Couple of surgery (on the table) questions

jac wrote:

Cirianz, I think you answered this absolutely spot on! I am one of the ones that is in the 90's. Just because I am in the 90's makes me no less a candidate for this surgery. I am only 158cm short and have a BMI of 38.1, which is actually higher than some of those that are being sleeved that weigh 100kg and over because their height makes their BMI less (e.g. someone with a height of 175cm with a weight of 115kg would have a BMI of 37.6 - a lesser BMI than myself) I also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, thyroid disease for nearly 20 years, and the beginning of familial dilated cardiomyopathy. I never thought I would be having surgery of any kind for my weight but after struggling up and down for many many years I want to know that I can get off most of my meds and hopefully live a long and healthy life (my brother died from cardiomyopathy at 53 and my sister has quite severe cardiomyopathy and is only 2 years older than I am). I have yo-yo'd from around 50kg to 100kg on and off for 20+ years. Time to get off the "fat and unhealthy train" and onto the "skinny/healthy" one once and for all!! BRING IT ON....:)

Congrats & I hope all goes well, I also appreciate your explaining why Dr's do the operation on people under the 100K's, Thanks & I hope everyone understand there was no bad meaning in my question just one that I was hoping explained as I tried for years to get a Dr to operate & I have been over the 100 for over 20 years.

Cirianz, I think you answered this absolutely spot on! I am one of the ones that is in the 90's. Just because I am in the 90's makes me no less a candidate for this surgery. I am only 158cm short and have a BMI of 38.1, which is actually higher than some of those that are being sleeved that weigh 100kg and over because their height makes their BMI less (e.g. someone with a height of 175cm with a weight of 115kg would have a BMI of 37.6 - a lesser BMI than myself) I also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, thyroid disease for nearly 20 years, and the beginning of familial dilated cardiomyopathy. I never thought I would be having surgery of any kind for my weight but after struggling up and down for many many years I want to know that I can get off most of my meds and hopefully live a long and healthy life (my brother died from cardiomyopathy at 53 and my sister has quite severe cardiomyopathy and is only 2 years older than I am). I have yo-yo'd from around 50kg to 100kg on and off for 20+ years. Time to get off the "fat and unhealthy train" and onto the "skinny/healthy" one once and for all!! BRING IT ON....:)

I do appreciate the responses as this was just something I was wondering. I do also understand the see saw of going up & down.

Thanks to all

this is serious surgery which carry risks. surgeons have to weigh up the risk to ones life the weight that somebody is vs the risk of surgery. your history of weight health issues and age are all taken into account. each surgeon has their own formula for working out where they place the cut of line to do surgery. Like all things tho of course there will be the odd money grabbing one who will do anybody. Caution should be exercised if you are on the light size you seriously want the best surgeon to reduce the risk of leaks.

applesauce

I remember one of the questions they asked on the form for my surgeon was what was the highest weight I'd been, when I think back over the last 30 years I've been every weight between about 70kgs & close to 200kgs up & down like a yo yo. I would not like to be turned down at a time when I was 80kg's for not being 'fat enough' when my pattern showed that I would only go back up again. I know I sure as hell wish I could've had it done 20 years ago. How much suffering that would've saved. Who gets to decide that we have 'suffered enough' & can have the operation now? I must confess that I hate it that someone else has that power over us. To be turned down for medical reasons is one thing, but because we're on the down side of that yo-yo? That seems more than counterproductive.

Hi milko-fats,

When I first saw the doctor I was in the early 90's and he was more than happy to complete the surgery due to fact that I have been struggling with my weight for a long time now. He saw that I had over 5yrs of trying to loose weight and also have PCOS which makes weight loose harder, but other than that I am fit and healthy.

My doctor would not complete surgery on someone less than BMI 34 and I was just there. I think that the doctors take into account every aspect of a persons needs because its not impossible to loose weight for most, but keeping it off is the battle. As he kept saying to me its a tool to maintain the weight loss. I have been down to 75kg but have always failed to stay there so I may sound small to most but I actually struggle a hell of a lot to keep it off.

Hope this helps - if not happy to answer any questions :)

I am wondering what is the lowest weight the Dr's have sleeved, I would have thought that they would not sleeve under 100kg. Me myself is way over but a riend was asking me, when she saw other in the 90kg's & 80kg's having it done, I thought it might be because medical issues, would anyone knw this answer

Yep- my surgeon was the same. He stood at my side.

He explained to me that it depends on how big the person is. If they have a very big person, then they have no choice but to go between the legs. But because he could reach my middle easily, he could do me on the side!! I was VERY relieved!!

I asked the nurses does the Dr Layani stand between your legs or at the side, they told me at the side & not between the legs

It would seem to me that, given where he is operating on, that to stand from the side would make things much more awkward than necessary & likely increase the risk to the patient. Given the pattern of the scars & the angle from which the internal photos were taken I would think that the surgeon would have to have been standing between my legs or otherwise he would've had to walk around me several times. The stapling, stitching & glue are all on the right hand side of the stomach, yet the excess stomach was removed from a hole on my left. Plus of course the equipment inserted to hold the liver up from the stomach. That goes in from the left & the right. pretty simple to do if he's standing in between my legs, but quite a bit of running around if he's trying to work from the sides.

