Search the Community

Hey everyone, I have radio silent for the last couple of weeks. I have been struggling with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, severe dehydration despite trying to drink liquids. My gastric bypass was 12/23/16. I finally got stool cultures and was determined to contract c-diff after my gastric bypass. I am finally on treatment and things are starting to look better. I am having an EGD today. I have had nothing but complications. Well, that is it for me for right now. Hopefully so everything will work itself out. Sent from my SM-G935V using the BariatricPal App

Ok gang this isn't to scare anyone. Was sleeved on on the 3rd and a leaks was found. What was supposed to be a 24hr stay turned into 3 days in icu 2 units of blood vomiting blood and some of the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life (and I've had 3 kids. )On the 5th day I finally took down oral pain meds with no complications I got released home. I began my normal regimen of taking all medication .I kept feeling like all the medications was taking was stopping right under my breast ,kind of like if you eat a large piece of meat and don't chew it completely .then I began vomiting. I felt weak and and couldn't control my pain . I also can't keep a sip of Water down .My surgeon admitted me immediately . I'm extremely dehydrated weak and tired . Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@OKCPirate said it. My surgeon took steps to remove the gas that he could from me. I had zero, zero, ZERO gas pains. I've had zero complications with my sleeve. I can also count the times I've had to take any type of acid reducer on one hand. I feel so fortunate in so many ways. The sleeve has been like a magic carpet that I've ridden to find my way to better health and happiness.

I sometimes think about the complications and risk but I look at my quality of life right now and believe its worth it. I cant even imagine what quality of life I will have in 5years if I dont have the surgery. Sent from my SM-G935V using the BariatricPal App

I was wondering if anyone was or has gone/going through what I am going through. For the last year, I have been unable to eat almost anything. I have severe constipation and thusly am taking a rediculous amount of bowel protocol. That said, my tummy has been so sensitive. Even smelling food gets it growling rediculous and I feel like I could throw up instantly. I have tried every antiemetic and am really struggling to eat anything. In a day, I can barely get in 500-900 calories. I pretty much tolerate nothing. I have tried Fiber (hardest on tummy), Protein shakes, smoothies, protein, carbohydrates and there is nothing that doesn't make me want to throw up and lay down in agony waiting for the food to pass. I had surgery 3 years ago. Gastric bypass. My surgeon doesn't know what to do and all my doctors cannot figure out what is wrong. They have even suggested that this was psychological. This all began after 2 car accidents last January, and since then life has not been normal. The first year after surgery it was difficult and I struggled to eat, but it eventually settled. It has never been this bad. Despite barely eating anything, my weight has not decreased. As such I have had several small bowel obstructions and I feel the doctors are not looking at the right things. They keep saying my issues is constipation and send me home with laxatives. Which I believe I am having a small bowel issue, not just a large bowel. It seems like food is not leaving my stomach, and takes a long time to move through my bowels. I have even wondered if the car accident caused vagus nerve damage. After all my heart rate is over 100 almost all the time (used to be 50-60 at rest), and I sweat profusely after eating. It takes at least an hour after eating 2 small bites for the pain to go away. I had a colonoscopy and it was fine. I had an endoscopy and my stomach had to issues, no ulcers. After dealing with this for a year, I feel so depressed. I have no energy to work anymore and my relationship is suffering. I know I am complicated by I cannot help but think the doctors have tunnel vision and are not looking correctly. Fortunately I can drink peppermint, ginger, fennel tea without issues, so I am and least able to stay hydrated. But the pain and nutritional deficit is really starting to show. Anyhow I have seen all the right doctors and professionals, but no one is doing anything anymore. I really want a barium follow through, so they can see what is wrong with my small bowel, but my gi specialist won't do that. Won't give me a reason either. Oh well, thanks for the vent anyhow. I know the car accident caused some issues, but I feel my bariatric surgery and rearranged bowels have contributed to this issue. Thanks for the ear <3 Sent from my SM-N910W8 using the BariatricPal App

Very true ! Need to get out of this mode I'm in !! I was okay until I googled self pay complications I'm just going to stay positive lol Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Complication rates are so low. And usually lower than the health risks associated with staying fat. I felt like a heat attack waiting to happen 3 months ago...everyone's situations are different, but noodle on that

I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I want everything to go smoothly and wake up with my sleeve done. No complications. I don't want to wake up and be told he couldn't do it for some reason. I am a worrier. I just wish it was the day after surgery right now.

