My whole long story!! Any thoughts appreciated.

I had revision surgery from lap-band to vertical sleeve gastrectomy on 4/29/13. The pain after surgery was much worse than I expected, and the first week I was not up much. Not did I eat or drink much. However, by a week out, my hubby had surgery and I was with this the hospital and tolerating liquids, pudding and crushed meds. I didn't really seem to be having Ny trouble. By 5/8/13 my hubby was home & doing great, but I was still very weak and tired. All that day I had seemed to have more trouble drinking and told my hubby it felt like my band was back. That evening I was trying to take my meds crushed in some applesauce, as I had in the days before, but it felt so different. It felt "stuck" like food did with the band. It was so uncomfortable that I finally assisted myself in throwing up. I did get some relief, but that night started a downhill spiral.

The next day, I called the docs office and told them what happened. The nurse said to go back to liquids until the next day and call back. Friday morning, I was still having issues. I called the office back and was told to stay on clears all weekend. So, I did until Sunday night and then I rebelled and tried some sweet potato. It was literally bites the size of 1/2 of a baby spoon, but I regretted it! Monday I went back to work and was miserable. I went to my car at lunch time & reclined with an ice pack on my chest because it all felt so swollen. Tuesday am I tried to start with some warm tea, but that came back up as did the water I tried to drink. I was already scheduled for doc appointment, but moved it up due to the increased difficulty with water. The doctor admitted me to the hospital from his office.

Once admitted I was NPO until after they did a swallow test under fleuro. That showed very slow movement of fluid from esophagus to stomach. It took 34 minutes to pass 30cc of liquid. The doctor felt it was just excessive swelling and put me on IV steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs. So, I slowly started adding clear liquids and tolerated well. I was discharged home with orders to continue clears for 2 weeks, crush meds. So when I got home Thursday I sipped on some SF Kool-Aid and water & had part of a popsicle. I tried using a camelbak to control intake, but apparently I am not coordinated enough. For dinner, my hubby had stopped and gotten some chicken soup and strained it for me. It was a little thicker than plain broth, but still had nothing in it. So, I ate 3-4 oz. and began to feel overly full.... So I stopped. I went to bed 2 hours later but spent much if the night refluxing and coughing. Friday morning I felt like I could start again with ice chips/water, but I went slow - drinking from a medicine cup. I was still having some reflux and deficient to take the inside of a Prilosec (per md orders at previous d/c). Throughout the day I continued to feel more and more pressure, mostly in my left shoulder blade and left chest. I called my doctor who was able to schedule an EGD for Sat morning. About 6pm, I finally started throwing up, what looked to be, the broth from the night before and the Prilosec from the morning. The burning in my chest was unreal & the pain was as bad or worse than a gallbladder attack. When I thought it was starting to ease, it would flair up again. So, I called my doctor and he said go to the ER.

The ER gave me pain meds, took blood, etc, and finally just admitted me since I had a procedure (EGD) scheduled anyway. So, Saturday am I had the first of 2 EGDs. They did a very conservative 15mm dilation. I was told I could go back to clear liquids no see how it went. With any oral intake the left shoulder pain would flair up to the point I would writhe in pain until I was able to throw up. Once I threw up, the pain would subside. Uncertain what was causing the pain, my doc thought it may be pancreatitis - so they did a CT scan. It was negative. Issues continued. They decided to do mother EGD to dilate more. Issues continued. They started me on TPN (IV nutrition). I was concerned there might be a small leak they were missing, so they did another CT to check for a leak but it was negative.

So 2 fleruos (swallow tests), 2 CT scans, and 2 EGDs later there seems to be no leak & no explanation of what is going on. All they are able to tell me is that my stomach (not esophagus) has slow motility. The plan at this point is to discharge me from the hospital on the TPN with only clear liquids by mouth and wait. They hope that with some rest, my stomach will be able to get better.

Any ideas or encouragement greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!!
Tonya

Also posted on VSG board.

I'm so sorry you are having such a rough time. I really think if they can get the swelling down things will improve drastically. I have a similar issue with my lungs they get inflammed and it feels like a buffalo sitting on my chest  and can't pull in a good deep breathe. Eventually after enough prednisone they settle down and I can breathe again and it doesn't take much swelling to really mess me up. All I can say is I'm praying for you and for a speedy recovery!!!

I'm so sorry you have to go thru all of this. Hopefully these procedures have taken care of your issues and now you just need time to heal from them. You have already been thru so much I'm sure it feels like it will never go away. You will be in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Sharon

It seems that a lot of people that have the revision in one surgery have a harder time.  Stick with the fluids on and NO rebelling.  Let your stomach rest and heal as much as it needs to.

Big hug.

I can't rebel, even if I wanted to.... too much negative reinforcement!!!  I am definitely a Pavlov Dog now!!  I can barely do the liquids!   I know you have been really active here for a while - does it seem this gets better on it's own with tummy rest? 

My surgeon does the surgery in two parts so our tummies can heal from the band before revision.  Some on here have told of problems for as long as 2 months.  I know I was able to eat too much the first two months and had to tell myself to measure out. After 2 moths, my nerves must have healed some as then I started feeling full on the measured amounts.

It does get better.  You went thru a lot and It will just take longer.  Have you had any more test to see if all is still well?

Well, all those tests - CT, barium, EGDs were just in the past 5 days so I can only assume everything looks ok.  They have found no reason other than my lack of nutrition after surgery not letting me heal.  They hope this TPN will help!  I am just *SO* discouraged because I cannot even take a Gas X tongue strip or a TUMS (to try to stop the burning) .  When the saliva with the med****s my tummy it comes back up. I think I am just going to have to be completely NPO for a few days again to get over this hump!!  I really hope so!  I cannot even say how much I regret this!!

WOW didn't realize they were all in the last 5 days.  Big hug hope you get feeling better soon.

I just wanted to check in with you and see how this last week has been.  I sure hope it has gotten a little better for you, and that you have turned the corner.

Thanks for asking about me!  I am feeling better!  I am off the TPN and doing full liquids.  I went back to work today.  My endurance is low, but it will get better.  

Tonya!