Re: is gastric bypass surgery high risk? (LONG)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/9/2002 1:04:20 PM Pacific Standard Time,

lacorona@... writes:

> Gastric Bypass surgery is high risk, make no mistake about it.

I guess I am getting to that point that most bypass patients get to sometime

after 2 years. You know, the point where most drop out of the discussion

groups to get on with life. The few hearty souls who remain active have my

utmost admiration.

This is one of the issues that make me just want to stop communicating. I

can't tell you how many people I've spoken to, and how many times I've posted

about the high risk of this surgery. The hundreds of times I have tried to

stress that this is a desperate measure for desperate people; that it is

medical mutilation of the worst sort and only to be undertaken when all else

has failed and your health is at risk from your obesity. Ceep's right - most

people don't listen. Or like the most recent poster who described her severe

complications, they just don't accept what they've read.

I kept an active file of really horrible complications, and used to offer to

send it out to pre-ops so they knew what some of the risks were first hand.

Less than 1% of the people reading ever asked for it. I know these are the

same people who later say " But no one ever told me about.... "

Mmmmm - perhaps it's time to start taking the Wellbutrin again.....

Kate

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/9/2002 1:04:20 PM Pacific Standard Time,

lacorona@... writes:

> Gastric Bypass surgery is high risk, make no mistake about it.

I guess I am getting to that point that most bypass patients get to sometime

after 2 years. You know, the point where most drop out of the discussion

groups to get on with life. The few hearty souls who remain active have my

utmost admiration.

This is one of the issues that make me just want to stop communicating. I

can't tell you how many people I've spoken to, and how many times I've posted

about the high risk of this surgery. The hundreds of times I have tried to

stress that this is a desperate measure for desperate people; that it is

medical mutilation of the worst sort and only to be undertaken when all else

has failed and your health is at risk from your obesity. Ceep's right - most

people don't listen. Or like the most recent poster who described her severe

complications, they just don't accept what they've read.

I kept an active file of really horrible complications, and used to offer to

send it out to pre-ops so they knew what some of the risks were first hand.

Less than 1% of the people reading ever asked for it. I know these are the

same people who later say " But no one ever told me about.... "

Mmmmm - perhaps it's time to start taking the Wellbutrin again.....

Kate

[Guest guest]

Kate, for me it didn't matter what could happen, because what was happening

to me was life threatening and I am older. I was 59, the doc said I had a

couple of years to live if I was lucky. I just felt I was going one way or

the other. Also, wearing a bikini did not interest me. It's interesting

that when you don't hate your body (which was true for me), your only goal is

better health and mobility. I feel sorry for the preops who think this is

going to change their life any other way. I think you realistic posters here

has added a great deal to my thinking. The regular AMOS board is difficult.

But remember about the people who do listen and be there for them. Fay Bayuk

[Guest guest]

There is no doubt that there are risks with WLS. A table setting out

the complication rates can be found at

http://www.asbs.org/html/rationale/rationale.html

Ray Hooks

For WLS nutrition info, visit

http://www.bariatricsupplementsystem.com