Long term complications

[rmbaldah 0]

I wish they knew more about gastric bypass. I am 10 years post of. My surgeries (yes plural) were a nightmare. The first one laperscoptic was fine except unknown to me or the surgeon I had a hernia so when I got home and was throwing up and so ill my best friend rushed me back to the hospital only to be rushed into surgery to operate on the hernia and now I had a full 10" incision on my stomach but still not awful until the the surgeon had them remove my stitches. I went home and within few hours I coughed and my intestines burst out. I called the clinic and they told me to just come in it was just my stomach as I am holding my intestines in my hand. I had seen enough intestines during all my pre-opt visits to know them when I saw them. My best friends loaded me in the car and drove me to the clinic. It took 4 nurses and aides to get me out. I had no stomach muscles so I was no help and a gaping hole where my belly button was. The Dr. (not the gastric Dr.) looked and said yep her intestines have burst out. I was ammbulanced to the hospital and prepped for yet another surgery. I was so dehydrated they couldn't find a vein so I was wide awake in the operating room talking to the Dr's and staff that had done the other two surgeries. The anethesologist had to put in the IV and put me under. I also got pneumonia while I was in the hospital. The only good thing was the original surgeon who did the other two surgeries was unavailable so the Dr. that had assisted him did the third surgery. I have permanent packing and permanent stitches where they put the intestines back in. I am so glad the original surgeon was not available. I had so much pain medication that I was incoherent. It took me two months to be able to get around to the point that I could walk up stairs. Another year and half to really heal. I lost 140#s and have kept off most of it. But I have so many things wrong with me. Things which I believer are directly related to the bypass but no one really knows the long term effect of bypass. The unknown is the scariest part. No one warned me of the complications I endured. 10 years later I have no idea what I am going to face and with age related issues coming into play I just don't know. I have been asked would I do it again and my answer is no. It is no short cut. I exercise and watch my diet. I can tell when I have eaten something I shouldn't have as it feels like a gas furnace goes off inside. I start sweating and feel ill. Medication is only half way effective. I will be on Vitamins for the rest of my life but can't take the gastric chewable vitamins as I have IC and can not have any citric acid because of it and I am lactose intolerant another side effect of the bypass. Bypass is not for the faint of heart. Get as much information as you can before you decide to do it.

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@rmbaldah

I am so very sad to hear that things have gone badly for you. I hope that things will get better in the future.

I would be curious to know where you had your bypass procedure. Was it a Bariatric center of excellence?

The reason I ask is because I see such a huge difference in pre op education depending on where one goes for help. My insurance company required me to use a Bariatric center of excellence. I had to go to classes, I had to take tests and I had to sign contracts before the surgeon would even see me for a consultation. I had gone completely through the 6 month required diet before I even met a surgeon. During that time I was made aware of every risk that could possibly happen.

I was held accountable to execute changes in my life before I would even be considered. If I missed one appointment I was warned if I missed 2 there would be a written warning that if I missed a third I would be dropped from the program.

I signed a contract that I would not try alcohol for a year, that I would take all my required Vitamins daily for the rest of my life as indicated by my doctors and most importantly that I would go every 6 months for blood work to verify that all my nutrition is in good standing.

I know there are many people on this site that were not educated enough about what to expect and what was required. Some people admittedly don't pay attention others simply didn't get it from their surgeons. I don't understand why every surgeon does not require the strict education that I had. Isn't it worth it? After hearing everything you hear that could go wrong, then you get to decide if the risk is worth it. It just makes sense.

I am with you, you must do your homework and understand the risks and also understand what is expected of you. If you don't, you could be making a terrible mistake.

Surgery for me was a last resort. I had developed a seriously deadly comorbitity, stage 3 chronic kidney disease. I was told I would soon be looking at dialysis and likely a kidney transplant.

I chose the surgery knowing it was a second chance at life for me. I had no complications. Yes I have a bit of lactose intolerance in the beginning but that is now gone.

For me, having this surgery was the best thing I ever did for myself but I do understand that others don't always have that same experience. I really wish that were not the case.

I hope and pray things get better for you. Clearly you have been through the ringer and did not have all the information you needed or you might have chosen not to have the surgery.

Hopefully for most this surgery really is the last hope of losing the weight and not their first attempt.