dishdiva

MeMeMEEEE: I feel your pain. I am SEVEN months out and am still fighting a lingering leak. Was on TPN's with antibiotics and nourishment early on. Then they let me have food to boost my nutrition. (Doctors think it's taking so long because my infections were so severe -- I was septic when I was admitted to hospital.) Have been admitted four times, longest stay was two weeks. Have stents that tend to migrate. What happens is they do a CT or other type of scan -- it shows no leaks, then they take out the stents and do another study -- and there's a leak that's hidden by the stents in the earlier images.
Am now on feeding tube -- Osmosolite just like you. But it's not enough calories -- Dr. working on changing type I use. And they say that we need the calories to
I was able to eat a little with it early on -- now they have me on nothing by mouth. Impossible! I'm not about to get dehydrated or pass out because I have too little nutrition. (Not that I am really eating -- following Dr.'s orders as best I can.)
There's no way around it -- leaks suck. I have a feeding tube, ostomy bags for drains because JP drains kept coming out and a PICC line. I'm just praying this last round of stents and feeds will do the trick.
Finally had good news from my "exterminator" (hysterical) Friday -- my blood counts are close enough to normal that I'll only have one more week of anti-biotics through the PICC line.
This has truly been the biggest challenge of my life and I pray some good will come of it.
Best of luck to you in your recovery.

I just read the thread about Gabriela's "nightmare" journey with her sleeve and someone suggested it might have been a "false" posting because she hasn't been back to post again in a long time. As someone with a similar story, I'm here to tell you a. she could not have made that up and b. getting on the computer to post isn't exactly a priority when you're fighting her kind of battle.
Five months ago tomorrow -- may 10 -- i was admitted to the hospital with multiple leaks and became septic. i too had stents and drains put in. my friends and family tell me i was close to death...
the next two months were miserable...no energy...being fed only by IV...five antibiotics for infections...
in july, after a CT scan showed significant improvement, my stents were removed. PROGRESS! After an Upper GI without the stents, my doctor came into the room shaking his head. I was still leaking. The stents had to go back in. They are still in, three months later. Last week, I was at the hospital twice, once for another Upper GI (again showing improvement), again for radiology to try to fix the challenges with my drains.
Meanwhile, my drain site (the area on my side where the created a hole to insert the drain) LEAKS. It's disgusting in that gets all over my clothes, even with gauze...the drainage looks infectious, but cultures show nothing dangerous. But, hey, why not do yet another round of antibiotics that make me lose my appetite and have diarreah? The Dr.'s and radiologists all can't explain it -- I've been trying to get relief for three months -- they say it's nothing to worry about. Easy for them to say when I'm the one change my clothes and dressings three times a day. They had me start flushing the line last week. The saline goes straight to the 'exit wound' and out of my drain site all over my skin.
If I forgot to mention the dry heaves in the early days of my stents, here's that news. Oh, and I throw up certain foods but never know what might work and what won't. Of course I use the guidelines provided to all sleeve patients.
I too have "referred" pain in my left shoulder and my abdomen. Mild pain killers don't help and I don't need anything stronger.
I'm not complaining. I'm alive. I pray and trust that I will recover.
Yes, my surgery was in Mexico but a very well-respected sleeve surgeon with many success stories. But that's irrelevant. Leaks are clearly defined as a possible complication regardless of your surgeon. I'd had the band removed five years ago and that may have played a role (adhesions and scar tissue).
One last not -- since my insurance didn't cover the sleeve, it won't cover the complications. So I have about $75,000 in medical bills. I'm self-employed and haven't been able to work since this all started.
Thanks for letting me share my story. The jury is still out on regrets. I know God put this challenge in my life for a reason and I'm prepared to see it through.
And if I don't post again or respond, please forgive me. I'm probably laying in bed with a heating pad on my achy shoulder or changing my dressing...or emptying my drain...or...
I WILL SURVIVE.
Before you go through with surgery, consider that you could be one of the one percent (?) that has leak complications. I didn't want to believe I could be.
Let me close my saying I treasure all of your success stories, for those of you without complications, and wish you continued success.

I'm next week -- and I'm feeling everything everyone else is! I wasn't required to do pre-op because my BMI is 35. Although now it's probably higher. Way over-eating and not feeling like exercising. I'm sure that's not what the Dr. had in mind. I will start a "cleanse" with shakes and lean Protein tomorrow, just so I will feel better.
Feeling depressed too because food is my favorite form of medicating every feeling. Happy. Eat. Sad. Eat. Stressed. Eat. I will schedule an appointment with my family counselor to work through it. I am scared I won't be able to stick to Clear Liquids and liquids only and soft... and will compromise my staple line...and will have complications. I need to start thinking positive. At my bible study, the lesson was all about God giving us second chances -- and this is mine! (I had lap band with multiple problems, but it's been out for five years.)
Also feeling very alone because I haven't really told anyone -- just a friend and a family member...but I need to tell my adult child... and I keep putting it off because i don't want to alarm anyone.
So I'm glad I have all of you.
Your enthusiasm and spirit and positive energy keeps me going. I will post when I get home for all the 5/9 red velvets!

i also love the morningstar sausages -- both the patties and the links. i do amy's vegetarian breakfast burritos. the jimmy dean turkey sausage sandwiches made with egg whites on an english muffin are good -- but would be tough early with the sleeve. dunkin doughnuts has a new fantastic egg white sandwich on flatbread with turkey sausage in it. yum.
I eat 1 tbsp of PB on toast. I love turkey bacon. i've moved to the type with no nitrates -- less sodium. it's divine. the only downside is it goes bad quicker, so i just cook up two big batches over a few days. some people think this is weird, but i love the turkey bacon on the Peanut Butter toast!
there's a great recipe for a high Protein breakfast from the south beach diet book. basically it's this:
spray muffin tins with Pam or other spray
combine eggbeaters with a little salt, any type of seasoning a little milk... add in a little onion and a little chopped spinach. pour into muffin tins, about 3/4 full.
top with a bit of cheddar cheese.
bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the eggbeater is cooked.
these are great because you can pack them to go to work and re-heat in microwave
that said, i don't have a sleeve yet -- so my options aren't quite as limited -- yet!
enjoy.

i also love the morningstar sausages -- both the patties and the links. i do amy's vegetarian breakfast burritos. the jimmy dean turkey sausage sandwiches made with egg whites on an english muffin are good -- but would be tough early with the sleeve. dunkin doughnuts has a new fantastic egg white sandwich on flatbread with turkey sausage in it. yum.
I eat 1 tbsp of PB on toast. I love turkey bacon. i've moved to the type with no nitrates -- less sodium. it's divine. the only downside is it goes bad quicker, so i just cook up two big batches over a few days. some people think this is weird, but i love the turkey bacon on the Peanut Butter toast!
there's a great recipe for a high Protein breakfast from the south beach diet book. basically it's this:
spray muffin tins with Pam or other spray
combine eggbeaters with a little salt, any type of seasoning a little milk... add in a little onion and a little chopped spinach. pour into muffin tins, about 3/4 full.
top with a bit of cheddar cheese.
bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the eggbeater is cooked.
these are great because you can pack them to go to work and re-heat in microwave
that said, i don't have a sleeve yet -- so my options aren't quite as limited -- yet!
enjoy.