VSG complications anyone?

I am scheduled for surgery on May 14th and am wanting to hear any and all complications that might arrise and how you dealt with it.  I just want to be as informed as possible.  Thanks so much!

Connie S.

I wouldn't call mine a horror story but it is definitely a longer term complication than I would have liked.  At 5 months out, I can still hardly eat anything dense or thick (no chicken, fish, eggs, refried beans, tuna, meat, cereal, toast etc...) without getting a big STUCK feeling where my esophagus and stomach meet. That then often leads to foamies and then throwing up.  Happens to me 2-3 times a week, when I try to revisit something after a week off as has been recommended by my nut and also my surgeon.  I am having an endoscopy soon so hopefully they can see/address what's going on in my personal case, as I NEVER had trouble swallowing before surgery.  (Obviously or I couldn't have eaten my way up to 256#!)

I also, I think, experience "rapid gastric emptying" (which is like dumping for RnYers altho our anatomy is different) more often than anyone else I see post about this.  I can never predict what will trigger it either -- it can be and often is something I've eaten with no problems or side effects before.  Very frustrating, because if it's unpredictable, I can't avoid it by not eating the food that triggers it.

While I am in a state of watchful waiting to see if these issues calm down, I do not regret my decision at all.  I have lost alot of weight and inches, my diabetes has been reversed, I have no more asthma attacks, I've dropped several sizes of clothing, can cross my legs comfortably, don't suffer from hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating) anymore, can wear high heels again, I am much more physically and socially active because my stamina has increased 10 fold, I have dropped 8 medications, and I am overall a happier healthier person, despite my challenges.  I chose this surgery; it is elective.  Just make sure you choose wisely and choose well, and then be at peace with your decision.  Best of luck whatever is decided.

Wow!  You've lost a lot of weight! congrats! 

Hi, I read your old post. Did you ever find out why things are getting stuck in your esophagus?  I had a duodenal switch surgery and I'm having difficulty with pills getting stuck and sometimes food. Sometimes a bunch of phlegm will build up other times I just feel like food and pills are stuck. It varies from day to day. Would love to hear what your diagnosis was. How you are doing today and how you treated it. 

Hi, I have had ongoing problems with nausea and vomitting if I eat "too much" or too fast.  I have been checked several times and, in my particular case, I have a very narrow esophagus on top of the small stomach from surgery, so there's just not a lot of room there to maneuver.  I would suggest that you have an endoscopy just to make sure you aren't having any post-surgical complications of your sleeve sticking together anywhere.  That's a horribly lame description from a layperson for a medical possibility, but I have had a couple done over the years to ensure that wasn't causing my problem.  I'm just a rare outlier when it comes to the continued nausea and vomitting which happens 2-3 times a month still to this day....  I would suggest cutting pills in half when you can and thoroughly, I mean THOROUGHLY, chewing your food which I sometimes neglect to do.  By now, I know when I start burping or hiccuping it's time to STOP eating.  Also, I am on prescribed protonix daily to help with digestion because apparently although one's stomach is smaller the amount of acids it produces isn't, so that can be a concern for many.  And, I have the prescribed medicine Ondansetron to help with the nausea as needed.  All this said, I don't regret my surgery and never will; it has truly been life changing in the most positive of ways :)  Good luck to you; most people do pass through this phase so I hope you will too!

Thank you so much for responding. I tend to get this issue even though I have not eaten much. It just depends on the texture of the food and however my esophagus decides to react. It happened this week and I threw up mucus then blood. Probably a small tear to my esophagus. I have heard of another person having this issue but it was because their esophagus was somehow stretched unintentionally during endoscopy and other folks with this issue have esophageal motility issues. Have you ever had esophageal motility testing? There is something called esophageal manometry where they test the air pressure etc in the esophagus to determine if its working properly to push food through. 

I'm going to work on chewing more and with some foods like pork I'm just steering clear of them. I take omeprazole daily 20 mg. did you have your endoscopy done by your VSG surgeon or a regular gastroenterologist. I have been debating what to do because I don't want a GI who is not knowledgable about the DS to mess up my sleeve. I have heard of that happening. 

 

Congrats on your success. 

Hi, I went to my regular GI because I didn't like my VSG that much.  He was an excellent surgeon technically, just not very empathetic in my view so I determined once I didn't need to continue treatment f/up with him to change focus.  I have not had motility testing done and it sounds like a good idea. It is very mysterious how the body decides what it can and cannot tolerate.  For example, I can eat beef and meat much better than I can chicken, pork, or fish.  It's very weird to say the least and from one meal to the next something I've tolerated before may also cause me problems.  I have omprezole on hand but stopped once I started with the protonix.  I think you should definitely get an endoscopy if you are throwing up mucous and blood.  That shouldn't be happening so you may have either an area of your sleeve stuck together or a tear higher up.  Get it checked out as it may resolve all your problems.  :)

Speedy recovery to you!

Thank you!