Would You Have Weight Loss Surgery Again?

[iggychic 1,405]

Iggy' date=' am I correct in assuming that you feel that this surgery is not worth it for those people that have low bmi's no other health issues and are doing it for preventative or "vanity" reasons?[/quote']

Yes Laura, this is completely correct. There are risks with this surgery. You have to weigh and measure carefully what position you are in. If you are low BMI and otherwise healthy, this is a stupid choice. If your BMI is 40 and you have significant comorbidities....it's a different choice.

The thing is, when we all have this surgery we all get to have a position Mine is different than many, but it comes from a place within my heart that wants no one else to experience what I did. That has it's own validity Even if some people don't want to hear it.

[No game 14,437]

Yes Laura' date=' this is completely correct. There are risks with this surgery. You have to weigh and measure carefully what position you are in. If you are low BMI and otherwise healthy, this is a stupid choice. If your BMI is 50 and you have significant comorbidities....it's a different choice.

The thing is, when we all have this surgery we all get to have a position Mine is different than many, but it comes from a place within my heart that wants no one else to experience what I did. That has it's own validity Even if some people don't want to hear it.

[/quote']

Well I don't know about your 50 bmi theory....

But I think that you should put it out there, when you say these things, that you are directing it to low bmi'ers.

As a person with a higher bmi and health issues, the benefits much outweigh the risks!

I see so many low bmi threads perhaps your story would be wiser told there?

As a higher bmi'er I KNOW what I signed up for.

As do most of us that did this to save our lives.

I would love to see you start a thread about regrets AND low bmi.

I think there should be a place to voice regrets.

Because there seems to be a lot of people that obviously didn't get the memo about this being MAJOR SURGERY.

[isajck 229]

Those that feel people with regrets post VSG should just fade into the woodwork are really doing everyone here a disservice. The 2% is just as important as the fabulous 98%, if not more so. Everyone's opinion is valid and important on this forum: positive, negative and everything in-between. .

Anyone researching a major surgery should want to hear about the success and failures, it is the only way to make a totally informed decision. Those that do not are living in a dream world and who knows, post-op that dream could turn into a nightmare and then you'll be the one being told to quiet down and think about the successful ones.

[Chris R 217]

Not particularly.

Just playing

[fyre_storm 1,412]

Just playing <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Unless their Chris Evans then I wish they would suck LOL

[MichiganChic 3,262]

The intent of the poll was to determine if people would do this again, and why/why not? The overwhelming majority would. That is in keeping with the statistics we believe to be true. I think it is particularly important for the people who wouldn't do this again to speak out. It's so easy to get swept away with success stories and a pretty high "success" rate, but really understanding and accepting risks takes a bit more consideration. I've said it before, and will continue to say it, it's about your risk tolerance. You COULD BE one of the unlucky ones - and there is no way to predict who will be - so it's important to consider what this surgery could potentially bring, and then decide if that is something you can tolerate. I personally think it's a bad idea for low BMI/low comorbidities. I had a complication (infection) which was minor, but for me, it was unpleasant. It took 7 weeks to heal, and the entire time I worried that I would end up with a permanent complication, such as tunneling into other organs, or a permanent non healing wound, or even sepsis/death in a worst case scenario. All are very real possibilities. I was a lucky one, none of those things happened. As a nurse, I understand risk better than most, but I still didn't think I would get a complication. I think this is one avenue to educate potential WLS patients. I appreciate the perspective of both sides, and I think it's important for the 2% and the 98% to share experiences. In this case, I hope people reading this thread and are considering this surgery really think about what the 2% is saying.

[Bigepc 84]

I think it's up to each person to make thier own decision on this surgery once they are well informed about all the possible affects it can have on us. I have only been around this forum for a short time and like to hear both sides, but I don't think we should tell anyone they should or shouldn't have this surgery.

What I have noticed is it seems people don't seem to have a clue about what to expect or what to eat or what stage they are at post op. You just have to read the posts and see the questions asked. These are things everyone should know before they have the surgery and from their Doctor.

We are all grown up and have to make the best desision for ourselves, with as much information as possible. This site provides that.

[iggychic 1,405]

Well I don't know about your 50 bmi theory....

But I think that you should put it out there' date=' when you say these things, that you are directing it to low bmi'ers.

As a person with a higher bmi and health issues, the benefits much outweigh the risks!

I see so many low bmi threads perhaps your story would be wiser told there?

As a higher bmi'er I KNOW what I signed up for.

As do most of us that did this to save our lives.

I would love to see you start a thread about regrets AND low bmi.

I think there should be a place to voice regrets.

Because there seems to be a lot of people that obviously didn't get the memo about this being MAJOR SURGERY.

[/quote']

Misstype Laura, I meant 40+ (I'll go edit that but because you mentioned it I thought I'd correct it here as well).

That said, as to the rest of your post, I'd like to remind you that the title was "Would you do it again?" This is the perfect place to say "yes I would and here's why" and "No I wouldn't and here's why". This is the perfect place to voice regrets as well as successes.

