Quote:
Originally Posted by PricklyPear  Hello I am new here and I am very happy to be part of this forum!
I have a big decision to make and I need some advice, opinions, good and bad...about gastric bypass.
I need to lose weight because I am taking alot of meds to keep my high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol in check. My doctor recommended that I would get the lap band but unfortunately my insurance WILL not cover it. I have Tricare Prime and Lap Band is considered a trial..almost cosmetic. They will cover gastric bypass and I feel very uncomfortable because of all the horror stories I have heard from friends and on the internet, etc.
I weigh 230 lbs and I have two young kids, 4 year old girl and a year old boy and its so important for me to be healthy and see them grow up. I need to be with them and I am not ready to be buried in the ground.
I have tried to lose weight by doing diets and exercises but I always fall off the wagon (is that the right term?) anyway...I really need some advice from anyone who may have had gastric bypass.
I have heard ... that you can lose hair...leak...die on the table, die after the surgery...poop alot..etc.
Is there more good to it than that??  |
First of all, wecome to the site! Yes I believe falling off the wagon would be the proper term. Diets don't really work in the long term, you have to be willing to commit yourself to a lifestyle change.
The most common type of gastric bypass is the Roux-en-Y
Some of the side effects include:
- Death occuring within a month for about 1.5% of those who get gastric bypass. (Studies were as high as 2% in 2004).
- Dumping Syndrome (food passing too quickly through the stomach/small intestines
- An iron and vitamin B12 deficiency occurs more than 30% of the time. About 50% of those with an iron deficiency develop anemia.
- The connection between the stomach and the intestines narrows (stomal stenosis) 5% to 15% of the time, leading to nausea and vomiting after eating.
- Ulcers develop 5% to 15% of the time.
- The staples may pull loose.
- Hernia may develop.
- The bypassed stomach may enlarge, resulting in hiccups and bloating
- Blood clots in the legs. Blood clots in the legs are more likely to occur in very overweight people. Blood clots can be dangerous. In some cases, they travel to the lungs and lodge in the lungs' arteries causing a pulmonary embolism — a serious condition that damages lung tissue and can lead to death. Walking and using leg wraps that apply intermittent pressure to the leg can help reduce this risk of blood clots in the legs.
- Leaking at one of the staple lines in the stomach. This severe postoperative problem would be treated with antibiotics. Most cases heal with time. Sometimes, the leak can be serious enough to require emergency surgery.
- Pneumonia. Excess weight places extra stress on the chest cavity and lungs. This means a higher risk of developing pneumonia after the surgery.
Other common complications of gastric bypass surgery include:
- Dehydration
- Gallstones
- Bleeding stomach ulcer
- Intolerance to certain foods
I am going to move this to the obesity surgery forum where it will probably get better responses.