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I'm a single mom and I took one week off from my stand up job. It was enough time off. The main reason I had surgery was my fear of all the health problems I was sure to get from being so over weight. I kept thinking what was going to become of me in 10 years? I knew there was no way I could stand on my feet and continue to run my business. So I figured maybe having complications from surgery was a smaller risk then knowing I was definitely going to have complications from being so over weight.

Hi all! H/W=255 Current= 250 Surgery Date 09/10/10 I am new to this site..and still anxious and excited! Has anyone felt extremly nervous about complications? Wait...anyone who is having major surgery should be a little concerned right? My past few days have been filled with constant stress and worry...but that it partnered with excitement. I think I want a guarantee that I won't have a leak and spend months in the hospital recovering...but that isn't going to happen in my wildest dreams! I am excited to start my journey. I have always struggled with my weight and have spent the last 6 years trying to lose it...and I am at the point where I feel that it isn't a choice. Does anyone ever feel like we are having surgery to fix something that is possible on our own? However, I do not believe that I on my own will and power could eat 3 ox meals and be satisfied...I also believe that it is not possible for me to spend 1-2 hours a day in the gym working out... So many thoughts...I feel like a head case :biggrin2: Much love. Sarah

I'm planning on getting banded in Sept 2008. Between now and sept I'd like to focus my diet and exercise towards reducing my risk of complications rather than worry about my weight. I feel my time would be well spent if I focused on reducing the amount of poor circulation and Water retention in my legs( to reduce the risk of blood clots) Are there specific things that I could do? or should I just do a lot of generic diet and exercise stuff? thanks Tyler

Oh so much to talk about with this..... Sorry, but I'm going to ramble a bit. First off, there are risks and benefits to each of the three surgeries (as background I had a lap-band, miserable with it, prolapsed, lead to emergency removal, and now have a gastric bypass. I'm also a family practice physician assistant. I'm not a bariatric expert, but I've been around this a bit). On average, lap-band patients do not lose as much as the other 2 surgeries. That is why surgeons typically don't recommend lap-band above a certain weight. That said, I know people that have lost 200+ pounds with the lap-band. Average weight loss is just that, an average. For everyone that loses 10%, there's someone that loses 80% of their excess weight. It's impossible to predict where you'll fall in that spectrum. Some of it is how good your surgeon is, some of it is how dedicated you are to lifestyle change, some of it is sheer luck. As far as the band, I won't say don't do it. I will say research your butt off. Again, weight loss tends to not be as much as compared to the other 2 surgeries. I would like to add that, while the band is known for it's reversibility, that is not entirely an accurate statement. My personal story was that my band prolapsed, stomach herniated (and before i get jumped for being a bad band patient, I wasn't a bad band patient....sometime crap just happens). I had an emergency removal and was supposed to revise to gastric bypass, however, once the surgeon got in to remove the band I had so much swelling and inflammation that he was not able to do the revision. They removed my band, sewed me up, sent me home to heal for 6 months, then I had my revision. I know of at least 2 individuals in my area that had band removal and had so much damage that they could not revise to another surgery....while the band is removable, I don't really feel the term reversible is 100% accurate. Another point I'd like to share is 'invasive' truth be told, you're having major surgery. All 3 surgeries are invasive. The sleeve does not have the malabsorption issues or dumping associated with the RNY. However, they are essentially cutting off a large section of your stomach. The RNY does have malabsorption and possibly dumping (most people don't dump, I happen to be in the minority that dump easily, it's really not a huge deal if I watch what I eat). Yes they are making a small pouch in your stomach and bypassing and small portion of your intestine, you are getting some replumbing done with the RNY. That said, RNY is reversible (again, subject to scar tissue and such associated with previous surgeries) IF you need reversal. The vast majority of us will never consider reversal because we need this surgery to maintain a healthy weight.....(reversibility was not a factor in my choosing RNY). I know people that have been hugely successful with all 3 surgeries. I know people that have lost almost nothing with all 3 surgeries. I know people that have had bad complications, hospitalizations, ICU admissions with all 3 surgeries. None of them are magic. None of them work without a commitment from the patient. It is not something to step into lightly..... My advice, research, research, research. Find a surgeon that you trust and listen to what they say and what they suggest. Ultimately you have to make a decision that you are comfortable with and that you can commit to. But know that every day you spend morbidly obese is taking a toll on your body and your health. Most of us just cannot lose an maintain a healthy weight without surgery. Most of us have lost and gained a thousand times. There are some that regret the surgery but the vast majority of us wish we'd done it sooner. The RNY is right for me, I wish i'd done it in the first place. But I'm not you. I wish you the best of luck with the decision and applaud your choice to start considering surgery. If you ever have questions I'm happy to try to help. Best of luck with this decision and congrats on trying I take control of your health. It's a tough choice but at least you're considering it. That's a step in the right direction.

