Leak Survivors - A Little Help!

[iggychic 1,405]

We don't know how/why I had the leak. On of the staples in the top most part just kinda came out. Not sure if it was faulty' date=' a really bad cough I had (I doubled over it hurt so bad) or what. I do know, when I started getting nausea all the time, my but said try dry salty things like crackers or pretzels chewed to mush (as I had terrible acid). That was def the worst idea EVER. Haven't had a crunchy pretzel since and even looking at them makes me go >.< lol I've noticed since, my immune system is shot so far this winter [/quote']

I have the same issue...I've caught every cold that's thrown at me! My doc recommended I follow my son's program and get two flu shots, one early in the season and one mid way through. I have to watch for anything that might be an issue with my lungs.

I'm normally healthy as a horse so this is odd for me! I don't enjoy it much!!!

[ReduceReuseRecycle-Me! 119]

Thank goodness and you all (iggychic, Rawrr, Lila S, jasleeve, and others) and this forum. If it wasn't for your reporting of the unfortunate events you've gone through, we'd all less informed of the possibilities. Ignorance is not always bliss. Thank you.

[iggychic 1,405]

Thank goodness and you all (iggychic' date=' Rawrr, Lila S, jasleeve, and others) and this forum. If it wasn't for your reporting of the unfortunate events you've gone through, we'd all less informed of the possibilities. Ignorance is not always bliss. Thank you.[/quote']

Awwww shucks thanks

Honestly....I wish I'd have read a little more reality bites stuff prior to my surgery. I might not have jumped the gun quite so quickly! 20/20 is evil hindsight LOL

[Lissa_S 787]

Awwww shucks thanks

Honestly....I wish I'd have read a little more reality bites stuff prior to my surgery. I might not have jumped the gun quite so quickly! 20/20 is evil hindsight LOL

Knowing me, even if I had read more stuff I would have had the 'can't happen to me' attitude And thanks too for the well wishes!

[RawrrAshleex3 137]

I knew, I read about them. Didn't take it seriously... Live and learn!!!

[iggychic 1,405]

Ditto...to both of you I was zero risk factor (according to the docs) so why would I worry. I was supposed to be the poster child for a wonderful outcome and an easy surgery. All that patting me on the back knocked me out of my senses and I too didn't take the risk seriously. After all...how could it happen to us? I dismissed leaks and complications as things that happened to high BMI multi comorbidities....what a dork!

[pedsnurse120304 19]

Thanks for your responses. My leak was diagnosed in hospital. I couldn't stand straight' date=' had intense pain, was violently ill and my heart rate was around 160 beats per minute. I had two stomach drains in for two months, one of the wound sites is still healing. I had a test to confirm that the leak was fully healed at week 8 (it was such joy) and they then removed the drains.

I am so glad that you are going well after your leak! It gives me encouragement. It's a hell of a thing though when it happens!![/quote']

Continue to get well..

[atushee 1]

Dear All

I am in DESPERATE need of guidance.

I got my mother at age 64 Sleeve Gastrectomy. What a night mare. She got a leak and is very slow to heal. Can someone with similar experience help me.

Thanks

Atul

[krazynique 18]

My question to all of u would u change the decision to have a sleeve or would u do it again! Would u inform and encourage people like myself who are still in the beginning stages not to go through it with the surgery

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

Atul, how is your mother? Is she hospitalized? What is being done for her? If you could give us an update.

I am sorry this is happening to her and wish her healthy healing.

[iggychic 1,405]

My question to all of u would u change the decision to have a sleeve or would u do it again! Would u inform and encourage people like myself who are still in the beginning stages not to go through it with the surgery

I just typed a long reply and it didn't post dang it. So let me try again.

Yes I would change my decision in a heart beat if only life were that easy. And if I said I'd do it again I would expect the guys with the rubber rooms to come take me away immediately. No for gods sake I'd never do this again to myself or my family.

Would I inform and encourage people who are in the beginning stages to not go through with it? Maybe, I often do tell people it's not worth the risk, but not blindly. I'd need to know your story first. If you are low BMI with no comorbidities and no family history of weight related health issues (even if the family history includes being overweight) I'd say it's cosmetic and not worth it. If you were a mother with small children with no life threatening issues at the time, I'd say don't do it now because you might not come home to your babies (that goes for fathers as well). Wait until they can make it in this world without you. If you were going to a day surgery center I'd say go to a hospital for gads sake. If you were needing the surgery but were going to be eating popcorn and fried chicken week one, I'd say get some danged counseling before you have the surgery because IT'S NOT WORTH IT!!!

Some people are ready for this. Some jump in too soon. If you are one of those, take more time to decide if this is worth the risk. My son worries that I will die or leave him for a month if I have a doctors appointment. If I can take that worry out of a child...I don't mind telling their parents it's not worth it.

