Jen Jen

sounds like u went through alot too. yes i was lucky to find my doc. i got a few bad replies from a few docs but kept goin till i found one. he is a good man. the only thing about mexico is follow up care and complications. no one here wants any part.

Hopefully Tuesday I will find out if I can get rid of this TPN soon. This is such a drag. This 20lb. back pack sucks. I will definately be celebrating when I get rid of this thing. Ugh

Thank you for your thoughts. Yes I'm sure I will love my sleeve one day. Right now it is hard to see past my picc line, tube, and discomfort. lol. Things can always be worse, so I shouldn't complain. This forum has given me support and lots of info. I know it has helped me. Cheers to you for running in the Komen 5k. Awesome and good luck !!!!!

I didn't want to believe the situation was as bad as it was. Trying to figure out what went wrong was the hardest part. No one wants to be the 1% that leaks. I know my surgeon didn't want to believe there was a leak either. But it is what it is. I am grateful your surgery came out good and I will be right there with you soon. God only gives us what we can handle and I am handling it. Each day gets better. Thank you so much for your thoughts. Cheers to the "only way is up" By losing your parents and being brought up horrificly, I know you can relate. That is tough, if not tougher. Hugs to you too !!

I am feeling much better. Thank you for asking. I'm just ready to get this pic line and tube out so I can start being somewhat normal again. lol

Love this post. Very good advice. I want to be healthier, skinnier, and happier. Really don't have a weight goal at all, but just want to lose weight and learn to eat in moderation. Also to pay more attention to the foods I eat. Calories, fats, carbs, and all the stuff we put into our bodies. This is a whole new learning experience for me. Again, thanks for the uplifting post.

Great story and so glad you are recovering well. Keep us updated.

Thank you so much for your thoughts.

All of my tests turned out good. There is no more leaking. I still have to remain on TPN another week to make sure I continue to heal. I also asked my doc to show me what he felt went wrong with my surgery. So he did a diagram for me. After the staples and the sutures for my sleeve were put in place they had to cauterize the arteries that lined the stomach just below the suture line. He said while doing so it got too hot and the heat caused an ulcer. So it wasn't an ulcer I already had but one created during surgery. He also said when my surgeon went back in to fix it, it would have probably been fine if I would have stayed off of liquids longer. Enough for it to have healed more. So when I came back to the states and started doing the liquids, it started to leak. All in all, I feel like I have some closure on the true "Ulcer" word. My surgeon wasn't actually lying, but not actually telling the truth. Except when he said that the cancer meds I take usually cause ulcers. I told him I discontinued my HR med to prepare for my surgery. So I had already been off for a bit. Anyhow, all of this has been one heck of and adventure I wouldn't wish on anyone else. Good note is, I am on my way to recovery. Yay !!!!!

Had my tests today and I think they turned out good. I haven't heard from the doc yet, but the tech said he couldn't see anymore leak. Yay !!!!!!! Now all I have to do is wait on the doc to let me know.

As a breast cancer survivor of 2 years now I can sympathize with you. I know exactly what you are going through. It is tough, but time flew by for me and I prevailed. You will too. I had bi-lateral mastectomy, reconstruction, and chemo. If there are any questions or support you need, please feel free to ask. I will be thinking and praying for you. Jen

As I was a self pay on this surgery, I am not sure what my insurance will cover out of all of this complication expense. I am worried, but am happy to be alive and getting better. I do understand the word of mouth on the doctors also, so if anyone wants a personal message with me, please feel free.

Yes, I was extremely mad at my MX surgeon for the lie after 4 other doctors couldn't find what would have been an ulcer, not to mention having the scope done ahead of Mexico surgery. But, I cannot prove anything. What makes me mad is the fact the hospital charged me for this leak. The surgeon told me over and over he wasn't going to charge me anything. Just the 600.00 the other surgeon would charge. Finding a US surgeon was what worried me, but I was lucky. Yes most of the doctors found it very ammusing and were mad at my choice of MX. They didn't hide it and they all wanted me to repeat my story even if they had heard it from another doctor. I heard more than 3 times, "now why did you go to Mexico for this?" Like you said. I was lucky to find a surgeon in the US to take my case. I am grateful and have told him so many times. Thanks for the hugs.

