Eleven years...thin, some would even say skinny. You see, 11 years ago, I had what is called a Vertical Banded Gastroplasty. It was, and still is, the best thing I could have ever done for myself...but with risks, which I will refer to my personal risks after the outline.
- The short and long-term risks of vertical banded gastroplasty include:
Incisional hernia.
Dehiscence. - Nausea and vomiting.
- Formation of a stricture at the site of the plastic band.
- Damage to the spleen. Due to the close proximity of the stomach.
- Regaining weight. A 10-year follow-up study of 70 patients who had had a VBG found that only 20% (14) of the patients had lost and kept off the loss of 50% of their excess body weight.
- Ongoing vomiting and heartburn. About 20% of patients with VBGs report long-term digestive difficulties.
Psychological problems. Some people have difficulty adjusting to the changes in their outward appearance and to others' changed reactions to them.
Now, that being said...
On December 29, 2008 I had to have surgery to fix the band eroding through my stomach and esophagus. There were a whole mess of complications going into the surgery and few more thanks to the doc cutting my spleen. Since the repair, I CAN EAT everything without getting sick. I have gained weight, which terrifies me but most importantly, I feel so much better. I am having problems with extremely low energy, from the spleen complications. This is a big issue! And the Rheumatoid and Fibro does not help, as it is a very common complaint among RA and Fibro patients.
Today is one of those days. This last weekend was fast, fun and furious but boy am I paying for it today.
Have a beautiful day and a better tomorrow!