I think my story is as pertinent to someone with a low bmi as it is to anyone with a higher bmi. The only lesson specific to low bmi is that my good doctor (I use the term loosely) did provide me with the disclosures, but intimated that these concerns were much more significant for a higher bmi patient and I was just going to sail on through. The anesthesiologist joked I'd be playing tennis the next week. Sure you sign the forms, and if anyone thinks I didn't go into this without researching in depth, they're nuts, but as the nurse said below, you never think the complication will happen to you! I"m healthy, was low bmi, very healthy organs, i've had surgery before, no bleeding or clotting issues....piece of cake as the docs assistant told me.

I never did like cake...that should have been a clue! LOL

Phyllis can't tell her story anymore. There are many people like Phyllis who can't speak because WLS killed them. I feel it's my responsibility to speak for both myself and those voices that have been silenced. If someone does not want to hear that, they can of course mute me but if they are doing that because reading true stories that aren't sugar coated with perfection make them too scared to have the surgery, than they probably aren't ready to make the choice to have the surgery anyhoo. Low BMI or high BMI, WLS is dangerous. There are many researchers out there who feel the complication rates are not clearly stated because of the way the data is collected. After researching that and knowing the real risks, if it's worth it to someone, they should go forward, but they should know what reality is like.

I agree with many that people go into this with their eyes shut and brains checked at the door quite often! Reading posts like "I ate a cheeseburger at ten days" peeve me off. Obviously they weren't ready for this surgery and shouldn't have had it. I can read into many posts who is going to be a future sleeve failure and who isn't. It's become such a money maker for physicians that many are just slashing and cashing in on the profits and not worrying about what patients really do qualify, and if they're ready for it. And then of course there's the out of country docs who will do surgery on a 30 bmi with no comorbidities or even lower bmi's. It's just wrong and something should be done about it.

[No game 14,437]

I don't disagree with you posting under this thread.. The question was asked and should be answered by all.. I guess I should of said I wish you would be more active on the low bmi pre surgery threads because of your unique experience and reasons for having surgery..

Like what lead you to weight loss surgery if you were just slightly overweight?

Did you seek it out? Did someone sell it to you?

[iggychic 1,405]

THanks for clarifying Laura, I did misunderstand you

I used to post in those areas Laura but frankly I got tired of the constant "Fiddleman" like posts berating me for even mentioning this isn't all sunshine and giggles. The lower the BMI the uglier the response quite often and you should have seen some of the PM's. Heck I rarely post on VSG anymore because I get tired of the shushing

Despite what some prefer to think, I actually live a very happy and secure life. It is only in a forum specifically dedicated to a medical condition I've been involved in that my posts are "Focused" specifically, which means that some people think that all I do is moan and groan about what I've done to myself. I find it beyond annoying that people can't understand that I post about vsg issues in the vsg forum but that it's not an all consuming passion of mine LOL

I also post only about old houses in the old house forums. One would think I wouldn't enter a mid century modern because I only discuss issues with victorians

I don't post about vsg in the selective immuno therapy forums....I only post about IgG issues. Why is it in those other forums people understand that you discuss what you discuss because of the focus of the forum, but here people can't understand that?

I'm rambling, time for a burger and fries

Ok cottage cheese LOL

[No game 14,437]

I don't think Fiddleman was berating you...

I think he would just like to see you out it in a more open light about why you feel this surgery is not a good option for just slightly fat people looking for a quick no pain back to regular life in a jiffy thing to do.

[iggychic 1,405]

I don't think Fiddleman was berating you...

I think he would just like to see you out it in a more open light about why you feel this surgery is not a good option for just slightly fat people looking for a quick no pain back to regular life in a jiffy thing to do.

We must have read different posts...perhaps the nailed to the cross line threw me off a bit...or many of the others telling me to get a life....

Just to be clear Laura, I don't think this surgery is right for many people, slightly fat and even obese or morbidly obese. It is a good choice for many, and I'd say it's a better choice than many other choices, including RNY (which is in my opinion a horrible surgery...but tell that to a successful RNY patient LOL) but I do think there are other options. I also think that a good 50% or more of the people who have this surgery are not ready to have it. They haven't dealt with their head issues and feel that cutting out their stomach will fix everything. You see it here all the time!!!

[No game 14,437]

We must have read different posts...perhaps the nailed to the cross line threw me off a bit...or many of the others telling me to get a life....

I think it's frustration because SO MANY OF US did this to save our lives and this surgery is doing just that.

It comes with many downsides (even when you don't have the traditional complications)

And we have to accept those and try to move forward in a positive nature.

[LisaLoseAlotx2 147]

Iggychic

I have really tried to understand where you are coming from. However, much of the posts I read you are skirting peoples direct questions. I private messaged you asking for actual specifics so I could weigh the cons and you gave me nothing but talking about "all the issues you have now".

Well...WHAT ISSUES?

you make blanket statements about low BMI people SHOULD not be doing this...but you cannot medically state why.

Then above you made another blanket statement about this surgery "is not right for anybody, especially the morbidly obese" and I am sitting here scratching my head. you are all over the place and amongst all of it for those people who you want to PREVENT doing this surgery, I still have not read anything that would make me change my mind.

Opinions are great...but unless you can back them up with your experience and details...opinions are useless.

[TerryBelieves 352]

Heck yes I would do it again!

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