I feel like I have talked myself out of this surgery before I even get started I am self pay and so worried about complications I am literally driving myself crazy with what ifs !! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm having a similar problem. Yesterday I had broth and half a Protein shake and 20 oz of Water...all day. I struggle to meet the required liquids OR protein and it's making me very worried because I don't want to end up with serious complications. I take the Vitamins daily with no problems. Drinking water made me really nauseous at first, so I switched to diet Snapple. It's been a struggle to just get the fluids down because I fill up after only three or four sips then have to wait 20 mins to try again. I finally hit 40 oz of water (out of the 48oz requirement) few days ago because I literally stayed in bed all day and obsessed about drinking, so I met the goal. Haven't had a full Premier shake yet. Been doing half the container and it holds 30 grams of protein. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow and I'm bringing all this up with him. Any suggestions from the group would be welcomed! Thank you. :-)

I had gastric bypass at aamc on 8/8/16. Dr. Gandsas did it. I've lost 80 lb. No complications. Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

I wasn't nervous until I woke up on my surgery day. I cried. I was scared! But I got dressed and went to the hospital. I had RNY on 12/21. My surgery went very well. No complications. I stayed overnight and was discharged the next day. Keep walking, take your meds, and sip your Water....its your way to recovery! Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App

I think with anything this huge & life-changing there is always going to be some sort of regret. I got sleeved 2 weeks ago today (I am 36), I have lost approximately 22 lbs, which is fantastic. However, there were and are days that I felt regret. I wondered if I made the right choice, I did not have a waiting period, I made the decision and less than 2 weeks later I was having surgery. If you aren't 100% sure, I would say don't do it. If you are confident you can change your life without the surgery, then why change your body so much. You have to remember, this is a serious surgery, and it can have its complications. My regret comes from, I know I could have lost the weight without the surgery, however, I am not sure I could have maintained it. I cannot tell you how many diets I have been on since I was a kid, more than I can count. Yes I miss food and eating all of the yummy things, however, I am changing my relationship that I have with food and that is something that I can't 100% say I would have been able to without having the surgery. So to answer your question, there are days that I still have regret, but the bigger picture of me being healthier and being able to spend time with my kids/husband and not being worn out, takes that regret away. I am sure you will make the decision on what is best for you, because you truly know in your heart your strengths. Good luck! <3

No, it's not normal. I see you made other posts about bruising and leg cramps and you are well in the window of postop blood clot complications. You need to call your surgeon ASAP or get to the ER if he can't see you immediately.

Great questions @@50yearoldme I'm terrified of the complications I just overthink. I don't have my surgery date yet but I already can't sleep thinking about this surgery that I know I want to get. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I think with me sometime when I look back at all the complications I had to deal with post surgery that puts me in a mind frame of regretting having the surgery done. But over all, no I wouldn't change what I've done. My health and outlook on life are more positive now than they ever have been in my entire adult life. I for the most part feel better and can do things that I couldn't even imagine I would ever be able to do just a few years ago. If I could go back I would still have the surgery for sure, but I would better prepare myself for the changes I was about to embark on and maybe removed some toxic people out of my life months instead of weeks before I had the surgery.

Today I'm 210.1 lbs. Slow, but steady, 7 weeks post-op. I have been able to eat and drink more easily, so that's a big relief. I went to the pool on Thursday and suprised myself, it went almost as well as before surgery and I had almost a 2 months break due to my complications. Still haven't dared to touch my rowing machine, but any day now... Have a great week everyone! Nilla

@@50yearoldme Make sure you talk to your PCP about follow-up blood work and call your insurance company to make sure treatment for any complications would be covered. My PCP was great about the whole thing and scheduled me for visits and blood work at regular intervals post-op. My insurance told me that any visits to the ER, infections, or whatever else WOULD be covered. Fortunately, I had no issues whatsoever and everything went super smoothly for me.

My husband isn't convinced that Mexico is the right place for surgery. I have been accepted by Dr. Illan and I'm ready... Has anyone had any complications that needed Dr's care POST surgery? If you had to see a Dr. did they even want to treat you? Did you have a hard time getting treatment? Did you go to an emergency room? What were your complications. Would you do it again? My husband works in the legal field, he sees the worst of everything you could possibly imagine. I understand his fear. But I'm ready...

