question about risk

[jasonlugoffman 0]

hello every one for starters let me introduce myself my name is jason im married have four beautiful kids and one step son i weigh 316 lbs and i am now getting ready to have the lap band done first i got to go talk to a phys doc to see if im able to have the surgery this is part of the process that my doctor requires then i get another apointment to go see the doctor before my surgery i dont have a prefered doctor but the center were im enroled with is palmetto health baptist weight management center and i forgot my doctors names there is two of them but like i said dont care who does it i trust them both i am really excited to have this done but a fear arised one of my wife sisters friend recently passed away after having the band surgery i dont know all the facts about it dont even know if it was related to the surgery but im getting scared my doctor said at the meeting that 1 out of 700 surgerys that he did was a death but my fear is the same i know there is a risk involved but can some one tell me what to expect and how was your fear before and after the surgery and what you did to over come it

[jasonlugoffman 0]

well hearing about this is making me thank twice about having it done im thanking about the bypass also but my primary doc refered the band i guess what the bigest fear is is death i dont want to die loosing weight but in the same since im going to die if i dont loose weight and now my wife is worring i dont know what to tell her cause ive tried everything to loose weight but i am now hearing about death and also the complications with it i guess another fear is somthing coming loose or the band strap breaking or rubbing somthing rawl just stuff like that and then what to after and what not to do after surgery

[momof321 0]

Have you ever had surgery before? If the doctor told you you needed to have your gallbladder removed or something like that would it scare you as much? You seem to be really freaking yourself out. I was very nervous about the surgery to but it is pretty safe, alot safer to do the band that the bypass. I am married with 3 children and as a parent you just worry about being there for them and your spouse but if you cont. done the road you're on now will you really be able to be there for them. Maybe you should do more research and not focus so much on the bad stuff. Honestly bad things, freaky things happen to people everyday but if you focus all your attention on that you would be afraid of everything.

While I was in the pre-op room waiting for surgery the fire alarm went off. Oh my it freaked me out. I wondered if God was telling me to get the heck out of there. And I really don't think I was that worried about the surgery. Anyway, It really made me wonder but I knew that I would cont to put on weight like I have been doing for years......... and that it was just a matter of time before I started to have health problems because of it. I was already having knee pain because of the weight. I knew i needed to do something to gain control. It does take commitment on your part, It really is not a quick or easy fix. Is it the surgery itself that scares you most or the whole process?

[jasonlugoffman 0]

Have you ever had surgery before? If the doctor told you you needed to have your gallbladder removed or something like that would it scare you as much? You seem to be really freaking yourself out. I was very nervous about the surgery to but it is pretty safe, alot safer to do the band that the bypass. I am married with 3 children and as a parent you just worry about being there for them and your spouse but if you cont. done the road you're on now will you really be able to be there for them. Maybe you should do more research and not focus so much on the bad stuff. Honestly bad things, freaky things happen to people everyday but if you focus all your attention on that you would be afraid of everything.

While I was in the pre-op room waiting for surgery the fire alarm went off. Oh my it freaked me out. I wondered if God was telling me to get the heck out of there. And I really don't think I was that worried about the surgery. Anyway, It really made me wonder but I knew that I would cont to put on weight like I have been doing for years......... and that it was just a matter of time before I started to have health problems because of it. I was already having knee pain because of the weight. I knew i needed to do something to gain control. It does take commitment on your part, It really is not a quick or easy fix. Is it the surgery itself that scares you most or the whole process?

well not so much as the surgery that scares me its the aftermath that scares me. my wife is scared more than i am lol!!! but im just scared about the aftermath such as stuff like what am i going to be able to due afterwords just the thought of having somthing in me am i going to be able to feel it, is the little cord thing going to be swinging and bouncing off my belly pretty much some dumb thoughts but than i look at some pictures of peoples before and after and im like all goodness what a wonderfull tool they invented but i guess i am worring for nothing i mean look at these people on the before and after sight they are smiling if that was me i would be cring of course im a big baby to lol!!! just dont tell my wife hahaha!! but one of the fears is the women at the dr office was telling me there could b a blood clot that could go to my lungs or somthing but she didnt educate me on it much do you know what she is talking about or what is your advice on that

[Kat817 19]

Afterward, meaning after you have healed, for the most part, unless you are eating you will not have any different feelings, nor abilities than you have now. The ability to do more things will increase as your weight decreases.

