Question:
Pancreatious or Leakage?
My friend just had WLS RNY she had a revision, 4 years ago she had VGB. She got out of surgery a few days ago. The surgeon said there was a leak and that he fixed it. The next morning he tested to see if there was a leak again. There was no leak. Well after she go back from the testing she was able to drink water. After drinking water she started throwing up old blood from her intestines. Well the doc said that was normal sometimes. Well she has been throwing up for 36 hours post op on anything she drinks. The has high blood pressure (first time) and high white blood cell count, no fever, intense pain on the right side of belly. The doc says its pacreatitous or a leakage. He is going to open her up again and she what is going on. Has this happen to anyone else? He said a person can get pancreatitous from surgery has this happen to anyone. Please email me at [email protected] — [Deactivated Member] (posted on February 26, 2005)
February 26, 2005
Pancreatitis is most commonly caused by gallstones lodged in pancreatic
ducts or by alcohol abuse. Pancreatitis can also be caused by certain
medications (acetaminophen, sulfonamides, or thiazide and furosemide
diuretics, for instance); by a severe injury to the abdomen, such as a blow
or surgery; by viral infections like mumps or hepatitis; or by genetic
abnormalities in pancreatic ducts. Pancreatitis may also signal the need
for surgery, i.e. gallbladder surgery.
— SnowWhiteDove459
February 26, 2005
Pancreatitis like the other poster said is caused from gall stones being
lodged (probably for an extended period of time) in the bile ducts. I had
it from letting a gall bladder problem go too long (1 & 1/2 years!!).
It is a very serious condition and your friend needs to let the doctor go
back in and have a look see. I am a walking example of a doctor doing that,
I ended up in the hospital for 117 days with pancreatitis and other serious
complications with a 6 week ICU stay. I almost died because I did not go to
a doctor for the gall bladder. I am not saying that your friend let
anything go, just saying that she needs to let the doctor do what he needs
to do with going back in. I have only 1/4 of my pancreas because it
liquified with the infection, but you can live with only that little
pancreas without being on insulin. This all happened to me in 1991. ps, the
throwing up of the old blood is common, that does not mean that she has a
leak. A person can develope pancreatitis at any point of their life and yes
it can be caused from her surgery.
— ChristineB
February 26, 2005
pancreatis can happen to anyone at anytime . It is an inflammation of the
pancreas. i was hospitalized thirty years ago for it and have had it
several times since not connected with my gallbladder or wls. A man in my
church nearly died from it a few years ago. Was in the hospital for over a
month and was on home antibotics for four months afterward. It can be very
serious. I am a registered nurse and I have never seen it happen because
of stones lodged in the bile duct. That is not to say it won't . I just
have never seen it. Just wanted to FYI, that even those people who have
healthy gallbladders or No gallbladders can still get pancreatis,. it is
caused from a variety of reasons. i hope your friend gets this taken care
of. seems like the doctor is dropping the ball on this one.
— Delores S.
February 26, 2005
To further clarify, straight out of the medical dictionary : Pancreatitis
id due to autodigestion of pancreatic tissue by it's own enzynes. ACUTE
pancreatitis can arise from a variety of etiologic factors but in most
cases is unknown. In some casaes chronic alcolholism or toxicity from
other agents such as glucocorticoids,thiazide diuretics or actaminophen,
can bring on an attack of pancreatitis. In about half the cases, a
mechanical obstruction of the bilary tract is present, usually because of
gallstones in the bile ducts. Viral infections can also cause an acute
inflammation of the pancreas. the patient with acute pancreatitis
typically complains of epigastric pain that is accompanied by fever,
maliase, nausea and vomiting. Mild cases can be overlooked or
misdiagnosed. There is no specific lab test for acute pancreatitis. Hope
this helps.
— Delores S.
February 27, 2005
Another survivor of acute pancreatitis (necrotizing) here, so I am
sensitive about it.<br>
Mine had absolutely NOTHING to do with gallstones, or further more, alcohol
abuse. That is ONE cause of it for SOME people. I had WLS after I recovered
from the acute pancreatitis. If I wouldn't have had WLS I would probably be
dead from another attack.<br>
Mine was caused by insanely high triglycerides (6,682) and undiagnosed
diabetes (BG=300) when I was diagnosed, not gallstones or alcohol abuse. I
spent 4 months in the hospital, and had 12 surgeries because of it. It is a
disease that has many different causes, as some have cited.<br>
I did not have to be "opened up" for it to be diagnosed. CT scans
and labs confirmed everything, which is the common method, I am told. When
I got sick, I had excutiating pain in the center of my abdomen that went
through to my back. Lying down flat was impossiblew, and constant vomitting
(then retching). I passed out in the TEC before they even got to
me.<br> Your friend should take talk of this disease very seriously.
— kultgirl
February 27, 2005
Wow! I will certainly pray for your friend. I hope they get everything
worked out for her.
— Carey N.
February 27, 2005
I ended up in the hospital a week after WLS with pancreatitis. I was told
it was directly caused by the surgery. The pancreas was near where they
resected the intestine and was inflammed. The gall bladder was also
inflammed and had to be removed a week after that.
— GailV
March 4, 2005
I'm sure I'm too late responding, but during my surgery my pancreas was
"nicked" by the surgeon. It began to bleed and they ended up
putting some mesh gauze on it. He never told me, but my records show it. I
had severe uncontrolled pain after surgery for several days. I now know it
was probably the pancreatitis. My enzymes were not checked in the hospital,
but when I went to the ER 11 days later, they showed they were elevated.
That is the first thing that should be done. If the enzymes are
elevated..then NOTHING by mouth, not even chewing gum. It is very painful
and should be addressed immediately. I don't understand why they want to do
surgery again. They need to do a CT scan or MRI and lab work. Good luck and
let us know how your friend does..
— debi327
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