Oh my Noelle, I have never heard of this. Thank you so much for taking the time to post and educate us. I am so sorry about the leg braces and wheel chair. I know this much present such a huge life style change in your life...something you never ever considered might happen. But, I am thankful that you have caught it before you became paralized. You are so fortunate that you receive such excellent medical care. You can count on me to help with the spiritual care. I will pray for physical, emotional and spiritual strength for you and your family. I always think thank God for God...how else would we survive this life. You take good care and please update when you feel well enough. Warmly, Paula P.S. I have an appointment with an endocrinologist this week because my muscles have been so weak and fatigue is ever present. I've been falling a lot too. I asked my pcp to run a metabolism test a while back, along with all the others. My carnitine level shows a deficiency and my pcp admits this is beyond her expertise. Carnitine is needed to metabolize lipids to energy in the mitochondria of the muscle cells. I will ask about this as well. Could you possibly email the citation so I can find the Mayo Clinic study? Thanks again.

Noelle, I am sending you lots of hope and prayers! I am glad you caught it in time. Keep positive and your chin up. Best Wishes, Jill

Hello Fellow Februairians (is that a real word?), It has been a long time since I posted here, but something has happened in the last 3 weeks that I feel is SO terribly important to gastric bypass patients that I had to post here. I had my surgery 2/24/2004. I had lap Roux-en-Y and have lost 180 lbs. That is the good part. About 5 weeks ago I noticed that my gait had changed. I was walking flatfooted. I thought I was just tired.Then I started falling. My doctor put me in the hospital 02/14/05 and a central line was inserted in very next day after extensive tests. I came home on the 28th after 2 weeks with a Groshong catheter. I am doing hyperalementation (sp). I basically can not walk unassisted. I have leg braces a walker and the wheelchair gets here today. You may ask yourself why after all this time am I posting this. Well, per my neurologist, I am one of the people who's body doesn't absorb nutrients after gastric bypass. I was told time and time again that it was "NOT" my fault, wasn't something I ate or didn't eat or take. I just don't absorb. My doctor gave my mom a study from the Mayo Clinic that said that 16% of gastric bypass patients this will happen to. That's a lot of people. Please, please...if you start feeling a numbness in your legs or a dragging of the feet...please get to a doctor. Believe it or not, I was lucky...My doctor said that I was on my way to paralysis. Please pray for me and my family, this has been incredibly hard, but we will survive. The Lord says he will not give us anything we can not handle. I'm having to hold on to that. Sincerely, Noelle G

Sarah, Hate to hear your gall bladder is giving you problems. I know you aren't looking forward to yet another surgery, but you will probably feel much better once you have it done. Quick question... what kind of symptoms did you have? A few days ago, I had horrible pains that would come and go about every 2 minutes for about 1 hour right after I ate lunch and then again after supper. It felt almost like labor pains but it was right under my breast bone, about where my pouch is. Those were the only two times its happened. I'm wondering if maybe my gall bladder is acting up. I thought that if it happened again, I would call my surgeon and ask her about it. It hasn't happened again. Just wondering if it could have been my gall bladder. Thanks in advance.... Wanda

Sarah, Sorry to hear that you're having yet another surgery, but I'm telling you, you'll feel so much better after this one. I had my gallbladder out last October and have felt quite a bit better since then. You might also find that some of the foods that were bothering you before will be a lot easier to tolerate. Take care, and let us know how everything turns out. Linn