Abdo Pain Update
Hey Vanessa, you get an Honorary Degree from me.....!! I have to say this is pretty scarey......I can't imagine going through it alone, knowing there are other people who have experienced it REALLY helps. I AM A MAJOR BABY when it comes to pain. I'm rarely ill - and was back in class a couple of weeks after WLS - tube and all, but this thing has kicked my butt - and I wonder if I'm EVER going to feel 'normal' again. Gaynor
Wow, I am starting to see that bowel obstructions are more common than what I had thought. I had emergency exploritory surgery the end of November and it was pure he... My intestines were twisted, and the blood supply was being cut off. They ended up cutting out 6" of my intestines out. Prior to going home we had asked if they needed to put a drain in me and give me antibiotics, I had gotten the answe, nope, you'll be fine. The first time I was in for 8 days, went home and kept haveing high fevers. I had called several times and they informed me that they were not worried. Finally about 2 weeks later I called with a fever of 102.3. They finally told me to come back to the hospital because I probably had an infection. Low and behold, they put a drain in me and gave me kicking antibiotics and I was in the hospital for the next 5 days. I had finally gotten back to work when next thing you know, I had excruciaing pain and ended back in the hospital for another 5 days; they diagonosed me with pancreatitis. I am back at work now but there are times when I still have quite a bit of pain. And talk about constipation, (sorry) I'm taking 5 stool softners a day, tried Miralax but broke out in a rash from it. I am at my wits end. Does anyone have a remedy to get and stay regular without using products that promote gas? I had tried fiber con tablets but all they seem to do is make me bloated. Sorry to go on . Any help would be appricated. Thank you Marie
Oh Wow Marie,
I'm sooo sorry you have had to go through that - and here I am "depressed" cos I've had a second admission.........!! I'll be looking out for the responses to your letter as I am having trouble being 'regular' - despite MOM and stool softeners (Activa was working wonderfully BEFORE surgery.....). Wishing you well and waiting for the "answer" with you......:)
Gaynor
Marie, It's a lot more common than thought -- plainly because people don't like to talk about it. I think partially it's the "bowel" and we're not over the stigma of "oh gross, we can't talk about THAT!" Why does Katie Couric have to go on a "have a colonoscopy" campaign in the 1990s? We're not over it yet. As WLS patients, I suspect the stigma is carried over farther because we're rearranged our anatomies -- face it -- we were "warned" by at least someone, somewhere and now to say this -- Perhaps we fear, "AH HA! TOLD YOU SO!" I do NOT tell my aunt (closest/favorite aunt who happens to be a nurse) anything and BEG my mother not to tell her anything (though I doubt my mother can keep her mouth shut) because she's convinced that EVERYTHING that happens to me physically now is considered a WLS complication. In reality, it is even if it isn't. Now that we've had surgery anything abodminally related will be classified in the medical community as a "complication" from WLS. I had abdominal illness for 23 years prior to my WLS. I'd had ADHESIONS prior to ANY abominal surgery and had already been told that I'd have them again. It was actually shocking that I was adhesion free when I had my WLS. So for me to have adhesions now -- well -- is it a direct result of my WLS or is that I was going to have them again anyway? Let me get off my soapbox! The ONLY thing that has helped for me as far as constipation since these three surgeries and the impaction is BENEFIBER and the Senokat and Miralax. I do NOT use the laxative products all the time. IF I take care of the BENEFIBER part, it keeps me regular. I do use it more than most adults, I suppose. As you read the directions, I assume that I'm getting ZERO fiber from any foods and I take it 2-3 times per day. I was surprised that it really works. I'm getting very good (even while still on the morphine patch) at knowing when I need to start being careful because constipation is beginning and I give an extra umph to my system before it gets bad. Since all the trauma simple constipation can be quite painful. I shudder to think what it would REALLY feel like if I were not in Pain Management. Now, I face my next step of getting the MRI results this week on my lumbar and cervical spine. I'm losing the usage of my right hand and my left foot and leg and sometimes have complete paralysis. Awesome, huh? *shaking head* Sometimes I wonder................
I have two sides to my brain - a right side and a left side. The trouble is sometimes there is nothing left in the right side and nothing right in the left side.
Post-Op RNY 6.5 years
HW 252 GW 140 CW 140
Vanessa, You are soooooo right about that "I told you so.........." look. I see it in my PhD cousin *****fused to even visit me in hospital when I had it - and lost all her weight by "research and disciplined eating/exercise........:). Though she's mellowed out somewhat, I SEE IT in the slightly compressed lips......!! Thanks for the "bowel care" info - I'm going to the pharmacy tomorrow and check out the Benefiber and Senekot. You also get a second HONORARY DEGREE from me, for tenacity and fortitude for all you've been through and still going through.
Sometimes I wonder too.....................
Gaynor
