Anniversary of my story....
This time of year makes me revisit my experience. I post it here as a reminder to myself and others that this surgery can be life saving and life threatening. I am doing well now and can honestly say that I am glad that I had this surgery....even with all the complicationscomplications that I experienced.
About a month ago I vomited for no apparent reason, and vomited blood. They did a EDG and found nothing wrong. Other than that I really haven't had any additional complications and I have been working on a healthier lifestyle.
My advise to anyone researching this surgery is that you really find out as much information as you can about your doctor . Always remember too that doctors are human and can and do make mistakes.
Here is a re-post of the short version of my story:
Hi -I wanted to share my story (a condensed version) with others who may have had similar issues and who can relate. It is hard to talk with others who can't relate. I went in for a lap RNY on 8/17/05. That evening I passed out cold on the floor when they got me up to go to the bathroom a couple hours after surgery. The next day they sent me for the leak test and said I could begin liquids. None stayed down. They kept doing swallow tests and they were inconclusive. I eventually dehydrated and had strong pain in my back. By 8/22/05 they decided to move me to ICU. That is my last vague memory. I have been told that I continued to vomit and run a fever. I had bile and BM coming out of my mouth, and they rushed me into emergency surgery. During the surgery I aspirated into my lungs and went into total respiratory failure, they continued with the surgery and found that my staple line had ruptured and the pouch had abscessed. They had to cut away the pouch and re-create a new one. I also had a hernia with a twisted bowel,. They had to cut away more of the intestines and re-attach them. I was put on a ventilator / life support. I was not expected to live. My family tells me I had IV'sdifferent IV's running into me as well as all the other equipment. I kept running high fevers and my blood pressure kept bottoming out. I had no respiratory function of my own and I developed pneumonia and a yeast infection in my lungs. I had ICU induced psychosis and was very combative and agitated. I kept trying to pull everything out of me. They put me on paralytic drugs to keep me calm. Every time they tried to bring me up out of the drugs I would fight the vent and they eventually had to do a tracheotomy. They felt they needed to get me out of ICU so I could be weaned off the vent. They moved me to a special care hospital that specializes in vent weaning. They were able to get me off the vent. I woke up at the end of September. My muscle function was gone (muscle atrophy) and I could not even roll over let alone walk. I was moved to a rehab facility where I had PT & OT. I finally left the hospital in October,and continued with Out-Patient therapy. I am doing remarkably well for all that happened to me. The doctors still cannot even believe I am alive. My family is still recovering though from all of the stress. How have you helped your families to cope? Thanks for listening and letting me tell my story. Lynne UPDATE- It is now June 2006. I just want to tell everyone that I am doing very well. I am pretty much back to normal......minus 100 pounds. I am physically doing well with just some minor muscle stiffness. My site trachfrom the trach is what bothers me most...but that too is pretty much better. Overall I am doing very well. I wish the best to all.
About a month ago I vomited for no apparent reason, and vomited blood. They did a EDG and found nothing wrong. Other than that I really haven't had any additional complications and I have been working on a healthier lifestyle.
My advise to anyone researching this surgery is that you really find out as much information as you can about your doctor . Always remember too that doctors are human and can and do make mistakes.
Here is a re-post of the short version of my story:
Hi -I wanted to share my story (a condensed version) with others who may have had similar issues and who can relate. It is hard to talk with others who can't relate. I went in for a lap RNY on 8/17/05. That evening I passed out cold on the floor when they got me up to go to the bathroom a couple hours after surgery. The next day they sent me for the leak test and said I could begin liquids. None stayed down. They kept doing swallow tests and they were inconclusive. I eventually dehydrated and had strong pain in my back. By 8/22/05 they decided to move me to ICU. That is my last vague memory. I have been told that I continued to vomit and run a fever. I had bile and BM coming out of my mouth, and they rushed me into emergency surgery. During the surgery I aspirated into my lungs and went into total respiratory failure, they continued with the surgery and found that my staple line had ruptured and the pouch had abscessed. They had to cut away the pouch and re-create a new one. I also had a hernia with a twisted bowel,. They had to cut away more of the intestines and re-attach them. I was put on a ventilator / life support. I was not expected to live. My family tells me I had IV'sdifferent IV's running into me as well as all the other equipment. I kept running high fevers and my blood pressure kept bottoming out. I had no respiratory function of my own and I developed pneumonia and a yeast infection in my lungs. I had ICU induced psychosis and was very combative and agitated. I kept trying to pull everything out of me. They put me on paralytic drugs to keep me calm. Every time they tried to bring me up out of the drugs I would fight the vent and they eventually had to do a tracheotomy. They felt they needed to get me out of ICU so I could be weaned off the vent. They moved me to a special care hospital that specializes in vent weaning. They were able to get me off the vent. I woke up at the end of September. My muscle function was gone (muscle atrophy) and I could not even roll over let alone walk. I was moved to a rehab facility where I had PT & OT. I finally left the hospital in October,and continued with Out-Patient therapy. I am doing remarkably well for all that happened to me. The doctors still cannot even believe I am alive. My family is still recovering though from all of the stress. How have you helped your families to cope? Thanks for listening and letting me tell my story. Lynne UPDATE- It is now June 2006. I just want to tell everyone that I am doing very well. I am pretty much back to normal......minus 100 pounds. I am physically doing well with just some minor muscle stiffness. My site trachfrom the trach is what bothers me most...but that too is pretty much better. Overall I am doing very well. I wish the best to all.
all i want to say is YOUR BLESSED! God kept you around and you keep telling that story that is truly a testimony. Wow may i ask how old you were at surgery time? and why didnt they do leak test during your surgery before you woke up
Deborah
Highest 268 / Current Weight 188(6/9/09) / Goal 130
RNY Dec. 18, 2007
Onderland reached 7/21/08
God is good... All of the time!
Yes- I do feel blessed.....
I was 43 years old at the time of surgery. It's funny, I really don't focus on my weight loss. I have lost 103 pounds total and have remained at 235 pounds. I would still like to lose another 50 to 80 pounds, but it's not as all important as it once was. I feel healthy and want to stay that way.
I think they did do a leak test during surgery....it didn't show up then. I had many in the days following, but the surgeon and the radiologist disagreed on the results and on the reason I kept vomiting. The surgeon was wrong....
I was 43 years old at the time of surgery. It's funny, I really don't focus on my weight loss. I have lost 103 pounds total and have remained at 235 pounds. I would still like to lose another 50 to 80 pounds, but it's not as all important as it once was. I feel healthy and want to stay that way.
I think they did do a leak test during surgery....it didn't show up then. I had many in the days following, but the surgeon and the radiologist disagreed on the results and on the reason I kept vomiting. The surgeon was wrong....
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