Freaked About Getting a Leak

[Andrew0929 1,101]

Met with my surgeon yesterday for last appointment before submitting to insurance. I asked if my risk for a leak was higher due to my BMI of 53 and he said yes.

My wife and I are freaking out now. I am self employed and have a kid in college. If I were out of work for 5 months my life would be ruined.

My wife, who had been completely supportive, is now asking if I should just try dieting again.

I'm on the fence now .... Please help.

[tmbundy 2]

Met with my surgeon yesterday for last appointment before submitting to insurance. I asked if my risk for a leak was higher due to my BMI of 53 and he said yes. My wife and I are freaking out now. I am self employed and have a kid in college. If I were out of work for 5 months my life would be ruined. My wife' date=' who had been completely supportive, is now asking if I should just try dieting again. I'm on the fence now .... Please help. [/quote']

I had a higher BMI than yours and asked the dr the same thing and other questions about complications. He assured me I would be fine and I was fine. I would had researched my surgeon thoroughly and had confidence in him. I

would suggest you make sure you are completely confident in your surgeon and of you are not, look around for another.

I also had to think about health concerns if I didn't have the surgery. I was almost 50 years and had never been able to lose weight and keep it off.

I wish the best to you!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,358]

I would be more concerned about dying myself...lol They asked me what the worst thing that could happen to me with this surgery and I had to reply dying..They felt better knowing I knew there was a slight risk of that happening...

I am one of those people who everything did go wrong...And to top it off I almost died....You have to look at this differently...Are you ready for a change in yourself and your health? Do you want to really live and enjoy the time you have left?

Write down the things you can't do and see if you think it is worth the possibility of complications?

Five months I was in the hospital and 5 months I had nurses attending me at home...Do I regret it?

NO!!! I was just existing before my surgery and was unable to stand for 10 minutes without my back giving out...I can put my grand daughter on my knee very close to me and enjoy that time with her..I can cross my legs now and I walk for hours....I am a person who now finds it hard to sit down for too long..I want to live, live and live.....

If you are like me and you tried it all..And this is what is left..Don't wait! chose well and go forward....I have!

[VSG AJH 499]

Obviously, every surgery comes with risks, and I think the doctor would be irresponsible to indicate otherwise. Did he give you any statistics regarding the risk increase? The risk for leaks with this surgery is like 0.02% according to a surgical guide I read last night. Your level of risk might be increased, but what if it made your chances of trouble like 0.03%? I think those are still very good odds. Another thing this article mentioned is that VSG has been used for a very long time as a step-down operation for people with BMIs of >50. RNY and DS have high complication rates in a higher BMI individual, so VSG would be used first to have the patient drop the first hundred pounds and all the comorbidities, then RNY or DS would be done at a later time. As for dieting again instead of VSG? I can't speak for you, but that has worked well for me 0% of the time.

I think it's good that you're aware of the risks that come with WLS, but I think that you should balance those with the risks of remaining obese. Each time I feel frightened by the risks associated with surgery, I remind myself of the awfulness of my obesity and the unbelievably scary risks that come with staying this way. Though there are some on this board who have experienced those complications, there are so many who haven't who express their single regret as not doing this sooner.

That said, you must weigh all the information available to you and make your own decision. In wish you well as you do so.

Here's a link to the guide describing VSG in >50 BMI: http://goodnightsurgical.com/doc/Sleeve_Gastrectomy_Guide.pdf

[southernsoul 773]

I had surgery on June 19 & my BMI was around 52. I also knew that my risk of complications was slightly higher than for someone with a bit lower BMI, but like famille stated above, a slight increase to an already slight risk is still a very small chance to take. However, choosing to take the risk is a very personal decision we all have to make peace with. But ask yourself this...how much is being obese ruining your life & health now? What are the chances that your weight will lead to health complications that could derail you completely? How often has dieting worked for you? If you had some other health issue that could be helped with surgery, would you hesitate?

I think it's great you are educating yourself about the surgery & the risks. It's definitely smart to understand fully what this process entails & go into it with your eyes wide open. Good luck to you, no matter what you decide!

[Andrew0929 1,101]

I would be more concerned about dying myself...lol They asked me what the worst thing that could happen to me with this surgery and I had to reply dying..They felt better knowing I knew there was a slight risk of that happening...

I am one of those people who everything did go wrong...And to top it off I almost died....You have to look at this differently...Are you ready for a change in yourself and your health? Do you want to really live and enjoy the time you have left?

Write down the things you can't do and see if you think it is worth the possibility of complications?

Five months I was in the hospital and 5 months I had nurses attending me at home...Do I regret it?

NO!!! I was just existing before my surgery and was unable to stand for 10 minutes without my back giving out...I can put my grand daughter on my knee very close to me and enjoy that time with her..I can cross my legs now and I walk for hours....I am a person who now finds it hard to sit down for too long..I want to live, live and live.....

If you are like me and you tried it all..And this is what is left..Don't wait! chose well and go forward....I have!