You are so right about the good, bad and ugly. I also read everything anyone had to say on these boards and wanted to hear it all. I just didn't hear alot of bad or ugly. A few but not many. And as we all do, I thought I would come out of this no problems. I just had a good feeling and was ready to do it. Everyone in the hospital around me did just great. lol. I was never more scared in my life, than I was the day they wanted to take me back into surgery. At that moment I can honestly say I regretted doing this at all. Now, if I had my surgery and was sent home like everyone else, I would have been fine and loved the experience, but that didn't happen. I just want everyone to be more prepared than I was. After care is so important. A back up plan. My primary care doc couldn't help me much for the problems I had. And it is already looking up. I have had a set back, but am ready to get back on track to my original weightloss goals.

I go for my tests tomorrow, so I will let everyone know how it goes. Hopefully I will get off of this TPN soon.

Thanks for the support and keep the prayers coming. Feels good to finally share.

My story is not meant to scare or discourage anyone from the VSG. I just want to share my experience with everyone. I am a breast cancer survivor of 2 years now and have been through, bi-lateral mastectomy, reconstruction, and chemo. After my cancer I started taking my HR medications and started to gain weight and became depressed. I had other issues due to the breast cancer but won't go into them. I gained at least 60lbs after starting the medication, which I have to take for 5yrs. I weighed 180 when diagnosed and got up to 240. With alot of fatigue, nausea, and weakness from my meds, I knew I had to do something about my weight before I got worse. A friend of mine had the VSG done and I thought what a perfect solution. I did my research for almost a year and knew I would be a self pay patient. My ins. didn't cover bariatric, plus I didn't have the health issues to appeal. Now that I am not currently working, I needed something I could afford but felt comfortable with. So I searched Mexico and the surgeons there. Like I said I researched for almost a year. I picked out my surgeon and set my date. One of my close friends was more than excited to go with me, so I planned it all out and off we went. I arrived in Mexico and was greeted by my coordinator, who is an absolute lovely person. We were settled into our room and I was immediately sent for testing. As I waited with my friend for my turn at surgery, I was not at all nervous. My time came and when I woke up my friend was there and I was feeling fine. Sore, tired, and groggy, but fine. For the next few days I was extrememly sore and my sides hurt really bad. I was running a temp., had a high heart rate, and I knew something wasn't right. I told the nurses I needed my doctor. The doctor came in late that night and agreed something wasn't right, so he wanted to take me back into the operating room and put the scope back in to see what the problem was. My friend who was extrememly worried about me asked the doctor if I could just be driven over the border to San Diago to have a hospital look at me where my insurance would cover me, but he assured her I would be taken care of and couldn't wait. When I woke up in my room again, my friend was there telling me my surgeon found a ruptured ulcer just below the suture line and had to clean and repair it but I was going to be ok. My surgeon also wanted to keep me for a couple of more days. He assured me I wouldn't have to pay anymore than maybe a $600 fee from another surgeon. First of all I thought.......NO..... there could not have been an ulcer or they would have seen it to begin with, but ok even if they didnt, I had a scope done a month before I left the states for the nausea I have due to my meds. (my oncologist didn't think it was due to meds but gallbaldder). I had no signs of ulcers. No signs of anything. But my surgeon didn't know I had this test already done. Besides the tests, I just felt wrongness about it. I just felt that ulcer was not the issue. Wanting to get better and go home, I didn't say much. My best friend had begged my surgeon to let me go home as scheduled with her, but he felt I needed more time in the hospital. She knew I didn't have the extra money, but the doc insisted I wouldn't have to pay more than the $600. So my friend had to leave me there since she had to return to work. I was fine with being alone but when my surgeon said I looked well enough to leave, the hospital addmisnistration was trying to get me to pay 2300.00 before I could leave. I tried explaining I didn't have but 700.00 in my bank account and I had to already pay extra fees to change my flight around. The man in the office became very rude and demanding. When it was finally time to leave, I was taken to do the leak test with the rest of the patients who were there at the hospital with me. My test came out good, and I was rushed to the airport. I made it home safe but very weak and sick. I slept for one whole day. I continued to run low grade temps the rest of the week and didn't feel quite right. Still very sore on my sides. Sharp pains. So I went to my primary doctor where she took xrays and had a ct scan done. Behold......... double pneumonia. She said for me to check into ER. Which I did. The next day a surgeon came around to my room and told me my CT scan showed a leak and it needed to be repaired asap. WHAT !!!!!!!!!!!!! NO !!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and while we are in there why don't we take out that gallbladder. Gotta lot of stones in there. Needless to say I was freaking out. This surgeon was more than ammused that I went to Mexico for this surgery and now I was all messed up looking at him for help. I was not at all going to let this man go diggin inside of me for a leak, much less take out my gallbladder when I had enough to worry about. So I looked up a Bariatric surgeon in my area and gave the Bariatric Clinic a call. Out of 4 surgeons, only one called me back. But.... he listened. He offered to take me in and see what he could do. So I transferred hospitals. He looked at my scans and my videos from my surgeries in mexico and concluded that my Mexico surgeon tried to repair a leak or some sort of tear. He didn't want to say anything bad about my surgeon in Mexico, but I knew he didn't believe there was an ulcer either. All he said was "don't worry, we will get this fixed and you will be fine". He opted on no surgery and putting a tube in my belly to drain any bacteria, plus started me on IV with nothing by mouth. I spent a week in the hospital on heavy antibiotics and fluids then I was sent home on TPN where I am today. Hoping the leak will heal on it's own and I will be back to normal soon. I loved my surgeon in Mexico and his coordinator. They are precious people and I do not blame anyone. This is just a chance I took. I do understand the doctor wanting to keep his record clean, but I also believe no one is perfect. My surgeon in Mexico and the coordiantor kept in close touch with me and tried to give the surgeon here as much info as possible. I just feel I was one of the few percent who end up with a leak. Lucky me. Anyhow, I wanted to share this with everyone and let you know, we have to follow our gutt, or at least what is left of it. If you don't feel right, get it checked out and don't worry about it being nothing. Glad I listened to myself and hollered when I needed to. Regrets.....Hmmmmm So far it's been a rough ride, but I am hoping I will be saying it was all worth it. Thanks Tiff for giving me the courage to share this story.

