amyecpa

Hi All. I am four and a half months post op and I've had very few issues. However, last night I had to jump and run from the restaurant to go puke outside. I thought it was due to having a cocktail with my meal. But after eating this morning, the same thing happened.

It feels as if the food gets stuck in my chest. I get pain and then feel nauseated. Everything I've thrown up has been undigested food, more like spitting up. I usually don't have to watch my speed or bite size. Did I eat too fast/too much or can this be some sort of structure/blockage?

Disclaimer: I am calling my surgeon. I know there's no substitute for a professional opinion, but I am four hours from home and just wanted to hear from you guys.

TIA-Amye

I meant some sort of stricture (autocorrect)

I had controlled reflux before the surgery and then it became horrible about 10 days after. It's so bad now that it wakes me up at night, filling my throat, mouth, and nose. I take Protonix 40mg twice a day and I'm having an EGD done day after tomorrow. My surgeon has already mentioned bypass. ????. The gastro doc says don't panic yet. We will reassess after we get the results of the EGD. So needless to say, I am also very interested in hearing others experiences. Good luck to u. BTW, I almost two months out.

I had my sleeve 1/27. I am concerned with my slow weight loss. I have lost 24lbs but I have been stuck for weeks. I am taking all suggestions, I track my food on myplate.com I am averaging between 600-800 calories a day and 60-80 grams of protien and under 70 carbs.

I'm in the exact same boat. Sleeved on 01/28. I lost 25lbs in the first three weeks and then nothing ????

I know this is a strange question but, did anyone have a positive ANA blood test after VSG? I have an appt with a rheumatologist so I'll know more after that. I guess I'm wondering if all the changes my body is going thru can cause this and not some dreaded autoimmune disorder.

I have a question for my fellow January sleevers.... Do u still have discomfort when u eat? I'm a little over 5 weeks out and I still dread eating. It's so painful. I'm not sure if it's my reflux or what ????

Has anyone had this problem? I have a rash all on my neck/chin/face. Also on my arms. I have an appt with dermatologist this afternoon. I really don't think it's dermatitis since I haven't introduced anything new. I'm worried about something systemic like liver issues. It just feels like since surgery it's been one thing after another. I felt fine before (just chubby) and now I feel as if I'm falling apart. Can't help but to feel that this surgery was the biggest mistake of my life. I'm only 5 weeks out so I'm hoping it gets better. Just feeling nervous and discouraged.

I believe this is very common, and it happened to me as well. By month 2-3 your normal sleep pattern will return. I'm not sure why this happens, but it will ebb away just like your weight

Thanks. This is encouraging!

@@amyecpa Have you been taking a PPI for the reflux?

I take Protonix in the AM and PM. I'll see a GI doc this week ????

I am 4.5 weeks post op and since surgery I just can't sleep without taking something. I'm dealing with reflux so that doesn't help, but if I don't take something I wake up every 30 minutes. I believe I'm a little dehydrated ????. Has anyone else experienced this?

I'm a band to sleeve and soon bypass. The acid reflux and vomiting is every day im on nexium and Zantac daily plus chewable and i still have acid. Slider foods only no strength to work out

That sounds rough. How far out from sleeve procedure are you?

I also had hernia repair with my sleeve. GERD got WAY worse for the first month. Omeprazole 2x day and raising the head of my bed the first month helped. Once the swelling subsided, so did my symptoms. As the weight came off, they got even better. Still on the xbid PPI but no symptoms after the first couple months post op.

I sure hope my story plays out the same way. Glad you're better ????

My story is identical to yours. My acid reflux was well controlled pre-op. I also had hiatal hernia repair with VSG. My reflux returned with a vengeance at 2 weeks post-op. I woke up nightly with acid literally pouring out of my nose and mouth. Ended up dehydrated and readmitted. All I can tell you is that mine has finally subsided - around week 12 post-op I began to notice a difference. I still take my Nexium and Prilosec OTC religiously. I still have some reflux at night if I eat too late or eat too much later in the day.

The NUT who runs my support group told me that it can take up to 6 months post-op for the reflux to resolve. Hopefully you'll start showing improvement soon.

That makes me hopeful. I realize that my situation may not turn out like yours, but fingers crossed. My drs office seems pretty concerned also. They've already mentioned sending me to GI dr and another surgery was casually mentioned at last appt. Not a revision to bypass, but an adjustment to the hernia repair. Not quite sure what that entails. I do not want another surgery and absolutely don't want to be back on liquid diet. We will see...... ????

