Does anyone know the risks in Gastric by pass surgery?

Question

What can go wrong what are the problems you have heard of or had?

Answer 1

A friend of my got gastric bypass about 3 years ago and she went from about 300 to 170 in about a year and half.  Granted she is 6'1 so she looked amazing at 170.  However, she said it was the worst decision she thinks that she made b/c for pretty much 2 years after the surgery she could hardly eat with out vomiting and she was only eating once a day and her dr. was about to put in a feeding tube because she was so malnourished.  To this day she has hard time eating things but she forces herself b/c she refused to get a feeding tube.  On the other hand my boss just had it done a couple months ago and he is going great; energetic, happy and everything

Answer 2

As a critical care nurse, I frequently care for the gastric bypass patients who have unexpected complications.  Infection is a big one; a big enough risk that surgeons generally order antibiotics before and after the surgery to prevent infections: a strategy that is succesful most but not all of the time.  Leaks occur when the surgical area is not sewn back together adequately, or when the surgically attached areas break open after the surgery.  This can be prevented by having the newer surgical technique of gastric banding, where a ring is tightened around the stomach rather than actually cutting out a portion of the stomach as was the previous method.  The biggest complication that I have seen (with the most deadly results) is when the patient is discharged following the procedure and ends up consuming a large amount of food, or an extremely fatty meal, despite the gastric bypass.  Since the brain is used to these large meals, but the stomach can no longer physically handle a significant amount of food all at once, a potentially deadly reaction occurs.  Known as a food bolus, the food clumps up in the esophagus and the stomach cannot process it fast enough, putting the patient at risk for a ruptured gastrum or esophagus.  People have died from this.  People also get sick from malnutrition, as the surgery results in an inhibited ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins, even from the small amounts of food that they can safely consume.  THe important thing to consider when thinking about gastric bypass is the fact that the weight loss comes down to self control with or without the surgery.  It is necessary and advisable for patients to receive counseling before and after surgery and to look at the surgery as only a small component of an overall weight loss strategy.  A counselor as well as diet planning and nutritional evaluation by a registered dietition and follow-up with an obesity specialist are all helpful components for the adult who needs to lose large amounts of weight.  

Answer 3

The risks mostly come after the surgery. Infections, complications, adhesions,etc. But this can be prevented with good healthcare. Nurse and the docs are the ones usually in the hi lites in this spot. Generally their is no serious risk. But ive seen on tv even after gastric bypass, they still form back to the original tummy size. If ur reason for having the bypass ulcer then you should hav the surgery, but if it is jst to get thin, u might wanna reconsider. Coz if ur doing it to get thin your body might not handle the stress or cannot cope with the stress with the surgery in the long run. :)

Answer 4

The biggest problem in gastric bypass surgery is the outcomes.  You MUST diet, it is not a magic surgery, that you lose weight.  I know of 4 people who have had the surgery, 1 person has maintained their weight loss, and that is by eating a low carb diet.

Answer 5

There is a long list of risks associated with gastric bypass surgery. I worked on a med-surg unit for 6 years and saw a lot of immediate complications and then there are long term complications and risks also.

http://www.stronghealth.com/services/sur...

Answer 6

my mom's boss died from the stress it put on her body.  she ended up having a heart attack a few days after.