An Update...

Hello my positive-minded friends.  I apologize to all of you for my absence.  I needed to tend to my health and frankly I felt like crap so i wasn't able to chat on OH.  My surgery went great and I was drinking lots of water in the hospital.  I came home and was doing fine but within one week it became increasingly difficult to eat or drink without vomiting.  Last Friday was so bad I could not sip water. 

I went to my surgeon's office and he did an upper endoscopy because he suspected a stricture.  He was correct and within an hour, I was drinking normally.  I was quite dehydrated so it took me until today before I started to shake the nausea, weakness, headaches...  For a while there though I was pretty scared about the prospects of living with my inability to eat or drink.  But, I'm back. 

For those of you that do not know about strictures, it is scar tissue that forms at the connection of your new stomach to your small intestine.  It is not a complication of the surgery, just some people heal differently.  Only 2.8% of my surgeon's patients form a stricture that requires widening.  The procedure is very simple.  They give you some sedatives, numb your throat, and stick a camera down your throat.  If they find a stricture, they inflate a balloon in the stricture to stretch it back out.  Most of the time they give you a drug called Versed which causes amnesia.  so, even though you are awake, you won't remember much.  the entire outpatient procedure is probably less than fifteen minutes.  As soon as it was over and I was alert, they handed me water and I was able to drink without any problems.  The repair is immediate.

Chris-

So glad to hear you are feeling better!

and thanks for explaining about strictures.... I was beginning to think I may have begun to develope one but for now it seems that it's just because I was drinking my water much too fast. I sip my shakes slowly... no problem... bu****er I still tended to gulp- then I'd feel tight... Well - we all have our learning issues.

That must have been scary though not really knowing what was going on! So-- you went back to the surgeon's for the endoscopy?  I thought you live HOURS away from there? Because I remember you saying that you stayed in a hotel for a week post surgery...

Well the main thing is that you are feeling better now...
NOW LISTEN UP--

STAY THAT WAY WILL YA? and that's an order!

You're right!  I live two hours from the surgeon.  When I called his office Friday morning he was in surgery but his office manager told me to come down.  when I arrived he was still in surgery so they called him in the operating room and he told them to admit me outpatient for the endoscopy.  I was admitted, prepped with an IV and waiting for him in less than one hour from my arrival in San Diego.  He came about fifteen minutes later, did the endoscopy, found the stricture and I was on my way.  It was great.  I thought for sure they were going to just admit me for IV fluids until it was convenient for him.  He really puts his patients first.  He even has us call him on the weekends to give him updates.

Hi Christopher,
So glad to hear you had your issue taken care of.  I too was weak and dehydrated for several days and I too felt like I was going to live that way for the rest of my life. lol  And I didnt' tell anyone because I am NOT one to complain.  Oh well, we are BOTH now on the road to weightloss!  Take it easy!

Take care,
Monica
on the border, by the sea...

Thanks Monica!

I know what you mean about complaining. That's why I didn't say anything until I could not even drink a teaspoon of water.

Oh for some reason I thought you were even farther away than that... maybe 5hours. at least you were close enough to get treatment right away.  Let me tell you after I saw that youtube video with your surgeon I was wishing I lived out there!

I even contacted the office and SUE encouraged me to come on out and have him do my surgery.  BUT- I just couldn't make that kind of a trip and not have some one CLOSE to deal with when/ if I ran into issues.

Glad you are doing so well now!

Wow you have been through alot.......glad Wittgrove is so GREAT to us patients...his team is number one for sure. I am also glad your feeling better, had no idea you weren't able to drink or  anything, but sounds like your on your way now.....can't wait to see you and Rachel at the retreat in Oct. uless your going to support in Sept. I bet your a BIG LOSER....LOL......take care.

Thanks Robin!

Tracy asked me why I delayed telling them but I thought it was normal until I could no longer drink.  I'm relieved it wasn't normal!  I feel so much better now.  I can eat soft foods, drink, etc. without any discomfort or problems.  Today I went out to lunch at El Torito for my mother-in-law's birthday.  I had a few bites of beans and guacamole and I felt good!

Now that our children start school on Tuesday I probably won't be at support in September but we will definately be at the retreat.

Hugs...

I guess it's always good to check with the dr. office when something doesn't feel right and not just with us on the board.....I got sick alot at first but I was still able to drink and eat.........who would of thought?? Glad you got to go out and feel human agian........take care.

EXACTLY!!!  There is actually a reason that we don't as a group often ask for help.  It happens for many reasons but Chris has taught us a very valuable lesson.  Men are very good at "somethings broken and I need to fix it".  Women...not so much.  We don't like to BOTHER anyone but that is your doctor's job.  I even talked about it on one of my shows on the Weight Loss Surgery Channel...I talked about someone will post on the board "My leg is falling off, what should I do???".  (kidding...a little)  CALL THE DOC!  This is truly a great example for all!
hugs, Y