I've just joined the community today and have gone through most of the discussions. But stating this obvious question once again to gain some comfort in deciding to go under the knife. I desperately need your wisdom to help me decide. I’m obese, type-2 diabetic for the past 9 years (I’m 40 yrs now) with uncontrollable blood sugar levels all this while. This summer my tests had traces of Microalbumin and a follow-up test in autumn confirmed Microalbuminuria (Incipient Diabetic Nephropathy, early stages of Chronic Kidney Disease). It was like a bolt from the blue! If I do not take control, I could progress the stages of CKD and also risk having other complications (like hypertension, heart disease and eye diseases). I've consulted an Obesetologist and a Bariatric Surgeon to understand the bariatric surgery options for BMI 36.0 and my comorbidities. They've advised me Gastric Bypass Surgery. I can fund my surgery if Insurance declines. While engaging the doctors and follow-up tests I've also started to follow strict low-carb diet and follow a good exercise regime. In the last 3 months, I dropped weight and now at BMI 28.5 and blood sugar level is at normal levels for a month now. Here is where the confusion is - I know the risks of the chronic disease like Diabetes and Nephropathy + others. I'm only 40 and need to strictly follow the diet and exercise without getting a burn-out for the rest of my life and not let the diseases take over my life. On the other hand, Bariatric Surgery is promising with limited set of post surgery complications/risks. If I weigh the risks of not having surgery and having surgery done, on paper Surgery WINS hands down. I just need someone to tell me to go ahead with the surgery, so that I can focus on preparing myself. Thanks a lot...this advice will change my life and my family's.

I am almost 2 weeks out and I have to say it wasnt nearly as bad as I had prepared for. The pain isn't bad, I was drinking enough and have only had several waves of nausea that quickly passed. I am newly sleeved and already know that this was the best decision of my life. I would be saying this even if I did have complications. Weight has controlled too many things in my life and I am sure it is similar for you. End the end my health and happiness were worth more than possible (and rare) complications. Good luck while making your decision. Either way is not the wrong decision.

When you underwent surgery, you were probably given antibiotics during your hospital stay. This was to prevent the possibility of an bacterial infection. The problem is that antibiotics kill not only the bad bacteria but also the good bacteria in your gut. Therefore it is necessary to take probiotics after you finish the antibiotics to restore the colonies of good gut bacteria that can fight off recurring episodes of UTI. According to the internet: One promising alternative is the use of live microorganisms (probiotics) to prevent and treat recurrent complicated and uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI). The human normal bacterial flora is increasingly recognised as an important defence to infection. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684288/

I would go post this on obesityhelp.com and post specifically to Misseye and Jimbo. Misseye lost 200lbs in a little over a year, and Jimbo has dropped 300lbs in 18 months. So, the sleeve works. Malabsorption only lasts 2 years with RNY with carbs/fat/sugar, but with DS you get a permanent and metabolic switch. Problem for me, on both of those, is the insane Vitamin regimen and complications that come with both long term.

Has anyone else walked the journey of so many post operative complications causing surgery, more surgery, investigation after investigation, followed by even more surgery??? It's only been a year... seven surgical operations to stretch the esophagus & stomach (called dilatation). Such extreme pain & spasm caused 2 emergency resuscitations by Emergency Mica Paramedicals & specialist HDU doctors/anesthetist resulting in 2 stays in the Intensive Care Unit of 2 hospitals... Has anyone had same or god forbid worse? Yes the weightloss has been incredible 1/2 my original body mass weight in a year has vanished....but at what cost?

Havnt had my surgery yet but just wanted to say I'm so sorry you've had such a rough time. If you don't mind me asking, what caused all the complications?

Chatterbox, I am so sorry to hear about your complications. It sounds like you have had a very rough complicated time. I hope they have got everything repaired and you are on your way to being healthy. Hope you are feeling better, take care of yourself.

Yeah, one of my MAIN reasons for choosing sleeve over band in the first place was that I was completely terrified of erosion or even slippage. It seems like with the banded sleeve, you get all the potential complications of the band with no clear benefit over sleeve alone.

yeah - that honestly doesn't seem like a good idea. the reason the band has fallen out of favor is due to erosions, embedding, and food intolerance. Seems like you'd get the same thing with the minimizer ring. I also am unable to find any evidence that the minimizer ring has FDA approval. Not a big deal if you're not in the US. But if you're in the US and considering Medical Tourism for your surgery, getting something that lacks FDA approval is setting yourself up for a load of trouble if you ever have any complications.

