settled back in to wanting the surgery. If you are doubting the surgery, think about what the pain of being fat/overweight/obese does to you every day. If you're willing to live w/ that, don't get surgery! But if the pain outweighs the (very small) risk of surgery, go for it!

Something that you can tell yourself/others is that: The sleeve is the safest bariatric surgery of all, leaks are very rare BUT if they DO happen they are easily corrected.

I know it's hard, but you have all of us to talk to, and you'll be okay however you choose, there is so much collective knowledge on this site!

[Hippy Heart]

well. I had the gastic bypass on Friday and I'm still here so this is a good sign. If I should stop writing... welll.....

Noha, one thing that has an amazing effect is how a person views a situation. Positive intent can be a HUGE influence on how your body will respond. (NOTE: this is probably one of the least important factors but every little thing helps I've noticed a few of your posts are pretty negative and not sure if it's because you're on the fence about surgery or what. This is the kind of thing where you pretty much decide to hold your nose and jump. Nothing is certain but if you do decide to go with surgery, at least you know you tried and did something for YOU! Best to you.

[Dee Leshuz]

I don't think Noha has been negative at all, just like the rest of us, seeking the best information about this type of surgery. It's natural to go through a lot of different emotions about it, esp/ w/r/t family members/friends etc. comments/input. That's what this place is for.

I also disagree that you have to "hold your nose and jump." There are many people (and I'm one of them) who have given this surgery careful deliberation and after much research, have decided to have the surgery.

Good luck w/ your gastric bypass...but I have to wonder, why are you hanging out on a sleeve site?

[Rae]

Call your doctors office and ask about how they test for leaks and what happens if they find one and what kind of symptoms you should watch for. Also ask what their stats are for death, leaks, and so forth. Also, when did the wife have the surgery? Recently? Ten years ago?

I know in the United States a lot of people are doing this surgery. Not sure how long they have been doing it regularly as their only business in Saudi Arabia and what standards they must follow. Because of malpractice insurance in the USA, there are specific things that have to be followed to help prevent issues. Research your facility and make a decision from there. Maybe that decision is to travel somewhere else to have it.

[Kaye]

You know, everyone's comment on this is true...because you have to do what is right for you. Wait until you feel it is the right time for YOU to do the surgery. I'm sure you have researched this before deciding to do it, but if you need to put the surgery off until you feel more confident about it, then by all means, do it. You can always reschedule when you are ready for it. You seem unsure if this is right for you. It is a HUGE decision and you need to be comfortable with it. You will know if this is the right time or not.

[Hippy Heart]

To each his/ her own, Deelite.

I was not meaning "hold your nose and jump" from an uneducated point of veiw. I spent MANY months online/ two different surgeons offices...all kinds of resources in order to make my decision. However, every day was a battle of "should I do this or not" That's what I meant about 'holding your nose and jumping". By all means, I was NOT suggesting to go in and do this without being properly informed! Can you IMAGINE??? I mean, ignorance may be bliss but NO WAAAAY!!!

I'm on the sleeve sight because I originally planned on having the sleeve. I made contacts on here that I like very well and have found this to be the most informative site on this surgery, anywhere on line. During my educational journey(lol) the second surgeon I spoke with said that I would be a candidate for either one. He also told me that some of the symptoms that people expressed were extreme cases and we should all be aware of everything that may/ could happen. So, because I felt personally that I needed the extra discipline of dumping syndrome (so far so good...) i chose the bypass. Whats most important is that it's not a competition or a 'sleeve vs' bypass or banding' site. This is a place we can all come to for help and as I mentioned earlier, the best place I've found online for info and support.

I also meant no disrespect to you, Noha. I'm just concerned because of everything your going through and will it effect your desicion? Had I looked at all the bad things that were going on in my life (yep, Got em too ) and decided against doing something that will help me to regain control of my happiness because of the negative reports about the surgery, I WOULD NOT have done it either. Being in a funk and then reading scary stuff doesn't always end with a well informed decision.

I really feel that a good attitude has a lot to do with my own personal well being and I'm chosing to look at all the positive things that ARE happening. There are many others that feel this too and as I said, to each his/ her own

[Dee Leshuz]

Nobody's said that having a happy attitude is not a good thing to have; it just doesn't help to have someone call you negative when you're just trying to figure things out and working through your fears.


This is a support site, after all. And I'm glad you edited your post.

[Noha]

Wooooow you guys took all that time and concern to help ma out. I love this place thank you all so much it was very helpfull and u all gave me back what i needed..... People to talk to and positive thinking . Thanks to u all i might actualy sleep better tonight.