I wasn't dehydrated, but I had double pneumonia. My primary doc told me to admit myself into ER, so I did. Alot of antibiotics and breathing. I am still recovering, but doing much better.

So good to hear you are better. I've been thinking of you.

I totally agree !!!!!! I was a selfpay who went to Mexico and have complications. I had to find a surgeon to take on what someone else started. Even though he was very good at taking me in, I did have to retell my story to every other doctor that came in to see me. Even though I know my new doctor told them already. It was what I considered my punishment. I even noticed on my chart, HAD SURGERY IN MEXICO, in big black letters on the front page. I say pay the money for a doctor in the states to begin with. It's just a gamble.

Verdict is I have double pneumonia. So here I sit in the hospital once again. Tests, tests, tests, and more tests. Ugh !!!! Doctor said maybe 3 days and I will be good. But I am thankful to be here and under the care I need to get healthy again. So ready to enjoy life again. Thanks for all of the imputs and as I have realized, when something doesn't feel right, go get it checked out.

Thanks for all of the imput and yes I will keep everyone posted. I hope it is nothing serious.

I am at 10 days out of VSG surgery and 8 days out of an ulcer repair surgery, and I still feel kinda bad. I have been running low grade temps., but thought I was done with that as of yesterday. Well tonite I have hit 100 degrees. I have taken my tylenol and yes I plan on going to the doc first thing in the morning. My questions is......Has anyone else been through this? My stomach still feels sore on the inside and even my back hurts on my left side. Any comparisons would be appriciated.

I am so sorry you had to go through that. Thank goodness for hubbies. I hope by now you are doing better. It has been a tough road, but we are survivors and whatever it takes, we will succeed. I know it's hard to relax, but you do need more rest. I know it has done me a world of good.

Congrats !!!!!