Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of three hundred GB > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am trying to find the > accurate results online and having difficulty does anyone know where I > can find them? >Jenni I believe that is the correct number. its a hard fact to swallow, remember we're not the best patients in the world for surgery. Kerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 One out of 300 (0.3%) sounds correct. Keep such generalized statistics in perspective however, because they includes ALL mortalities, from ALL types of patients, surgeons, hospitals, etc. regardless of their particular circumstances or risk factors. Your doctor is not trying to scare you. You owe it to yourself to be an informed patient. IMHO, you could not be in better hands than Kaiser's, when it comes to evaluating such risks. Negative outcomes are bad for business, and make no mistake, Kaiser is a business. Kaiser is very conservative. Their procedures are tried and proven, and they try to minimize risk (although it can never be eliminated, of course). In my case, this was undoubtedly a life saving procedure. It was a simple decision for me. Maybe live a few more miserable years, while my obesity slowly killed me, or accept the minor (but real) risk of surgery and maybe live thirty (hopefully happier) more years at a healthy weight. Tim -240 > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of three hundred GB > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am trying to find the > accurate results online and having difficulty does anyone know where I > can find them? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Tim, That is how i also feel--the risk is worth it...Dama > > > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of three hundred GB > > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am trying to find the > > accurate results online and having difficulty does anyone know where I > > can find them? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 > > > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of three hundred GB > > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am trying to find the > > accurate results online and having difficulty does anyone know where I > > can find them? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Like others have said, that number seems accurate. And like others have said, it's worth the risk. The wonderful thing we have in our favor is our pre-op perparation and screening, which Mama Kaiser does to ensure the best chance for a positive outcome (not to vex and frustrate us). Other programs require little more than payment, and in no time, these unfortunate patients are on the operating table, whether or not they are good candidates (mentally or physically) for the surgery. We're the lucky ones. Thank goodness. Francisco > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of three hundred GB > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am trying to find the > accurate results online and having difficulty does anyone know where I > can find them? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 Hi, Jenni - This is something I was really concerned about when I began this process last year. I finally made the decision to commit to the program when I started to dig into the statistics. Here's what I found out: The most commonly cited statistic for mortality is .5% (1 in 200); some studies say it can go as high as 2% (1 in 50). But as other people on this list have pointed out, those figures are for all WLS put together. . . so a 65-year-old smoker weighing 500 lbs at surgery with a history of heart disease and a surgeon who's only done this operation twice before would still be counted in. Kaiser has a track record that is far, far more favorable than these studies allow for. I actually asked when I was in orientation, and was told that at SSF they've only had one fatality in the past six years out of several thousand patients. That's one of the reasons for all the preliminary stuff they make us go through, including the screenings, the classes, the initial weight loss, and so on. The other big factor is the experience level of the surgeons. Surgeons who had done less than 20 of these operations had much, much higher rates of complications. At my Lifestyles 3 class in May, someone asked about the two new surgeons hired for SSF and we were told that they've each done more than 150 of the R-n-Y operations! So overall, I'd have to say that I agree with the general assessment here - our risks of dying from the complications of our untreated morbid obesity during the next 5 years are much, much greater than the risk of dying from having WLS at Kaiser. Cathy C. > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of three hundred GB > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am trying to find the > accurate results online and having difficulty does anyone know where I > can find them? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Jenni: Kaiser actually has a LOWER risk of mortality than do most programs. In part, this is because they make you lose some weight before you do the surgery. The first ten percent you lose comes directly off of your internal organs, and that helps with the mortality rate. Also, they are conservative in their approach to who is a proper candidate. Please don't forget that many of the people who are having the surgery are in very bad bad condition in the first place. they have diabetes, and are more prone towards infection and respiratory problems as a result. They suffer ffrom high blood pressure...they have severe sleep apnea, which can pose a problem with anesthesia. This is why it is important to do all of the tests prior to surgery. Some people die afterwards, because they can't/won't get out of bed as soon as possible post surgery. They won't walk around to get that anesthesia out of their bodies, to reduce the risk of pulmonary embulism, blood clots. They are depressed post-surgery, because food is their life and the idea of not being able to eat anything and everything they want is overwhelming to them. This is one of the reasons they make you have a psych exam. This is why it is terribly important that you start an exercise program during your " gearing up " for the surgery time. It can help you increase your cardiovascular health...making it easier for you to recover from the risk of anesthesia...making your body heal more easily. Eating the proper foods (like following the 1200 Kaiser diet plan, which is quite healthy and balanced) and taking your vitamins now...drinking lots of water....walking everyday...getting informed about what your life will be like afterwards...peeling the onion, and thinking about WHY you are so overweight...what's EATING you, as Weight Watcher's would say...what are your motivations, your fears...what role does overeating serve in your life... All of this work will help you to considerably lessen your risk. Of course, the heavier you are, the greater the risk. That's why some of our brave souls out there are actually losing MORE than 10 percent, because Kaiser recognizes that they could seriously reduce their risk if they go in there at 70 lbs. lighter, rather than 40 lbs. lighter. So, say what you want about Kaiser...they actually CARE. And yes, Tim, it is a business, you are right. But as a lawyer for this organization, I can honestly tell you that when something goes wrong, and a patient is unnecessarily hurt or put at risk...the reaction has NEVER been about business...it is always on a human level. From the very very top of this organization to the very bottom rungs, the reaction to bad outcomes has always been, " this is a tragedy and should NEVER happen again. What could we have done differently? How can we make sure that our patients get the best possible care? " I tell you this with absolute honest sincerity. it is one of the best things about my job...working with people who care about the patients more than you can imagine. Sometimes when we are told " no, you need to lose more weight " , or when the doctors or staff seem to be tough on us...it really is tough love. They want us to succeed. They want us to be safe. And they will spank us if it is necessary for us to be happier and healthier in our lives. So, yes, there is risk...and Jenni, you need to think about your risk factors. Your age, your BMI, your other health factors. But Tim is right...you also need to think about the risk to you if you continue down the path of obesity. Start looking at all of the things that obesity is linked to: breast cancer, prostrate cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, heart disease, diabetes, strokes, mobility issues...you name it. There is always risk in change. But perhaps the greatest risk is paralysis caused by fear of change.... My two cents, Robynn --- Uncle Timmy wrote: > One out of 300 (0.3%) sounds correct. Keep such > generalized statistics > in perspective however, because they includes ALL > mortalities, from ALL > types of patients, surgeons, hospitals, etc. > regardless of their > particular circumstances or risk factors. Your > doctor is not trying to > scare you. You owe it to yourself to be an informed > patient. > > IMHO, you could not be in better hands than > Kaiser's, when it comes to > evaluating such risks. Negative outcomes are bad > for business, and > make no mistake, Kaiser is a business. Kaiser is > very conservative. > Their procedures are tried and proven, and they try > to minimize risk > (although it can never be eliminated, of course). > > In my case, this was undoubtedly a life saving > procedure. It was a > simple decision for me. Maybe live a few more > miserable years, while > my obesity slowly killed me, or accept the minor > (but real) risk of > surgery and maybe live thirty (hopefully happier) > more years at a > healthy weight. > > Tim -240 > > > > > > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of > three hundred GB > > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am > trying to find the > > accurate results online and having difficulty does > anyone know where I > > can find them? > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 I totally agree with you Francisco....good luck with your marathon, hugs,dama > > > > Ok I saw my doctor and he told me that one out of three hundred GB > > patients die.... I dont think that is true... I am trying to find the > > accurate results online and having difficulty does anyone know where I > > can find them? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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