Study: Obesity Surgery May Be Riskier

[matawguro]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051019/..._surgery_risks

CHICAGO - Obesity surgery, the most drastic way to lose weight, is far more than a cosmetic procedure and involves considerably higher risks of death than previously thought, new research suggests. Some previous studies of people in their 30s to their 50s — the most common ages for obesity surgery — found death rates well under 1 percent. But among 35- to 44-year-olds in a new study, more than 5 percent of men and nearly 3 percent of women were dead within a year, and slightly higher rates were seen in patients 45 to 54.

Among patients 65 to 74, nearly 13 percent of men and about 6 percent of women died. In patients 75 and older, half of the men and 40 percent of the women died.

"The risk of death is much higher than has been reported," said University of Washington surgeon Dr. David Flum, lead author of the study of 16,155 Medicare patients. "It's a reality check for those patients who are considering these operations."

The study, involving patients who underwent obesity surgery between 1997 and 2002, appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.

[MotherOfGizmo]

WOW! That sounds like it is incrediebly higher than they've made it out to be~!

[slimndown]

It sounded risky to begin with. It would be interesting to know if the deaths were attributed to over eating after sugery, losing weight WAY too fast, not getting enough potassium, or not eating enough AT ALL after the surgeries or other complications. I have a friend who had this done and has lost 150lbs and is now 118 lbs and still losing. She is a petite 5'3", so weighing a little less than 118 will probably be just fine for her. She has expressed what agony it is to eat now that she has had the surgery and hardly eats throughout the day. She's pretty good about keeping an eye on herself, so I'm not too worried that she'll let it get her too far down and is in constant contact with her doctor. I just wonder if these others are probably feeling the same way and these deaths are resulting from related complications.

[cleochatra]

Weight loss surgery is extremely dangerous. I've known too many people who've known people who either died, the surgery didn't work, or who were left debilitated. It has got to be a drastic solution to a problem a person knows might kill them anyway to be willing to take that risk.

[Piasabird]

My DIL had the surgery. Now she's pushing my son to get it done. I hope he resists her.

[Desertthorn]

I have a friend who is talking about having the surgery done as she will lose her job if she doesn't lose weight. I think this board is a much better answer to weight loss than surgery as those who have the surgery still need to watch what they eat and some just gain it all back again.

[booklady]

The interesting thing to me, is I have a friend who had it done recently. I had tried to talk her into trying low carb but she did not want to do that, but when she tells me what she can eat, guess what, pretty much low carb, except, low fat low carb yikes!!! I wish she had at least given it a try, she has a grown daughter living with her who is very obese and may have been willing to try it with her. Now she has shown her that this is the way to get rid of weight. It just seems like they are making it way too easy to get this surgury now. I had a friend and her mom was only 80 pounds ovrweight, not the 100 it used to be and she was able to get this done. I was very surprised.
I still believe strongly, low carb is the way to lose it safely and permanantly.
Stephie

I know this is an old thread but it is a very important subject since it is getting easier and easier to get this type of surgery ...as well as the lap band surgery...surgery is dangerous period and you put yourself at great risk anytime you have it. But for some this is a life saving procedure .. morbidly obese people with vitually nothing left to try and multiple illness due to the obesity ...well I am a person who beleives you should try EVERYTHING before surgery ..but if you have and you are loosing your life due to fat then we can and do have a surgery that can save your life..but like any life saving surgeries it comes with (as I said) tremendous risk..So my point is ..while this surgery IMHO is just too easy to get now ...I believe if someone needs it to save their lives it should be covered by health insurance and they should have to meet requirements ...like counseling, support groups and constant health monitoring lab work and phyiscal exams ..both before and after the surgery...

I feel sad that this is an answer for some folks ...but honestly ..for some it is