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Messages By: nursedebb
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May 15, 2007, 10:28 am PDT
 Hi everyone, I had gastric bypass surgery in August of 2005. I had tried every other way of losing weight including trips to Los Angeles and cruises with Richard Simmons. I was successful losing weight but always managed to gain all of my weight back and then some. August of 2005, changed my life forever. I had the surgery and my life has gone downhill ever since. In October, 2005 I had been deathly ill for about a month and my surgeon thought it was because my gallbladder went bad. I had surgery and had it taken out and a couple of days after the surgery I became weak and paralyzed. I could no longer stand on my own, get out of a chair, and I could feel my body shutting down. Being a nurse, I was terrified and knew I was close to death. I had a spinal tap and it confirmed Guillain-Barre Syndrome brought on by the stress of the gastric bypass surgery. In Guillian Barre Syndrome your immune system attacks itself including your muscles and nerves. I was paralyzed and in a wheelchair for 6 months. I have had to learn to walk again with lots of physical therapy. I take 3600mg of Neurontin everyday to help me with all of the nerve damage caused or I wouldn't be able to move. When I went in for surgery my weight was around 293 and I had gotten down to around 170. I'm struggling because the surgery didn't get rid of the emotional reasons that I eat and I am still able to graze on food throughout the day and have eaten my way up to 200 pounds again. I really feel like you need to get at the root of why you are overeating and obese in the first place. If you don't, surgery won't be successful either. I almost died and am still struggling with my weight and emotions. Being a nurse, I thought I would fly through this surgery. It has changed my life and I have had to give up my nursing until I am strong enough to help patients. My balance and gait are still unstable, but I'm thankful to be alive and have a second chance. Please think long and hard before you decide to have this surgery, because it could change your life forever. When I laid in the hospital bed all of those months all I could think of was that I would have given anything for a second chance to walk again and exercise. I have to be more careful now what I put in my mouth because of all of the side effects of the surgery than I have ever had to in my life. Please do your research and be prepared to deal with the consequences if things go bad! |
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May 15, 2007, 10:41 am PDT
Quote From: toomuchgas
My life partner of 5yrs had gastric y bybass in 2002 1 month after we got together I told her that she didn't have to go through with the surgery because I was attracted to her the way she was ,but she said she did it for herself not for me. She already had it scheduled before she met me anyway, so she went ahead and had it done. I was there with her at the hospital I stayed right by her side, she was in alot of pain after and when she got to go home she followed every rule. Now it's 2007 and this December it will be five years since the surgery and things have changed drasticly over the years. She dosen't like the excess skin, she says the skin under arms are bat wings, she says she has no breasts and she looks like a ninety year old women when she takes her clothes off (and she is only 42). She hasn't lost all her weight to her goal weight yet, and even when she does her insurance dosen't cover the skin removal surgery. So she's depressed about not being able to get it removed. The excess skin also pulls on her lower back because it's sooo heavy. She also has given up on any emotional feelings for me or anyone else and our sex life is completly gone. She is always so bitter where before she was always so happy and bubbly. She also wore makeup and did her hair everyday and cared about what she wore and look like, she dosen't care about those things anymore. She said she did all that to make herself look better before because of all her weight, now she says she dosn't have to because she lost most it. She started out 340lbs and went down to 160lbs but now I think she's probably 185lbs. She also has alot of gas all the time, and the smell could empty a mall full of people. She says she wish she could bottle it up and send it over to Iraq. It would end the war, they wouldn't need any gun's or bombs. She's finding the lighter side of having to deal with it but really does bother her, the gas really dosn't bother me. I just feel for her, espeacially when we are at the store or anywhere in public. She also has alot of dyearia ( it litteraly looks like foam ). Sorry about the grapics, but it's true and she has it all the time and sometimes she goes so much that she says her butt's on fire. She even thinks, she is still too fat and she still see's herself as being the way she was before surgery. Anyway if someone can help her, it would be awesome or if youv'e dealt with it yourself and can relate please respond back. I just want o know if this surgery is so wonderful why is she so miserable???, And what can be done to help ???. I sometimes wish she would have never had the surgery, even though I know she is glad most of the weight is off and can get around better. But what a nasty payoff to beable to have most of the weight off . Please help me help her ,she means everything to me and I love her with all my heart. After everything, I'm still right here by her side. Even when she has gas in bed at night I lay right by her and hold her, to let her know that she dosen't have to feel bad because of it .! Thank You to everyone who reads this, and Thank You to everyone who can help and write's back.!!!!
Thanks, Worried Partner....
Hi, I totally understand what your partner is going through.Eating the wrong foods is what causes the terrible gas. Vegetables, fried foods, and sugars are all triggers. I have never hit my goal weight either but have had alot of complications from the surgery. I am a 33 year old nurse. My body is not pretty either. Actually, I feel like my upper body looks ok but my lower body looks terrible with extra skin. My husband complains all of the time because I don't want to have sex. He feels like it is him that I am not attracted to him. It's not him at all. It's my issue with myself. I hate how I look and if I can't stand how I look why should I make someone else look at me. I understand when you say you love her no matter what she looks like. Most of us who have been overweight all of our lives have that fat mentality in our heads and we still feel like we are that huge person even though we have lost weight. Just keep supporting her and telling her how beautiful she is to you. You may try and get her to a counselor or someone who specializes in weight issues. I really believe she needs to find out what is causing her to overeat in the first place. Surgery doesn't get rid of the emotional issues. You can sabotage the surgery and gain weight back if you don't deal with them. Hope this helps some, she is lucky to have someone like you to support her..Deb |
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