Question:
Vitamins

Hi all...this isn't a quesiton but a message. Please listen to your doctors, take your vitamins and eat right. My aunt had gastric bypass 7 years ago and she has never done what she was supposed to. In her defense, they've come along way with this surgery but back when she had it, they didn't teach you the do's and don'ts like they do now. She's never taken vitamins and never worried about protein. Then some time ago, she started purging after she ate because the things that she ate (all the wrong things) didn't agree with her and she didn't feel good so she would stick her finger down her throat and throw it back up. Therefore she was getting NO nutritional value from anything. Well, long story short, she's been in the hospital since the beginning of Nov. It finally all caught up with her. She was in ICU for two weeks and almost died two times. Once they even called the Priest in. She had developed tears in her bowels and it all seeped into her abdomen and she was full of infection. They did emergency surgery two different times and they feared that she wouldn't make it through either surgery. She had ZERO nutritional value in her body. nothing!! The Doctor said that it was like trying to drive a car with no gas. She didn't have enough in her to fight infections or to heal wounds so it was touch and go for a while. She now has a colostomy bag and a feeding tube that goes into her old stomach. They were hoping that by going into the old stomach, her body would start to absorb the nutrients that they were pumping in through the feeding tube and it worked. :) She is doing soo much better but she has a long recovery a head of her. She comes home tomorrow but she will be home-bound for the next 10 months. We don't know how long she will have the colostomy bag or how long she will be on a feeding tube but she went from 93 lbs to 118 so we are all thrilled about that. She was smoking 4 packs of cigarettes a day and drinking 3 to 4 pots of coffee so they have her on the patch for the smoking and hopefully once she gets home she will do all that she is supposed to do to get well again. She's a miracle because she was knocking on deaths door. At one point she was on a ventilator because her lungs just weren't strong enough to breath for her and that was really hard to see. They had to keep her sedated because its so uncomfortable so for a week she didn't even know we were there. She's been a sick lady. And as much as I've hated seeing her like that, I needed to see what my future could be like if I don't do what I am supposed to do. The doctors told us that they can only do so much for us but we have to help too by doing the right things. Hopefully she will take this as a wake up call and realize she has a second change.    — Mary G. (posted on December 1, 2008)

November 30, 2008
HELLO MARY, I WILL KEEP YOUR AUNT IN MY PRAYERS. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST, AS IT MIGHT HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT UP TODATE WITH THE SURGERY THESE DAYS. MY SISTER HAD WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS RNY, BUT WAS JUST BARIATRIC, 3 YEARS AGO, AND HER DR. SAID SHE COULD EAT ANYTHING, AND SAID SHE ONLY NEEDED HER VITIMINS FOR 9 MONTHS. WELL SHE LOST 120, BUT NOTHING ELSE. IN AUG. 08 SHE BECAME SICK, HAS HAD A BLOOD TRANSFUSION 2 TIMES, AND NOW SHE KNOWS SHE IS LEAKING FROM 1 STOMACH TO THE OTHER. SHE IS GOING TO HAVE THE UP TODATE RNY VERY SOON. SO WITH YOUR POST, MAYBE OTHERS HERE WILL KNOW THAT IF WHAT THERE DR. HAS TOLD THEM DOES NOT FIT WITH WHAT THEY READ ON HERE, THEN THEY WILL KNOW TO SEEK ADVICE FUTHER. GOD BLESS
   — daizi55

December 1, 2008
If if that isn't a wake up call, I don't know what else would be! Thanks for posting this! I hope your aunts story will confirm the importance of following rules/eat right and taking vits and getting labs yearly! ETC! I am so glad that with all she's been thru that she still has her life and a chance too! I wish her all the love and best wishes to become healthy again...Big hugs to you too for posting this sad and difficult story of your loved one! Here's hoping for a really happy ending...
   — .Anita R.

December 1, 2008
Thank you for this post. I too had this surgery long ago when they knew a lot less about it. I am 197 today down from almost 500 pounds. Your aunt got bad advice and sounds like continued her bad habits. One thing is for sure; only you can care enough about yourself to do what is necessary to be healthy. I used to smoke and drink and do neither now. And as in everything we attempt to do; we need God's help with it. That is how I overcame the temptation to think and feel that surgery is a quick fix for a lean body. I know it isn't. My body has been through a lot. 5 kids. Two severe accidents. Right now even though it isn't easy, I eat healthy, mainly to get rid of my diabetes type 2, never had a problem with that when I was closer to normal weight, and I also workout at least 2 hours or more a day. Even if it is just a walk several times a day. I also swim. I do plan shortly to get a bike. And if we replace those food binges with exercise and hobbies and other enjoyable things then we have truly accomplished something wonderful. A healthy new you. I have your aunt and you in my prayers and hope your family supports her through this very difficult time. God Bless You and Yours. vinnigirl
   — vinnigirl

December 1, 2008
Mary, I cannot thank you enough, bot does that scare the heck out of me, I just had surgery on 11/12 and needed to hear this, I hope and pray that your aunt is on the right track Donna from PA
   — Anglesea

December 1, 2008
Hi everyone and thank you for your prayers and well wishes. We are blessed that is for sure. And on a happy note...as of today, I've lost 100 lbs!!! Woo-hoo!!!!
   — Mary G.

December 1, 2008
Thank you so much for your post. I didn't realize until I finished reading it that I had been holding my breath the whole time. I had RNY almost a year ago with a 100 lb weight loss. I'm now at 154 lbs and have been playing russian roullette with my health (again) here lately. Basically testing fate. Thanks for sharing. I needed to hear it.
   — Breathin4him

December 1, 2008
This is a very good but painful reminder to all of us to do what we are supposed to do for health for the long run, not just to get skinny NOW. I say it all of the time, just because some people are thin, that doesn't necessarily mean they are healthy. Let's all make a commitment to take our vitamins and be the best and healthy WLS patients we can be. Best of luck to you and yours, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

December 1, 2008
thanks for the info and sorry to hear about your aunt. Hope she gets better every day! It def makes you think twice about skipping your vitamins etc. I never get all my pills everyday..I will make the exttra effort now. Hugs to you and prayers too!! Kim
   — gpcmist