Medical Study that looked at the Downside of Bariatric Surgery

[James Marusek 5,244]

To ascertain the types and prevalence of adverse symptoms after RNY gastric bypass surgery, Dr. Sigrid Bjerge Gribsholt and colleagues from the Aarhus Univesity Hospital in Aarhus, Denmark, conducted a survey among over 2,200 Danish patients who had undergone RNY. These patients were compared to a control group of 90 people, matched with patients with respect to sex and BMI, but who had not received bariatric surgery. The report was published in JAMA Surgery.

Of the operated group, about 1,400 patients responded to the survey, of whom 80 percent were women (the average age of all respondents was 47 years). Nearly 89 percent reported having had one or more symptoms in the nearly five years after undergoing RNY. In spite of that, most of them (over 87 percent) reported an improvement in their well-being post-surgery; only 8 percent said their well-being decreased. The symptoms that most commonly had led the subjects to seek medical counsel, and the percent reporting them, were:

* abdominal pain — 34 percent

* fatigue — 34 percent

* anemia — 28 percent

Other less common adverse effects included hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), kidney stones, and gallstones. Characteristics that were most commonly associated with having symptoms included: female gender; being younger than 35 years old; being a current smoker; being unemployed; and having other surgical symptoms prior to having RNY surgery. However, the risk of having symptoms from RNY surgery were small, ranging from 11 percent for current smokers to 34 percent for those with prior surgical symptoms, compared to the risk of the symptoms being reported by the non-operated control group. Reported quality of life decreased as the number of reported symptoms increased.

The investigators also noted that nearly one third of patients were hospitalized for some reason after RNY, and this rate was 4-to-5 fold greater than the hospitalization rate in the comparison group.

http://acsh.org/2016/01/bariatric-surgery-has-its-downsides/

I had RNY surgery 32 months ago. From my perspective, this was one of the best decisions I ever made.

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

A good read.

[beachwalker4rny 95]

I have been researching kidney stones as related to gastric bypass surgery. Several people from my local support group are dealing with this. I hope I can avoid kidney stones. I drink mostly just Water all day long with the exception of some coffee in the morning.

[harpediem 5]

I have to say the 30% hospitalization rate has me very concerned. I’m 66, and have started the process for RNY, which I will have probably in February or March 2018. My only fear is some late onset complication that will reduce my quality of life.

[Diana_in_Philly 1,426]

FWIW, I had a VSG at 55 years old. I have asthma and severe osteoarthritis of my knees (bone on bone, need them both replaced.) My starting BMI was 48.1 in April 2016 before my first visit with my surgeon. My current BMI is 29.9. I'm down 102 pounds and I look 10 years younger.

I no longer need as much medicine for my asthma (I will always need some as it is triggered by pollen related allergies) and I no longer need narcotics for knee pain. In fact, I am a competitive fencer (en garde) and fence 5 hours a week.

The biggest complication that affected my life was the fact that my primary care doc for 20 years before I had surgery said I just wasn't trying hard enough to lose weight.

I've had no significant complications, other than some rashes now due to excess skin. My consult with plastics is on October 20.

I don't see a downside.

[GwennyPenny 108]

I am 8 weeks post surgery and about a week after I went back in for the night due to vomiting and pain. They did a CT scan to make sure there was no actual blockage or leak. Afterwards the Dr said we're you aware you have a kidney stone? I said yes I had them blasted over twenty years ago but they left one they couldn't blast but it's been OK. Next thing I know 6 weeks out I going to hospital in an ambulance pain vomiting shaking. I thought I had Constipation and trying to go to the bathroom so much I had a UTI. Turned out the kidney stone was playing up and I had developed three more on the other side. The big old one moved and blocked the tube and by that time I had septicemia which was why I was so sick. Emergency surgery to put in stents and I go back on the 26th Oct to actually have the stones out then new stents until healed then have them out. It's a process. The urologist said if you are prone to stones try to eat a diet lower in oxalate. I can't believe how quickly they formed and unlike gallstones they can recur. Oh btw I am 57 bypass on 10th Aug 17.I have lost around 60lbs. My poor body has been through a lot in a short time but I'm still so glad I did it. Everything else has been fine.

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