OVERWHELMED

I had my DS in May and have lost 137lbs so far. GREAT...right? Wrong... my labs are a mess and I am nauseated or vomiting every day. My potassium was 2.9 Friday so I had to increase my dose and go back tomorrow for a re-draw. My folic acid, copper, thiamine, b12, b6 are all low and iron is high. I am unable to eat or drink because of the constant nausea and gagging and now just getting the pills down  is almost impossible. I am sitting here shaking, weak, nauseated with my chest squeezing and can barely lift my arms from weakness. I don't know how much more I can take. I had the surgery for a better quality of life and now I cannot cook or clean and care for my family like I used to. Has anyone had similar issues and if so, how did you get through it? The doctors (PCP, surgeon, nephrologist) just keep adding meds and drawing more blood and telling me to eat and drink. I KNOW I need to but I just can't. Prayer warriors and experienced ds'ers......HELP!

with weight loss, usually comes a resolution of comorbs, and better quality of life, you dont have the quality of life.  I am not sure who  your surgeon is but to be vomiting and nauseated everyday for 9 continuous months PO is not normal nor is it acceptable.  You cant eat and drink if you are vomiting and nauseated everyday you would also be dehydrated, which can make things worse.   What has been done to identify the root cause of the issue?  endoscopy?  UGI?  Of course you are weak and shaking, and how can you possibly take your supplements? hence deficiencies.  I am sorry but whoever is taking care of you PCP, surgeon, nephrologist is not doing a good job.  I would demand and expect better treatment.  hoping you feel better soon

Thanks for responding. I am 3.5hrs from my surgeon so my pcp is dealing mostly with my labs. He is the one that has sent me to nephrologist for low potassium levels. I may have mistyped... I AM nauseated every single day  but the vomiting is periodic. Twice this week (twice). I know that I am dehydrated, malnourished, and labs crazy and so I KNOW I am going to feel terrible but I just can't get any of them to understand that MORE medicine cannot be the answer right now. I KNOW the foods I should eat but almost CANNOT eat. It's easy to say eat and drink but even trying at times makes me gag. I am taking 3 calcium, 3 adek, biotin, 4 multi, 2 copper, 1 probiotic, 2 thiamine, 2 folic acid, and 40meq liquid potassium and 2 Zoloft and 1 zyrtec a day. My stomach can only hold 2-3 tbsp. of food still and all this medicine and the water it takes up toooo much space. Sorry for venting but I am getting concerned because of how my chest and breathing is sometimes. I see a cardiologist in 2 weeks. I didn't see this many drs before the surgery.

Don't apologize for "venting" vomiting and nasea are the pits especially for that long.  what have you tried for you nausea?  why are you nauseated so far out-everyday?  while I understand your PCP taking care of you, you need an intervention more than your PCP can give you.  You may have a mechanical issue.  You have to contact a DS surgeon, I flew to get my DS so 3.5 hrs is a short ride for me, and I would be in the car RIGHT NOW if the surgeon would see me.  What does the DS surgeon say?  you can only eat 2-3 tbsp?  that volume is quite shocking this far out-what does that surgeon say?  you do have a vsg?(ds)  not rny?   you should easily be able to eat 6-10 tbsp, you are way below acceptable limits.  The longer you go the longer your deficiencies will get.  You need to decide if it is bad enough yet to do something.  You are trying to treat your symptoms while your root cause remains unknown, this is a form of insanity and you will be running ragged.   Again 3.5 hr drive is nothing for me.  I do hope you feel better and ask more questions to your surgeon.

I just saw my ds surgeon 3 weeks ago and he is the one that changed up my meds. I don't mind the drive but honestly thought that maybe this was all "normal". I appreciate your reply because it makes me feel like like I have been right all along. I now know what needs to be done...starting with th dr tomorrow. Thanks so much.

Make sure you start taking thiamine ASAP because this is the main reason why you are vomiting.  If you dont it is not going to get better. I was hospitalized in April because a severe thiamine deficiency.  It can also cause nerve damage.  Do not neglect it! Trust me!

Thanks for responding. I am 3.5hrs from my surgeon so my pcp is dealing mostly with my labs. He is the one that has sent me to nephrologist for low potassium levels. I may have mistyped... I AM nauseated every single day  but the vomiting is periodic. Twice this week (twice). I know that I am dehydrated, malnourished, and labs crazy and so I KNOW I am going to feel terrible but I just can't get any of them to understand that MORE medicine cannot be the answer right now. I KNOW the foods I should eat but almost CANNOT eat. It's easy to say eat and drink but even trying at times makes me gag. I am taking 3 calcium, 3 adek, biotin, 4 multi, 2 copper, 1 probiotic, 2 thiamine, 2 folic acid, and 40meq liquid potassium and 2 Zoloft and 1 zyrtec a day. My stomach can only hold 2-3 tbsp. of food still and all this medicine and the water it takes up toooo much space. Sorry for venting but I am getting concerned because of how my chest and breathing is sometimes. I see a cardiologist in 2 weeks. I didn't see this many drs before the surgery.

I highly suggest making that 3.5 hour trip to your original surgeon.  You may have a stricture or blockage that needs repair surgically.  Your PCP can handle ordering your labs fine, but ONLY after you've ruled out physical problems.   Forget the ADEK vitamins, and get them seperately in mega doses or dry formulation (Amazon or Vitalady).  There are also vitamin patches now that will absorb through the skin instead of digestion. 

I agree. Thank you for responding and I will DEFINITELY be checking into the vitamin patches!

I will call my ds surgeon tomorrow. Thanks.

Valerie,

Where do you get those vitamin patches?  I had surgery on the 16th but had a leak which led to another surgery the next day, 5 days in ICU and another week in the med/surg unit.  I have got to get back to work and to be honest, I have been just working on getting down enough protein to be able to sit in my office all day.  I am so overwhelmed by all that has happened that vitamins are a little further down the list (I know they shouldn't be) but patches would help sooooo much.

And with the nausea, I know that it is an endless circle with dehydration.  You feel sick so you don't drink and then the dehydration makes you even more nauseous.  I haven't had this issue with my DS surgery but did after my gall bladder surgery and my PCP sent me to an infusion center (it is just a place where people go when they need IV drugs like long term antibiotics) and they put me in this comfortable chair, started an IV and ran 2 or 3 bags of fluids.  It was amazing how much better I felt before the first bag was finished.  It wasn't a miracle but it put me back on top enough that the nausea meds were working and I could start eating and drinking.  And the nurse told me a hint too.  I know we aren't supposed to have sugar but she told me that sips of regular old make it yourself Kool Aid (I like mine icy cold but I really think room temp might be easier on your stomach) would help and it did.  I don't know about anyone else but weight loss is about my lowest priority now.  I just want to get back to being halfway human so if a sugared drink helps, then I am going to drink it.