Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

What Are The Signs We May Have A Leak?



Recommended Posts

Last night as I was going to bed I had a horroble pain on my left, back side. Not shoulder pain, lower like below the shoulder blade. I had to get back up and sit for awhile until pain subsided enough to allow me to lay back down. I'm 3 wks post op and have no complications. Worried about a leak cause Dr never told me what to look for. Today I have discomfort/ back pain on left side still, but haven't tried laying down again. Please let me know if this happened to anyone else and/or what are the s.mptoms of a leak. Pain isn't unbearble today, just feels like back pain.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Last night as I was going to bed I had a horroble pain on my left, back side. Not shoulder pain, lower like below the shoulder blade. I had to get back up and sit for awhile until pain subsided enough to allow me to lay back down. I'm 3 wks post op and have no complications. Worried about a leak cause Dr never told me what to look for. Today I have discomfort/ back pain on left side still, but haven't tried laying down again. Please let me know if this happened to anyone else and/or what are the s.mptoms of a leak. Pain isn't unbearble today, just feels like back pain.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just spoke to my dr yesterday about this. He told me you will know if you have a leak it is not subtle and will not come and go it will get worse without medical attention. Dr said the symptoms are violently throwing up severe pain and fever!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My only symptom of my leak was left shoulder pain which was determined to be referred pain from the abscess pushing on my diaphragm. No fever, vomiting, anything. My shoulder pain came and went in the beginning but eventually stayed. Occasionally I would have mid left side pain but that was never confirmed as a symptom. Neither of these things were on my list of what to watch for. My doctor couldn't believe I wasn't sick with it. If something doesn't feel right, speak to your doctor until you are satisfied you have the right answer and treatment. Listen to your body.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a fever, nausea (no vomiting), stomach cramping, left shoulder pain (this can also be due to air left during surgery) and lightheadedness. Mine is a small leak and caught early.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Symptoms of a sleeve leak include pain in the abdomen that gets worse rather than better, swelling in the stomach, pain in the left shoulder or chest, dizziness, fever, infection and the appearance of sickness. The best thing to do if you are unsure, is to get in to see your doctor as quickly as possible!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I forgot to mention, my upper stomach was distended.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for your replies. I will call tomorrow morning (also my first day back at work). Hope it's just my back being tired from my sleeping in one position all night since surgery!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Did your doctor check you for a leak before leaving the hospital? My doctor sent me to radiology where I had to drink Fluid while the radiologist monitored the fluid. I was told everything looked perfect and I was able to watch the monitor as well. Is it possible to go through this with a radiologist and still develop a leak? Has that ever happened to anybody?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am 7 weeks out and i did have back pain, it was from gas pressure

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes they did the leak test at the hospital. I hope it is something simple. Right now it just feels like soreness.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you are having that much pain I would certainly seek the advice of my medical doctor or of the surgeon that did your surgery. I do not think that it is a leak but it could be some other problem that needs to be addressed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm getting scared with the talk of the left shoulder pain. I occasionally get a "gas" pain in my left shoulder. Other than that, I feel fine. Is there another reason I would have pain in my left shoulder?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Did your doctor check you for a leak before leaving the hospital? My doctor sent me to radiology where I had to drink Fluid while the radiologist monitored the Fluid. I was told everything looked perfect and I was able to watch the monitor as well. Is it possible to go through this with a radiologist and still develop a leak? Has that ever happened to anybody?

sometimes people only show symptoms weeks after when the stomach becomes less inflammed and then the leak shows up (as it was plugged from swelling previously).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes it is. My leak was held closed from the swelling for at least 9 weeks until the abscess was discovered.

Did your doctor check you for a leak before leaving the hospital? My doctor sent me to radiology where I had to drink Fluid while the radiologist monitored the Fluid. I was told everything looked perfect and I was able to watch the monitor as well. Is it possible to go through this with a radiologist and still develop a leak? Has that ever happened to anybody?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Onedayatatime365

      Looking to connect with others who are also on the journey of better health. Post-Op Gastric Sleeve (4/11/24).
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×