Your port and tubing do not just flop around freely inside you. They stitch the port, tightly into muscle, which holds it securely, and the tube simply runs from it, to the band,and you do not have sensation of it being there at all. I am quite close to my goal weight and I must still push firmly to feel my port.

I ride motorcycles with my husband, as well as 4 wheelers, ride horses, haul firewood, jump on a trampoline, swim, wrestle with my grandbabies on the floor, use a variety of exercise equipment (not nearly as much as I should tho!)....heck the list could go on forever! I do a lot of these things thanks to the band, I was too heavy to do them before.

The problem with stats when it comes to this surgery is the fact that they are operating on some seriously obese people. I am talking Super obesity, of over 500 pounds at times, and when you begin looking at that type of weight the health issues are monumental, and death is more common due to blood clots following surgery as they are not often mobile....but once the surgery is done, it is reported as a surgical statistic.

This was a simple surgery for me, and I was very close to your weight. I was up and walking within hours, and back to my normal life in a week. We were remodeling a home with my Daughter at the time, and I was back to weilding a paintbrush and making Home Depot runs within that week.

I am able to eat all foods. There are a few I opt not to eat....but that is a personal choice. I eat much much less than I did before, I am now in control of the food as opposed to the food being in control of me.

I chose banding over bypass for several reasons. #1 being I am a cancer survivor and if I ever need to increase nutritional intake I can. #2. I had serious fears of my insides being cut and rerouted and removed. #3. I do not do well with deprivation. Being told I could NOT eat sweets was a deal breaker! I wanted to have a piece of birthday cake with my grandkids on their special days. So banding was the ideal choice for me, I eat that small piece of cake and am good, no longer wanting to eat the entire cake!!!

The choice was an easy one for me. I do understand it is a very personal choice for everyone. I hope you do take into consideration the risks associated with obesity as compared to the risks associated with lap band surgery.

At the risk of sounding like a mastercard commercial, getting your life back is priceless......being able to run, and sit in any chair, climb any ladder, fit on all amusement park rides----and not stand out in the crowd because of my size----those and a host of other reasons make me happy every day I chose to override my fears and be banded.

I hope you come to peace with a decision soon.

Did your wife go to the seminar with you? They can be super informative!

Kat

[Long2BFree 12]

The LapBand is far safer than gastric bypass. 1 in 200 die from that GB. Your diet is way more restrictive as well as the supplements you have to take.

You can get blood clots from any surgery, not just WLS. You will have devices placed around your ankles during surgery and recovery that helps with circulation in your legs.

I would recommend that your do more research and find a seminar that you can go to. The surgeon will cover a lot of information and answer questions.

I too am afraid to have surgery even though I've had five surgeries over my life but know that I need to do this because my health is suffering because of my obesity. You too will know what is right for you.

[jasonlugoffman 0]

thanks kat817 you really sumed it up for me i thank the lap ban is the one for me and thats the one im going to stick with as planed ive had surgery before but was never told about any blood clots with them and i thought it was just for this type surgery man what a tone of bricks you just pulled off me i was just worried that my kids would not be able to play with me as much as they do cause my 1 year old has a thing were he wants to jump on my belly all the time and we wressel and play and you reall made my day i go the 17th to see the phys. dr then they make my pre op after that so wish me luck every one

[WestCoastFatGuy 3]

thanks kat817 you really sumed it up for me i thank the lap ban is the one for me and thats the one im going to stick with as planed ive had surgery before but was never told about any blood clots with them and i thought it was just for this type surgery man what a tone of bricks you just pulled off me i was just worried that my kids would not be able to play with me as much as they do cause my 1 year old has a thing were he wants to jump on my belly all the time and we wressel and play and you reall made my day i go the 17th to see the phys. dr then they make my pre op after that so wish me luck every one

Hey there, Jason...

I was TERRIFIED in the weeks leading up to my surgery. If I would have been going in for something that was medically necessary/required (like a gallbladder surgery) I wouldn't have had any worries at all. The problem in my mind was that I was going in for ELECTIVE surgery because I was a fat *ass! I couldn't seem to get past that feeling in my head no matter how hard I tried. I felt guilty that I had had to resort to surgery to accomplish what I thought I should have been able to without such drastic means. I was soooo hard on myself and soooo ridiculously rigid and self-judgmental. What a fool I was!

