Gastric Sleeve Surgery Complications Of Every Sort-am I Nuts? Please Help! Long Sorry!

[MurphysLaw217 2]

Hello All,

I had a VSG w/hernia repair (mid-sternum area they said) done lap on 11/15, I was 197 then, today I am 161. I just got out of the hospital for massive dehydration. I've lost a total of 36 pounds in 35 days.

I had colon cancer previously in 2006 with a total colectomy, which means all of my large intestine with 1/3 of my rectum has been removed, I also had a lap chole to remove my gallbladder and ERCP done on 10/08.

My surgeon from Blue Point Surgical Group in NoVA knew this. I expected my surgery to have some issues with my history.

However, since then, I've had a UTI, yeast infection X2, my BUN is less than 1, my other liver enzymes have doubled-ALT & AST, my pancreas enzyme has tripled. Last week they stated I had pancreatitis. I was admitted Wed of this week through yesterday.

I have only seen my surgeon 4x, once at the initial consult, once the day before surgery, surgery and when he admitted me to the hospital that evening. I keep getting pushed to the PA, which I love PAs but this isn't working. I seen 3 different people from his practice while I was in the hospital, four dietians and still no answers.

Two of the dietians thought I needed a scope or ERCP immediately, as did several of the nurses. I feel like I have phantom gallbladder symptom with this, still the same pain and I am wondering if you can have stones in your bile duct without a gallbladder. My UGI showed reflux back into the common bile duct and spincterectomy, which apparently I had when I had the gallbladder removed.

I go to the bathroom anywhere from 30-40+ times a day depending on what I eat/drink, which isn't much.

They don't want me to have any fat, sugar, caffeine, carbonated beverages, and I do practice good eating hygience, don't drink 30 minutes before or after, chew up to 25 times, small bites, no straws, no gum chewing.

I eat and within minutes I have excurating pain, left arm/shoulder pain, burbing and spitting back up, pain in my chest mid way through below to my breast bone. Then after I go to the potty about 15 minutes after and am back and forth consistently. I think I have a bile issue because I am producing too much, all of my stool REAKS and is like mountain dew or orange in color, it's all liquid never solidified. My doc/PAs told me this is normal, my body needs to adjust to each specific food, however, everything I eat is pureed, and it's only applesauce and cottage cheese now. I drink sobe, propel fitness Water and water to stay hydrated. I cannot tolerate any Protein at all, I've tried 9 now, and I am not doing any Vitamins either due to nausea.

They have not done a Vitamin panel on me since before my surgery, but were giving me potassium and magnesium in the hospital and I wasn't even low, when I asked the doc he literally just stared at me, and told me I was being "difficult".

I am at a loss, I did my research these docs were supposed to be great, I've never been treated like this by a medical professional.

I don't know which step to take next. Does anyone know of any docs in the DC/MD/VA area? I am going to call my primary today, but I fear, having been in the medical field, no doc will want to take over and will say go back to your surgeon.

Sorry this is so long, I posted on another website forum, but I am not really getting much feedback.

[thinoneday 445]

I'm sorry your having all these issues. Hopefully you'll find someone good soon. Sorry but I'm in Tx so my opinion wouldn't matter regarding physicians. But here is cyberhugs to you (()) and hope your better soon!

[Shemy-away 83]

Hello,

The hospital should have a patient advocate that you can call and I would call them ASAP. Make your voice heard. They are caring for YOU and your opinion and concerns should be addressed. You know your body better than they do.

I hope it all gets better from here. Remember you are your biggest advocate.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

I really have no advice, but agree completely with Natural. Don't let them run you around, get help!! Keep trying!

Hugs, and please know we are all here wishing you well. Please check in with us to let us know how you're doing.

[Shae 44]

I also concur with the ladies above. You employ this team of doctors and as such, you can fire them. Talk to the hospital's patient advocate and tell them how you are being treated. The doctors get smug sometimes and need to be put in their place.

I feel so bad for you and wish I could offer more than a cyber hug! I wish you all the best!

[MurphysLaw217 2]

Thank ALL of you for your response. I am going to do just what you guys recommended, I'll keep you all posted too. I didn't even think about the patient advocate such a good idea!!!!!!

Christy

[Shemy-away 83]

Document everything! As a nurse, we are told, if it isn't documented, it didn't happen.Make sure you keep a record of every phone call, meeting, conversation, etc. Keep us updated and good luck.

[former_vbg 198]

Just reading this thread. I hope things are turning around for you. Any updates? Hope they are good ones.

[p77tmey 15]

I am 2 years post op and if I eat too much, I get pain in my left shoulder area. The only explanation I've ever been given is that when the stomach is full, the esophageal sphincter begins to expand a little and this is connected to a nerve that causes the pain in your shoulder. The shoulder discomfort is a sure sign that I need to stop eating; however, sometimes I have a very delayed (like 20 minutes) response and by then, it's too late.

[MurphysLaw217 2]

Hello everyone! I am still HERE! LOL!

Basically fast forward to now, I'm down to 150, and I am losing still. I don't want to anymore, but my eating habits have not changed and I went to my gastro doc of about 17 years, and he said that he sees a lot of complications from WLS that surgeons don't want to deal with, he thinks they made my tube too narrow. So I gotta have an UGI and a small bowel follow through done soon, he gave me some medicine to coat everything that I have to drink 3x a day, 2 tablespoons, it takes me about an hour to get that down, but I try.

Found out that my runny nose, my shoulder pain/left arm pain, tension in my chest-the center, is supposedly from the Vagus nerve, once post op WLS patients have a lot of issues that are related to this nerve apparently. I do have a lot of the symptoms.

Also, sometimes my blood pressure really drops or gets really high and then I get flushed in the face and really hot, I also and generally cold everywhere else.

Thanks everyone!

[honeybunnyslp 0]

Hi. I can completely relate to your story. I had my sleeve done on November 21, 2011 and I have experienced one complication after another. During the surgery they knicked my spleen which caused a splenal infarct (that part of my spleen died). Then my pancreas and liver enzymes became elevated (and still are), so I was hospitalized in early December for pancreatitis. During that stay they found that my gallbladder was full of sludge and I had an emergency gallbladder removal. When I returned home from that, I just couldn't keep anything down, so the first week of January I was hospitalized for 7 days and they had me on TPN (basically a bag of nutrients that runs through your veins). When I returned home from that hospital stay, I developed chronic diarrhea everytime I ate. My doctor ran some tests (I am still having blood tests once a week), and told me that I had developed C-Diff Colitis and started me on an antibiotic called Flagyl that gives me a permanent metallic taste in my mouth. To top it off, 2 nights ago I ended up in the emergency room with 3 kidney stones and a raging kidney infection caused by the dehydration from the colitis. I had to switch a few of my Vitamins over to injections, because I just can't swallow the pills without an awful gag reflex or vomiting. Most days I experience intense pain right under my breastbone, and my doctore tells me it's pain from my liver and pancreas. I am going to see the GI doctor on February 13, 2012 for an ERCP w/sphincterotomy. Again, they tell me that this will help the pain...but I heard that same thing when I had my gallbladder out and I only felt worse after that. While my weight loss is good (highest weight=258, weight on day of surgery=226, and current weight=195), I, at this time, regret having had this surgery. I am only 33 years old but I feel like an 80+ year old. This has all led to depression and awful anxiety. My doctors put me on disability, because I am either too tired, too sick, or in the hospital. Any suggestions for vitamins, herbal supplements, or something else that might help with all of my issues?

[Formerly Fluffy 5]

Omg I am so sorry to hear about all your problems! Please keep us updated!

Hugs!!!