Had Emergency Surgery Last Thursday

Hi everyone! Boy what a scare I had last week. I went to an information seminar sponsored by my surgeon's group for potential pre-ops. As the evening went on, I started having severe abdominal pains radiating to my back. I went to the bathroom because I thought it was gas. I started wretching and the pains were worse. I have a hernia for over 25 years and it popped out of my abdomen like two big hard rocks. I couldn't go back to the seminar. I couldn't get my underwear back on, too much pain. Somehow, I drove back home, stopping occasionally to wretch. I thought that I could get home, undress and rest in bed and things would get better. Well, as soon as I got home I knew that I would be going to the emergency room. I had to call an ambulance. The surgeon on call tried to reduce my hernia, which he did somewhat. I was admitted for observation and had to lie flat for 12 hours. Then things went downhill. I spiked a fever of 101.2 and my hernias protruded out of my abdomen like two big hard rocks. The pain was so severe. My surgeon came in and told me that I had to go to surgery as soon as possible. I had a bowel resection with a hernia repair. A little more than 2 inches of bowel had died and I had a strangulated bowel. I couldn't have a mesh inserted because of the highly probability that it would become infected. I have to have the repair done in a couple of months along with my tummy tuck. The only good thing about this emergency is that my pouch is like a new post-op. My surgeon told me that the pouch tightened up as a result of the surgery and I wouldn't have much of an appetite. He said this is temporary. I can tell you that is exactly how I feel. I can hardly drink or eat anything. My protein stores are depleted. I only started on vitamins yesterday. In one way I'm glad about the tight pouch. As you know I've been struggling with my eating too much in the past few weeks. This will get me back to basics. I'm going to use this gift to my advantage. I can't tolerate a lot of foods right now, so that is good for me. I'll be home for a few weeks recuperating. What a way to get some time off! Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the summer! Hugs, Lucy

Lucy. Sorry to hear about your troubles. I am glad it all turned out ok. Sometimes I feel so normal that I forget until I read posts like yours and Lisas that we can still have problems even this far out. It is great that you can look for the silver lining in your troubles. I hope you are able to lose really well before the appetite kicks back in. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Lynn

Hi Lynn. Thanks for your response. I had the hernia for a long, long time before my lap RNY. Actually since 1985. I was waiting all this time to lose weight and then get it repaired. My primary care doc wanted me to have it taken care of years ago but I kept hoping that I would see the light and lose the weight. Now, it 's so strange that here I am almost 5 months to having the hernia surgery, then it strangulates on me... I'm just so thankful that I weigh what I do. It would have been a much more complicated post-op course for me. So this didn't have anything to do with my gastric bypass. I haven't checked my weight yet. I'm going to weigh myself on Saturday (my usual weigh in day) to see how I am doing. Next week Monday the drain and staples come out. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers. I need them! Lucy

Lucy, Thank goodness you went to the ER! That is one nasty surprise..sounds very scarey. Thank the Lord you are alright. If the doc gave you antibiotics to take, make sure you take them!! That type of surgery has a higher rate of post-op infections. I wish my pouch were tighter again....I'm getting pretty freaked out about the amount of food I can eat. It's to the point that I really have to think about everything and tally up what I've eaten before I eat anything....and having to watch my portion sizes. I need to just take a week of pure basics - like a refresher or something. I'm so glad you are okay. A hard way of going about it but hopefully the tweaking of the tightness of your pouch will be a big blessing - I don't blame you one bit, i would take full advantage of it too. Now, you rest and take it easy and heal. Don't forget to walk every so often to keep your circulation moving. ((((hug)))) I pray you have speedy recovery. Pam

Hi Pam. The doc did put me on antibiotics at home. I am taking them religiously. I also had them in the hospital. I have a drain in as well to prevent a seroma from developing. The drain doesn't bother me at all. I'd rather have a drain, then have to go back to surgery to have the seroma drained. I was getting scared with the amount of food I can eat and my appetite was something awful in the past few months. I was seeing my clinical psychologist last week to get a handle on my triggers - mainly from my work environment. I had to decide that I couldn't stay in the job I'm in and I actually applied for another position last week just before this surgery. I worked so hard to get where I am and I don't want to go back to the person I was. I miss the drinking of fluids but I know it is temporary. I get so filled up so fast. I plan on walking outside the house tomorrow for short distances. I need the exercise. Thank you for your response and prayers. I definitely need them! Lucy

My goodness Lucy!! You did it big, didn't you. What a blessing about the smaller pouch though. Prayers to you for speedy healing!!! When I first started reading your post (severe abdominal pain radiating to back with vomiting) I thought you were going to conclude with kidney stones. Being a nurse yourself, didn't you suspect it? It's funny, cause I went thru the same kind of pain two weeks ago and ended up in the ER. Was just sure it was stones---have had them 3x previously. CT of the abdomen showed pyelonephritis. 14 days of ABX and I'm much better. I'm sorry yours turned out to be so much more complicated. Take care, and know we are all thinking of you and adding you to our prayers. Love, Sharon

Sharon, I had kidney stones years ago and I do know the feeling. This was different. I knew that something was radically wrong when my hernias protruded out of the abdomen and were so hard like rocks. Of course, I didn't want to admit it right away. I always try the... I'll go home and lie down and get some rest and it will go away. Haha... I wasn't fooling myself. Last night I was thinking that I have to be very careful because of the higher incidence of infection with this type of surgery. I don't want to be sick anymore. A set back would be depressing to say the least. Thank you for your response and prayers. I got to love my tiny little pouch now. I can't fill it up like I used to. We'll see how the weight goes. I'll be weighing in on Saturday. Take care! Lucy

OH LUCY im sorry you experienced this! ((((((((((HUG)))))))))))))))))) glad to hear your home recuprating for a few weeks now. BE well and keep us posted of how your doing. WHAT a scary event and starting while you were out! ALL the best and your in my prayers for a speedy recovery! lisa

Lisa, thanks for your well wishes and prayers. I am so tired all the time. I feel like the energy was zapped out of me. This surgery will be more difficult to get over than the lap gastric bypass. I hope that you will be feeling better soon and wishing you a speedy recovery as well. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Hugs, Lucy

WOW Lucy!! What a ride. I'm glad you made it through ok. 2 feet of bowel? Do you have any left? No I see why my surgeon was so adimat about me getting my hernia fixed since it's already incarcerated and won't go back in. I hope you have a speedy recovery!! Sharyn