That is my plan...I signed all of the consent forms yesterday and that was what made me nervous, all the possible complications! I saw your post about getting in all the water/liquids. They stressed that to me yesterday, that if I get dehydrated that I will end up back in the hospital. Good luck with getting yours in!

If only the endocrinologist who monitors my thyroid were also affiliated with my health plan as a primary, I'd be thrilled. As he doesn't, I asked if he'd recommend someone. He erred in giving me four names, each of which looked good on paper. When I saw him again several weeks ago, I asked him to simplify the field and mentioned some of the qualities that I want in a PCP. He named one of the four, but I can't recall which. He hasn't responded to the email I sent the other day. It's one of two of the original four. Both meet my major concerns according to Yelp reviews by patients who give high ratings to their medical skills and attentiveness. Both are board-certified internists. One is also a board-certified geriatrician (gads) who, among other things, does EKG's in his office. The other is a board certified gastroenterologist. I have need for the basic EKG/heart-watch and I have some gastro issues for which I have seen a gastropod. I think I've gotten past my horror at the word "geriatrics." After all, I'm 67, past the pediatrician stage, and he's really an internist with some extra knowledge that I'm heading toward. The internist/geriatrician is 51; the internist/gastropod is 62. It is on my mind that I'd prefer someone less likely to retire during my reign as his patient. The gastro is said to have a good sense of humor. The geriatrician-with-EKG-machine has appeal for the machine as well as his age; the PCP I want to quit is also a Board-certified cardiologist. If I go with the gastropod, I'd stlll need a new cardio doctor. He also has knowledge that pertains to WLS. If I go with the geriatician, he'd refer me to one should there be need. Each has his pros in my estimation and I'm not sure that the cons and differences are especially significant. Shall I simply flip a coin? I hate that I'm making this so complicated for myself.

I have heard a lot of people saying that after their complications they gained the weight back. My question is how? Are they not eating right and exercising? Or is it just automatic that since the band has gone bad you will gain the weight back? I’m just curious if the band helps me loose all the weight wont eating right and exercising help me keep it off not matter what complications may occur with the band later on down the line?

Hi! I’m new here and would really appreciate some help/advice. I’m 12wks out and have had several complications: allergic reaction to staples, cellulitis at incision, infection drainage twice and today I had to have another CT & started two new antibiotics because the dr thinks I have another infection under my incision. I have constant pain around my incision and over to the right side. It’s extremely painful and very sensitive to touch. Is it possible to get an infection under my incision 12 weeks later from just the incision, that seems completely healed on the outside? Has anyone had similar problems? Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!

I was allowed to stay on mine. I think I nagged some about it because I'd read you had to be off of it but it was fine. I've had no complications.

I'm going to my (second) consultation on Feb 14th. I have a list of questions I plan to ask - please let me know if you think I should add any others: will I be able to take any kind of NSAIDs for my arthritis in the long term will you be able to fix my hiatal hernia at the same time as the sleeve how many incisions will you make how many VGS have you performed proportion of your patients have developed leaks or other serious complications will you be able to prescribe liquid Vitamins, other versions of my many medications while I am healing and unable to swallow large pills post surgery support systems available chances my GERD will actually get worse after surgery will my anemia and low Vitamin B levels get worse after this surgery/injections for these? Feedback appreciated - thanks!

