you have every right to worry!  but remember, if the leak rate is that high the doctors will be watching you closely and you must be vigilant with your symptoms if they arise.  of course everything could go smoothly and you will be very happy with your procedure.  i'm sorry i haven't had your procedure just thought i'd give you a little support.  good luck and i hope all goes well for you.  take care of yourself and think positive no matter what happens!

 Sounds like you might need a gastro doc with experience with WLS.  Find out what your insurance requires (do you need a referral?) and take care of it.

Ativan is an anxiety med and if you have a low tolerance it will knock you on your tush.  You can cut those pills down you know.  The husband quarters the .25 ones he gets for injections in his back and they work just fine.  I would see if cutting those suckers down helps.  

 Good evening everyone, 
I am four years out from my lap bypass which was done july of '07.  My recovery was great until 2 weeks after surgery i had developed a perforated ulcter at the point of contact where the pouch and esophagus meets up.  I had it surgically repaired which was the beginning of my issues.  Since that surgery I have constant heartburn, nausea and vomiting.  Yes i am on meds for all three and have been for the last 4 years.  With the exeption of jumping from GERD med to GERD med to rotate thought them for better coverage.  
i have had one ulcer in '09 when i was pregnant with my daughter which resolved...But in the last three weeks I have constant nausea and pain.  The pain intensifies after trying to eat so I am only consuming a few bites at dinner time, because if I eat throughout the day I am in so much pain and the medication(ativan) which they have put me on before I eat knocks me on my ass and I sleep for the next few hours, which means I am not productive for the rest of the day.  
I have been in to visit my weightloss clinic(you can't get into to see the surgeon unless it is pre or immediate post op visits) as I am way too far out of surgery to qualify to see him.  
i am frustrted beaue this has been going on too long and the pain about throws me over the edge.  I am at a complete loss as to where to go from here?  
I would love any and all suggestions anyone would have.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

 I had the sleeve surgery 4 days ago, and my acid reflux is greatly improved.  The surgeon found a hernia and repaired it during the surgery, and this was worth the surgery alone!  Us sleevers do not have malabsorption issues found with the rny, but it is absolutely true that we take 2 multivitamins, calcium citrate, and b12.  There is a small percentage that may also experience the dumping syndrome more common with the rny surgery.  Our surgery is easier- my recovery has been a piece of cake so far.  The boards have a long list of people who have lost serious weight and met their goal.  I think there are different surgeries for different types of people so do your research and find the best fit for you.  Otherwise, read the vsg board daily- it will give you a whole lot of insight into the process!

I am an RN in Northern Michigan. I have worked as a traveler and am familiar with Munson and your surgeon in particular. When you go in to see him DEMAND that he address your issues! If it were me I would request

1) A stool culture to identify if the problem is indeed related to an overgrowth and if so, of what, so that it can be adequately treated.

2) An upper GI with small bowel follow through. They should be able to see the whole area and assess if there is a structural issue.

3) A scope to assess for ulcers. And a prescription for a proton pump inhibitor to see if it helps.

4) Demand his assurances that he will follow through to find the problem and not blow you off after this visit. Surgeons often want to perform surgery but do not want to follow through after. Dr. Nizzi is a nice guy but I would still press the issue. He will make sure you get dealt with if he knows you are the squeaky wheel!


I hope you feel better and get some answers soon! Good Luck!

Marianne :)