I think about a third of the people who have this surgery are actually ready for it and need it, from reading here. Those people face serious risks to their health because of their weight and need to do something NOW. For those folks I think the surgery is a godsend, far better than a RNY, but for most....I think they see it as magic and find afterwards that it's not magic. And lest you think I'm just a meanie...I tell people this because I don't want anyone, even a stranger, to experience what I went through in order to look better in a pair of jeans! It's not worth it

[krazynique 18]

I have a BMI of 41.9 I have shortness of breath severe back and joint pain. I been thinking about this for over 3yrs and I have a 2 yr old. I work on my feet all day at a hospital and I am in so much pain all the time from my hips to my knees back and ankle. I have figured out how to eat in small portions I need to hit the gym more but even with that I am not losing the weight like I thought I should. Since I started the program I lost 5lbs.

[RawrrAshleex3 137]

Iggy I couldn't agree more!!!

[iggychic 1,405]

I have a BMI of 41.9 I have shortness of breath severe back and joint pain. I been thinking about this for over 3yrs and I have a 2 yr old. I work on my feet all day at a hospital and I am in so much pain all the time from my hips to my knees back and ankle. I have figured out how to eat in small portions I need to hit the gym more but even with that I am not losing the weight like I thought I should. Since I started the program I lost 5lbs.

So what I'd ask you is, if you have complications, how will you deal with your children hun? I was unable to pick up my child for three months. Unable to care for him at all for about two. In hospital for 22 days a few hours away from him. I didn't die, but I certainly wasn't able to be a parent due to the complications and what they did to me.

You need to get the network in place prior to having any surgery so that, just in case, they are cared for. In addition, and this is the hardest thing to do, I advise that if you do go forward be sure to write each chile a "worst case" letter so that if you die on the operating table you can say the things you want to say to them before you are gone. Don't tell them you did this for them! Talk about leaving them with guilt Even if you are doing this to be healthier so you can enjoy them more, it's not something you want to dump on them if you are gone right? But tell them the things you need to say. Put the letters in a place that they won't be found unless you are gone (mine was the bedside table). This is probably the hardest letter you'll ever write, but for me, I can tell you it gave me some peace when I thought I wasn't going to leave the hospital

I'd do anything you can to lose weight first, and then be sure you are set up for the worst case example out there of complications, hoping that none of these take place This way you know your kids will be ok if you aren't. Whatever you do, I wish you the best.

[4ALongerLife 329]

I had my first surgery 3/5/12. Then I got pneumonia and was readmitted 3/7-3/12. Then was readmitted with a leak 3/19 and stayed through the end of the month. I had a leak test afterwards and still had tiny leaked contents seen, thinking that a high Protein diet and due to piss poor insurance I got out of the hospital. I seemingly improved but in July I got pneumonia. Then again in August. I was to start a new job (with proper insurance) in September, so going to see a pulmonologist that my PCP referred me to as I asked about a pneumonia shot, he said I bet you have a leak. Two CAT scans later, it was found (minus about 2500 due to piss poor insurance). Back on liquids, chest xrays showed it was improving, but after halloween something happened and it opened up again. Surgery 3 was over thanksgiving. Surgery 4 was over my bday two weeks later as the leak was found outside of the suture line after I was d/c'd (yes they did a leak test after surgery 3 and the fistula was closed as well as the leak as it was sewn, glued and stitched; however due to formulation of a fistula in my body that was broken apart and sewn apart in surgery 3, it somehow grew back together, the fistula came back and I couldn't eat as it everything was going into my lungs when I ate). Chest xrays & a barium swallow showed a second fistula's development into my colon. So on the 4th surgery I lost a foot of my colon and had part of my bowels brought up to patch over the leak area that was just outside of the suture line. I had a second and a third opinion. I had a second dr. in on the surgery this last time, just in case. And so far, so good. I am having an upper gi/chest xrays in 2 months to ensure that the healing continues. But now I function like a rny with a sleeve stomach. And for the rest of my life, I need to stay away from CAT scans (due to enough exposure to radiation these past 9 months) and I have a collapsed left lung in the lower quadrant that I will have to see someone about. I am told that the lung might come back, might just be able to live as is... but I'll never be a marathon runner (oh darn), nor with this last surgery being an open one, I will never be able to be Ms. Hawaiian bikini tropic. But I hope, finally, that I am "fixed".

Listen to your body. Do you feel ok? Your body will tell you if something is wrong. Mine surely did. I would drink 3 oz. of liquid and 5 came up (as the fistula that made the connection between my lungs/diaphragm/tummy anytime I ate, the lungs and diaphragm were involved). And thank God my dr. listened asap....that fistula in my lungs/diaphragm/tummy came back 7 days after my 3rd surgery.... grrr.... and the second fistula, if they'd let it go any longer, I would have lost my spleen as well since the pus was wrapped from the tummy around the spleen into a hole in my colon. And thankfully it was a one way fistula, otherwise, I truly might have been coughing up sh*t. (oh the things I've learned about how the body works, YUCK) Home now on a feeding tube so I don't lose more weight and home IV antibiotics for 9 or so weeks through a PICC line.

I am sure you will be fine, but there are horror stories out there. It's a risk we signed that paper for. I have been one of 12 cases this year that they have seen like this, which I have read, is like 1 in 1000 nationally. You, I am sure, are fine. But best of luck to you!