How do I feel now almost 3 months post-surgery for having those feelings? Like an idiot. I thoroughly researched my surgeon and the institution that he is affiliated with prior to my decision. As it turned out, I couldn't have had a better experience with my surgery, the hotel stay and the follow-up if I had scripted it myself. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner!

I wish you all the best in your journey to the "new you!"

[momof321 0]

I hope you are feeling better this morning. I am sure it's hard not knowing all the answers I am only 4 weeks post-op and I am still learning new things about my band. I'm glad your wife is so concerned about your surgery, she will be a great support after I'm sure. I have lost 23 lbs and just with that amount I can do things so much easier than before, its great. I know there are things that are hard to do with your kido's, there are for me, but just think of what you can do with them 1-month or 2-month's post-op. There are so blessed to have a father that loves to spend time with them. After the weight is gone they may have a hard time keeeping up with you.

The surgery was not bad at all for me. The next day was probably the hardest, I was very sore to be honest I questioned whether I had done the right thing. I think alot of us do. But every day I started to feel better and within a week I was pretty close to back to normal. Three days after surgery my in-laws came in for a visit and I managed to get thru those days without them even knowing I had surgery.

The blood clots are a chance with any surgery but they do everything to keep them from happening. I was also given a blood thinner at the time of surgery and wore the leg things. The best thing to do after surgery is to walk, it helps with the gas, and to prevent clots.

You will do great!

[kamicola 1]

Just choose a doctor with a low rate of death.... my surgeon has done thousands of surgery and has only had one death and it was due to a blood clot... could happen to any one.... just choose wisely, but the risk of death with this surgery is generally very low.... 1 in 700 is scary to me though!

Kammi in Everett, WA

[jasonlugoffman 0]

yea i know but he has done alot of the bypass surgerys and i thank he said the death toll was like 1 out of 700 with the bypass (i got it mixed up) but none out of 1000 with the band . but did have like a couple with complications such as the port fliping and i thank he said somthing about the band sliping once but with all that he said no death yet with the band but i guess i do need to see how many he has done with the band but any ways i see every one else saying how good there doing with it so i guess its a risk im willing to take also have you looked at the before and after pictures if you ask me i thank it does wonders im so proud of every one here but look out every one there is a new jason coming to town lol!!!

[ErikMesa 0]

I've had 4 friends who have had gastric bypass surgery. While all are losing weight they've all had some form of malabsorbtion issues post-op and have to take alot of liquid Vitamins and stuff. One also has problems where she will just suddenly throw up for no reason. They were all laid up for almost a month after surgery and 3 required open not laproscopic due to their size. I took a serious look at gastric bypass but in the end the mortality rate scared me. Also another thing I did was find a message board for gastric bypass. I was looking around one day and found a Memoriam page after having made some posts there. It was a list of all the people who had died who had posted there. There were alot of names on that list. I looked up their posts and saw the hope and comments like "I can't wait for my surgery and my new life!"..... then a few days later there would be an admin message "this person passed due to xxxxx" after surgery.

There is no comparing the two procedures. I've had some people say "well bypass is reversable". No it's not. They can hook the plumbing back up but it is NEVER the same imo. With the lapband it's completely reversible and they're not rearranging anything. It's a much much much safer procedure.

I'm on day 6 post-op and feel great. By comparison if I was post-op for bypass I'd just be getting out of the hospital today and would have 4-5 weeks of hometime before going back to work (what they told me). Instead I'll be back to work on Monday. Like I said no comparison.

Just follow the doctors directions, get on your feet and walk as soon as after surgery as possible to prevent DVT and drink plenty of fluids as tolerated. If you do what they tell you to you'll be find and the risk of the unknown will be greatly reduced. Yes it's an elective surgery but I view it as medically necessary. Cormorbid conditions WILL kill you eventually. This surgery can stop those conditions in their tracks and set you on the right course for your life.

ErikMesa :regular_smile:

Edited April 6, 2008 by ErikMesa

[Kat817 19]

I believe that some blood thinners are standard for surgery. I had a shot of Lovenox given in my belly prior to surgery, then again after.

I also had the inflating leg wraps available, and in fact they were on when I woke up. But I began walking very soon after that, and only had them on that night in the hospital.

