Anybody want to talk aqbout their complications?

I had my surgery 9-12-03, was in 2 different hospitals, could not eat for 2 and 1/2 months. To date I have lost 57#. I would like to talk to somebody who has had complications too. I don't want to go one the main message board, because I don't want to scare the pre-ops away. Evelyn

Hi. I had my surgery on 12-2-03 and have done nothing but throw up after every meal. I have lost to date 59 lbs and alot of that is muscle. I had a barrium swallow 2 weeks ago to see if there was a stricture but all seems good. I have no problem with liquids but any type of solid comes right back up. I am taking bites as small as an eraser head and chewing it to a puree consistency but nothing seems to work. I go back to the doctor tomorrow, hopefully they will have some other idea. Hope you are felling better soon. Jennifer

Jennifer. I am doing fine now, but was a long recovery period. Have you tried pureeing your food, or eating baby food? I hope the Dr. came up with some ideas for you. 543 weight loss is good. I hope you start feeling better.

You should suggest to your doctor that they do an endoscopy. I had a stricture where the opening was less than the diameter of a pen and couldn't even suck on ice because it would make me sick. I went back in the hospital. They did an upper GI and everything looked fine, it wasn't until they did the endoscopy that they were able to catch the problem. Just thought I would share. Danna

Sounds like you and I had similar experiences. I had my surgery 3 months ago today. I started having pain & fever a few days later, ended up going by ambulance to a second hospital, where I had a second surgery for a leak, then while at the 2nd hospital had a wound contamination where they opened me up and have had an open wound that requires maintenance 2x a day still. I've had a freakin' binder around my waist for close to 3 months now! That being said, I'm doing better although I do have what seems like a once weekly bout of throwing up & feeling like death. Once the throwing up stops, I'm achy and have a headache, etc. for hours. I don't know what starts it but it's a pain. I've already taken far too much time off of work, and I've had to take off 3 days since I came back in January because of what I assume is some form of dumping. I hear if it only happens once or twice a week it's not a big deal, but missing work is a big deal! P.S., I haven't been weighed since the middle of January -- as of that point (2+ mos.) I had lost 40 lbs. I started at 252, and I'm hoping that I will have lost at least 13 lbs. this month so I can be under 200!! Good luck with your recovery -- we'll get to the promised land; we just had a detour!

Hi Kathleen. I am pretty well recovered now. I have no problems with dumping or being nauseus. I do, once in a while yet, eat to fast or take to big a bite and end up in real pain. The weight loss for me has been slow, about 10 pounds a month. But one of my Surgeons told me that I was right on track. I see other people losing so fast, I guess I get jealous because I want to lose thar fast. I still have 80 pounds to go to hit my goal of 175@. This is still high for my height of 5'5", but I am 56 and I really think if I can make it to 175, I will be happy. I already have more energy and feel alot better than I did pre-op. I just wanted to be healthy not a beauty queen. Evelyn

Glad you're doing well!! My dr.'s "practice manager" responded to my e-mail about the throwing up, and she thinks it's because I'm eating too fast. I have to be more conscious of that. I seem, so far, to be on the 3 lb. a week plan for the last couple of months as far as weight loss is concerned. My dr. said I'm right on track, but I know people lose faster too. I'd LOVE to get down to about 125-130 (I'm only 5' 1 1/2" tall so that's where I'm supposed to be), but I'll be very happy in the 150-160 range. We're moving in the right direction! Kathy

Dear Kathleen- Sounds like you and I had simular experiance with the wound infection, I had to go back to the hospital a few weeks after my surgery, was a staff infection called MRSA. Is that what you are dealing with? I have been having my wound packed since November and it is about 3 weeks from closing now. So nice to talk with others who have had some problems! Robin

Hi Robin! Aren't you sick of packing the stinking wound???? I went to my dr. for my monthly check-up today, and I don't have to pack it anymore!! He said it's essentially healed -- the skin needs to fill the last 1/4" or so of open space, but that's about it. I had a "perforation;" They never really gave me a name for the type of infection I had, so it could easily be the same thing. I'm so glad it's not going to be a part of my life soon. Of course, he thinks I already have a hernia so he wants me to wear the abdominal binder as much as possible to stop it from getting too big -- so I can have the surgery done after I've lost all my weight & get the tummy tuck then too. It's been quite a journey, but I'm glad I've done it now. Wouldn't have said that a couple of months ago though!! Hope you're feeling much better & we'll both be wound-less very soon! Kathleen

Hi

I'm new to the group.  Although I'm 15 years post op.  I still weigh 234 pounds. Lost only 40.  I hope things have changed as I had NO post op support.  I almost died of a leak and subsequent infection.  I went to a nutritionist once for after care.  She told me to avoid oranges as they were high calorie.  That was it.  I fell into a very bleak depression.  I learned that all the really bad stuff still goes down pretty easily.  I have trouble with the healthy food--whole grain breads, cereals and lean meats, vegetables.

Perhaps I should begin at the beginning and eat pureed food again, take vitamins.  The problem is, my calorie count has to be very low to move weight off. 

I know my surgery was elective, and I accept responsibility for my near miss.  I've blocked much of it as I  was 2 months in hospital with nothing by mouth.  Only lost 20 pounds!  My GP said I was built to survive a famine.  I don't remember my surgeon's name although I think it was Swift.  (Kingston Ontario)  I also accept responsibility for not following the proper healthy diet when I recovered.  My only defense is that I was angry and (I thought) alone..  I suffer from very bad mood swings and hopelessness a lot of the time.  I'm also worried about the long term consequences of stapling.  I'd love to have it reversed but the thought of surgery again, even after all these years, frightens the daylights out of me.