erinkenny

It has been quite a while since I posted, and a bunch of it was spent in the hospital. Between July, Aug and Sept I spent 35 days in the hospital. Thankfully we finally seem to be done the revolving door thing. They took my gallbladder out and found an infection that had been missed, so we nuked it with IV antibiotics. I'm still nauseous all the time but doing better and slowly healing. Very happy to be home. Oh, and I've officially hit ONEDERLAND!!! I have lost 40 pounds since surgery (and more since I first met my surgeon).

I started pureed foods today and my husband went shopping for me and came home with Laughing Cow. I have never tried the stuff before. OMG!!! How do you eat just one?!?! I'm sure part of it is just the sheer joy of having something other than Soup or Jello in my mouth but it is absolutely heaven and we've only been able to find the plain stuff so far. I think I'm going to enjoy this part of the diet. (That and I was *so* sick of everything tasting SWEET. Give me SAVORY!!!) I'm a happy girl tonight! Now if only my antibiotics didn't taste so ghastly. Ah, well. I'll save myself a laughing cow for after.

I had a mini gastric bypass 10 years ago and was revised to a RNY 6 weeks ago and we've run into some problems. I'd like to know if there's anyone else out there who has been through this who I could ask about it.

I'm sure you're all sick of hearing from me, but my return home lasted all of 4 1/2 days. Yesterday my husband brought me back into the ER with nausea, vomiting, dizziness and a fever on top of the abdominal pain which has never really abated. So I've been readmitted at the start of a long weekend, my own surgeon is away until Tuesday and the one who is here is treating me as if I'm drug seeking rather than genuinely in screeching pain and my arms are so swollen and bruised they had a hell of a time getting an IV into me. It has been 5 1/2 weeks since my surgery and I've lost less than 10 pounds and I'm in agony. Someone tell me this will all get better soon.

Great news - I'm going home today! The meds for the ulcer seem to be working (still in some pain, but improving every day) and I'm able to both eat and drink again. Also my scores are up for the first time today, so it looks I will NOT need to be having a transfusion. My potassium is still low, so they have me on a supplement for a little while, but they think it will clear up once I'm eating more regularly. Extra special for me - it's my 23rd wedding anniversary - so nice to be able to spend the day with hubby. It's also the first time I've felt even marginally better than I have since my surgery. Sure, I'm still tired, but I feel GREAT today! Thanks for all of your support and prayers.

Well, the yeast infection was confirmed and is under control, but the pain isn't gone so yesterday my surgeon scoped me. On top of the other challenges we have discovered along the way I have . . . . an ULCER in my brand new pouch! <le sigh>. So I'm a stronger proton-pump inhibitor AND another antibiotic. My J-tub was removed yesterday (hurray!) as it was hardly draining anything any more and was a site for future potential problems. I had a shower this morning and when they went to hook my IV back up it failed <whimper>(3 IV sites in 3 days), BUT my doctor came to the rescue and told that them it was fine, that I didn't need it any more. I had just had my final dose of antibiotics that only come IV and everything else meds wise can come orally. What it really means though is that I have to drink a LOT more. So now I'm eating (little bits at a time) and drinking (little sips) on my own the only thing keeping me from going home is . . . . . . . . . I'm taking too much pain medication that has to be supervised. As soon as I can get it down to something reasonable I will and I get to go home :-p

I *just* saw my surgeon and he thinks he has a handle on things. They think the Cipro (antibiotic I'm now on) is the ticket for getting rid of this darned infection and that it's main problem for the abdominal pain - they can see the pocket of fluid on the CT scan. Now as to me not eating and drinking - I've been on antibiotics for almost 3 weeks now and have a challenged immune system because of everything I've been through so they are pretty sure that I have . . . . a YEAST INFECTION in my esophagus and pouch (stomach) that is causing the pain. They are starting me on an IV medication to fix this and if it doesn't start to improve in a few days they will go in with a scope to check things out, but they don't want to scope me right now - I'm fragile enough that it's risky to do. And finally, they are concerned with the amount and location of the abdominal pain, that it might indicate a gallbladder problem as well as everything else going on and don't want to risk ignoring it so they are doing an abdominal ultrasound tomorrow (apparently can't do one on the weekend unless it's an emergency). So I will be here at least a few more days until they get both my pain under control AND get me eating and drinking again. Who'd have thought something like a yeast infection could do this?

Well, things got worse and I got sent to the ER on Friday night. <sigh> I'm in the hospital again. I haven't been able to eat or drink anything since Thursday because it causes sharp pains. The pain in my right abdomen is pretty much constant now as is the nausea. They have me on constant dilaudid and anti-nausea meds as well as iv fluids. They did an emergency CT scan and I will be discussing it with my surgeon this morning. Apparently my intestines are twisted around funny in some way - I didn't really understand the explanation in the ER. Also the infection they have been treating me for hasn't been responding to antibiotics so they FINALLY cultured it and found the right antibiotics and I'm on them now. My potassium is low so they've given me some of that IV and they're hovering around giving me a transfusion since my hemoglobin is borderline. So that's the scoop for now. Fill you in when they figure out just what to do with the problem of me.