I flew home from surgery, and they stressed the importance of keeping my legs moving, and keeping hydrated. So I moved --a lot! I bet the guy in the seat next to me on the plane thought I had ants in my pants!!!! Oh well--better that than a blood clot!

The death rate following all bariatric surgeries is affected by the general health of the obese patients going in to the surgery. All too often we do not seek medical help on a regular basis with our weight being the cause. Pre op testing for existing infections has lowered the problems following surgery.

Flipped ports---where the stitches pop and allow the port to turn over do happen, but most can be fixed quickly, and slips do happen with bands--there are things you can do to help minimalize that possibility--but both of those scenarios are fixable! The issue being ----even if your band slipped-----your stomach is still there, it just has to be reset, or in worst case scenarios removed laproscopically the same way it was put in....but in the end your body is still intact.

If you eat a nutritious diet, there is no need for supplements--other than a good Multivitamin, which we should take anyway probably! YOU learn new ways to eat. YOU learn how food really tastes! When you chew something thoroughly you get to really taste it! What that does, is teaches you to like tasty food, which translates to good food! All the Snacks like the Little Debbie, cheapie snack foods we all ate--omg, to eat that now tastes to me like putting a spoon full of sweetened crisco into my mouth----the grease feels like it sticks to my teeth, and gags me!!

I really cannot say enough good things about my surgery. I am glad I was able to address some of your fears. Please both you and your wife feel free to PM me and ask anything you want----this IS elective. But it is electing to live a longer, healthier life. Electing to enjoy your kids---not worry that they will be embarassed by you at their baseball games. I speak from experience. I was FAT during my DD's growing up. I was self consious every game, every school activity, from early elementary when I gained it all, to graduation. I now am proud my grandkids do not remember me fat!!! My 3 year old granddaughter is ticked off because I tell her that lady with her Papa in the pictures is me, she doesn't believe it!!! Perfect!

Kat

[AnnieLou 0]

Well, Jason, when your surgeon or his team tell you about possible risks and complications from lap band surgery....listen closely. The statistics are only 1% of lap band surgeries that have complications. BUT, to that one person who falls into that percentage....those complications are REAL. I am one of them. I am not telling this to scare you, just to make you consider your surgery with wisdom.

What happened to me?

I went into the operating room at 11 am on 3/28/08, just 10 days ago. When I woke up, I was being wheeled into my room and saw the clock that said 6 oclock in the evening. That should have been my first clue. I groggily looked around and had tubes in my arms, tubes up inside my nasal cavity, and when I put my hand up to my neck which seemed sore...I had stiches down the right side of my neck in the jugular vein. Then I felt my belly, and relized I have staples all over it. Then the attending physician told me that my surgery is over, and I have the band, 'but' surgery went 'differen' than planned. He told me I had had an 'open' lap band surgery instead of the laprosopic surgery. I groggily asked 'why'.

He continued to tell me that after all the surgical instruments were placed inside me and the operation began, my spleen was nicked. (if you know anything about the spleen....you will know that when the spleen is punctured you can bleed to death). So when the speen was knicked, of course, I started bleeding very fast and profusely. They had to save me by cutting into my jugular vein in my neck to give me blood transfusion to replace the extreme blood loss. The tubes in my arms were for replacing other vital fluids. The tubes up my nose? I don't even remember what they were for, but I do remember them having to pull out those long tubes 2 days later.

I have an open incision in my belly that goes from my breasbone all the way down to my belly button.

Also I have the other 4 smaller incisions in my belly because they had started the surgery with all the laproscopic tools already. Total of 36 metal staples in my belly, and also my speen was no longer any good after it was ruptured and had to be removed.

So my simple 'minimally invasive surgery' turned out to be a Major surgery with an organ removal and a total open incision. I was released from the hospital 6 days later. My surgery was done at a word renowned Medical Center in Pa.....deemed a certified "Center of Excellence". So, sometimes things do happen, and you should be aware of this when considering surgery. The chances of complications are very small, but can happen.

I am very sore and weak, but plan to get on with my weight loss journey with my band as soon as I can recover from this Major surgery.

Annie Lou

[AZChick289 1]

Kat I absolutley love your message ..It totally has inspired me .

I am waiting for my surgery date .Was being a little worried about infection etc. The weight though will do me way more harm than good .I needed to hear this and thank-you .

AZChick