For my surgery I was wearing a gown that, unlike a regular hospital gown, opened down each side. My assumption was that, once I was on the table it could be undone & folded back over my titties leaving my tummy exposed. I was allowed to wear my knickers in to the surgery, but did not have them on afterwards. I was a little irritated since I personaly would rather have taken them off first myself than have some poor nurse have to hump them down off me once I was unconcious (they were not cut off & were returned to me in a plastic bag along with the rest of my things) I did feel sorry for the poor girl who had to do it.

I have had quite a few surgeries myself, and also had to spend 2 months in hospital with a broken back a few years ago where all of my physical needs had to be taken care of by medical staff (of both genders) since i could not move, and something I learned beyond doubt is that, although you'll find morons in every profession, in general medical staff will treat your body with a detatched, practicallity that you won't find anywhere else. To them your body is not a sexual thing, or a thing to be judged in anything but medical terms. It is simply today's job. Almost as if they develop the ability to relate to your person & to your body as seperate & independant things. believe me, even if your surgeon is standing in between your legs, the only bit of you he will be thinking about will be your tum.

I attended a seminar a couple of weeks ago - and the surgeon did make a comment about performing the surgery standing between the patients legs....

I honestly don't give two hoots - he could be standing on his head doing surgery if it helped him!!!!

PiercedMumma08 wrote:

I just want it done, I dont care which way they twist me, turn me, poke me, prod me, or stare at me or my bits... i just want it done!

I totally agree!

laparscopic surgery with legs up (the french method) was only done by a few surgeons and for Lap choles.... if your surgeon likes a catheter (IDC) females will be put frogged but only for a short period of time. Be reassured no one looks at your bits, and you will be positoned with great care.

Wouldnt the between the legs thing be a bit difficult with the normal operating table you get put on? We dont get in stirrups or anything.

Sometimes this site really freaks people out unneccessarily!!!

I just want it done, I dont care which way they twist me, turn me, poke me, prod me, or stare at me or my bits... i just want it done!

I've worked in ORs for a looooooooooooong time, and I have *NEVER* EVER* seen a surgeon operating from between someone's legs. EVER. I haven't been in gyne ops, but maybe they do for that. Otherwise, absolutely never in my experience.

Hi Diamond
My surgeon gave me photos of my tummy being 'removed', and the external shots clearly show me on my back with everything well and truely covered with surgical drapes. You can see flesh from my ribs (well I assume there are ribs under the jelly wobble) to just below my belly button and everything else is tucked away nicely. From the angle of the pics - he is obviously standing to the side.
They all conduct themselves very professionally, and at the end of the day...its all worth a wee bit of embarassment anyway. Good luck with your op..

Hi Diamond.....
Best to ask your doctor.
I used to work in theatres many, many yrs ago and we always tucked the arm the anaesthetist wasn't using up and tucked the gown around it, everywhere is different but believe me no one will be disrespectful in any way, any the patients dignity is maintained as much as possible.. I have never seen laparoscopic surgery performed from between the legs unless it is gynaecological which this isn't. As the others have said they often position you with your head tilted down and they do fill you abdomen with gas which also pushes the other organs out of the way for the doctor to see.
Its the gas under the diaghpragm that often causes the shoulder tip pain post op.
My surgeon you are allowed to wear disposable knickers but they were hellishly uncomfortable so I didn't bother.
Good luck on monday :)
Linda

Oh apple, those bruises sound horrific. The finger marks would scare the barjeebus outta me! But- looks like they were worth it :-) ( your twins ate beautiful)

I'm glad about the arm support, I was wondering.....

Thanks again - your a rock around here

Mercy Barriatrics as in Dr Cohan video is him doing it as in you get to see the surgery from the theatre view as well.

Your arms are straight out to your sides, like a cruicifix, arm things go out to support them that way they are clear and free for all the lines etc. Tho again a few surgeons might do it differently.

I had a curvical stich put in when pregnant with my twins I had hand prints on the inside of my thighs from being handled so roughly during surgery, same on my arms and bum. You could actually see each finger mark and palm. Creepy to the max.

With the sleeve I never had a mark on me, not even a bruise around the cuts.

applesauce

P.s

Apple, the only ones I can find on YouTube are filmed from the inside- is there outside the body ones too????

I'll try again....

Thanks heaps ;-)


Dx

Thanks guys

I think this is stressing me more than I know!

I can't stand the thought of him being between my legs!!!! I actually cringe just at the thought.....

So glad about my girls though..... I was Hopi g they'd be covered!!!

*deep breath*

thanks guys xx


Dx

PiercedMumma08 wrote:

...I dont care if Im standing on my head, I just want it done, and done well!
Oh and lots of drugs!

Nat, that's exactly how I felt, LOL.

-Carrie

Oh goodness, my surgeon was definitely at the side! I'd have been horrified if he'd been between my legs (first time someone would have been for ages and I'd have missed it! lol)
The tilting makes sense because I had some very weird scratches around the circumference of one of my arms post surgery.

Hi D,

Ive had 7 surgeries in my life- the sleeve will be the 8th. I can honestly say, I havent had a clue what they've had a look at, had a laugh at, or even had a poke at (just joking) during any of the ops!

My surgeon did say that he does tilt and there was a guy he did who was 230kilos, and he was the steepest he had ever gone.

So I guess it depends on which way they are comfortable is..... I dont care if Im standing on my head, I just want it done, and done well!

Oh and lots of drugs!