Question:
Stomach flu

I am just wondering if you have RNY and then you get a virus or something that makes you throw up does it come back up into the sleeping stomach or does it just come up your pouch or what?    — MARSHA D. (posted on July 9, 2001)

July 9, 2001
Marsha, I'm preop and don't know the answer to this, I just wanted to say this was a great question! I hadn't even thought about this. Hope you get an answer soon so I can read it too:)
   — Becky K.

July 9, 2001
Wonderful question--I'm still learning about wls, but this was a question I'm curious about too.
   — [Anonymous]

July 9, 2001
Hi, I just had a bout with this recently so it is still fresh in my head. I got a 24 hour stomach flu. I started with diarrhea and took an Immodium. Shortly afterwards I was hit with stomach cramps that had me doubled over, then I got a very cold tingling sensation in my shoulders and head and became very nauseated. I put a bucket under my head because I knew what was going happen next. Sure enough I started dry heaving but there was nothing to come up! I had several bouts of this and nothing ever came up but the heaving would relieve the nausea and pain and I would break into a cold sweat. I still felt the relief you feel immediately after throwing up even though nothing actually came up. It was a very weird experience. I don't think I will ever be able to throw up from the big stomach because it is connected to the intestine farther down. When I had my VBG I could get a little up but not much, with my RNY I can get nothing up. One thing I learned from this, next time I get the flu, I will NOT take Immodium because it appears that the diarrhea will be the only way my body can rid itself of the flu. BTW, I know it was the flu because I gave it to my mom and step-dad. Hope this helped to answer your question. I'm curious to see what others might have to say.
   — Kellye C.

July 9, 2001
I came down with a NASTY stomach flu the day after Christmas last year and at that point I was just a little over 5 months post-op. Let me assure you........you can still vomit after open RNY! I did nothing but that for 3 days and ended up in the ER twice with dehydration and needing pain meds because it hurt so bad. Every sip of water came right back up with a vengance. The only difference in that and in the past is the amount that comes up because there isn't much in there in the first place. I have only been sick one other time since then that I threw up and then it was only once and it was over. You can only throw up what goes in your pouch because the other part of the stomach doesn't get any thing that you eat or drink in it.
   — livnliter