Mucho frustration!

I have had more and more pain this past week. Vomiting, diarrhea, can't eat, can't drink, don't even want ice as it hurts too.   I saw Dr Juarez today. Tomorrow I have a EGD at St Lukes. Dr Fang will be doing my procedure. Dr Juarez and the Physician's Assist Emile both think I have a stricture. If so they will stretch the pouch opening         and please pray for me that  it takes only one stretch to remedy this problem!  I also found out that the nerve damage in my left leg happens to about 25% of the patients they operate on. Dr Juarez says it is either nerve damage from the surgery or sometimes is caused by rapid weight loss in the back and along the sides of the body. Thank goodness I have it on the left side only!  Mine started the day after surgery so I assume it is a damaged nerve in this case.  I am so hungry and so thirsty. I will be grateful to get an IV tomorrow ;-)  My recovery so far has been rotten....I am ready for the good part...all that energy...to begin. One good thing, I am down 29 pounds now. Keep me in your thoughts tomorrow.  Gena

Man Gena that sucks!  I'm so sorry this is all happening to you.  I've never heard about the nerve damage before.  I'll be thinking about you feeling better tomorrow after your EGD.  Congrats on the weight loss!   Does the nerve damage hurt or do you just lose feeling?  I already have a hip that goes numb a lot.  MShawn

It is numb but at times...most times.... it stings a little and other times a great deal...some times it burns...like a burn and other times...infrequently I get very sharp searing pain shooting from the outside of the leg across the leg above the knee.  I have some Flector pain patches I put on it when it is really bugging me.  This can happen after most any surgery...just like the nerves in our pouch have to heal. It is not terribly common but does happen. I was just grateful to find out what caused it and that eventually it will stop....at first I was afraid it was diabetic neuropathy and was grateful it was not!  Stupid I know, as I used to work in endoscopy but I dread this tomorrow and will be glad when it is over  Another stupid thing....I WANT a Pepsi soooooo bad!  I won't I am too strong to give into to that but my pouch thinks it wants it Gena

Gena, I am surprised that they haven't told you to go to the ER for IV.  I know I was so dehydrated when I had a stricture they had admitted me right away.  It's nothing to sneeze at.  How long haven't you been able to hold water down?  Don't let this go on very long. I have had leg numbness since before my surgery and it's basically from my back as far as we can tell.  I have had numerous mri's and cat scan and there is a degenerated disk in my back, so it could be something like that.  It comes on mostly when I stand in one place. Deanne

Hi Deanne....I am able to get warm water and hot tea down but I know it is not enough...so far I am ok but can't go like this much longer. I usually take a bit of the Lortab before I drink or try to eat. With the Lortab  I can get about 8 oz down before I have to stop for a while. I have not thrown up since late Sunday night...I get nausous but with deep breathing or CPAP mask I can sometimes hold off the emisis.  How many times did you have to be stretched for your stricture?  Since the numbness started right after surgery they think it is a damaged nerve tho I do have some stenosis in the lumbar spine. Gena

Gena, I had one stricture, but it to them 2 attempts to get it open.  I ended up being in the hospital for 5 days with it.  Usually they can fix it with the first attempt.  Best of luck to you today and hope you feel better.   Deanne

Oh My Gosh, Gena..your not supposed to be losing weight this way..I am really worried about you! It seems like it has been one thing after another. I hope it is something easy to fix and you don't have to stay in the hospital, but if you do have to stay overnight, it will be worth it to feel good again. I will be praying for you, girl!  I tried the Hormel chicken and it was very good! It lasted me for 3 meals. I am such a cheap date these days. I survived my first potluck at work yesterday. All I ate was cheese. I took Ray some goodies home. I wasn't even tempted. The thing I am really hungry for is good old homemade Pizza! I love Italian food. Macaroni Grill is my favorite restaurant, or I should say was. No way will I go in there now. Ray and I would always go through 2 loaves of the bread before the meal came. We always ended up taking half the meal home. Maybe in a couple of years after I lose all my fat, I will be able to eat sensibly there. Don't trust myself yet and I didn't go through all this to screw it up.  This isn't as easy to go through as most people think.There's definitly a head thing going on, getting used to watching everyone else eat what they want. I don't regret it though and I hope you don't either. Understandably, you probably have some regrets now and I wouldn't blame you, but Dr Juarez is going to fix you all up and you'll be happy.  You have to be better by June 5th and go to the post-op class at Banner and have your picture taken with us EZ girls!!!  

Gena, I am going to say some prayers for you tonight.  To give you strength and to let this become a more positive situation for you.  I am so sorry for all of your troubles.  Please give us an update.  I really feel in my heart this will start to get much better for you! Lyns

Thans Lyns....I too hope that this will "fix what is ailing me".  I want to feel good so badly and hope that this will do it!  Appreciate the prayers....your time is getting closer and closer...won't be long now! Gena

Gena, Best wishes and I hope Dr. F. fixes you right up so you don't have such a rough time of it. Candy