Tell me the negatives of surgey
thebowhunter
Posts: 173
Be honest. Tell me all the negatives you encountered and how you dealt with them. Is there anybody that had it that regrets having GB surgery?
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First let me say I have NO regrets. I had the RNY in May. I have only had a few negative side effects: 1. I struggled to consume enough water and fiber in the first month and a half and had a bit of constipation. 2. Even though I followed the diet very closely there were and are some days when what I'm eating just doesn't feel comfortable on the inside and comes back up. if and when this happens it is actually a better thing to be sick then the pain of having something stuck. 3. You can slow down the side effect of hair loss by keeping your protein up but eventually your fat cells will start dumping hormones and it will still fall out faster than you like. I currently have a lot of new hair growth but it makes me self conscious. I have seen many men and women 2 years plus post and the hair thing is only temporary. 4. I'm cold all the time. I know this is because fat is insulating and I have a lot less of it but I feel silly wearing a sweater in my office all the time. This too however is just temporary until the body adjusts. 5. I have started to get saggy flaps under my arms, but frankly I don't care because I rarely hold my arm in a way that anyone would notice.
My positive side effects way out number my negatives.0 -
I have no regrets. Did it hurt? Yup. have I ever gotten sick? Yup, a couple of times. Does my pouch ever hurt if I eat too much? Yup...thank goodness...I hope it never stops. Did my hair thin? Yup...the mass shedding has stopped now though
I used to be the one all the time that was hot and sweaty....now I am the one that is freezing. Am I getting saggy bits? You betcha. Better than the fat bits I had though. Matter of fact, my sister went to the hospital with me when I had my surgery. She said that the first thing I said when when I tried to get out of bed to go to the potty was...what the f*&^#(& did I do to myself?!?!?
But.....my diabetes is in excellent control. I no longer take meds for high blood pressure. I no longer take meds for high cholesterol. I no longer take meds for neuropathic pain. I no longer have an engorged and fatty liver. I follow a fairly good diet, I exercise, I just bought a bike today and downloaded a C25K app on my phone that I am going to start doing.
Would I do it again? You betcha. Everyday. And twice on Sunday. It saved my life.0 -
I'm 3 weeks out from RNY and the only negative I have experienced is loose, explosive stool...lol My pain was almost non existent, I have not yet dumped since I eat very slowly. Obviously I am getting enough fluid About week 1.5 I was totally over protein drinks but I got some vanilla and checked out egg faces's website and got some sugar free flavor syrup so the protein is going down smoother now. 0
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The negatives for me are not being able to take NSAID's. But it is what it is. I had extreme constipation for the longest while thankfully that is gone! I had some pretty bad nausea the first few months and practically lived on the meltaway zofran. My hair thinned and started to fall out but that has gotten much better. For me it is a negative that I can not eat left over foods because they are too dry even if I try adding sauces or what not.
Do I regret it...Absolutely not! I would do it again in a minute.0 -
I am a month out from RNY GB - do I have regrets - yes and no!
First off, I admit openly I came to in recovery and was in a ton of pain. I got to my room and looked at my hubby and said, "what the hell have I done?" But it was the pain talking. A few hours later, I was up doing laps in the hall and feeling amazing.
Regrets? Yep, I regret not having been able to have it sooner. I already feel amazing!
I am down 2 almost 3 pants sizes.
I am down 1 almost 2 solid shirt sizes.
I've lost 17.5 inches overall.
My reinjured knee hasn't bothered me at all since the surgery - prior to surgery I could barely walk - now I can hop up out of a seat and go, go, go!
I am down 55lbs.
My activity level has increased by leaps and bounds.
My blood sugar was on the border of diabetic - it's now normal levels all the time.
Do I sometimes feel bad for myself? You bet, but it's just my head playing games with me. And I give myself a virtual reality check and I am so incredibly happy!0 -
Yes, I regret it.
Unfortunately my cons far outweigh the pros.
I was in A LOT of pain for about 1.5 months post surgery. After 3 weeks, I developed a nasty infection in my pouch from leakage, so after being in the hospital for 3 days recovering, I was back in for 5 days.
