Severe Complications / Consideration of Reversals / Etc.

With all the recent posts on severe complications and even reversals, I thought I should post this as a new thread even though I have shared it as a reply in a post below.


Here is a synopsis of my history:

Starting weight 252 /   Current  140

RNY 11/03/04;

GB removal 12/04/04;

Plastic Surgery  06/14/05;

Internal Hernia/Adhesions 06/06/06; (exploratory surgery / eating very little / mostly liquids)

Plastic Surgery 07/15/06;

Partial Bowel Obstruction 11/12/06; (exploratory surgery - had been unable to eat)

Full Obstruction/Kink - complication from surgery 2 days prior / ICU blood transfusions and to stabilize 11/14/06;   (I was in New Orleans for this surgery and not allowed to return home to Texas for a month to ensure blood loss had stopped and I was stable.)

Emergency Surgery for Obstruction 100% Shut down/ 24 hours from perforation/ Adhesions/Vertical Open 9 in. 07/19/07;

Infection from above surgery / ER Admit/Unstable/Erratic HR & BP/Ambulatory transfer / inpatient ICU until stable/ 07/30/07;

SBBO 08/27/07;

Hernia Repair (3) and Lysis Adhesions that had been causing significant pain, unable to eat, and partial obstruction as well 04/01/08;

Wound infection in patient ICU to clear and stabilize/ admitted 04/22/08;

Hernia Repair with Mesh 09/19/2008 / stayed in New Orleans for 5 days after discharge.

ER admission for Infection & Internal Bleeding/ICU with transfusion 09/30/2008 (had I gone to sleep that night, I would not have survived).

Additional complications:  numerous emergency room visits for pain, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, etc. with no resolution, peripheral neuropathy, pernicious anemia, severe dehydration, severe constipation, reactive hypoglycemia, only able to consume liquid food sources, severe IBS, parasites, confusion, loss of memory - short and long tern, loss of balance, loss of vocabulary, tingling in extremities resulting in partial paralysis which was related to malnutrition  and difficulty keeping vitamins levels in normal ranges, lost too much weight and struggled to gain to healthy weight, ............and who else knows what I can't remember......

Notes for those suffering from "unexplained pain:"

Only ONE (1) time did a bowel obstruction appear on a CT Scan -- that was in November of 2006 after I had surgery for a partial bowel obstruction -- it was a complication to a partial bowel obstruction repair found through exploratory surgery. 

It's simply not true that an obstruction (particularly partial) will show up on a CT scan or any other testing for that matter.  I am proof.

I don't know what advice to give anyone other than to be your own very strong and determined advocate.  No one knows your body like you do.  If any pain worsens, go to the ER.  Demand a consult with a bariatric surgeon.  I have, however, done all of these things where I live (had to relocate to Houston after Hurricane Katrina) and *I* have had to educate the doctors such as PCPs, Gastros, etc. in bariatrics. 

I am so sorry you have had to deal with all of these complications.  I understand that pain and complications such as this is debilitating and affects one's entire life and the lives of those around them. 

My surgeon has now discussed "REVERSAL" with me three times.  I keep holding out hoping that we can find a way to overcome these things (some we have and some are a daily struggle but that are helping with using creative ways to keep vitamin levels within a decent range.  The reversal is not out of question; however, with each surgery, it appears that I develop more complications and the reversal is such a major surgery (more so than the original) that it is highly unchartered waters and does not promise me complete resolution.  In fact, things could get worse.  It's not an easy decision.  As I read your synopsis, I'm not certain how much the reversal has helped you and this is what scares me.  I don't want to get worse and/or subject myself to yet another surgery as I never have time to fully recover from any of them.  I have had 12 surgeries in 4 years (2 plastic which were elective).  That's an average of 3 surgeries a year or every four months.  Between all of the anesthesia and medication I have been on, my body has never had to time to purge of medication and properly heal.  I keep hoping I can get through 18 months to fully recover from a surgery but I can't seem to make it.    I'm now 3 months from my last surgery and I am having a very difficult time adjusting to the mesh and still have extreme abdominal pain.  It takes pain medication in extremely high dosages to even take the edge off of the pain and it has been very difficult if not impossible to find a pain management specialist who understands and will prescribe what it takes to make my life more normal.   I was on the Fentanyl Patch for a while and it was a God-send but my current PMS has stopped prescribing this altogether -- what I am taking now is not helping.  I am trying to find a new PMS but this has not been easy.  No one wants to take me in.  I'm like the rat specimen/study that has gone totally wrong and no one wants the liability. 

To make the entire situation worse, as I briefly mentioned earlier, I moved to Houston just over three years ago and none of the bariatric surgeons here will take me on as a patient.  I have contacted them ALL including the teaching institutes.  I was able to see one bariatric surgeon early on (well after nearly 7 months of pain, 5 doctors, and over $100,000.00 in testing) as my WLS from LA made a personal phone call to a bariatric surgeon with whom he attended medical school and agreed to see me as a favor.  I went down with all my labs and films and he told me it was all in my head.  His misdiagnosis nearly killed me.  I live in the medical Mecca of the south and I can't find adequate care.  Unbelievable!!!!!

I don't know how much this has helped you.  I will send you a friends request so that you can read additional information on what I have been through. 

I have tried to keep the main points and thoughts in order but I haven't been able to give my FULL, UNDIVIDED attention to typing this so I don't know how well I did.  I am, of course, happy to continue communicating with you in the future.  Perhaps we can help and support one another.

I am so sorry that all of you have had so many complications.  I wish and pray for all of us to have health and happiness.

Wow Butterlfy,  I am so terribly sorry for all you have been through.  My daughter had very similiar issues.  She lost count of  number of surgeries she has had since she became septic  from intestinal obstruction. 
She was two years out from her RNY and thought she was having female problems.  She was in the hospital over 4 months one time with several weeks spent in ICU.  She has had numerous hernia repairs and infections since that time.  She has short gut syndrom and for a while she had to wear a vac pac more than once.  She is now on disability.  She struggles to keep her weight up around 135.  She had gotten as low as 122.  She spends an awful lot of time in the bathroom. 

I will keep you in my prayers.
corliss

You've gone through so much.  I thought my pain was too much for me.  Best wishes and lets hang in there.