Question:
Adverse outcomes. Long term ......... like 20-30 yrs from now
Hi all, I know that you all are going to think that i am crazy, but i came from my dentist today. He was telling me i had an infection. Well I wanted to be sure that all would be ok, if scheduled for WLS. So I was telling him why I needed to know about this infection. He really got on a trip....he tells me, that most people don't even make it for 15 to 20 years after surgery. And have i talked to my surgeon about this. He said that all post ops become malnutritioned, and that they are walking zombies, due to under nurishment (sp) Please help me out here guys... I didn't know anyone who has had the weight loss, and past the 6 year mark. Don't get me wrong, he is a good dentist, very open, and down to earth, BUT he is a dentist, and not a weight loss surgeon. Know what I mean? Please help? Thanks for your time Dani — Danielle B. (posted on November 1, 2000)
November 1, 2000
Hi Dani. My mother-in-law had stomach stapling just over 20 years ago and
she is doing very well. She still has to take her vitamins and iron, but
she eats anything she wants. She weighed 315 lbs at surgery time and lost
down to 160 lbs. She has gained a little back, but all in all she is very
happy and healthy, and no other problems. Vicki
— Vicki V.
November 1, 2000
I don't know about WLS but I do have a cousin who lost most of his small
intestine in surgery due to other medical reasons and that was in 1975. I
saw him this summer at a family reunion and he didn't look too unhealthy to
me. He was thriving. Be sure to ask your doctor about it though so he
can put your mind at ease.
— Sherry M.
November 1, 2000
Every week I meet someone who had the old intestinal bypass in the 70's and
had to have it taken down due to malnutrition problems. Every week there
are RNY people who become malnourished, too. But every hour, someone's
diabetes or sleep spnea or high blood pressure drops away and they take
their protein and they take their calcium and they get their lab work done
and someone intelligent reads it and they are FINE. The oldest RNY I know
is only 9 yrs out, but doing very well. Totally fine. I have met BPD's
(no stomach work, only intestinal work) over 12 yrs who are a little pudgy,
but very healthy. And even a few of the intestinal bypass from the 70's
who need protein & vites, but use them and are doing well. It is not
REQUIRED to become ill after these surgeries. As long as you supplement
properly and do not expect to get the same benefits of a stomach without
the stomach, then you can be totally in great shape. Good labs, goood
lungs, good heart and maybe even a good figure out of the deal. But I kind
of do tend to agree with Al M.
— vitalady
November 1, 2000
Dani
I suggest that you tell your dentist to start reading up before he gives
advise Years ago they did an intestionsl bypass with this surgery they
basiclly bypasses everything. You had to eat constantly and with every
bite you ate you went staight to the bathroom with almost constant chronic
diarrhea this surgery needed to be reversed and there were a lot of people
who died from it. Byt with the gastric bypass you still have a stomach
(pouch) and you are only bypassing about 150 cm. That is why you are
taking vits. and b12 supplent and cal (tumms)
— debbie P.
November 1, 2000
ROFLMAO at Al M.! And I agree wholeheartedly with his comment! That's
pretty irresponsible of a medical professional.<br><br>I'm sure
every surgeon would love to provide statistics on long-term wls patients.
What we have to remember, however, is that the long-term patients have to
be compliant with their follow-up visits to the surgeon. Many patients
simply discontinue their follow-up visits because they are doing so well.
You can bet if they had problems they would return to the surgeon's office.
So, there's obviously a skew in the statistics when it comes to
"official medical results" of long-term patients. You'll most
likely hear personal accounts.<br><br>I suggest that
<b>ALL</b> post-ops continue to see their surgeons as
scheduled. For me, I will see my surgeon for the rest of my life, probably
on an annual basis. I think I can give up a day a year for the advancement
of bariatric surgery and to pave the way for future wls patients. If we
can't document the success of this surgery, then we'll never be able to
change society's view.
— [Deactivated Member]
November 1, 2000
this is taken from an article in the NY Times dated 10/12/2000With drugs or
diet, most patients can realistically hope to lose
no more than 10 percent of their body weight a mere 30 pounds in
someone who weighs 300, for instance and even that may not last,
Dr. Flanagan said.
In contrast, studies show that 10 years after the most commonly
performed bariatric operation, called gastric bypass, patients on
average have maintained a loss of 60 percent of their excess
weight. At East Carolina University School of Medicine, in
Greenville, N.C., a research team led by Dr. Walter Pories has kept
records on 608 patients and found that after 14 years, the
percentages translated into an average weight loss of 100 pounds
show him this
— Lisa W.
November 2, 2000
And I would be willing to bet he is skinny! It was wise of you to go to
the dentist prior to surgery but he shouldn't be so quick to advice without
researching. I have to tell you, you will be hearing this a lot from
people who haven't done their homework and know nothing about what they are
talking about. I am scheduled for 11/27 and made the mistake of telling
everyone I encountered AT FIRST about the surgery. They immediately jump
on the soapbox and start lecturing. Most of them have not learned anything
at all about the new procedures and will say "I know a woman who is a
friend of a friend of a friend who had that done 15 yrs ago and she
died!" or "I have a girlfriend who did that and she is a mess
and it didn't even work!" DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM. Do your own
research. The surgery has changed (improved) as has most all medical
procedures in the last few years. You must make up your own mind based on
real facts and statistics. No one else has suffered your pain and
discrimination from being overweight. They haven't a clue what it is like.
