Question:
I know this is my second time to post this question ~

But I didn't get a response the first time...please help, if you can. I am wondering how I would know I had a rupture in my staple line or not. I am 5-weeks out tomorrow from my surgery and two times last week, I threw up. I have been hungrier than normal and from reading different posts & whatnot on here, I'm scared I might have done some damage inside. How would I be able to tell if there is a problem or not? Is my head doing flip/flop games on me? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)    — Lisa J. (posted on May 13, 2002)

May 13, 2002
I wouldn't say that throwing up two times would be a sign of staple line disruption. As you get further out, you are able to eat more and you get hungry more than from what you are used to eating (like after surgery). You probably just ate too much. I'd think a staple line disruption would cause you to throw up everytime you ate, not just twice last week. Maybe you'll get some more good advice on this post. I'm 4 weeks post-op and just NOW can eat 4 oz of soft foods. Good luck.
   — Tina P.

May 13, 2002
Was your stomach transected or just stapled? How much is "too much"? Presumably at 4 weks, you can do 2 oz of food every few hours? Do you feel any acid/burning in the pouch or esophagus?
   — vitalady

May 13, 2002
Hi, I am 7 months out, and I too get a little hungrier at times and eat more. But usually there are triggers, like that time of the month, strenous work or exercise, or something like that. Take a pencil and paper and write down what you are doing throughout the day and see when you are eating more and then maybe you can figure out if it is stress, I would say with a staple line failure you would feel an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach? Of course that is just an opinion, I have never had that happen. If you really feel uncomfortable about it, I would call my doctor. Tell them your fears and let them make the call on it. Good luck and god bless. Open Rny, 10/4/01 -93 lbs and counting. BTC of Columbus Ohio. Thanks Dr. Christopher Kaczmarski!!!!!!!
   — TONYA B.

May 14, 2002
Sometimes the only sign of a staple line disruption is the ability to eat more than normal. Now, this can be rather confusing because as we adjust to our new tummies, we are gradually able to eat more over time than as a new post-op. However, if you feel you can eat significantly more than you should be able to and you have stopped losing for over a month or 2 within the first 6 months, first make sure your stomach has NOT been transected, and if not, you may want to have an upper GI to see if the staple line is intact. If you are past 6 months, long plateaus can happen, and it doesn't necessarily mean you have an SLD. BTW, you normally won't feel pain and won't be constantly throwing up if you do have a SLD. Rather, the pouch contents will leak into the larger old stomach, allowing greater absorption and food volume or, as in Michelle's (Vitalady's) case, a return of acid reflux. Is that right Michelle? I had no symptoms other than the ability to eat a lot more, causing weight gain. I have since had my stomach transected, lost the weight I gained plus, and am doing just fine.
   — Leslie F.