Went to the clinic today and they're working through the puzzle of me. Gave me some Dilaudid so that should help dull the pain a little for now (I have built up a tolerance to it, but it will at least take the edge off). They're sending me for another (my 3rd) abdominal CT scan this week to see what's up. My J tube is still putting out copious amounts of puss every day, so they can't take that out and they're torn as to whether the tube is irritating something or whether the underlying infection inside is what is causing the pain. I'm on another week of antibiotics to keep that at bay. On the up-side the abcess on the other side of my abdomen is starting to look a bit better <sigh>. My heart rate was better and I'm not running a fever and my bp is good, so apparently I'm improving except for the pain which is getting worse. So they'll run more tests and see me again next week unless I get worse in which case I'm to call.

I'm actually having a really rough time. I'll be 3 weeks out tomorrow and while I'm at the pureed stage (thank goodness) I can still barely walk. I'm in constant excruciating pain. I don't actually question having had the surgery, I just wish I could heal faster (I had complications and still have a large abcess). Maybe tomorrow at my clinic visit they'll give me better pain killers .

I'm only 13 days post op and I'm cold absolutely all the time. It started about 2 days post op after my second surgery (complications) and every time I complained the nurses took my temp to make sure I didn't have a fever (I didn't). At least there I could get a heated blanket, but now that I'm home I'm just freezing! Suggestions? Will it go away?

Hi I had my surgery on July 24th and I'm still in the hospital because of complications. I originally came out with no drains or anything. Two days later after my second surgery I had:

Awesome! It's gonna be a great day (albeit an early one - we have to catch a bus at 4:20 to make it to the hospital for 6 <sigh>)! Hubby is taking me to a movie tonight to distract me<g>. See you in a couple of days.

Oops! Sorry that came out in bold! I guess she's not the only one freaking out today! <g>

Woohoo!!!!! Got my ducks in a row! My Kobo is loaded, I'm ready to go and the hospital just called with my OR time. I'm the surgeon's first case tomorrow morning at 8 am (have to be at the hospital at 6 am). Can I hyperventilate now?

Just teasing, honey. I'm just as excited as you are and desperately looking for things to distract me. Here. Have a paper bag <grin>!

My 17 year old son is autistic and when he was 2 he would climb out the window (until we got locks for the windows) so I know a little of what you are going through). I have no idea what I would have done if I hadn't had a supportive husband. Hang in there, mum. We're all pulling for you.

Augh! I was fine until you started that! Now *I'm* going to hyperventilate. Only one more sleep!

I've been on Optifast for 2 1/2 weeks now - with no cheating. That doesn't mean I haven't thought about it, but darn it I know what I'm working towards and I can do it! I have, however, had wicked cravings and tonight was REALLY, REALLY hungry and just wasn't paying attention until my husband brought it up. It went something like this: Husband: "Dear, what are you staring at?" Me: "Huh?" Husband: "Dear, stop staring." Me: "What?" Clinton (our 17 yr old): "Stop it, mom" Me: "What?" Husband: "You're staring at his dinner and it's not helping." Me (looking up): "Who says it's not helping?" Husband: "Go have a popsicle" Me: " I don't want a frigging popsicle! I want a cheeseburger!" (they were eating tacos, so it wasn't really relevant) Husband : "Then go have a cold shower." (it's stinking hot and humid here right now, which makes me headachey and cranky) Me: "I don't want a cold shower" Husband: "Well if you don't pick something soon I'm going to get a popsicle for you and stick it somewhere ELSE for you" <sigh> I didn't say I wasn't a challenge for them while on Optifast. The aspartame gives me a perpetual headache and the weather has been obnoxious for the past week. At least I have less than a week to go until surgery and at least we all got a laugh out of this tonight.

sugar free Jello is your friend - you can almost chew it! I'm a bit over 2 weeks into Optifast and haven't cheated so you can make it too, honey. 15 years ago I did Optifast for 3 months to lose weight (yep, 3 months!) and managed - I just didn't manage to keep the weight off afterwards. Just stay away from everyone else's food or it'll drive you squirrely.

Crap! Now I'm concerned. I take 400 mg of trazadone at night to sleep and 60 mg of Cymbalta for anxiety and depression. I have no idea how I'll cope at all without the trazadone. Surgery is next Wednesday (the 24th).

Hi: I'm new here. I'm scheduled for surgery on the 24th and can hardly wait. I'm in my second week of Optifast (gack!) so I'm pretty cranky, but I'm not cheating darnit! I'd rather just be cranky <g>. (I'm really sensitive to aspartame so the optifast is triggering my migraines all the time). Looking forward to having the surgery over and done with and seeing you all on the other side.