Do your own research and talk to a doctor then make up YOUR mind. It is
your life and your decision.
— Marilyn C.
November 2, 2000
I too was worried about this. But I have a personal friend that had the
surgery 12years ago. She weighed 380lbs and has lost down to 140lbs. She
has never looked better and I am amazed that she has not gain any of it
back. Her sister also had the surgery at the same time she did and she has
NOT gained any of her weight back either. So I truly believe when I finally
get to have my surgery I am not going to gain any of my weight back. People
are so negative when it comes to "taking the easy way out", which
I don't agree with at all. This is a serious surgery but it DOES work. I
think yo-yo dieting is far more unhealthy than any surgery. It is up to you
to make this work. You are the only one who can take care of yourself.
Basically that is what has to be done after surgery. Taking care of
oneself.
— Denise C.
November 2, 2000
This is yet again an expample of a medical professional who doesn't know a
hill of beans of what he's talking about. And frankly he should keep his
mouth shut if he can't speak intelligently about the subject. The fact is
that just like anything else in medicine, technology and procedures have
greatly improved. Would you tell a heart transplant candidate today not to
have one just because they didn't do it 30 years ago? Look at how far
cancer treatments have come. People are now living productive lives with
AIDS. The WLS procedures of today are not at all like those done even as
little as 10 years ago. And the permanent success rate is much higher as
well - about 85%. That is much better than the 2% chance of successfully
losing the weight on a diet and keeping it off. I have no doubt that WLS
procedures will continue to improve. Maybe in the futire we won't have to
worry about the types of food we eat or the supplements we take. We will
reach a point at some time where an invasive procedure isn't even necessary
- it will all be taken care of through genetic therapy. Maybe in 100 years
obesity won't even be a medical issue because no one suffers from it. My
point is that we have a good working tool now to make us healthier human
beings. Why not use it? There are several good web sources that talk
about the WLS procedures of the past, why they don't work, and why they
differ from what is done now. Unfortunately ignorance isn't just limited
to the general population. Medical professionals possess it as well.
Perhaps you could provide him some materials to educate him. Best of luck!
— Paula G.
November 2, 2000
Please let me know what you find out about your question (long term
survival) I am scheduled for rny in just 5 days. Please let me know.
Thanks
— Penny W.
November 2, 2000
Who says "MD" can't stand for "ME DIMWIT"? I just love
these people, whether or not they wear a white coat. Probably the last
time your dentist heard/read/saw anything about WLS was in medical school a
jillion years ago, when the operations WERE dangerous and people DID have
serious long-term complications. The first time Christian Baarnard did a
heart transplant, the patient lived for eighteen days. Now people live for
YEARS with transplanted organs, and their rate of survival is getting
better all the time. I'm not sure your surgeon could even answer the
question of how we'll all turn out in 20 or 30 years, because the newer
surgeries haven't been around that long. What I do know, however, is that
in 20 or 30 years I'll probably still be alive -- which I wouldn't have bet
on before the surgery.
Go forward into your new life with peace and confidence -- warm thoughts
always,
— Cheryl Denomy
November 2, 2000
OK- I just HAD to share my experience! In my quest to have WLS,
my surgeon wanted me to get a complete cardiac exam because I had been
on fen/phen. I went to a cardiologist who had DEFINITE opinions
about WLS- all against! He thought I should try ONE MORE diet-
his of course:) During my second visit (I had to get the results
of my tests), his nurse came in the room and WHISPERED to me
that HE (the nurse) had had WLS 15 years ago, but the DR didn't know
and he was doing great! He told me to go for it and enjoy
being healthy! Of course, he didn't want his boss to know
he was encouraging me as he had heard the Dr. tell me I shouldn't
do it- but I took his speaking out to me as a sign from God
that I was on the right track. I am 9 1/2 months postop and
down 105 pounds. I will never need to see that cardiologist
again:) Don't let ignorance abound- do what you feel is right
for you. PS My dentist knows about my surgery and is very
encouraging!! Good Luck!
— M B.
February 17, 2003
Dani- I am scheduled for RNY on March 20th. I originally postponed my
surgery due to family issues but mostly misinformation. I too wondered
about long term post op effects and I can tell you one thing that I learned
over the last four months after I postponed my original surgery date of
10/18 and that is to live life to the fullest. We don't really know how
our long term effects will be because they haven't been doing the procedure
for THAT long; but I do know that I'm not really living now. Noone knows
when their life will end and I'm not willing to spend the rest of it with
acute asthma, aching knees, back pain and depression. This is the main
thought that I've been telling myself everytime I wonder if I'm doing the
right thing. I hope this helps! Good luck.
Denise
P.S. For a good laugh about Dentists check out "Bill
Cosby...Himself" Hysterical!!!!
— denisel
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