my list of complications

Melissa, I must say I feel for you. If you read my profile you will see I have been through a bit too and now have no RNY to boot. I feel for you though, its been quite the ride.

Oh Melissa I am SO sorry! I am 5 weeks post op. I had a leak & major blood loss and have an appt today for pain in upper right side. Boy does your story put things into prospective for me. This is such a risk for all of us. You're in my prayers. One questions though...........Do you regret having the surgery? Cora Beth

Absolutley I regret having it. If I could go back and not have had it, or if I had a way to reverse it now, I would, but that's not possible, so I just have to move forward from here. I appreciate all the kind words and encouragment! I will post soon with more info on my current state, but I am getting better. Melissa Smart

Hi Cora. I just had my RNY on May 16. I had to have 4 units of blood replaced the day after surgery. A week after surgery, we discovered a bad leak and an infection. I have details in my profile, but your complications sound similar to mine... so I just wanted to post. I'm with you in regards to getting things into perspective. I'm really trying. It is hard when you still don't know how things are going to play out. I educated myself for a year or two prior to having this surgery. I read many times from many sources about every possible complication. I'm not sure I ever made it to this forum, and now I'm wishing I had.

Bless your heart, I hope things improve a lot more for you. My surgery was just on May 16. I've gone through four procedures with interventional radiology over the last 1.5 months, and I understand how you feel at least about the pain involved with these tubes. I had drain inserted, drain adjusted, G-tube (feeding tube... unsure what the diff is between G and J) inserted, drain replaced. The "conscious sedation" only really helped me the 4th time, and I think this is because I had asked for pain killer to relieve cramping prior to going in for the procedure. They started the Fentinil early, and I miraculously slept through the entire procedure. I don't really get it. I've had "twilight anesthesia" at the dentist in my life that made me sleep and not remember a thing. Why's it so hard to have something like that... or have it work... in interventional radiology. I had a stent inserted to cover my leak, and it has moved downstream. I have to get it out now. Interventional radiology thinks they can go in and fish for it via the g-tube line, and the other option is to have my surgeon go in and get it. I told my surgeon I want to be OUT for whatever procedure we decide on. If it has to be surgery, then so be it. It was bad enough having the G-tube put in. I can't even imagine what it will feel like to have them fish all the way into my intestine. I have a picc line, too. There wasn't even conscious sedation for that. Nor was there any manner of sedation for the central line they stitched into my neck the day after surgery. I've only been out of surgery 1.5 months, and I'm already so sick and tired of these procedures and of drinking contrast and of water bolises. I can't even imagine if I'm still at it two years from now. I sincerely hope this all becomes something of the past for you or that at least life after surgery eventually becomes better than life prior to surgery. Thanks for posting.

I have a love/hate relationship with intervention radiology. I've has some superb care taken of me there and some that were very painful when they shouldn't have been. I know what you mean about "twilight" sedation. There is something in my records that is supposed to let people know that I am difficult to sedate, so they should use particular med's. A few times when my j-tube (jeujostomy tube is a feeding tube that goes directily into your intestines, the jeujostomy part, and not into your stomach) was embedded into the sides of my abdominal wall, they yanked it out without any pain med's, moved it back and forth a good 6 inches, no pain med's, it feel out a couple of times too, so I had to grit my teeth and shove it back in myself (once at home and 2 times in the hospital) before IR could get to me, things like that! I've had many, many EGD's and that doc knows what it takes to put me out and I've never had a single bad experience with him. I'm a fan of the duilated/phenegran ****tail. It tears up your veins pretty quicky though, so plan on a new IV site every day or 2, sometimes I lasted 3, but I have very small and awful veins. Now if you have a central line in your neck with 2 or 3 looms on it, YOUR IN!!! I've had all of those put in while I was awake, and yes with no pain med's either. NOT FUN!!! The picc line was worse though and I did receive something for it, but not nearly enough! LOL! Now for the good news - I am doing much better. I just passed my 3 year anniversary on 5/22. In the last 3 months I have been able to gain 13 lbs!!! I'm now at 140 and I'm thrilled to death. I can do SO SO SO much more now. I still have trouble with things and I do take alot of med's still. The biggest change has been in the taking of my neausea med's. I used to take them only after I became neauseated. No more of that. I now take them on a schedule regardless if I am feeling sick or not and my eating has almost doubled!!! I don't throw up everytime I eat, heck there are days when I don't throw up at all anymore!!!!! I'm not 100% yet, but I'd say I was 60% improved! My health insurance throught Social Security Disability FINALLY kicks in on 8/1/06, so I'm looking forward to not having to pay for everything 100% out of pocket anymore. My med's alone were almost $800.00 a month!!!! I hope everyone else is doing well or at least better. Thank you again for all your kind words and encouragment.