VSG issues later out

Hi fellow VSGers,

I am posting to see if there is anyone who has had a similar experience or maybe someone will have a similar experience in the future and this post might be useful to them.

I had VSG about 10 and a half months ago. I seemed to have a bit more swelling and bleeding and healed more slowly than others who had surgery around the same time. I later discovered this was a medication I was taking. I had asked about this medication but was given an incorrect answer. :/ Thankfully all was well. I had good results with weight loss but I never seemed fully able to get my nutrition or hydration in. It seemed difficult to take my regular medications and vitamins, etc. I never seemed to gain the stamina as the weight came off that I had expected. I would tell my Drs and they would respond with well, what did you expect with WLS? Etc. I was a broken record. I KNEW something was not ok. Fast forward. I finally got in to see a bariatric surgeon at a center. He ordered a slew of bariatric labs and upper GI. The upper GI showed I was aspirating and my body was fighting the aspiration which was causing the choking feeling. An EGD was done the next morning. I also have a hiatal hernia and instead of a natural curve, my sleeve healed at an angle. I don't think this is a surgical error, I think this is how my body healed and the result to be clear. As a result of my Drs ignoring me I have several nutritional deficiencies. Those need to be corrected before I can go on to fix the other issues. My surgeon mentioned either the LINX procedure (Google it because I can't do it justice) or a stent in my stomach or possibly serial dilation but they would have to order a larger balloon than they have. He also said my Dr should have never taken me off my thyroid medication and suggested it be restarted immediately. I had been asking for months but was repeatedly denied. My message is that if something doesn't seem right be the squeaky wheel. Drs don't know everything. I was treated horribly until just a few days ago and now I have proof they were wrong and they should have listened to me. When they did order tests they ordered incorrect tests and didn't have the correct information or lens or experience to interpret any of it. Edited to add - the bariatric surgeon said my thyroid level was very high and I needed to be treated for it. I had been attempting to get the NP who had taken over when my primary left practice to resume it and she refused to. I now have hope of getting that medication resumed and hopefully all of the pieces of the puzzle will gradually come back into place

The moral of this story is BE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL. I know I annoyed the heck out of my primary NP etc. but she was not listening to me, constantly brushing me off as well you had WLS. YOU know your body. If someone is brushing you off and you keep feeling like something is wrong do not doubt your own knowledge. Keep pushing for answers.

I'm so glad you're finally getting answers.

Good for you for not giving up. Surgeons are great cutters, but not always good patient centric doctors, which is why I have fostered an awesome relationship with my PCP who, if he doesn't know the answer will find it. NO doctor knows the answer to everything, it's why they chose a specialty. If you need cutting, call a surgeon, if you need iron, call a haemotologist etc.

As you have proved, we are our own best advocates and should NEVER surrender our care to doctors without questioning/educating ourselves.

I'm glad you are getting some answers. Thank you for this very important PSA!

I had a LINX device inserted in 2015, prior to gastric bypass. It helped my GERD for the first year (2015-2016) but then I started feeling bad again and developed esophagitis. After MGB surgery in 2017, my acid reflux improved, but last month I received notification that the LINX device I have has been recalled.

Here is the FDA recall notice:

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfmaude/d etail.cfm?mdrfoi__id=4208665

Now I'm working with a revision bariatric surgeon to repair a hernia I've recently developed, convert my MGB to RNY (due to bile reflux), and to get the LINX device removed. Still awaiting approval from my insurance for the LINX removal before scheduling surgery for all 3 issues. In retrospect, I wish I didn't have the LINX surgery and instead had RNY surgery as it resolves GERD for a majority of patients.

OP: My GERD used to cause aspiration, and was one of the reasons I was told I was not a good candidate for VSG. Have any doctors recommended you revise from VSG to RNY, to resolve your GERD symptoms?

FYI: I also have hypothyroidism and have had my thyroid levels tested a few times since WLS and my medications have been adjusted accordingly. I can not believe your doctor took you off thyroid medication without confirming via bloodwork whether you still needed it or not. I would find a new endocrinologist to manage your thyroid health.

My NP is horrid.I'm planning to request to see another provider. She begrudgingly agreed to only start me on 25 mcg when I had previously been on 150!

I am posting an update. I have been so frustrating with the inability to find much information on what treatment is best for my situation online. Most stomach stent posts or sites deal either with terminal, late stage stomach cancer patients or early leaks, or perhaps a stricture caught early and treated with balloon dilation. I am frustrated with my new, local bariatric center. This is the place whose new surgeon wants to place the stent. I find myself wondering how I can trust they would be responsive through the ordeal of nearly 2 months of living through a stent in my stomach when they won't even return my phone calls because I didn't have the stent placed. I am now 129 pound at 5 foot 9. If I reached this in a healthy way I would be happy but I am just frustrated at this point. I finally reached my Dr who prescribes the Humira and he took me off immediately so my body can try to rebound some strength and immunity right now. I know I will need to decide on something more permanent soon. My kids need more than what I am offering as I am running on fumes yet there are things upcoming that I have to be present for and I know that if I do the stent I would need to believe that is the best choice to get through the nearly 2 months it would be in. In the meanwhile I am trying to find a new Dr who will manage my thyroid and have my recent labs sent over to that medical office. I am thankful that I can at least take tiny sips even if it takes me forever. My stomach/GI system is getting pickier about what it will accept and so I have to force myself because I want to avoid the heartburn, the "poprocks" and pressure in my chest, the loud rumblings as it moves through that I can physically feel for hours like my body is protesting. I remind myself that if I had the stent in the pressure would never go away while it was in. I would have no relief until it was removed - if it went successfully. If anyone goes through this in the future and finds this post I hope they find it helpful. I still do not regret the surgery or blame the surgery. I am only posting this for the very few that experience it in order that they don't feel so frustrated and alone when trying to make a decision.