Sharing my RNY 2007/Duodenal Ulcer repair with duodenal perforation

Original RNY was done in August 2007, experienced some complications along the way, gall bladder needed removed, internal hernia repaired, and a second internal hernia repair as an emergency surgery, husband has said numerous times due to the complications, he wished I had never gotten the RNY.  I still cannot say that I have regrets.  I did not reach goal weight, but I did lose 115 pounds and maintained it, 40 pounds more and I would have reached goal.

Most recent complication and by far the worse;  Duodenal Ulcer with a separate area in the unused duodenum that perforated while the endoscopy that found the ulcer was being completed.

Hind sight is always 20/20, and this is no different.  Approximately 12 months ago, I started experiencing nausea while eating foods I had never had issues with, kinda thought that perhaps I didn't chew well enough, eating too fast, ect.  This happened from time to time with different foods.  Since February 2015, it became daily, with almost everything I tried to eat, abdominal pain right below the sternum area.  I was eating very little food because it made me sick and hurt, often throwing up.  On 7/9/15, I had the worst sudden onset of pain in my abdomen that wouldn't ease.  I went to my local ER....an entire nightmare post of its own, after being there 5 hours, Labs, CT scan with IV contrast, I arrived with no bowel sounds, pain of 10/10, I left with no bowel sounds, pain 10/10 and a diagnosis of a stomach virus.

7/10/15 @ 4:30 am, I was in excruciating pain, this time, I woke my husband and said we are going to St. Vincent's NOW.  After a painful 90 minute drive, by 8 am, I was prepping for a second CT Scan with oral contrast, 9:30 am I was being prepped for an Endoscopy to see the ulcer discovered on the CT scan, as I was waking from the "twilight anesthesia," I apparently was screaming with uncontrollable pain, my bariatric surgeon told my husband that I had to have a perforation somewhere, she just didn't know where unless she did a laproscopic search, he signed off on it.  7/10/15 at 6:30 pm, I was waking in recovery and was told my ulcer was repaired, but that I had a perforation in the bypassed duodenum, that occurred as the pressure changed in the abdomen during the endoscopy.

I will continue with a second post...

Yikes,

I am sorry that you are having to go through all of this. I am praying for you and your husband.

izzi

Thank you izzi.