I had, and continue to have, terrible constipation...despite taking Benefibre in practically everything I eat. I strain and bleed.
I cannot tolerate meats of any kind, eggs, bread, pasta, potatoes, most dairy (save for yogurt and limited amounts of cheese), most fruits - am a full-blown vegetarian and I never was pre-surgery.
I have now, 6 months post-surgery, become "dangerously" iron-deficient anemic, so much so that my surgeon wants me to start getting weekly 6-8 hour iron infusions since my body just is not absorbing any iron.
My surgeon just diagnosed my with hypoglycemia - awesome - and says I am "at-risk" for diabetes. Not sure how or why since I was never at risk pre-surgery.
My hair is thinning and falling out like everyone else has said.
I have TERRIBLE mood swings and depression.
I would NEVER do it again, sadly. My health has deteriorated drastically since surgery, with concerns I never had before the surgery and never thought to be at risk of having.
All I keep thinking is, "What's next? Heart failure?"
It's scary and would never, ever, ever do it again.0 -
Almost 11 years and no regrets- none. Here are some of the things that I have had to deal with. Anemia- I had stopped taking my iron because of the BM effects so when I had some surgery this past month I did get anemic. I'm not a big drinker but those days will be behind you if you go with a RNY- the alcohol has to go through the stomach more than it will be able to so it's like pouring it straight to your liver and a half glass of wine may be too much for driving. Not my experience but it does happen. One more thing- no asprin products ever again as well. My sister in law was given an anti inflamatory (she had RNY) and it gave her a bleeding ulcer. So keep that in mind. That's all the bad stuff I can think of and like I said two of those weren't even my issues.
Good luck!0 -
Thanks for the comments thus far. Keep em comming. I want to hear all the bad and the good and who would know better than people who are living it.0
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I had gastric sleeve surgery 6/11/12 and don't have any regrets. The first month was rough since I also had a hital hernia repaired during the surgery and it slowed me down with getting enough fluids in and food phases and I did get dehydrated a few times and had to go into the hospital infusion center. I lost 47 pounds pre op and have lost 45 post op. I have no problems now. I wasn't in any pain to speak of from the surgery either one I got home. In fact day after I got out, I went shopping for 4 hours! The best advice I can give you is make lifestyle changes NOW in the pre op stage. Stop drinking diet or reg soda, quit smoking, quit drinking reg coffee and switch to decaf, start taking smaller bites of food and chewing it 30 times before swallowing, get 80 oz of water in a day. If you do this it will be so much easier after surgery. It what work you do before surgery that will help you after surgery and head hunger issues. WLS is not a magic wand, you do have work on things before you get the surgery to make yourself successful after surgery. I look at my sleeve as a tool in my toolbox to help me loose the weight once and for all and more importantly keep it off for good!
Good luck!0 -
hi
regret having surgery? HELL NO
pain? no really since I live with pain from arthritis every day. osteoarthritis of the lower spine, arthritis in knees, hips and ankles. spinal stenosis- my legs and arms sometimes go numb.
problems? just trying to eat new foods, either they stay put or run to the bath room. lol
plus? I have lost 70lbs since my surgery on 5-9-12
would I do it again? in a heartbeat!!
just my opinion on things0 -
I've had two negative experiences - post RNY surgery. The first- I developed an allergy to the bonding agent that closed my bypass incisions. Each incision ballooned up and became infected. I needed cortisone to clear up the problem. Then at 9 months out, I developed an ulcer at the margins of the gastrojejunostomy, mostly on the jejunal side . In fact, two staples were hanging and removed during an endocopy. Those two things aside, I follow a high protein, low sugar/carb diet and love how I feel. I had my very first apt with the surgeon 9/11 and in a year I've lost a whole person. Yes I have hanging skin on abdomen, arms and legs, but my next step is a Panniculectomy - I will begin that process when I hit my 150lb weight loss goal. Everything else that people have mentioned as negative seem minor in comparison to how far I've come. Yes, I would do it again and Yes, I recommend it to anyone who is morbidly obsese. 0
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only regret not doing it 20 yrs earlier and the lose skin is a bummer but small price to pay to stay alive past 60 feel free to email me if you want to ask anything0
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I would say NO to having the surgery again. When I talk to people who want to have surgery, I ask them how prepared they are to give up every food they have ever enjoyed.
