OVERWHELMED

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.

If your potassium is 2.9, why didn't they give you IV?? Now wonder your chest hurts, if I were you I would either go to the ER or demand some IV therapy. You can't catch up orally if your miserable. I pray you get the help you need.

I told nephrologist about chest tightness and squeezing. potassium was 3.4 the week before and he said I was on the right track. They drew more blood and called the next day and said it was 2.9 and to add 20meq liq. potassium to make dose of 4o and to come tomorrow.  I will have to do something because there are times I am too dizzy and weak to drive safely. I hope they can find a solution because the pills are too big and EAT MY STOMACH UP and the liquid is horrible too.

Valerie made a great suggestion about the vitamin patches. I hope you will follow-up on that. I would like to suggest that if you are malnourished and unable to take enough protein and other food orally that you may need a course if IV nutrition. This could be ordered by your pcp locally, or by the nephrologist, or your surgeon. Depending on your nutritional status, it could be done either through a peripheral vein (if you can supplement with some oral nutrition) or through a central vein (called TPN, which stands for total parenteral nutrition). This would be intended as a short term measure to get you back to healthy protein and vitamin levels (vitamins can also be given IV along with the nutrition) and feeling stronger.

    Also, if this hasn't been done already, an assessment of your sleeve is in order. This can be done either via upper endoscopy or upper GI x-ways. It's possible that you could have a stricture or other problem that is preventing you from eating. This might be something that can be fixed during endoscopy, or it might need surgery. Of maybe nothing would be found, but you don't know if you don't look.

It is difficult to be assertive and advocate for your medical care when you feel like crap, but you really need to do this. If possible, have someone with you who can push for the work-up and care that you need. There is no reason for you to suffer like this.

Larra

You need to find a doctor who will address the deficiencies and malnutrition first and foremost.  I'm surprised your doctor hasn't sent you to an endocrinologist at the very  least.

I'm no doctor, but at this point with you being so malnourished, I would put you on TPN (total parenteral nutrition****il you are stabilized, and then slowly begin re-feeding with soft foodsby mouth., increasing in density and consistency until you are back on solid food again.

I don't know where to send you, but perhaps some other vets on this board know who of the vetted doctors we have might be able to help.

If you are seeing a nephrologist, unless you had a kidney condition prior to the DS surgery, I'm guessing that you have some degree of kidney failure going on.  That is *not* a good sign, and it is definitely NOT a normal part of recovery from DS surgery!

I'm ho[ping someone else can chime in here with some suggestions!

Get a new doctor. Something is wrong.

Low Potassium is very dangerous, but I also know the pills are large and liquid potassium tastes horrible. (I was on potassium when I had surgery.) One of the best sources of dietary potassium is low sodium V-8 juice. I drink it and spice it up bloody mary style. Even if you don't do that you can add salt back into it. The regular version doesn't have as much potassium. Just a suggestion... Good Luck!