Update: Ended up in ICU for a week!

Hey everyone.  Last I posted I was telling everyone about having trouble keeping anything down.  Called Dr M several times and finally was sent to have a dilation done.  First time they went in, the opening was less than 5mm.  They opened to about 9 and scheduled for the following week to do more (should be at least 12).  I was able to get food down and keep it down for 2 days then back to nothing.  Called Dr M  again and he again passed me off, this time back to the doc that did the dilation.  They had me come in earlier and I had another one.  This time they opened it to about 12.  Went 2 more days doing pretty well then couldn't eat or drink again.  Called Dr M, again he sent me to the other dr whose nurse said they wanted me up at the ER in St Augustine.  Now mind you, I'd not been about to take any medications or eat any food in over 10 days and barely any liquid(well a few sips here and there).   Told had Dr M that I was afraid of what might happen if I didn't get my meds in since I have a bad heart.  Got nothing from him.  Felt like he didn't even believe me.  Drove the 3 hrs to the ER and they wanted to admit me.  My cardiac enzymes were VERY low.  They had to put me on a Magnesium IV drip.  They gave me THREE liters of fluid in the ER and I still didn't have to pee, I was so dehydrated.  Well, during the time they had me waiting for a room to open, my heart freaked out.  Had major arrhythmia's and my defibrillator fired on 2 occasions due to going into a rhythm that would have killed me if I didn't have it.  I was terrified i was going to die.  I think the nurse and doc at the hospital were too.  They rushed me up to ICU and loaded me up with potassium and magnesium.  It was a long night.  The next day my device fired again.  More meds, lots of doctors and nurses.  Thank God for Ativan!  (drug for anxiety) They kept me loaded with it, I was terrified my device would fire again.  (It hurts like hell!)  

Ended up spending 5 days in ICU and now I'm home.  There is new damage to my heart but I don't know how much yet, go to the cardio next Thurs.  I'm on FIVE new meds to keep my heart rhythm in check and on Xanax.  Have had to go and get my blood checked to make sure my magnesium and Potassium stay high enough.  I can't stay alone because every time I stand up I black out and sometimes it's bad enough to take me to the ground.  My husband travels for work so my sister had to fly in from Saudi (her Husband works for Aramco there) to be  here with me.  She makes sure I get my meds FIVE times a day and makes me food.  She is making me "Juice" to get all my vitamins in.  Some of it tastes like grass, but some of it is good and I'm able to keep it down.  

I've lost 50pounds in 9 weeks but I can't say that makes me happy because I'm too sick to be happy.  Right now I'd like to be able to walk more than 10 feet without having to be in a wheel chair.  

To all those who just had surgery or are planning to have it, (I had the RNY), MAKE your doctors listen to you if you can't keep anything down!  I am lucky I have a defibrillator because of another heart condition because if I didn't, I'd be dead.  The lack of magnesium would have stopped my heart and there would have been nothing to start it again.  You MUST advocate for yourself!  I thought I was, called the dr's office multiple times and sent emails but should have INSISTED that my blood be tested.   

Now I spend my days laying on the couch or sitting in a chair in my TV room.  I'm only 45, I should be out living.  Hoping and praying the heart damage isn't that bad and that it can heal. I don't want to have to go on O2 or stay in a wheel chair.  All because my dr didn't bother to follow up with blood work.  Even the docs at the hospital couldn't believe it hadn't been done already.   

I'll know more after my appt on Thurs and I'll post more.  

Dina

I hope that you continue to improve.

Wow, that is horrible!  I am so sorry you had to go through all of that, but hopefully your warning will prevent someone else from just shrugging and "shutting down" if their doctor won't listen to their post-op complaints/issues.

Hopefully, none of the damage to your heart is permanent and you will be able to keep everything down from here on out. 

Lora

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear this. Glad you're home now, and I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers, for a full recovery. Definitely a cautionary tale for anyone who feels something is really wrong. Doctors tend to forget that we know our bodies better than anyone, and can tell when there's a problem.

Thanks everyone.  I'm happy to be on the mend.  Still sleeping most of the day but I'm alive so I'm happy!