Magazine post- Problems with bypass?.

[alison1979]

Hi all again here i am worrying about something someone else has said or i have read. I had read a magazine that my mother let at my house after she had been babysitting, and it read something like " bypass warning my daughter died". I read on even so and now i am in a bit of a panic and for once thinking twice about surgery. I read how this young mum had a bypass as she had tried all her life like i have, she was a bit bigger then me but still, she was fine and come out of the surgery all went well, then she went onto fluids as you do and she then went to progress to mushy foods and could not get it down, so thinking it was a bit soon and going back onto fluids. but after months of this and getting and not getting any better went back in for surgey to make her pouch bigger but this failed, she then went in a further twice and there was nothing more that could be done for her and she died.
I really could have cried for her, i dont know if this it common and have never heard of this before, and it would be a great help if anyone could put my mind a little a rest if its know of a satistic.
Really sorry to bother everyone with something so not nice and a downside to the surgey but i really cant fine out much on this protental problem.

Thanks all for any hepl and it is apprectated.

 

[shelbell]

Hi, I don't have any statistics for you, but hopefully I can reassure you. We have a couple of members here who have had problems eating as they went through the stages, generally struggling to eat more than a teaspoon of purée and being sick frequently. In most cases this is caused by a stricture, where scar tissue has grown across the stoma, which is the outlet from the new stomach pouch. This can be fixed, most often just needing a simple non-surgical procedure called a stretch or stoma dilation. You have a scope put down your throat into your pouch, and then a small balloon is used to stretch the outlet. Sometimes patients need this done 2 or 3 times to fully resolve the problem but often just once is enough.

Problems occur when patients don't understand that there is a problem, and persist on just fluids for long periods, leading to malnutrition and eventually starvation. Or they aren't seen by a proper bariatric specialist post op and go to a standard a&e or gp, who don't have enough knowledge to diagnose the problem.

One thing in your favour us that you've already found a great support system here. If you find that post op you are having problems, or have questions, there is always someone here to answer them, reassure you, or give you a kick up the bum to contact your surgical team.

There are horror stories out there in the press, but I think here you find a mire accurate representation of post op life. There are members with complications or side effects, and there are members who have none. Those who reach target, and those who don't. But in pretty much all cases there are very very few, if any, who regret having the surgery. Only lots who regret not having it sooner.

Best wishes x x

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[alison1979]

Thank you so much i do feel better and i have never seen on here anyone who has regrets, i am a person who worries over lots of things and i know it will not be easy i can live with that as i know it will get better, the thought of it going wrong and not been able to be put right does give me cause for concern but i am pleased i have people like you and this site to bring me back down to earth.
Thanks so much shel

 

[phatmomma]

Alison, Shel is right on the ball with her advice.

All operations carry a risk, been bariatric patients carry its own risks. It is literally about the care you can take of yourself once out of the hospital. I found the sooner i could get mobile and potter around helped me greatly. It doesn't do to go home and play patient unless you really are poorly. The sooner you get back into the routine of up, dress get the kettle on for a cuppa and have a gentle wander around helps with risks of VTE's and the such...

As for the dilation, a few members have had it on here, madstaffyblonde and helensmellons spring to mine. They struggled to eat and saw their teams who did what needed to be done and are wonderfully fit and well...

Unfortunately magazines don't want to know about the fairytale surgery because that doesn't sell as well as a bit of death and gloom...

The thing with this forum is that you can ask anything and someone will offer advice or point you in the right direction to get it. Use it well sweet x

 

[CCPM]

Sadly all ops carry a risk as Julie says and Shel has explained about some of those risks. That said most people here would go through it all again to lose the weight. Its so important not to go into this op withut realising there are potential problems but individuals need to weigh them very carefully both against the benefits of the improvements to their lives from the usual percentage weight loss and also the effort that will be needed to both acheive and maintain that loss. Thats the most effective way to approach this surgery. Then you are as well prepared for it as anyone can be. There are always people to help around just shout out.

Good luck

M