So here it is, a tuesday night. I'm getting ready for bed, but I'm frustrated....with just about everything in my life. My boyfriend is in town and I love him, I know that, but I'm beginning to question is I'm IN love with him anymore.....? He's my best friend, but he's sooo agrivating! When he says he's coming to see me, I'd really rather tell him to keep his butt at home, but I know I can't do that to him. He's been pretty much fantastic to me, but we are soo different! Why am I feeling this way? What's wrong with me? We've dated for 3 years now and talked about marriage, and now ...I'm home, for good, love being here, love my Dad, after all the problems with my sisters and their men I sit here and wonder if I even want to get married....? Why is life so complicated??? :blushing: My Dad's out of town with his girlfriend, and of course everything around here goes to crap. All of a sudden we're getting snow and ice, our cows are knocking down fences, my uncle (God bless his heart, but he's lost his mind and needs to retire) is about like asking a 3 year old to do stuff around a farm....My friend Lauren called, her mom and hubby got into another fight. This time the cops got called, and he got taken to jail. The judge told her mom that it was her fault he hit her, HER FAULT!? WTF? Because she threatened to break his cell phone if he came any closer to her, boy did he, he got so close his fist touched her face! :thumbup: So not only am I dealing with the usual crap from my sisters, not having a job and bills piling up, I've been sick, my boyfriend is driving me crazy, my dad's out of town and everything is going to crap on the farm, my friend's mom was beaten by her husband, and yet, all I want is to lose weight.......Which while sick apparently now viruses kill my appetite, so I apparently stalled my weight loss because I couldn't make myself eat near enough during the day. I'm down 28 pounds, right at 300 pounds now, and dieing to get under it! But haven't had the time or energy since I've been sick to really exercise. figures. I feel like I'm running and running, and doing all that I can for everyone else but it's never enough. Why am I second guessing my boyfriend? Why do I feel like everything is hopeless in life? To top it all off, I really want to take a little vacation in march or july but I don't know if I'll be able to because of money, but yet my cousins apparently have money to blow and go gamble like every weekend....What's wrong with me? Why is it bothering me what they do? Are all of my questions just me being an unusually worrysome form of myself or is this part of that rollercoaster that's part of having the band? I just feel frustrated and angry right now, and I'm not sure why. I've lost 28 pounds, and I hope to go have another fill soon....so we'll see. Maybe this will just go away.

Sorry about the bad news but you can do this. Reducing your carbs will help your blood sugar. Our bodys turn carbohydrates into sugars to make energy but that energy does not last unless we eat complex carbs and protein. I love carbs but know that I eat them so infrequantly I feel so much better, the first few weeks of reduction was very hard but most days I don't miss them. It is important for you to get your sugar under control, there are way to many complications with diabetes. Good luck and I hope it gets better.

Everyone recovers differently, either due to pain tolerance, complications, desire, or a combination of them. I was full of energy on day 4. Haven't stopped since.

12 weeks to recover?? Did she have some complications? Wow that seems unusual to me. I really think about 2 weeks was what I needed. Of course take more if you can!!

I don't know what the issue with it is, it was written in Comic sans size 12 there's no cursive so i'm re~posting it in Arial size 18. If you can't see I don't know what else to do no one else has said they cant read it. Sorry in advance if this is long and I ramble a bit, I just need to say something's out loud and I am hoping you all understand and don't mind me talkin' :} My surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday the 19th in Las Vegas with Dr. Thomas Umbach. I have been on my pre surgery diet for a few days now and am finally doing ok and not wanting to attack and steal crackers from a 2 y/o who was eating them as he passed me by on Sunday....lol I have been soooooooooo freaking emotional the past week, i'm sure part of it is the lack of food, caffeine, nerves about surgery and being that time of month didn't help. I have only had 1 surgery before and it was foot surgery so I know everything about this surgery is going to be very different. When I had that surgery I did not come out of the anesthesia very well made me very nauseous and I was looped out for several hours. I do have my fears that something will happen to me during surgery and I won't come thru it. But I trust my Dr and his experience with doing this surgery. I would be stupid to think there are no risks or complications (I usually see all the bad before the good has a chance to peek thru) I think my biggest fears are how will I do with the anesthesia & the "not knowing" what to expect (like how much pain I will be in, how hard it will be to drink, how i'm going to handle new things for the 1st time after my new tummy) I know I will lose weight and I have already made up my mind that I didn't get this big over night and i'm not going to lose it all over night either. My goal is to lose 10lbs a month and become a healthier better me, to get off the insulin, have less pain from my arthritis, fibro & nuropathy. I have never really been one to exercise but I have been walking as much as I can and I have already gotten things started with a personal trainer and a program once I am cleared for exercise and until i'm cleared I will continue to walk and get my stamina built up. I want to say THANK YOU to Alex Brecher for this website and for making it possible for people like us to talk to others who know where were coming from and understand our feelings. The staff here have been awesome also and to A LOT of the members here who share there journey & photo's with the rest of us. Who give us support and are willing to answer questions (even dumb ones....lol) give us a kick in the pants when we need it and the courage to keep going. I have learned so much from reading post after post, my daughter thinks i'm crazy because I "take notes". I hope at some point I will be able to help someone else out and inspire someone to keep plugging along and take the steps needed to become healthy and happy :} Thank you in advance if you read this, I do appreciate you all. I just needed to say it all out loud I guess and I only have a few supporters that I can talk to without judgement and cruel words. Thanks again, Katrina :} God bless all those who have upcoming surgeries. I will be looking out for your stories & updates.