Old topic revisited -Gastric Bypass

bump

Im wondering if anyone here has had one. I’m 100lbs overweight and get no diet help from my wife and can’t work out because of my CIDP. Hypertension hits me every now and then and I cant take this obesity crap anymore. I’m going to try to get the ball rolling with a doc this week. Any suggestions? What type of specialist do I need to see? I know the part about losing some weight first before they do it which I could manage via starvation. How about meds since everything passes?

Other Mike: I had gastric bypass 2 years ago 1 December 2004. Everything went well with the surgery. The problems started after I got home. I had a very hard time eating. Nothing appealed to me. That was quite a change since before the surgery food was all I thought about. Afterwards the thought of eating made me ill. So I didn’t eat very nutritiously and hardly any protein. I kept getting weaker and I thought it was due to not eating enough. During this time my father was dying of cancer so I had that additional stress. I started falling down and was unable to get up. From 1 December until the beginning of August I had lost about 125 or more pounds. Then one day I collapsed and could not move. They finally diagnosed GBS. I did not need to be on a ventilator since I could breathe on my own. After spending 6 months in a health care center and getting strenuous physical therapy twice a day, I finally was able to go home, using a walker at first, then a cane and eventually I could walk on my own. I am now doing very well, am back to work but still have alot of neuropathy in hands, arms and feet and legs. Still in quite a bit of pain, but I am thankful that I am doing as well as I am. I have since lost 150 pounds. If I hadn’t lost the weight my recovery would have taken a lot longer. I feel better since I am thinner and am glad that I had the surgery. The Drs don’t know if the surgery contributed to the GBS or not. I know this was quite a lengthy answer but I hope it helped you. Marsha.

I have been trying to get gastric bypass for 2.5 years now. Between my insurance not covering it and my CIDP doctor saying I would not be a candidate for it until my CIDP goes into remission I have gotten very depressed and upset about my weight. Now as of Jan 07 my insurance will cover it but I don’t know if it an option at this point due to my above mentioned Doctor’s remark. I do plan to discuss this with all my doctors and see what the risks are because I need to lose 130 pounds minimum and I, too, am tired of the obese thing. I can’t exercise due to CIDP and I take steroids so trying to lose weight is not much of an option. I was wondering if anyone in the forum has had gastric bypass even while being treated for CIDP and how things have gone for them.
Jan B
Diagnosed CIDP Jan 2006

If I were in your shoes, knowing what I know now, I would definitely not have gastric bypass in any way shape or form! I had gastric bypass in June, 2006 (at 301 lbs 5ft 8inches). Just like a previous respondent remarked – surgery went fine, but had complications soon after I got home. Couldn’t eat, nausea, vomiting, developed gastric ulcers, metallic taste to everything (which I now know was the first symptom of GBS), weaknesses, etc. I was diagnosed with GBS on 8/18/06. I am unable to walk and have limited use of my hands. I had the IVG treatment, but have made no progress towards walking, even with a walker. I am wheelchair bound. Yes, I have lost 100 pounds – a lot of it atrophied muscle. The weight has come off too much too quick. I have lost my hair from the gastric bypass surgery. My neurologist now believes that the gastric bypass surgery caused the GBS. Researchers are finding more and more evidence of the connection. I know it is not fun to be obese, but I’d rather still be 301 pounds and gaining than watching my life go down the drain. In 2 months I will be homeless, as in living on the streets. My disability from work expires then and I am not able to return to my job as a special education teacher. I will lose my apartment and my insurance. The state of Maryland, where I live, doesn’t appear to offer any services to me, I am still waiting to hear from SSD about my application, and I don’t have any family that can help. My husband of 20 years is disabled and receives SSD. He will be able to go live with his mother in Delaware when we lose the apartment, but because of my wheelchair and the size of her house, I will have to rely on the local homeless shelters. I am scared, worried, frustrated, and mad at myself. I know in my heart that GBS would never have happened to me if I hadn’t been so vain and had to have gastric bypass surgery. No being obese isn’t fun, but it beats sitting in a wheelchair freezing in the February freeze any day of the week!! Think about it – your CIPD could get worse after the gastric bypass surgery. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth risk. If only I could have the chance to relive June 7, 2006, I would not have been on the operating table.

Karen

Binky, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for your situation. Have hope. I often thought I’d be dragging myself through the streets homeless and I know its not a great feeling. I am officially no longer considering gastric bypass. My wife also told me she has heard of deaths caused by it.

I gained 80# in 21 months while on steroids & being sedentary (from my CIDP.) So far, I have been able to take off over 50# of it, 25 in 2005, & 27# this year, just by watching what I eat. I am still disabled but I do go to water aerobis twice a week, & can walk with AFOs. I use Weight Watchers for a few months of the year (counting points, the whole bit,) then just watch my portions & know what is in the food I am eating. It is not easy, but it can be done. But I would never have been a candidate for gastric bypass anyways, as at my highest, I was 216#, now I weigh about 163# at 5’6″; I can live with that for now…

Congrats on your weight loss efforts, Pam!

Shannon

I feel like you just told my story!! The same thing happened to me! I had weight loss surgery in August 2005 and in November I was paralyzed and the spinal tap showed GBS. My neurologist is positive it was caused by the surgery! I would never have had the surgery if I would have known what was going to happen to me! I saw someone ahead of you in a post had the same thing happen too. My bariatric surgeon swears they aren’t related but I would swear differently. Thanks for sharing!
Deb

I just joined the GBS page. I too had gastric surgery October 2006, by end of December 2006 everything tasted like metal and I felt like crap. I was finally diagnosed with GBS Feb. 2007 (after being told that it had nothing to do with my nerves…fired that neuroligist real fast). Any ways…home and on the road to recovery. Still cry and at times blame myself.

I am new to this forum. I had gastric bypass in march of 2006. I have lost over 200 lbs and continue to lose (even on predisone). I got an upper respirtory infection in jan. (prior to that I was fine). I did not start having symptons until feb. I was hospitalized on 4/9 received my diagnosis on 4/10
of cipd after my emg and spinal tap–rec my 1st ivig treatment that same day. I was in the hospital for 11 days. fast forward to june I had a relaspe spent another 6 days in the hospital receiived more ivig and summerol. Some days I feel like I am making progress but then there are days I just do not know. Who knows if my gastric bypass caused this or not but I do know I would not be able to move around with the extra 200 pounds.
mj

Hi The Other Mike

I haven’t had a gastric bypass and do not need one, but, I can only presume
that with 75% of your immune system being in your intestines…that by
cutting off or tying a portion of your stomach off would lead to the possibilty
of not absorbing the nutrients you need. Thus, bypassing a section could
possibly not allow foods to be broken down correctly or timely.

Correct me if I am wrong, but don’t you need supplements to help your body
absorb some lack in the small amount of food you eat?

I would not doubt that the surgery could have a big impact on your system.
Not everyone, no doubt, has this disease because of it, but, if you had a
compromised immune system before, due to poor nutrition, or illnesses,
then it would seem logical.

We all eat because our bodies need the vitamins and nutrients to survive…
not because we have nothing better to do. Too many people have had
health issues from this surgery. This was a great topic Mike. It makes you
think about it…

Miami Girl