After my surgery I ended up needing 2 additional surgerys (gall bladder removed & obstruction correction) as well as some severe Vitamin D deficiencies and other issues related to following the post-surgical diet. Given the chance, I don't think I would ever encourage someone to go through this unless they had an insane amount of willpower and motivation to follow the post-surgery instructions. I am glad I had the surgery...otherwise I would probably be dead by now but there are things that have forever changed in my life that resulted from the surgery.0 -
The first year after surgery is the hardest on both the mind and body. I lost my hair, was freezing all the time, had mood swings, and was severely Vitamin D deficient. After year 2, I developed a problem with my Pancreas...which causes me to pass out when I do eat due to very low blood sugar. (I hit a low blood sugar of 26 one day- don't remember anything but eating, standing up, then waking up on the floor.) But now I'm almost 6 years post surgery and have learned my limitations when it comes to food. I know I can't eat during the day or I will pass out. I know alcohol and me don't mix anymore. I can't have rice or pasta unless I want to feel like my stomach is going to explode. I can't enjoy birthday cake and ice cream with my kids. My hair still falls out but if I keep it short, I don't notice it as much. And I'm still freezing all the time! But I'm at a healthier weight and will hopefully be around long enough to see my kids graduate from high school.0
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I had my RNY surgery in August. Granted, it's been a short time, but I don't have any serious negatives yet. I have heard about a lot of the problems others have had, but have avoided them so far. I haven't had a serious problem not having foods I love either, but I think part of that was because I started paying attention to what I was eating several months before. Starting early can be the key to not going through withdrawal after surgery.
I realize there may be issues that will crop up. For instance, a very large percentage end up having their gallbladders out, so it won't shock me if it happens. But I've lost alot already, and I've still got mine. I'm also already off my diabetes meds, with the best blood sugars I've ever had.
As rjwant said above, even with most negatives, having the surgery is better than dying from obesity. This isn't a cosmetic change we've had, it is life-saving surgery. It also needs to be life-changing to be more than a short term fix. That's what scares me most --two years down the road, can I stay committed?0 -
Best. Decision. Ever. After 7+ years I still find myself counting my calories and convincing myself to get to the gym. So if you think you won't have to worry about diet/exercise after surgery - that's a problem. I'm sad for those that have had a negative experience because i wouldn't trade it for the world.0
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4 years our from RNY. No problems here and no regrets. Many people do not stay diligent and have regain or they do not take their vitamins and have serious issues due to that. It's not magic. It's not a cure, but it is a tool that has helped me lose 200 pounds and maintain my loss. I know damn well I could NOT have done this without surgery. It saved my life.0
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I had the lap-band done on 5/29/12, and I'm already down 56 pounds!!! The heartburn I suffered with for 15 years is GONE, and my sleep apnea continues to improve. I'm very strict about my diet, and I try to be good about exercising too. My cholesterol is still high, but I have genetics working against me with that. I also had a hernia repair done at the same time as the band placement, and it made the recovery more difficult (almost a month of pain, nausea & constipation), but now that that phase is over, I'm feeling great (& looking a whole lot better!). My only regret is not having done this sooner!!! 0
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I am just about 3 months post op and can honestly say I have no regrets. My surgery went off without a hitch, I have had no post-op issues and very few food intolerances.
The biggest downer was my 2 week liquid diet before the surgery, what a effin nightmare!
Best advice I can give you is do your homework, get yourself into a serious fitness routine for at least 6 months to a year before the surgery and be prepared to commit a lot of your energy to your new way of like!0 -
SUPER NO REGREAATS the bad things tho...
can't eat bread(can eat toast) it's fine but just a little awkwad on picnics and getting a shop bought sandy!! lol0
