my *involuntary* 5 day pouch test (day 8)
Hello everyone! Long time no hear. Some of you may recall that I’ve been away for the last 2 weeks down in South America. Well, I just got back and what a hell of a trip (not in a good way).
Long story short – I got food poisoning (from hell) while on my last day in Chile and ended up being hospitalized in Argentina for 4 days!!! I’ve not eaten any solid food since May 17th. I’m essentially on a forced 5 day pouch test (now into day 8). I was terrified because I thought I had an obstructed bowel, the pain hurt so much, was bloated, was throwing up, etc etc. Add the fact that hardly anyone in the hospital spoke English and here I am trying to explain the huge scar on my stomach (anyone know how to say Gatric By-Pass surgery in Spanish??). As well, the Barix number does not work from South America (more on that later). Luckily 2 of my classmates are doctors and one of them is Spanish/English bilingual….thank god.
Has anyone else had food poisoning since surgery? How was your experience? Are 'we' more sensitive to the effects of food poisioning? Personally, I believe we are but would like to hear if anyone actually had heard that from a doctor?
All in all – I am alive, just got back from South America 2 days ago, it was not an obstructed bowel and they did not have to perform any surgery on me. The end diagnosis was 'gastral interiities with an inflamed bowel' most likely caused by food poisioning. We do not know what food item caused it because almost everyone on the trip was eating the same meals.
Last few questions: what's the status on Dr. Marymore? Has he landed somewhere? Can someone please email or personal message me his cell phone so I can talk to him?
Side note: pissed off at Barix. As soon as I called my wife from the hospital in South America I asked her to call Barix on my behalf and get a hold of either Dr. Boe or Dr. Pupcova….if it amounted to surgery I was going to request to be emergency medi-vaced out of there and to the USA (I had that type of coverage). My wife called Barix and explained what was happening to me (at that stage I had no bowel sounds and we wern't sure if surgery was required). Barix told her something along the lines of ‘No doctors are in till after the long weekend sorry. Have your husband go to the emergency room’. I can’t f-ing believe it. I do plan of following up with one of them to keep them in the loop and discuss things.
Later,
-GD_007
Long story short – I got food poisoning (from hell) while on my last day in Chile and ended up being hospitalized in Argentina for 4 days!!! I’ve not eaten any solid food since May 17th. I’m essentially on a forced 5 day pouch test (now into day 8). I was terrified because I thought I had an obstructed bowel, the pain hurt so much, was bloated, was throwing up, etc etc. Add the fact that hardly anyone in the hospital spoke English and here I am trying to explain the huge scar on my stomach (anyone know how to say Gatric By-Pass surgery in Spanish??). As well, the Barix number does not work from South America (more on that later). Luckily 2 of my classmates are doctors and one of them is Spanish/English bilingual….thank god.
Has anyone else had food poisoning since surgery? How was your experience? Are 'we' more sensitive to the effects of food poisioning? Personally, I believe we are but would like to hear if anyone actually had heard that from a doctor?
All in all – I am alive, just got back from South America 2 days ago, it was not an obstructed bowel and they did not have to perform any surgery on me. The end diagnosis was 'gastral interiities with an inflamed bowel' most likely caused by food poisioning. We do not know what food item caused it because almost everyone on the trip was eating the same meals.
Last few questions: what's the status on Dr. Marymore? Has he landed somewhere? Can someone please email or personal message me his cell phone so I can talk to him?
Side note: pissed off at Barix. As soon as I called my wife from the hospital in South America I asked her to call Barix on my behalf and get a hold of either Dr. Boe or Dr. Pupcova….if it amounted to surgery I was going to request to be emergency medi-vaced out of there and to the USA (I had that type of coverage). My wife called Barix and explained what was happening to me (at that stage I had no bowel sounds and we wern't sure if surgery was required). Barix told her something along the lines of ‘No doctors are in till after the long weekend sorry. Have your husband go to the emergency room’. I can’t f-ing believe it. I do plan of following up with one of them to keep them in the loop and discuss things.
Later,
-GD_007
OMG!!!! Greg--what a nightmare!!! I can not believe you had to go thru all that!!! I wish you a very speedy recovery and the nothing but good health from here on out!!!
As for Barix --I am shocked and appalled that no one would put you in touch with a doctor. I know Dr,P gives her patients her personal cell # so you can always reach her and I can not understand why the Barix people would not put you in touch with one of the doctors just for some advice or tell you what to do when you got back to the States.
Big (((HUGS))) Feel better soon!!! Take it easy and rest...and def call Barix tomorrow and get some answers on the crummy patient service!!! Take care and let us know how you are feeling!!!
Much luv!!
Laura
As for Barix --I am shocked and appalled that no one would put you in touch with a doctor. I know Dr,P gives her patients her personal cell # so you can always reach her and I can not understand why the Barix people would not put you in touch with one of the doctors just for some advice or tell you what to do when you got back to the States.