I had reflux before surgery that was completely controlled. About a week or so post op, it came back with a vengeance. I can't seem to get it under control. I'm taking Protonix now and hoping that works. I think I'm one of the unlucky few and the odds are in your favor.

I would love to hear peoples experience with reflux post op. I had controlled reflux pre op, but I am three weeks out with horrific reflux now. I've heard "you're still early, it will get better". And I've also heard that if its not better by now, things aren't very promising. Just wondering about others thoughts/experiences. Thanks!!

Just a couple of more things.... I did have a hiatal hernia repaired during surgery and I was aware of the risk of reflux getting worse. My surgeon felt I was a good candidate and I trusted him.

Who was your surgeon?.

Walter Sartor in Monroe, LA at a center for bariatric excellence. ????

I am so frustrated!!! The nurse from my surgeons office called me back and asked if I had a PCP. (I do, but he was not supportive of this surgery) and she even suggested that my problems may not be surgery related! WHAT?!?!?!? Of course it's surgery related. I felt fine. I had VSG and now I feel horrible.

She did agree to call in an order for complete barbaric bloodwork and I have an appt to see surgeon on Thursday. (He's out of town until then). So aggravated. This is the reason that I spent $13000 and stayed in town instead of much less in Mexico like several of my friends. I expected good follow up care. I'm afraid I'm going to be passed around and no one actually take the initiative/responsibility for my care. When I expressed my fears about my reflux at my two week follow up, the surgeons offices reply was to possibly refer me to a GI dr.

Sorry for the vent, but I am feeling very very alone in my care. I am not a dr!!!!! Can anyone relate?

Hope by now you've called your doc with your symtoms.

I had a similar experience and yes acid reflux caused nausea for me.

I started vomiting often when I started mushies. Made my new stomach very sensitive. Had the fever, chills and vomiting. My doc had me come right in for the swallow test to see if there was a leak. There was nothing showing but they saw acid reflux. Had to go back on liquids, and kept taking the prilosec.

Took 5-6 days but everything settled down and I'm OK now. I have to be real careful not to eat too much or too fast. Introducing new foods slow and one at at time. Still doing mushed food really cuz I chew tills it pretty much liquid.

RJ is right on, my fears are most often way out of line with whats really going on.

Keep up posted and take care.

I am actually up now (3:15am). I woke up about an hour ago with heart rate over 140. I immediately called my surgeons office, gave my history/symptoms and the dr (non-bariatric) on call gave me a call back. I realize that he had just woken up, but I couldn't understand anything this (much) older gentleman was saying. I've actually taken a low dose of Xanax and my heart rate is down some, so now I'm second guessing whether this is anxiety.

When I woke up Friday morning, my pulse was almost 200 bpm. I've never experienced anxiety like that, not to mention the severe nausea and thirst. So for now, I will just have to wait to talk to my actual surgeon tomorrow. I am praying that they are open on Presidents Day.

The worst part right now is the feeling that I ruined my life. Not just ruined my life, but I did it for vanity. I hope I can look back on these early posts and maybe even get a chuckle, but for now all I can do is ask "What have I done?!?!?" ????

My 1st week, I wasn't drinking 20 oz a day, but I wasn't moving a whole bunch either. I put a priority on staying hydrated over eating. And just sipped sipped sipped as much as I could. As long as I felt okay, I wasn't worried.

When I'm feeling exhausted, it's usually a sign that I'm not eating enough carbs. For some reason, I can't convert low glycemic foods (squash, cauliflower, broccoli, lentils) into energy fast enough - even though I'm eating plenty of calories.

As a test, you might eat a tablespoon or 2 of Peanut Butter (it has a lot of sugar in it) and pay attention to your energy levels and mood. And let your doctor/nut know your results.

Stay positive. Learn from past mistakes but don't let them weigh you down with negative emotions.

Use your struggles to get stronger. Develop habits to deal with dilemmas. Focus on progress, not perfection. Celebrate your journey from point A to point B. Make each day better than your last.

Thanks for the encouragement. I know a big percentage of healing is attitude and perspective. I have a longggggg history of anxiety and though age, experience, and medication help... It still gets the best of me sometimes. On a more positive note, I weighed in at 199.4 the day of surgery and now 18 or so days later I weigh 179.4. ????

Oh and yes, for one week all I could drink was 20oz of Fluid, I was severely depleted. I had to go to the er for iv fluids and electrolytes. Also, they said if over the weekend I couldn't get anything down, I get a feeding tube on Tuesday. I have a kink in my sleeve from inflammation so I'm on string steroids in the hope that it will go down a little and I can fit more than Water. Yesterday I got down one Protein shake!! My goal is 2 today and 3 tomorrow. If not, feeding tube it is

I hate that you're going through this. But remember if it does come down to a feeding tube, that just gives u time to completely heal and get on the right track. From what I've read on here, that can definitely b the first step on the road to feeling/eating normally. Best of luck to u - Amye

Amy,

Did you eat any refined sugar and/or carbs between 1 and 3 hours before this happened?

