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Anyone have weight loss surgery?

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 9/9/2007 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
I'm interested to know if anyone with chronic pain issues has tried weight loss surgery?

Due to the weight gain from my injury 7 years ago, along with hormonal issues dealing with polycystic ovarian syndrome, and the fact that foods that would help me lose weight kill my stomach due to ulcerlative colitis, I'm currently finishing up testing to have a gastric bypass surgery.

I've debated this surgery for 3 years - so please, I've heard every bad thing that can be said about the weight loss surgery, and I'd rather die fighting pre-diabetes, PCOS, every single member of my fathers side of the family having heart disease (an aunt died at 30 from it, a cousin at 28 after his SEVENTH heart attack), and more....

what I'm wondering is if anyone who has degenerative disc disease, scar tissue trapping nerves, the nerve pain down the legs, etc, has gotten relief. My surgeon says that my back pain probably will NOT get better, at all. He was very blunt about it after reading my MRI. He said that losing weight cannot reverse what has been done, but could possibly slow the degenerative disc disease due to their not being so much weight ie pressure on the spine.

:)

Anyone?
Posted 9/10/2007 8:29 AM (GMT 0)
I strongly suggest you look into Duadenal Switch (spelling?) My sister had this done and it is SOOO much better than bypass. a year out, she is able to bigger portions, but still looses the weight. She has lost well over 1oo pounds so far. its has less complications and is just a better surgery.
Dr. Husted is the doctor and I think he has just moved to SanFransiso, but my sister's surgery was done is nashville.
She did great, no side effect or anything. Goggle it. PCOS is acutally one reason they do the surgery. You shoud loook for his sight, if you want, I'llask my sister what it is.
I would almost say don't do the bypass, the DS is so much better.
Posted 9/10/2007 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
Ang - Thanks for your imput... as of right now the only surgery my insurance will cover is the gastric bypass.... I'm also comfortable having it done because I know 3 people here who have had this surgery done by dr. burpee, and I know 2 others who have had a gastric bypass. :) Did your sister have PCOS?
Posted 9/12/2007 5:13 AM (GMT 0)
I had gastric bypass in april of 2006.  It completly changed my life.  I was in a MVA on July 1, 2005 and have had lower back pain ever since.   I gained a lot of weight due to the fact that I could not walk more than to the mailbox without having to lie down for an hour.  My surgeon told me also, that nothing would cure my back pain, but not having the excess weight would certainly help.

To date, I have lost 120 pounds and feel so much better.  my back still hurts, but I am able to do more and am glad I had the surgery.

Even if it won't help with your pain, it may still improve your life because of all the co morbidities involved with being overweight.

You should listen to your surgeon and do your research though.  It is NOT an easy surgery to go through, and you should know what to expect and the risks.

That being said, I would do it again.

Tracy

Posted 9/12/2007 12:12 PM (GMT 0)
My friend has the bypass and she is like a whole new person now.

Have you tried the topomax, its suppose to be for pain and side effect is loosing weight

Posted 9/23/2007 5:46 AM (GMT 0)
I had gastric bypass in Feb of 2003 and I have lost and kept off 210 lbs (I was 325 now I am 115).  The weight loss has helped some, but I still live with pain.   One thing to remember is that with this surgery you can never take any NSAIDS ever again, and that is really huge.  I can take Tylenol or narcotics and that is it.  That has probably been the most difficult for me.  But I survive and I am much healthier than I was.   I have short gut syndrome, and I do not absorb medication very well, so I have to take meds in other forms, I am on Fentanyl patches, and I take Oxyfast (liquid drops) for breakthrough pain, and for migraines I have Imitrex shots.  It took several years for them to figure this out, I would be on an antibiotic and get sicker to the point that I would end up in the hospital needing IV antibiotics. This is a great article about that http://www.ajhp.org/cgi/content/full/63/19/1852#SEC5  I have printed it and taken it to all of my doctors, they are finally listening to me.   This does not happen to everyone that has this surgery, but you need to be aware that it can happen.
Posted 7/31/2013 7:50 AM (GMT 0)
Shrey this thread is 6 years old and the original poster hasn't been here in 2 years.

Feel free to start a new post on this topic if you want but I'm going to lock this one to prevent people from posting and not realizing its an older thread.

Thanks
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