Question:
IMPORTANT! Has anyone post op ever had VERTIGO OR BRAIN SHRINKAGE (POST OP)??
This is very IMPORTANT that I find an answer. I have had VERTIGO since 15 days post op. I still have it at 10 wks post op and am being treated for it. My neurologist thinks it might be related to electrolite imbalances post op from a huge nutrition change. ALSO; while testing for the vertigo, I was given a brain scan (MRI). It was found that there were no causes found for vertigo in the scan. BUT my MRI WAS ABNORMAL in that my brain has had shrinkage. It is not the size of others in my age range. Normally the brain does not begin to shrink til about 65 or 70. The neurologist has no answer as to why this has happened. He is going to research gastric bypass surgery and brain shrinkage. He says that sometimes poor nutrition can contribute to this condition. He asked me to find out from my surgeon if others have had this happen post op. They said NO. I am the only one. I know there is probably no research out there on brain shrinkage related to wls. Even if post op's had it, they might not know unless they got a brain scan as I did to test for the vertigo. This is very important. I need some answers. We all need some answers, especially if there is even a slight chance that poor nutrition/ wls might possibly be related to this problem!! PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO ON EITHER THE BRAIN SHRINKAGE OR VERTIGO POST OP, let me know. If anyone wants to research it on the internet, please let me know what you find out. I dont mean to scare anyone, but there is a slight potential that this finding might impact us all if this is true. — kathy S. (posted on September 30, 2000)
September 30, 2000
Kathy, it may be a case that the WLS triggered symptoms for a pre-existing
neurological condition of which you were unaware. The reason I say this is
because my father has been diagnosed with Binswanger's disease and
periventricular leukoencephaly. The first symptoms that were definitively
seen as something abnormal for Dad were balance issues. These showed up as
he was retiring and moving t a new home and beginning to care for my
grandfather. It seems that his symptoms worsen when he is stressed. Both
these diseases can be present for some time before they become symptomatic.
Binswanger's disease is usually related to hypertension especially
hypertension that is undiagnosed or difficult to control with medication.
Your neurologist should see dark patches in your MRI in the deep cortical
tissues of the cebellum if this is what you are dealing with.
The nutritional angle maybe possible, but it seems unlikely that we
wouldn't have heard about this before in this place
where there are so many people with the same nutritional experience. Also,
it would seem that this might have shown up in all those Optifast survivors
out there.
You will be in my prayers.
— Nanette T.
September 30, 2000
In answer to the first post about this question: I AM AN OPTIFAST
"SURVIVOR.." I lost 200 lbs on Optifast Program. I kept 3/4 of
it
off for 17 yrs. So, I have little negative to say about Optifast. If this
"condition" was going to be precipitated by something like that,
don't you
think I would have had it then, as I was on it for an entire year? Also, I
have
no hypertension at all and never have had. So, that illiminates that, too,
I think.
My neurologist is very good and if he had any idea as to what might have
caused this,
he'd have told me. The main thing he focused on when we talked was WLS,
nutrition and
POSSIBLE brain shrinkage. He is going to research it further but I doubt
that there is any
data out there on it. After all, why would a post op have a brain scan? So,
that would mean
even if there was a relationship between the 2 (which I hope NOT) it
wouldn't be known unless
the post op had a reason to get an MRI on their brain. Thanks for the
input, anyways. I would just
like to find the answer to this puzzle.
— kathy S.
September 30, 2000
Kathy: Did you have an MRI pre-op? How do you know that the changes in
your brain have occured post-op? Perhaps it is coincidental to your WLS,
rather than as a result of it.
— Jaye C.
September 30, 2000
This is a different subject, of course, but - I had a very painful, but
very short attack of gout in my right foot (big toe area underneath) at 5
& 1/2 mo. post op. I'd never experienced that before either. I did
research on the internet and found that it can be contributed in certain
cases with 'rapid weight loss.' Now, I've never heard anyone else mention
this either and I searched this website (AMOS) and only found that one
other person had every asked a question about it. I wonder what else we
don't know about. Best wishes on your brain shrinkage.
— Cindy H.
September 30, 2000
Dear Kathy,
I am so sorry to hear about your condition. No, I have never heard about
it, but if you send me the medical term for this problem I will go through
my medical books and see what I can find. (I am a former nurse.)
Meanwhile, my prayers are with you. I know that the last thing you need is
to have this after going through surgery and all the other drastic changes.
My best wishes go out to you as I am sure this is very frightening.
Please let me know the term if you have it.
Peggy Gooday
— Peggy G.
September 30, 2000
When you say "Brain Shrinkage" , are you talking about a thiamine
deficiency called WERNICKE'S SYNDROME? This will cause encepholopathy to
occur. Do a search on the web for WERNICKE'S SYNDROME.I don't know if this
will help you or not. Good luck and God bless.
— Rose A.
August 5, 2003
Hello Kathy,
I am somewhat in the same boat. 2 days after leaving the hospital after
wls, I developed a severe case of vertigo on July 6th the next day after
that I was readmited to the hospital for dehydration and the vertigo. I
did see a Nuerologist who prescribed Adavan (Valume)to calm down the inner
ear. It did stop the room from spinning 80 miles an hour. the Nuerologist
also insisted that it should only last 3 days at the most. Here I am a
month later I need assistance walking outside. if I stand up to long I
feel as if I am going to pass out from being so dizzy. EVERY SINGLE
MORNING I wake up either throwing up or the feeling like I have too. I am
suppose to be taking in a minimum of 24oz of Protein and 64oz. of liquids,
I am lucky if 16oz of liquid stays down for the whole day. I have been
back to the hospital twice to be rehydrated and fear that I will be going
back in another day or so. as soon as I start walking around I get very
nauseous and my stomache starts turning. I have been to see a different
Nuerologist who have sent me through a bunch of tests including an MRI. I
have one more test in about a week and hopefully he will have an answer and
a cure for the Vertigo. I don't know how much longer I can go like this. I
am starting to wonder if it was worth it.
— Prez M.
October 20, 2004
My husband is 6 months post op and has had vertigo for the last 2 weeks.
All blood work has came back fine and MRI is fine. Talked to the surgeon
and they do not know what is the problem either. Have yet to see a
nuerologist but was wondering if any of you have discovered the cause to
the vertigo. I am hoping one of you can point us in the right direction.
Thank you,
— Brian S.
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