I have a good friend who is seriously considering having this surgery done. I have never taken care of pts who've had this procedure and don't know anyone who has.
This really scares me because of the things I've read about it, as far as SE. blood loss, etc.
My friend is a copd pt, on home 02/2l, still smokes some, iddm, overweight and on prednisone,-- the whole works. She said the surg told her they would be rerouting the bowel to the stomach,--what is this??
Also her pulmonoligist wants to be in the OR while she is having the procedure.
Could y'all please give me some info from actual cases you've seen and cared for, as well as how these pt's do 6mo to a yr down the road.
I had a laparoscopic RNY done 16 months ago. So far I've lost 120 pounds!!! And dropped 12 sizes in clothes!!
My advice RESEARCH!! This is not some quick fix for morbid obesity. And if there are serious emotional issued tied to the eating they need to be addressed. This surgery is NOT for everyone and it is a HUGE lifestyle change. A person needs to really be prepared for that.
This place ... obesityhelp.com ... has great info, before/after pics, and a forum for questions and discusssion. Theres also a place to read about docs in your area.
Found this thread . . . am entering it a bit late. . .
I had gastric bypass done three years ago. At the time of surgery, I was 27 y.o., had a BMI of 56 (ack!), chronic arthritis in both knees, s/p knee surgery x2, used a CPAP machine, and had been on every diet under the sun.
I lost 191 lbs initially. Due to bad habits, I gained back 30 lbs in the past year and a half. I'm currently working on losing those, and have lost 5 lbs so far by eating sensibly and exercising. I know I will always have to diet and exercise to lose/ maintain weight. And for me, if I eat 1200 calories, I gain! (To maintain at my lowest weight, I need to stay around 1000).
My husband also had gastric bypass 2.5 years ago. He lost 160 lbs, and did gain back 15 lbs. He's slowly getting back into the diet/ exercise habit as well.
When I think of what I can do now physically, as well as the fact that I am the healthiest I've EVER been, I can honestly say I'd do this again in a heartbeat. I've been a member of a 1500+ support group, and have met many, many people who have had the bypass surgery. I know two who have died (one personally); appx. 5 that had "serious" complications (stroke, leak, died on the table), and they all said they'd do it again if they had to. The remainder of people I know have had no complications. They're living the life they've dreamed of.
There are two groups of people that I've seen knock the surgery. The first are the people who are larger, or have a vested interest in a loved one remaining fat. Someone else having the surgery can be seen as a threat to who THEY are and what their relationship with their loved one is. The second group is the group that has never been fat, and cannot possibly understand what being fat feels like. Those of us who HAVE been morbidly obese and reached the point of needing surgery can, as a collective group, tell you that the risks following surgery are less painful and less scary than a life living as morbidly obese persons.
I have 2 friends who have recently had the gastric bypass done laproscopically. They are both in their late thirties. One friend had it done in January. The other had it done in May. Both went to reputable surgeons in S. Florida.
My friend who had it done in January is doing GREAT! She has lost 110 lbs so far,and still losing. She is off her blood pressure medications. Her back, knees and neck pain went away. She no longer huffs and puffs when she has to run up the stairs. Her gyrd has gone away as well. She has had no complications whatsover. She went from a size 26 (tight) to a loose size 12. She looks awesome! Of course, her skin is very loose. So her next step will be plastic surgery.
My other friend who had it done in May, has had the complete opposite experience. She almost died during surgery. Her oxygen level wouldn't rise. They had a very hard time stabilizing her blood pressure. She also got a major infection. So, she ended up in ICU for 2 weeks. THEN she had to spend the entire month of June in bed. She was very weak, couldn't eat anything, had iv's in her...just miserable!
Obviously, my friend who had the horrible experience does NOT recommend the surgery. My other friend who has had the positive experience, can't stop recommending it. She keeps bugging me to go for it. But I don't have the insurance or the money to do it. Maybe that is a blessing in disguise?
They both say that the surgery is just a tool. They STILL have a "fat" head. They still have to diet. If they choose the wrong foods to eat, they WILL gain weight. There are some foods that they can never ever eat again.
Lastly, all of my friends who work in the medical field say NO NO NO to gastric bypass surgery. They have seen the complications, misery, and death that CAN happen.
I guess it is a very personal decision. One that must be thought through very carefully. You need to weigh the options- good and bad. Are you willing to risk death, in order to prevent it?
redraccoon, BSN, RN
92 Posts
I had a laparoscopic RNY done 16 months ago. So far I've lost 120 pounds!!! And dropped 12 sizes in clothes!!
My advice RESEARCH!! This is not some quick fix for morbid obesity. And if there are serious emotional issued tied to the eating they need to be addressed. This surgery is NOT for everyone and it is a HUGE lifestyle change. A person needs to really be prepared for that.
This place ... obesityhelp.com ... has great info, before/after pics, and a forum for questions and discusssion. Theres also a place to read about docs in your area.