Complications at 1 yr post op???

Okay, so why are we all having these complications at 1 yr out and more??? I just had bad news today that I have to have exploratory lap surgery on 15 November, because of probable adhesions or hernia in my intestines and as if that wasn't bad enough, I also have an enlarged bile duct that he has to open up my old stomach for so the doctor can go in and do an ERCP to look at my bile duct?? I have had elevated liver enzymes too. I don't have a gallbladder, and I don't have my appendix, have only had kidney stones as any type of complication...but really not related to gastric bypass...so I am clueless. Why do we have problems after 13 months?? I have heard lots of people having this at 13 months...hmmmm...??? Anyone??? Thanks for any answers and support!! Deb

Hi, I had to have my gallbladder out about two weeks after my surgery then at 8 months out i got an ulcer in my pouch,at 11 months out i got a second ulcer in my pouch,at 14 months out both ulcers perforated and i had to have emergency surgery to save my life.They had to remove my pouch now i have no stomach at all everything goes straight to my intestines.At 15 months out i had to have surgery for scar tissue ,adhesions, and a small bowel obstruction.At 2 years which was this August I had to have surgery again for scar tissue and adhesions.I live with constant nausea which I have to take meds for and I have various pains. For me it never ends.My Dr's Office now says I should find a pain clinic near my home to go to.I feel like they don't won't to deal with me anymore.I wish you good luck . Renee

Hi Deb, There are many people with complications, and I didn't research this enough before the surgery. Hernias, problems with the blind stomach, gallstones, ( kidney stones are a direct complication of rny) failure of vitamin absorption, lack of calcium and iron absorption, stretched stoma, adhesions, ulcers, blockages, memory loss, joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue, nueropathy, and the worst of all for many of us, weight regain! I guess it's all chance, and I don't think you can know before surgery how you will fare. My mother had the early JIB< and had it reversed in the 70's due to liver damage. Then she had an early form of RNY, and has never had any complications, this was in about 1985. She's 70, and in good health. I have recently gotten a hernia, and rejection of internal stitches causing an incision to open and drain( no infection thank God). I also have low B12, and low iron. I have numbness in my toes which has been diagnosed as nueropathy. I am 9 months out. I think there are quite a few people listed on the memorial page, and many people who mention a complication on the main or other boards, but don't focus on the problems. I have also read several posts from people who have had no complications, but the ones who do outweigh those who don't, if you will look objectively at all the posts. I am not sure all people who have problems consider it a complication or side effect of their surgery or look at it as upset as maybe I am over the problems. I'm not saying we can't live with a lot if it means better health overall, or to be more normal size. But my advice is to research every aspect, and be sure before anyone makes this choice.

Deb, I dont know what our statistics would be with the co-morbities we had prior to WLS. I have 2 sisters and 1 brother who had WLS and one has issues with Iron aborption. Other wise the others are fine. I have heard that hernia and intestines problems stems from having huge fatty intestines, rapidly losing the weight and the intestines get twisted from the weight loss and space changes in there..... I do know that I had NAFL disease before WLS and my liver was huge and spanned across from side to side and now at 120 pounds it is normal sized....I had wondered if it would shirnk or stay the same.. I know I dont ever want to be 280 again. I am curious as to what they find when you have your surgery and I hope it all gets fixed and you feel better...... the waiting is awful! Hugz! Melissa

Hi Deb, I am sorry to hear that you are starting to have some complications. It stinks, I know and most of us who post around here do too. I have had six follow-up surgeries all stemming from my RNY surgery including two bowel obstructions and an internal hernia. If you do have an obstruction/hernia you have to get that taken care of asap b/c they can get bad real quick! Have they done a CT-Scan on your belly to see if the surgeon spots a obstruction/hernia? Do you have pains and trouble going to the bathroom? I am assuming that bile duct problem could be that you have formed stones in your ducts which is causing the enlargement or sphincter of oddi dysfunction, but I would assume that would cause horrible pains like gallbladder pains. I thought doing a ERCP on a bypass patients is very hard if not impossible to do I though b/c of how our intestines are hooked up but then again I never had one of those before. I know it is trading in a whole set of problems for another but keep your chin up! GOOD LUCK and feel better soon!

I am almost 4 years out and just had 2 surgeries to fix my second internal hernia, my intestine was twisted like a sausage. I was told that whenever you have abdominal surgeries you are at a greater risk of needing more surgeries for internal hernias, adhesion's and stuff like that. I have had 13 surgeries in the last 3.5 years, that is counting my WLS. Not all are related to WLS. But the recovery was awful on all of them. And then I know a lot of post ops that have not had a single problem and they are 4+ years out too. I don't know why it happens to some and not to others, I guess I am one of the unlucky ones, I sure know that it is not something I am doing because I have always done whatever my surgeon told me to do . I just wanted to tell you to hang in there, hopefully this will be your only surgery Hazel

My sister had the surgery in July of 2005 and has lost 165 lbs, she was admitted to the hospital yesterday for a kink in her intestine, they did lap surgery and un-kinked it but she is still in the hospital due to a fever and not going to the bathroom or passing gas.  She said that whenever she drinks anything is just sits in her stomach, she gets no gurgly noises (which have become very common since the surgery) no sound whatsoever, she is a bit concerned since she has not gone to the bathroom, passed gas and has no noticeable movement at all.  Does any of this sound familiar to you or anyone else? I am just nervous for her.  I am down in FL and she is up in NY and I can't be there to ask the Dr.'s etc. Thanks Meridtih

Thanks Hazel, Actually we found out I had no internal hernias, no adhesions that neede to be lysis'd, but that it was all my bile duct. I had my gallbladder out over 10 years ago and from losing all the weight, my gallbladder became blocked and swelled up like an anuerysm. So it is realted to WLS,. but not directly to the surgery, from losing the weight. It was God who brought me here and put me with these docs as they saved my life!!! I am so glad that I went in last week and got this taken care of, and they did surgery last Tuesday. When they cut it open, they said lots of bile came running out, which was the problem and it was full of sludge, stone fragments and such from the weight loss. Thanks very much for the support and comments, I really appreciate it!! Deb Hope you are feeling better and won't have more problems either!

Hey there....I hope they were able to fix you up? How are you doing?

I am 19 months out and had to have an exploratory lap 2 weeks ago for adhesions and some problems with some stitch in my new stomach being loose? I was too drugged to comprehend the whole thing after surgery and don't have my post op check up til next week to get the full story. I was so happy he figured out my problem because I have been in pain for months. Then yesterday my stomach started hurting again. I am in so much pain and I as so upset because I thought this nightmare was over. I need to call the dr, but its the weekend and I hate the ER here. I find it very weird that so many people have problem so far out. Good luck with your surgery! Scarlette