You guys are scaring me...

Hi all! Sally finally here with an update. I have been lurking lately but I have been around the board... I just read the post about the g-tube and how awful it sounds... well my surgeon wants to put one in me! Yikes. after reading all your horror stories, I'm feeling apprehensive. So here is the low down on what's going on... I had my endoscopy and the good/bad news is that everything looked perfect... no stricture no ulcer. So now what? Well I have continued to be very sick. I live on Zofran every 3 hrs for nausea but it does not help a lot of the time. I saw my surgeon Thurs. and I have lost 42lbs. so far, so that was some happy news for me in all of this. He has ordered a CT scan because he thinks I have stricture at the bottom of the old stomach where the intestine was sewn to it. If the scan is positive for this, he will do surgery and put in a G-tube to help relieve the pressure and nausea while allowing the stricture swelling to go down. If this does not work, he will open me back up and fix the problem in surgery. I never had a g-tube with my GB surgery as my doc does not do them as a standard procedure so I have NO idea what to expect but it sure does not sound fun. I still have a PICC line in and have to have an IV infusion daily. An HHC nurse comes twice a week to change the dressing on my arm. My arms have been torn up from the tapes causing blisters and skin tears. All in all, I am doing very good. I don't care about food much at all these days. It is not my "entertainment" anymore. I was a "boredom" eater pre-op and boy have I had to tackle that one head on! Food just is not fun anymore. I hope to get a good balance in my life with this when I start feeling better. I am still not sorry I had the surgery and intend to be a great success story for WLS with minor complications. I went into this with my eyes wide open knowing that this could happen to me and I accept that it has but refuse to accept that it won't change! There are moments when I want to whine but I just wait til I am in the shower all by myself to do it. LOL I consider myself so blessed... it was not but 2 short months ago that I was fighting my insurance co. to get approval. I fought for 2 years and know that there are many still fighting who are longing to be on the losing bench like I am so blessed to be. I am going to get better, I know that. Before I was just waiting for the next co-morb to pop up. Now they are disppearing and I am walking for the first time in years longer distances and even walk a mile a day for exercise! Complain? are you kidding? I am blessed and will soon be feeling MUCH better. Hugs to you all and Merry Christmas! Sallykate

Sallykate, I am so sorry you are having problems, but "this too shall pass" and you will be feeling as good as new soon. Please don't fight the G-tube. My doctor puts it in every patient for 5 weeks. I am 13 days out and I am thankful I have it (pain in the butt that it is) I am able to give myself between 20 and 40 grams of protein through the tube daily. I don't believe I would be feeling as good as I do nor would I be healing as fast as I am if I did not have it. I haven't read all those nasty messages about the G-tube. But trust me, you will be glad in the long run. Hugs and Kisses to you and hope you feel better soon. Carol

Thank-you Carol. Sallykate

Carol, I totally agree with you on the G-tube, it's not pleasant but it has its advantages. The 40 Grams of liquid protein that I could NOT possibly have gotten down trying to drink it ( blahhhh!!! ) went just fine with a syringe into the G-tube and I also accredit that to feeling really well soon after surgery. The Protein is the biggest healing factor in my eyes, also the G-tube was there for our surgeon in case of an emergency with the "old" remaining stomach, there would have been easy access rather than surgery if something went wrong. It's nothing at all to be scared of, just really inconvenient and not very comfortable. But given the choice between having IT, and possibly surgery... hmm.... definitely give me the G-tube. Andrea

Sallykate, I'm sorry to hear you're having a bit of a rough time. I lived on Zofran 8mg 2 to 3 times a day from Feb to Aug. when I had a stricture repaired. As for the G tube I am confused why it would go in after. I had one put in during surgery but it was removed 4 days later before I left the hospital. Never had a problem with it and it was emptied twice a day. Just fluids and some blood. I have read here many say they had it for weeks after and use it for getting in their fluilds or protein. I don't even understand how that worked but I hope there is a quick solution to make you feel better soon. I never posted how sick I was but I vomitted every day 2 or 3 times a day from 6 weeks out until 6 months later. The day after my stricture was repaired and my pouch stretched I felt like a million bucks and fell great still. I know how distressing it is not to know what is going on.

Hi Ginny, you may be confusing the G tube with the drainage tube. My drainage tube removed within a week. That one drains only. The G tube is more of a feeding tube. It bypasses the pouch and goes to the old stomach for nourisment and liquid while the pouch is healing. Good luck to you. Carol

Carol thanks for clearing that up for me...while I was in the hospital I thought it was referred to as G tube but drainage is exactly what it was. I never had anything like a feeding tube. I gagged my way though crushing my pills and vitamins into my Unjury and adding my portein drink to them...I was fine the first 6 weeks, I couldn't taste anything but once by tastebuds woke up I vomitted my way through until Aug. which of course caused a stricture which was repaired in Aug.

Sallykate, I sure hate to here that things are going so bad for you. I just wanted to let you know that I'm praying for you. I believe the best is yet to come. Just hold on. I know that God will see you through. If I can help anyway just let me know. I'm in Northwest Fl. God Bless. Crystal

Thank-you for the prayers! I'll take prayers anytime. hugs, Sallykate

Sallykate, Ohh please dont worry and stress over the g-tube. I know most people hate having them but they arent all that bad! I had my g-tube for 5 weeks and I honestly couldnt have done well without it. I fought my g-tube the first couple weeks which just made things worse. Then I relaxed and just used it when I needed to and ignored it the rest of the time... It wasnt so bad once I learned to ignore it!! I had horrible problems with nausea and learned to use the tube when I wasnt feeling up to taking much in by mouth.. It was a lifesaver for me!! The g-tube really will help you get what you need on a daily basis without having so many issues with nausea... Good luck! Amber