I have to stop eating and drinking at least three hours before I go to sleep, so definitely no sugar or carbs beforehand. I will mention that I was feeling pretty puny today and thought I was going to vomit. I took two tums to help ease some heartburn and they REALLY helped my nausea. Can reflux cause nausea? Diarrhea? Racing heart? I'd love to hear others' experiences with reflux.

And no, it's not about a stall ????. Around day 13 post op, I started feeling great. Other than the horrible night reflux, I felt like my old self. I was released to mushy food and did fine.

That was short lived. About day 16/17, I started feeling crumby. I even took a trip to the ER where the only thing they found was low potassium. I have no energy, my stomach is constantly queasy, my heart rate is up and I'm just weak. Is this the lack of nutrition catching up with me? Did anyone else feel this way. I will be calling my surgeons office first thing Monday. I guess I'm just afraid this is the start of something.

Thank you to anyone who responds. I don't use this forum as a substitute for true medical advice, but it is comforting to hear similar experiences or just hear support. Sometimes I'm hesitant to write a post in fear that it will seem I'm whining, but then I think about newbies in the future that may go thru the same thing. Reading past topics has really helped me Pre and Post op. Thanks again - Amye

I had VSG on 1/28/15 and all was going well until my reflux became a lot worse. I am now on Protonix and hope that things will get better.

Now to the scary part. I woke up early Friday morning (1:45am) with extreme heart palpitations, nausea, diahrrea, cottonmouth, and flushed face. I couldn't get my heart rate down so I went to ER. The only thing they found was low potassium. The ER doc said that a leak would cause a rise in my white blood cell count and fever. Both of which were fine. I was given a lot of Adivan, something else to bring down heart rate (can't remember the name), and potassium and sent home. Now I'm lying here nauseous and scared to go to sleep with fears of waking up like Fri morning.

What scares me the most is the fear that I am embarking on the complication trail. I had this surgery to be healthier, not to feel like this and live in fear. Does anyone else get these feelings? Does my situation sound familiar to anyone?

Feeling lost and alone.

@@tammygRN

How are things going with you? Hope all is well and u are out there living a normal, fun-filled, skinny life!

Hi fellow Jan Sleevers. I am now 17 days out and have done really well until last night. I awoke at 1:45am to an outrageously fast heartrate , 200 bpm. I had nausea, loose bowels, flushed face and cottonmouth.

I went to ER and the only thing they could find wS slight dehydration and low phosphorous. They sent me home with klonopin and a beta blocker to keep my heartrate down. Has anyone dealt with anything like this? Maybe a complication with fast weight loss? I've loss 17 pounds in 17 days. Any thoughts or opinions are appreciated. I will be calling my surgeons office tomorrow to get his opinion on the beta blockers.

I am officially 17 days post op. I really turned a corned on day 13 and started to feel human again. I was cleared for what my dr calls mushies two days ago. He's not a stickler for everything having to be puréed. My first meal to try was scrambled egg and it was fine. I then tried chicken salad and I ate too much, too quick and paid dearly. I ended up having a crying session/pity party in my shower. I think it was less "why did I do this?" and more "why did I have to do this?, will I ever enjoy eating again?" -- not to mention all the pain I was in.

Fast forward to last night. I made meatloaf, cooked down carrots and mashed potatoes. I had a teeny tiny plate, but I was able to sit down and eat what my family was eating with no problem. This did a lot to help my feelings. If it weren't for the awful reflux, I would've felt pretty darn normal last night.

Now here's the part that I'd like opinions on.... I woke up at 1:45am out of a dead sleep with heart beating over 200 bpm. My faced was flushed, severe dry mouth, nausea and abrupt diarrhea. I went to ER. They did EKG, tested blood, and did an X-ray of stomach. The only thing they found was that I was low on phosphorous so I took several pills there. ( I couldnt stomach the fizzy orange phosphoric juice). After 2mg of adivan and two shots of a beta blocker to lower my heartrate, I was sent home with the diagnosis of anxiety. I was prescribed adivan as needed and two beta blockers per day. I was also instructed to follow up with my PCP, the one who was not supportive and that I haven't told about my VSG.

I know this is long, but has anyone experienced anything similar? I've dealt with anxiety for years and that's just not what last night felt like.