Big (((HUGS))) Feel better soon!!! Take it easy and rest...and def call Barix tomorrow and get some answers on the crummy patient service!!! Take care and let us know how you are feeling!!!
Much luv!!
Laura
Laura
"Two roads diverged in a wood..and I took the one less travelled by and that has made all the difference." -Robert Frost
Over 176+ lbs lost since surgery!! :-)
See my profile for my OH Blog!!
Thanks Laura.
I could be wrong - meaning that at that stage we knew it was *not* an obstructed bowel and I just wanted to speak with or schedule an appointment with a doctor.
Either way....felt a little stranded in a country where I 1) didn't speak the language; 2) doctors were *not* gastric by-pass knowledgeble and 3) had noone to call to get on the phone....
I could be wrong - meaning that at that stage we knew it was *not* an obstructed bowel and I just wanted to speak with or schedule an appointment with a doctor.
Either way....felt a little stranded in a country where I 1) didn't speak the language; 2) doctors were *not* gastric by-pass knowledgeble and 3) had noone to call to get on the phone....
Glad to hear you are ok after all that, that sounds just crazy about Barix. Hope you feel better and don't ever have that experience again!
Laureen
Laureen
My Mantra is that I do not determine my success by the number hanging in my closet, nor will I let the scale determine that success either. . . It is through trial and error I will continue to grow and succeed. . . Laureen
"Success is a journey, not a destination." Ben Sweetland
Laureen,
Thanks and as I just posted to Laura. I could be wrong - meaning that at that stage we knew it was *not* an obstructed bowel and I just wanted to speak with or schedule an appointment with a doctor.
Either way....felt a little stranded in a country where I 1) didn't speak the language; 2) doctors were *not* gastric by-pass knowledgeble and 3) had noone to call to get on the phone....
See you next month at the wednesday meeting...
Thanks and as I just posted to Laura. I could be wrong - meaning that at that stage we knew it was *not* an obstructed bowel and I just wanted to speak with or schedule an appointment with a doctor.
Either way....felt a little stranded in a country where I 1) didn't speak the language; 2) doctors were *not* gastric by-pass knowledgeble and 3) had noone to call to get on the phone....
See you next month at the wednesday meeting...
Well this is NOT what I expected to read. I'm so sorry your trip was that way. And I would be totally freaked out in your situation being in a hospital in another country and what not.
I would be pissed at barix as well. I would like to say it is just a mis understanding from whoever answered the phone because even though there are no doctors physically there over the weekend....there sure as hell are doctors on call. Have you seen a doc there since Marymore left?
((hugs)) and welcome back to the united states!!!!
Bright side...how much weight have you lost? LOL no....it's not the way to do it...but thought it might make ya chuckle.
Pam
I would be pissed at barix as well. I would like to say it is just a mis understanding from whoever answered the phone because even though there are no doctors physically there over the weekend....there sure as hell are doctors on call. Have you seen a doc there since Marymore left?
((hugs)) and welcome back to the united states!!!!
Bright side...how much weight have you lost? LOL no....it's not the way to do it...but thought it might make ya chuckle.
Pam
Instead of complaining that the rosebush has thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses. 
hahahahaha - ya, right not my recommended weight loss method either. Upon reflection, I guess it's not really a 5 day pouch test either because I'm on day #8 and still only doing liquids :(
I'm going to try a few soft foods later today to see how my tummy feels.
Pam, have you every experienced food poisioning since your surgery? Do you know anyone who has, aside from me?
-GD
I'm going to try a few soft foods later today to see how my tummy feels.
Pam, have you every experienced food poisioning since your surgery? Do you know anyone who has, aside from me?
-GD
No....I've not had a stomach virus, food poisoning etc. The only thing I experienced was a bowel obstruction...which sounded much like how you were feeling although (thankfully) in my case it resolved very very quickly without any intervention other than iv fluids, pain and nausea meds. It's rare that it happens that way, but I'll take it.
Don't really know of anyone who has had it either.
I'm wondering if it wans't actual "food posioning" as opposed to just a really bad case of gastroenteritis brought on by a change of diet/foods/schedule that your little pouchie just couldn't keep up with.
Instead of the pouch test...maybe we could call it 10 day pre op liquid diet? Except there won't be a "op date" for you at the end of it, thank goodness!
Continue healing my friend!
Don't really know of anyone who has had it either.
I'm wondering if it wans't actual "food posioning" as opposed to just a really bad case of gastroenteritis brought on by a change of diet/foods/schedule that your little pouchie just couldn't keep up with.
Instead of the pouch test...maybe we could call it 10 day pre op liquid diet? Except there won't be a "op date" for you at the end of it, thank goodness!
Continue healing my friend!
Instead of complaining that the rosebush has thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.
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