I also had post op complications I had to sit at the cancer center every day getting infusions for four hours and it usually ended up being closer to five- by the time they got me back and got my iv in and all that and the cancer center was two hours away so I spent nine hours a day away from my house and kids for two weeks until o could properly get in fluids and I also was in the hospital for five days on top of those 14 days Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Speaking for myself, it makes me upset because they are posting about it for sympathy or support. I don't want to be part of someone's bad behavior and certainly don't enjoy watching others enable each other's bad choices. There are so many people on here struggling with a lack of support from family who think they shouldn't have/need surgery, worried about complications or failure. People like OP are the stereotype of wls failure. They make it harder for others. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I also had a terrific experience with Dr. Fernando Garcia and his staff. He performed the VSG on me in August of 2015, and I felt like I was taken care of very well. I spent more time with his staff than directly with him, but he was kind and attentive, and willing to answer questions. I had minimal actual pain - mainly just some discomfort. I slept most of the time I was in the clinic, but was well enough to take laps through the hallway. I had a private room so I brought my laptop with me loaded with movies and hooked it up to the TV via a HDMI cable so my parents (who were my support team since my husband was working) could watch them while I dozed. I spent a total of four days in Mexico. I live in LA, so we drove down on a Monday morning and parked at the border parking lot for Tijuana where the driver met us and took us and his other passengers (a girl who was also having the VSG and her sister, who'd flown in) to the Marriott. That night I walked down to the shopping center a few blocks away with my dad, and then just relaxed in the hotel. On Tuesday morning I went to the clinic and had the tests for surgery, and then the surgery itself. I was in the clinic all day on Wednesday. On Thursday I had the leak test (and paid the small fee to get a copy of the results for my personal records), and then was brought back to the hotel. I felt well, so we played tourist, and then went for a walk, and lounged by the pool. On Friday a nurse came to the hotel to check on me, and then my family checked out of the hotel and were brought back to the parking lot. We breezed over the border because we were in the medical lane. There's an outlet mall a couple of blocks away, so we went there and shopped. I felt completely fine by that point. The only mild distress I felt was due to an allergic reaction to the tape used on the incisions. Once I replaced that, all was well. On my last day at the clinic I met with a nutritionist who gave me a packet of information about the eating stages. Several leading bariatric centers, like one at the the Mayo Clinic, have information on their websites about how to eat post-op, and I suggest reading through in advance when you're making your plans. The total cost for me was $4200. That included the surgery and all tests and medications, two nights stay at the Marriott and bariatric meals there (popsicles and broth), and all ground transportation. The Marriott even shuttled my parents back and forth from the hotel to the clinic every day for free (though they generously tipped). I'd consulted with surgeons in LA who quoted me $29,000 to $35,000 for the same surgery. I believe the outcome would have been identical. I lost weight slowly because I had a low starting BMI (31), but I did exceed my goals within a year. I've had no complications; my lab work is excellent; and I've had minimal hair loss and no loose skin. I am extremely glad I had the surgery. I reclaimed my life.

Be aware it changes the "power dynamic" within a relationship. As you get healthier and better looking, your confidence will increase and his comfort will drop. Sorry, it does change things. To put your head in the sand and say it doesn't it is an invitation for disaster IMHO. What this means is he needs reassurance and you need to be aware of what your priorities are. Communicate. I don't know you but I have seen people who changed their relationships because they realized they really were selling themselves short and were sticking around with bad partners because their self-estime was low due to their weight. And there are some partners who left because they felt they couldn't compete with a hotter spouse. These are all complicated issues. There isn't a "one-size-fits-all-solution" on this one. It is all communication, trust and commitment. This is serious work. Good luck.

Hi Greg! Congratulations on your approval. That's great news! I just first want to say that I, too, have BCBS of IL. I'm not sure where you're having your surgery, but even though I live in N. Indiana, I'm having mine at the University of Chicago. When I went into the surgeon's office for my first appointment, I guess I was expecting to be on an all liquid diet for two weeks before, and two weeks after the procedure. My doctor said that a low carb will suffice for two weeks before because that's how he wants his patients to eat for life, not on a liquid diet. Now, having said that, maybe it's a patient to patient thing. I have 225 pounds to lose, ideally, so that should tell you that I'm not on the light end of the BMI spectrum. But maybe some patients have more of a fatty liver that needs to be lean in time for surgery, so a liquid diet is the best bet--I don't know, I'm just shooting something out there into this vast strange universe known as the internet. I want to have only the sleeve done and that's it. My doctor was/is pushing me hard for the DS procedure. Which surgery are you planning on having-- the sleeve, gastric bypass, or the ds? Some surgeries will have you lose faster than others, but either way, you will lose a ton of weight quickly since you're a man starting at a higher weight than a man who's, let's say, is only 270. And a man...did I say a man? Yes, you're a man. Us women tend to lose slower, so that's definitely a bonus for you. But good luck and definitely keep us posted!!! Thanks for the reply Stacy.I'm choosing the Gastric Sleeve. I was given two choices, either bypass or sleeve. I chose the sleeve, cause it just seems less side effects and complications from surgery, in the long run. Yes, your correct. Reason, for the 14 day liquid diet is to reduce the size of the liver. Cause of my BMI at 63. Apparently if BMI were lower it would be less time. Most people who are under 45-50 BMI only need a 3-4 day liquid diet. Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

Pre op diet is hard but that's when I realized that (1) I need to stay engaged in forums such as this and continue to read over my material to help me stay focused (2) I need to remember why I'm doing this and what outcome will be (3) I do not want any complications from surgery so I must do this! This is hard but the excitement I feel about the destination that isn't too far away makes it a bit easier.