Exploratory surgery (Cross post)

Post Date: 11/12/08 1:59 pm

Hi all,

I don't post much anymore but I do lurk daily.

I'm going in for exploratory Surgery on the 19th and I'm scared.I have had alot of complications resulting in several Surgeries and a total gastrectomy.

I'm still having pain so they are going to attempt to do this lap no promissses though.I'm just a wreack and I can't stop crying.I've had so many surgeries and the recovery times have been so hard. Any words of wisdom from those who may have been here before?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Sorry to hear you are having problems but you have come to the right place for support.  I have been struggling for a while now with unresolved abdominal pain, nausea, belching, bloating and severe gas.  Have had every test known to mankind and had exploratory lap on 9/22.  All they found is my old stomach is filled with bile and causing irritation and bleeding in the remnant.  No one can explain why or what to do to treat it and meanwhile I have not been able to work since September due to the symptoms.  I would like to know a little more about your complications, when did you have your surgery and why/when did they do a gastrectomy??

Hi Az,
I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems too. I had my WLS August 25th 2004 then I had my gall bladder out in September 2004. In April 2005 I got an ulcer in my pouch then in July I got a second ulcer in my pouch. September they both perforated and I had to have emergency open surgery  which resulted in a total gastrectomy.  I spent a good bit of 2005 and 2006 in and out of the hospital having numerous open surgeries for small bowel obstruction,scar tissue, and adhesion's. I ended up under weight at 94 pounds and had to have a feeding tube for a little while.  My last surgery was in 2007.  I have not been pain  or nausea free since my original surgery. I'm scheduled to have another surgery on the 19th of this month.  It's an exploratory surgery.  My Surgeon is going to try lap but can't guarantee it won't end up open. He will be looking for adhesion's and hernias. Well that's my story and hopefully this will be the last surgery and the end of my pain.
Thank you for asking and know that my complications were rare. I don't want to scare anyone.
I also hope you will be able to get some answers and relief soon.
Take care,
Renee

AZ Sorry about the above name . I posted under another account.

Oh that sounds like a complicated and painful course.  Were the ulcers in your old stomach or in the pouch?  Trying to understand if they were in the new pouch why did they take out your old stomach??  I have had an internal hernia and surgery for that plus the latest round of tests/exp lap that showed the old stomach inflammed by bile refluxing back into it.  I had a GT in too for a while and have lost about 12 lbs since this all started.  Not underweight yet but only have about 6lbs more to go before I hit that mark.  Really ironic.....who would have EVER thought I would have to worry about maintaining my weight????  Are you able to work Renee?  That has been the toughest part for me lately.  With the symptoms flaring up I have been out of work since I never know when they are going to escalate.

I hope this finds you home Renee. I have written and spoken to AZ numerous times through my web support group Patricia's Hope and I like both of you have had more complications and surgery than I can stand. I just got out of Sewickley Hospital on the 12th after being severely dehydrated and ptn malnourished again. I was a pretty sick chick. They found this time that my pouch has completely shifted over toward the liver and is now tilted downward making eating even more of a challenege than before. I relie on my feeding tube for life. I was down to 139 and with the feedings increased have bumped up to 143.6 My surgeon wants me to gain 11 pounds total making me 150 before he can repair this hopefully in January.But, I need to add another 700 calories or so daily to gain 1 lb a week. Its a struggle to get the additional can of feeding down it leaves me feeling more stuffed than before. He wants me to graze all day... virtually impossible both physically and mentally. I will more than likely have to have TPN started again to get my weight up for the surgery. Ladies what do? I want to support all of you who have had complications... I feel you pain and nausea and all the other ratty feeling s we have endured. Renee please feel free and you as well AZ to call me. 724-880-8050 ( my cell) LMOM if I can't answer I still manage to work as difficult as some days are, but I carry the health insurance and virtually am the bread winner for my husband and I so... not much of a choice there. Renee I would come and visit with you in a heartbeat. I live in Uniontown and since I virtually live at the surgeon's in Sewickley I would love to come and meet with you. I have an appt on Monday, Dec 8th in the afternoon would really like to get together just say the word. My prayers are with you guys...please keep in touch... Patricia Patton Uniontown PA

So sorry to hear you were back in the hospital Patricia.  How did they diagnose the current problem with your pouch?  thru CT scan??   I have been wondering how Renee was doing too. Hopefully she got thru her surgery without too much difficulty and is home recuperating and on the road to wellness.   I am doing a bit better on a new medication called Levbid and I have made up my mind I am going back to work tomorrow and not let this run my life.  I am a little scared after being out of work for almost 3 months but I just can't sit home another day.  I have to get back to some semblance of a normal life and focus on something besides when is the nausea going to hit? am I going to have double you over abdominal pain today?  I am also determined to not let this define who I am.  After all I had this surgery so I could live a healthy life not one filled with running back and forth to the doctors; multiple tests; all sorts of medications that don't help the situation.  I saw my doc on Thursday and she basically said this is how things are going to be and there is no quick fix.  Will work to try to manage the symptoms medically or I can have the GT put back in but there isn't a surgical solution to improve the symptoms.  The GT was a very difficult for me so I am not going that route unless the symptoms get so bad again that I can't eat/drink.  For now I will try to drink/eat when I can and do my best to manage the symptoms when they occur.  My biggest fear is when I get the severe abdominal pain now I just try to ride it out at home because every time I go to the ER the scans don't show anything serious.  I do worry though when it persists for hours on end is there something awful going on and I am ignoring it because I think it's the usual abdominal pain?  Well take care for now and try to keep your spirits up despite these difficult challenges we are facing!