Thanks for the frank advice. I'm surprised you'd be willing to go through with this, given the extent of your complications.

I like your idea of writing down all of the things I can't do now and then determine if the risks are worth achieving these.

Thanks,

Andrew

[Andrew0929 1,101]

Obviously, every surgery comes with risks, and I think the doctor would be irresponsible to indicate otherwise. Did he give you any statistics regarding the risk increase? The risk for leaks with this surgery is like 0.02% according to a surgical guide I read last night. Your level of risk might be increased, but what if it made your chances of trouble like 0.03%? I think those are still very good odds. Another thing this article mentioned is that VSG has been used for a very long time as a step-down operation for people with BMIs of >50. RNY and DS have high complication rates in a higher BMI individual, so VSG would be used first to have the patient drop the first hundred pounds and all the comorbidities, then RNY or DS would be done at a later time. As for dieting again instead of VSG? I can't speak for you, but that has worked well for me 0% of the time.

I think it's good that you're aware of the risks that come with WLS, but I think that you should balance those with the risks of remaining obese. Each time I feel frightened by the risks associated with surgery, I remind myself of the awfulness of my obesity and the unbelievably scary risks that come with staying this way. Though there are some on this board who have experienced those complications, there are so many who haven't who express their single regret as not doing this sooner.

That said, you must weigh all the information available to you and make your own decision. In wish you well as you do so.

Here's a link to the guide describing VSG in >50 BMI: http://goodnightsurg...ctomy_Guide.pdf

You're completely right about considering the risks of remaining as I am now. I'm 53 years old with a 53 BMI. Perhaps my age and BMI will continue to increase together, which would be likely lead to some serious health problems. I have lots of them now but all are under control.

I hate being fat and hate that I can't participate in many activities because of it.

Andrew

[Andrew0929 1,101]

I had surgery on June 19 & my BMI was around 52. I also knew that my risk of complications was slightly higher than for someone with a bit lower BMI, but like famille stated above, a slight increase to an already slight risk is still a very small chance to take. However, choosing to take the risk is a very personal decision we all have to make peace with. But ask yourself this...how much is being obese ruining your life & health now? What are the chances that your weight will lead to health complications that could derail you completely? How often has dieting worked for you? If you had some other health issue that could be helped with surgery, would you hesitate?

I think it's great you are educating yourself about the surgery & the risks. It's definitely smart to understand fully what this process entails & go into it with your eyes wide open. Good luck to you, no matter what you decide!

Thanks .... Dieting has not worked for me; the chances of health complications worsening is very likely; and being obese is definitely interfering with my living life the way I'd like to. That said - I probably have no choice but to go through with the surgery. I'm just scared as hell ....

[Healthygal 50]

I know where you are coming from. I had to have an implantable defibrillator placed 12 years ago due to a heart condition. I KNEW I have to have that thing put in, to protect my health...and yet I threw up all the way to the hospital out of fear. Surgery is just scary. This will be a surgery that I CHOSE to go into , and that is even scarier! Right now it doesn't seem REAL, as I'm submitting paperwork and getting things lined up. When they tell me when I'm supposed to come to the hospital, I fully expect that I will be terrified and throw up all the way there.

I also know this...I am tired of being fat. I have ALWAYS been fat. As I age, now 44, my body hurts and aches. I feel awful and I look awful. I'm prediabetic, and I had a heart issue that I've healed from but I'm asking an awful lot of that same heart trying to lug around too much. There is rheumatoid arthritis in my family, and I'm doing my body no favors carrying this much weight. The future only holds more pain, more mobility problems, more sadness over how I look and feel, and probably a shorter life span.

I'm going to hold those thoughts in my head even as I throw up all the way to the hospital.

Hang tough!

Cara

[cindymg 629]

While my BMI was a bit lower than yours before my surgery, my diabetes was so out of control my surgeon was really worried about complications. I prepared myself for every complication, convinced that I would have them all.

But I had absolutely NO COMPLICATIONS! I didn't even have any pain. I laugh when I tell my surgeon that if I didn't have 5 funny little scars on my tummy, and the inability to eat very much food, I might think the surgery never happened. 'Course the proof is in the 58 lbs lost and diabetes and other co morbidities resolved.

My point is that most people have absolutely no complications. The greater risk statistically to your health is actually in the drive to the hospital. You wouldn't let the drive to the hospital deter you from surgery, would you? Then, don't let the small risk of complications deter you either.

Good luck on your journey. It's going to be amazing!

[southernsoul 773]

Thanks .... Dieting has not worked for me; the chances of health complications worsening is very likely; and being obese is definitely interfering with my living life the way I'd like to. That said - I probably have no choice but to go through with the surgery. I'm just scared as hell ....

Being scared is totally understandable. This is an elective surgery, after all. Often, the devil we know (current health issues with obesity) is preferable to the devil we don't know (surgical complication risk). I hope some of your fears are eased by the community of folks on this site who are willing to share experiences.